Next Version Of Parhelia

[brogs6]

srry

[Strahd]

Don't mean to burst any bubbles, it ain't gonna happen.

God I hope I'm wrong on this, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Liquid Snake]

Hmm...how could Matrox management change their mind so suddenly?

[candyman]

Strahd, I really hope you're wrong on this one, but I'm also affraid the whole story could be made up as well.

Anyways
Apart from the Matrox RMA list which now includes the coming (?) 256mb, 256mb bulk and the 64mb bulk cards, there are some rumors around.

As from a russian site (trademaster.ru) rumours say that a Taiwanese microchip-manufacturer UMC is currently preparing for starting mass-production of a series Parhelia gpu's with .13u architecture. It also says that it is likely that big amount of these will be ready in a month or two and that Matrox is planning on releasing a series of cards on this chip with AGP8x support and including mentioned 64/256mb-cards.

This article is of 12:th October so it's not hot news, it's also possible that everybody knows about this, except me
If so, forgive me, I'm new to this forum.

[ElDonAntonio]

I didn't know that! thanks for the info welcome too!!

[candyman]

thanks mate
By the way, I just looked up the UMC and found that they have actually been working with the Matrox since this spring. The original Parhelia chip is actually made using UMC's .15um process technology. Another detail that I found interesting is that UMC is actually world leading .13um-microchip manufacturer.

Sounds like it could actually make hell alot of sense.
Well, let us pray

[P5ycho]

Well, i don;t believe the .13 micron story, but i do see some reason for a 256MB card, since Matrox is aiming for cad users and stuff with their last driver package. They are trying to make the card work for some specialized things like video editing, cad, 3d design, etc. I sure hope they don't proomise too much and deliver half-baked drivers/support in the end.

[Chrono_Wanderer]

I hope I am wrong on this one... but IMO it is hard to believe that Matrox will bringing out 130nm chips winthin 2 weeks. Isn't UMC having troubles with their 0.13 micron fab? And I thought NV30's delay was because TSMC just got 0.13 running and their first piorety is the AMD Thoroughbred chips. Please correct me if i am wrong because I haven't read much about computers lately due to the enomous amount of homework

Anyways, explinations of why big M cancelled the P64 (hmm.. we have N64, IA64, x86-64... what's next...) project can be:

1) The great amount of criticisms here about P64 at MURC threads
2) Mr. Dan Wood read This
3) Recent riot against matrox marketting department by the MURCers
4) MURCers stole the P64 card thus causing NDA breakings (ahh... back to the good old days when MURCers were speculating P128 having RSN.)
5) The marketing boys finally understand the importance of listening to the market and demand.

Now I jsut hope Matrox know what they are doing and release that P256 w/Full DX9 (and hopefully PS2.1), fixed anisotropic filter and FAA support.

But i doubt they managed to do all these unless P256 chip was developed together w/P128 because DX9 requirement is 128-bit internal FP color percision (Or is it?). The chance of this to happen surely is minimal though... sigh...

heh this thread should belong to the Crystal Ball Forums... but the mods, who are mostly beta testers, didn't... hmm an indication that SOME people here already got P256 in hands, or SOON™

[KngtRider]

Yeah DX9 specifices support greater than 8888 ARGB, up to 16 iirc

[Sinistral]

- Anyone remember a while ago, some rumours's (i think it was a rumour) that with the release of the P256. Matrox would also release their Pro Certified Drivers? That would work on the P128 as well. I cant wait till those come out. -

[Rimfaxe]

this is what i know

Hi all.

I think this is all good news, the bad thing is I got into a big fight about who is gonna get the Matrox Parhelia 256 after the first testing... (Hey, who wouldn't...)

But, anyways... What I know is it will be shipped within 2 weeks and the pricing will be ~3500 SEK=~$350=~350euro!!! Yes, you are right, it doesnt say $3500... Pretty cheap...

I myself didn't first belive it but it is what M said...


That is about all I know, for now. (almost) I know nothing about new features or anything like that, sorry.

This is gonna be great I tell you!

[ElDonAntonio]

350$ !?!? DAMN!!!! for a 256MB card, this is dirt-cheap, espescially considering the current feature-set of the Parhelia 128!! If the 256 has some additional features, it's going to sell like crazy in the pro spheres!!

Go Matrox!

[KngtRider]

Originally posted by ElDonAntonio
350$ !?!? DAMN!!!! for a 256MB card, this is dirt-cheap, espescially considering the current feature-set of the Parhelia 128!! If the 256 has some additional features, it's going to sell like crazy in the pro spheres!!

Go Matrox!

only if it has the same level and quality of support as the 3dlabs cards/quadro/firegl

matrox never had a full d3d/ogl cap set on any chip with any driver

[DGhost]

if that info is right, i will shoot myself for purchasing a 128mb card...

or i will simply bitch about the defects in the card long enough until customer support agrees to replace it w/ a 256mb version

[Chrono_Wanderer]

Hi all.

Does anybody think that the new P HARDWARE will support OpenGL 2.0 (I don't mean the ICD), since they are a member of the OpenGL (was it OGL 1.3 only???) revision board as i recall.