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VIA is the first chipset maker to make a chipset available that takes advantage of the new PC133
SDRAM. However, before I'll get into this I'd like to make a comment why the above picture proves
VIA's courage. Right now, PC133 will not be available to anyone officially, because no chipset
maker supplying a Slot1-chipset with PC133-support is allowed to advertise this product. The
reason is quite simple. If VIA or ALi want to supply their version of a Slot1-chipset, they've got to
use the Slot1-bus protocol for the communication between an Intel Slot1-CPU and the chipset. Intel
licensed this bus protocol, known as 'GTL+', a long time ago. Thus the chipset vendor has to ask
Intel for permission to use this protocol and has to pay a royalty to Intel for using GTL+ as well. Intel
doesn't like if anyone runs its current Slot1-CPUs at a front side bus of 133 MHz, which would be
pretty easy with a PC133-chipset, without taking the risk of overclocking the AGP and thus
jeopardizing the life of the graphics card. Therefore Intel told VIA as well as ALi that they won't get
the license to use their bus protocol and other patents, unless they'll wait with any official PC133
announcement until Intel released its new CPUs (Coppermine) running at 133 MHz FSB officially.
ALi was very quiet about their PC133, VIA didn't seem to be too bothered though, as you can see
when you look at this beautiful booth announcement at Computex. Still VIA does only ship the
'693'-north bridge right now, which only supports 100 MHz FSB officially. The '693(A)' will be the
official PC133 chipset, although it's exactly the same as 693. Of course you'll be able to run 693 at
133 MHz FSB in any motherboard that uses it, but that's only the motherboard makers 'fault', VIA
advises against it officially, although with very little effort of course.
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