Matrox confirms Parhelia is AGP 4X

[Maggi]

Hi Ralf,

as far as I know, does Win2k offer a max AGP size of 16MB only, which is the reason why all gfx cards with a max of 32MB RAM onboard cannot run 3D Mark's 64MB rendering tests in Win2k.

Cheers,
Maggi

[Maggi]

interesting ...

now I surely I hope that SP3 for Win2k will have a fixed/reworked GART.

Thanx for feedback !
Maggi

[isochar]

Sure AGP 8x isn't an issue RIGHT NOW, but by the end of the year when motherboards supporting it roll out...

It'd just be nice to have a next-gen part ready to fill the slot. (Along with the serial ATA hard drives)

[rugger]

Originally posted by isochar
Sure AGP 8x isn't an issue RIGHT NOW, but by the end of the year when motherboards supporting it roll out...

It'd just be nice to have a next-gen part ready to fill the slot. (Along with the serial ATA hard drives)

Wouldn't it be nice if hardware came out that you could actually use in your computer.

Parhellia is out next month, not next year, and it would be nice to have a video card that doesn't need to be shelved until I can afford to upgrade to a AGP 8x motherboard (I don't think agp 4x slots will be able to take agp 8x cards)

Matrox, the first company that had to invent time travel to satisfy its customers

[Wombat]

Ralf, you're wrong there. AGP 2.0 slots will only be able to take cards that are built to be backwards compatible with that standard. You could easily build a 3.0 card that would only work (and fit) in a 3.0 slot.

[rugger]

Originally posted by ralf
Yes, but this is relly about Parhelia so it´s a moot point since Matrox has already said it will be AGP2.0 compatible, (as is Xabre).
There is no contradiction here.
It will take a couple of generations before you see vidcards that are not compatible with the "old" standard.

Just one question ralf,

If matrox wanted to release an agp 8x (Version 3.0) card, just what would they test it on since there are no agp 8x motherboards around at the moment?

[rugger]

Originally posted by ralf
Yes there is.
And how do you think Sis tested theirs out?

Did they really test it properly,

agp 8x may be slightly different by the time it reaches consumers systems than it was in reference systems.

Without testing against many real systems and motherboards, the agp 8x on that card may simply be another useless item filling out the feature list (common with Sis video cards)

Besides, what is your obsession with AGP 8x anyway. Buying hardware with future standards in mind is ALWAYS a bad idea, and I am glad I never do it.

[Greebe]

With an ATE AGP interface, not a card... or possibly with one of their Xabre 400 Series chips... but the bottom line is they aren't on the market and not all MB's are yet available for testing outside their respective manufacture engineering facilities. This does not preclude that this chipset is worthy of it's title because if noone else's card can run that speed on it what is it worth?

[rugger]

Originally posted by Greebe
With an ATE AGP interface, not a card... or possibly with one of their Xabre 400 Series chips... but the bottom line is they aren't on the market and not all MB's are yet available for testing outside their respective manufacture engineering facilities. This does not preclude that this chipset is worthy of it's title because if noone else's card can run that speed on it what is it worth?

Sorry, what is an ATE AGP interface could you clarify please

[Greebe]

Automated Test Equipment (ATE), these are computer based which depending what specific cards/interfaces used can measure all operational point at all times and record them for future analysis. The interface cards are connected to typically very high bandwidth lab grade 12bit dac's for signal aquisition.

[rugger]

Thanks for the explaination Greebe

That also explains why Sis can make an AGP 8x card (because they make motherboards too) and why matrox probably has to settle with 4x for now

[Dr Mordrid]

Hell, by the time the AGP8x boards come out everyone will be talking about 3GIO and Hypertransport. Pointless.

3GIO info

Dr. Mordrid

[The PIT]

Unfortunately the reference board VIA sent out for testing would not even post with an AGP 8X card installed. We used the SiS Xabre 400 card and the board would not POST. We tried the same AGP 8X card in other AGP 4X boards and it worked fine. This may just be an implementation thing with VIA counting on not having to deal with it until AGP 8X cards start hitting the market in larger quantities. We got confirmation from SiS that the Xabre 400 works fine in forthcoming AMD and Intel AGP 8X chipsets.

Come on when did Via ever make anything work first time. LOL

Also proves a point what others members have been saying about real world testing.

[Wombat]

Vendors are scheduling their 3GIO systems to hit the market in 2 years or less.

[Wombat]

"In use" and "useful" are two different things. AGP 4x transfers have been present on cards for the last 3 years. Does anything use that bandwidth? Nope.