iXBT Labs - News Archive

Today NVIDIA officially announced new-generation professional NVIDIA Quadro4 8X products: NVIDIA Quadro4 980 XGL, NVIDIA Quadro4 580 XGL, NVIDIA Quadro4 380 XGL, and NVIDIA Quadro4 280 NVS. Naturally, all of them support AGP 8x.

We’ve got professional Quadro4 XGL980 AGP 8x graphics card for testing in our lab, much resembling the previous Quadro4 top model — Quadro 900 XGL. The features are similar (except for AGP 8x): 128MB DDR SDRAM, 300/650 MHz core/memory clock.

We´ve already conducted the first Spec ViewPerf testing to compare Quadro4 XGL980 AGP 8x and Quadro 900 XGL AGP 4õ.

Testbed: 2.53 GHz Pentium 4, SiS648 (AGP 8x for Quadro4 XGL980, AGP 4õ for Quadro 900 XGL), 512MB DDR SDRAM, 40.72 WHQL drivers.

Results: most modes (3dsmax-01, drv-08, dx-07, light-05, proe-01) were almost identical, except for the last one:

Board: Quadro 900 XGL (300/650) ugs-01 Weighted Geometric Mean = 16.97 Board: Quadro 980 XGL (300/650) ugs-01 Weighted Geometric Mean = 19.89

This clearly characterizes AGP 8x performance growth.

I’ll just add that the complete line of NVIDIA Quadro4 8X solutions will be produced and distributed by Leadtek, PNY Technologies, Technology Joint Corporation/ELSA Japan in the respective regions.

Sharp announces Zaurus SL-C700 and SL-B500

Today Sharp announced that sales of Zaurus SL-C700 and SL-B500 (OS Linux (Embedix)), released at Ceatec 2002, will start in mid-December (initially in Japan).

Zaurus SL-C700 features 3.7" VGA (640x480) display (with electronics embedded into the glass substrate), QWERTY keyboard (10.75 mm key step), 400 MHz Intel PXA250 (Xscale), 32MB SDRAM, 64MB flash memory (30MB user space). The device supports two slots for CF Type II and SD cards, has IrDA and USB connectivity. Model dimensions are 120x83x18.6 mm, weight – 225 g. Built-in 1000 mAh battery provides 4h50m operation. Zaurus SL-C700 will cost about $420.

SL-B500 has 3.5" QVGA (240x320) display with backlight, miniature keyboard, 400MHz Intel PXA250 (Xscale), 32MB SDRAM, 64MB flash (30MB user space), CF Type II, SD slots, IrDA, USB interfaces. Dimensions are 74x138x20.6/25.3 mm, weight — 223 g. 1700 mAh battery provides 18 hours of operation. The approximate price of Zaurus SL-B500 is $340.

New ASUS V9280 VideoSuite based on GeForce4 Ti4200-8X GPU

ASUSTeK announced another V9280 solution on NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti4200-8X GPU — V9280 VideoSuite.

AGP 8õ V9280 VideoSuite features ASUS Smart Cooling Technology, dual DVI output (two DVI-to-VGA included), and VIVO (Video-in/Video-out). The card has 128MB DDR; core/memory clocks make 275/512 MHz. The package also includes ASUS Digital VCR utility for video capture and recording to MPEG I, MPEG II, AVI, and VideoSecurity program for creating PC-basesd video security systems.

NEC Electronics will accept orders for 90-nm chips production

NEC Electronics announced that from March 2003 it will be accepting orders for integrated 90-nm chips, made using NEC UX6 technology.

New chips will base on NEC CB-90 platform. Currently the company prepares three IP libraries: CB-90H, CB-90M, and CB-90L, necessary for making low-power chips. According to the company, CB-90 will enable to reduce chip energy consumption by about 40% comparing 130-nm UX5 devices, based on CB-130 platform. New chips will operate at up to 1GHz clocks and will feature higher level of integration. CB-90 itself bases on using NEC Electronics´ new proprietary CMOS transistors with 1V supply voltage. New chips will supposedly be used in high-performance servers and game consoles.

An additional advantage of NEC Electronics´ 90-nm platform is that it has been developed to meet STARC (Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center) and ASPLA (Advanced SoC Platform Corp.) industry standards, enabling easy implementation of either NEC Electronics or third party intellectual-property (IP) blocks.

Furthermore, NEC Electronics is planning to release a range of IP cores, including memory compilers, digital and analog PLLs, and AD/DA converters, as well as HSTL, SSTL, LVDS and USB I/Os. CB-90 performance verification libraries are scheduled for release in December 2002. NEC Electronics will begin accepting orders in March 2003. First samples of CB-90-based ASICs are scheduled for delivery in June 2003. Volume production will be launched in Q3 2003.

Microsoft and Samsung announce inexpensive PDA concept

Microsoft and Samsung Semiconductor announced new concept platform under Windows Pocket PC to considerably cut cost price of such devices.

The developer kit bases on 16/32-bit Samsung S3C2410 RISC-processor with ARM920T core, EEPROM (Flash ROM), NAND flash memory, LCD interface, Microsoft Pocket PC, and 3.5" color or b/w QVGA display. Besides, to expand multimedia capabilities the concept includes SDIO ports, MMC/SD interfaces.

According to provisional data, such bw-display PDA will weigh about 100 g and have 105x72 mm dimensions.

It’s interesting that Samsung already ships its Linu@Box developer kit based on SMDK2410 (Samsung MCU Development Kit; on the photo) that includes S3C2410 processor, NAND flash memory, 240x320 LCD screen, 64-button keyboard, numerous interfaces, and Embedded Linux software.

