Barry, Intel740 Graphics Chip Powers STB's New LIGHTSPEED 740 Multimedia Accelerator Board
February 13, 1998
RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE) via Individual Inc. -- STB Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:STBI), a leading supplier of multimedia accelerators to the OEM community, Thursday announced the LIGHTSPEED 740 multimedia accelerator card.
Based on Intel's new Intel740 graphics chip, the LIGHTSPEED 740 is designed to provide 3-D, 2-D and live-action video acceleration to Intel Pentium II processor-based machines, and enables a new generation of visual applications and 3-D games.
"Intel is pleased to be working with STB to deliver Intel740- based graphics boards to the OEM channel. STB is well respected by the OEMs for their service and support. They will help drive the Intel740 into this very important channel," said Bob Gregory, director of graphics marketing, Intel Corp.
One of the largest manufacturers of multimedia accelerators, STB is recognized as a leading supplier of multimedia technology to the largest manufacturers of personal computers. STB's customer list includes Compaq, Dell, Gateway 2000, IBM and others.
"Large OEM design wins are critical to the success of any new graphics chip," remarked computer-graphics-industry analyst Dr. Jon Peddie of Jon Peddie & Associates (Tiburon, Calif.).
"STB's relationships with their major OEM customers are enviable. The fact that they are the only video-card manufacturer that owns its own manufacturing facility is a big plus for them as well. These factors make STB a good vehicle to get the Intel740 graphics chip into the very strategic OEM channel."
"Intel's entry into the graphics-processor business underscores the important role visual computing will play in the mainstream consumer appeal of the personal computer in the future. I'm not at all surprised Intel's first offering is an impressive one, excelling in the two most important aspects of 3-D graphics, which are performance and image quality," remarked Gary Kellar, director of video products marketing at STB.
Innovative 3-D Architecture
The LIGHTSPEED 740 utilizes the Intel740 graphics chip's "hyperpipelined " 3-D architecture, which combines Intel's Precise Pixel Interpolation, Parallel Data Processing and Direct Memory Execution for industry-leading image quality.
The Precise Pixel Interpolation means the Intel740 performs interpolation on each individual pixel, with up to 32 bits of floating points accuracy. The result is unsurpassed mip-mapping quality for the finest visual effects that can be found in popularly priced graphics- accelerator products.
Parallel Data Processing executes multiple graphics-enhancing functions simultaneously instead of the traditional multipass approach. With Direct Memory Execution, instead of storing an enormous amount of data in the memory on the graphics card, the Intel740 uses the system's memory to store and upload large texture map files with no loss in performance.
These functions work together to alleviate any bottlenecks caused by moving information in and out of system memory and results in a drastic increase in performance.
The LIGHTSPEED 740's Intel740 chip supports an array of 3-D features, including anti-alising, flat shading, Gourand shading, z-buffering, perspective correction, fogging and many others. STB's LIGHTSPEED 740 accelerator card fully implements all Direct3D functions in hardware.
By accelerating the 3-D functions in hardware, instead of just emulating the acceleration in software, the LIGHTSPEED 740 gives a true-to-life visual experience. That means unsurpassed Direct3D performance. The LIGHTSPEED 740 also supports other popular APIs, including Open GL.
High-Performance 2-D Architecture
The LIGHTSPEED 740 uses the Intel740's powerful 64-bit graphics engine to run all of today's most popular business applications. Its 203 MHz RAMDAC enables the LIGHTSPEED 740 to support resolutions up to 1600 x 1200.
The accelerator also supports the VESA ergonomic standard for flicker-free monitor performance. The LIGHTSPEED 740 comes with four megabytes of 100 MHz SGRAM (synchronous graphics RAM) high-performance memory technology for high-speed onboard processing, and can be expanded to eight megabytes.
Comprehensive Video Architecture
STB's LIGHTSPEED 740 multimedia accelerator is capable of playing back AVI, MPEG I and MPEG II files for low-, medium- and high-grade digital video playback. The Intel740 includes bilinear scaler capability. As a result, you can increase the size of a high-quality image without any loss of visual quality -- and the image will retain its ratios in both directions.
The video architecture includes low-cost software DVD support with an optimized hardware DVD interface. Support for a standard TV and video capture interface is also included.
The accelerated graphics port (AGP) improves system performance by providing a high-speed pathway between the PC's graphics adapter and the system's main memory. This pathway enables the graphics adapter to execute texture maps directly from system memory instead of caching them in its local video memory.
It also helps speed the flow of decoded live-action video from the CPU to the graphics controller. The LIGHTSPEED 740 supports the AGP 2X standard, giving it impressive scalability and allowing it to make use of the entire system resources.
STB Systems
STB Systems, based in Richardson, designs and manufactures award-winning 3-D multimedia accelerators, convergence products, professional-class 3-D graphics adapters and multiport display solutions for use in consumer and business desktop computers. Since its founding in 1981, STB has been a pioneering force in the field of new graphics technologies for personal computers.
Extensive manufacturing resources, engineering expertise and consistent quality have established STB as a leading supplier to top-tier PC manufacturers, including Compaq, Dell, Gateway 2000, IBM and others. STB has multiple facilities in North America, as well as offices in London; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Paris.
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