Archos announces external DVD-RW drive

Archos, known more by its portable multimedia products, is going to release its first DVD-RW drive in mid-November.

Archos DEx DVD-RW2 will support USB 2.0, and DVD-RW, DVD-RAM formats. The drive will provide 2x DVD-R/DVD-RAM writing, 1x DVD-RW writing, up to 10x reading, and 12/8/32x CD-RW capabilities.

The package will include VideoWave Movie Creator and Easy CD Creator. The expected price of Archos DEx DVD-RW2 is about 459 euro.

Source: Clubic

JVC announces new DVD-RW media

JVC announced new 4.7GB DVD-RW blanks — VD-RW47B, that will also be shipped in 5-unit packages — 5VD-RW47B.

New VD-RW47B discs meet DVD-RW Version 1.1/ 2X standard and support 2x rewriting. They feature new 6-level OTDC (Optimum Thermal Diffusion Construction) technology along with U-Fine Groove technology to reduce possible writing errors.

Shipments will start early in December.

Analysts are sceptic about motherboard and chipset X-mas sales

Despite the growth of motherboard sales in October, chipset and mobo makers are sceptic about forecasted activity growth during X-mas season.

Besides some orders amount decrease that started in the end of Q3, the current shipment volumes growth might lead to the overstocking. In case December sales aer weak, some makers might send their staff to vacations earlier to cut production losses.

Prices, dropping continuously, can become this reason of Q4 losses.

Chipset shipments and sales volumes in 2002
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4 (forecasted)
Shipments (thousands units)	36643	34346	38504	44312
Sales volumes, $ million	971	843	913	1031
Weighted average price, $	26.5	24.5	23.7	23.3

Source: The DigiTimes

MSI announces three new MS-8894 graphics cards on NVIDIA Ti4200-8X GPU

MSI posted specifications of three new MS-8894 graphics cards, based on NVIDIA Ti4200-8X GPU. All of them have red PCB, and their packages include: MSI 5.1 Channel DVD Player, Virtual Drive 7 Pro, Restore It 3 Pro, MSI Foreign Language Learning Machine, MSI 3D Desktop, and 10 games (Tom Clancy´s Ghost Recon, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project, The Sum of All Fears, IL-2 Sturmovik, Serious Sam 2 lite, Rally Trophy, Beam Breakers, Zax: The Alien Hunter, and Oni).

MSI Ti4200-TD8X has 128MB DDR SDRAM, analog and digital, and TV outputs. MSI Ti4200-VTD8X also supports VIVO (Video In/Video Output). Ti4200-TD8X64 has 64MB DDR SDRAM, analog, digital, and TV outputs.

InnoVISION announces Inno3D Geforce4 Ti4200 AGP 8X

Hongkong InnoVISION Multimedia announced new Inno3D Tornado Geforce4 Ti4200 AGP 8X graphics card on NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti4200-8X GPU.

Inno3D Tornado GeForce4 Ti4200 AGP 8X features DDR SDRAM memory, 250/512 MHz core/memory clocks. The card has analog, DVI interfaces, supports VIVO (Video In and Video Out). Package also includes Intervideo WinDVD2000 player, CyberLink PowerDirector and Interplay´s Formula one of the future.

Shipments of Inno3D Tornado GeForce4 Ti4200 8X DDR is scheduled to mid-November.

New Panasonic SV-SD50 AAC/WMA/MP3-player on SD cards

Matsushita Electric announced new SV-SD50 multimedia player.

SV-SD50 supports AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), WMA (Windows Media Audio), MP3 (MPEG-1/MPEG-2 Audio Layer3). It’s playback frequency range is 20Hz-20kHz, output power – 3.5 mW. The player supports two-level S-XBS for better bass, and USB for PC connectivity.

Dimensions are 47.2x22.1x68.5 mm, weight – 41.4 g. The player requires one battery, providing up to 31-hour operation.

Adtec announces new 17" SXGA LCD monitor

In mid-November Adtec is to ship new 17" AD-AX17X LCD monitors.

They support 1280x1024 (SXGA), have 0.264 mm pixel size, 250 cdm maximum brightness, 500:1 contrast, 20 ms response time. Viewing angle makes 160° horizontally and 130° vertically, line scan is 24–61 kHz, frame scan — 56–75 Hz.

The monitor features analog input, built-in stereo speakers (2õ1W). The dimensions are 374x204x394.5 mm, weight — 5 kg.

Source: PC Watch

Chaintech announces Zenith 7NJS on nForce2

We currently test new Chaintech 7NJS motherboard in our lab. As you know, the company decided to release new color products: Summit, Apogee, and Zenith featuring black PCB, yellow (AMD platform) and green (Intel) slots, sockets, ports, and cables.

The announced board belongs to the top-end Zenith line, and has maximum accessories possible: round IDE cables, 3.5-inch CBOX panel with 4 USB ports, headphones out, mic-in, Body Theater headphones, Firewire port. The board itself bases on new NVIDIA nForce2 (SPP + MCP-T), supporting Socket A Duron/Athlon/Athlon XP, DDR400 SDRAM, AGP 8x, and has Serial ATA ports, IDE RAID controller, IEEE1394 and SPDIF interfaces. In other words, it’s on the level of already announced ASUS A7N8X. Introducing you the photos of it.

« Previous Day

News Archive

Next Day »

Write a comment below. No registration needed!