Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Micron Only Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TREND1 who wrote (29867)	3/10/1998 12:16:00 PM
From: Richard Russell	Respond to of 53903

DRAM Makers Disagree Over Future Memory Technologies (03/09/98; 6:06 p.m. EST) By Andrew MacLellan, Electronic Buyers' News By the end of this year, PC100 SDRAM, which supports Intel's 100-megahertz system bus, is expected to account for the majority of bits shipped. But DRAM suppliers and their OEM customers are still weighing which new architecture will best narrow the growing gulf between memory and processor performance -- a gap that should only increase with Intel's 1999 rollout of the 64-bit Merced RISC processor. The DRAM industry is reluctant to give RDRAM its exclusive endorsement because access to Rambus technology is contingent upon a licensing fee and royalty agreement, while both DDR and SLDRAM are open architectures. Other concerns include Rambus' questionable ability to scale to higher-performance systems and its initial cost per die. Samsung Semiconductor and Hitachi Semiconductor (America), for example, are preparing to launch DDR parts during the middle of this year. The companies will separately introduce a Direct Rambus device this year and will let their PC customers choose between them. "We'll make Rambus and DDR parts, but there is going to be segmentation," Etter said. "DDR is going to be a better fit in higher-end computers, while Rambus will fit into mid-range and low-end computers where a mainstream solution is dependent on component count." Though lagging behind Rambus in their design process, DDR DRAM and SLDRAM have advanced to the latter stages of the JEDEC committee approval process, with final standardization of a DDR specification expected soon. SLDRAM this week received JEDEC approval for its packaging pinout specification and should appear for a full committee vote later this year. SLDRAM's chief proponents are Siemens Microelectronics and Micron Technology, the only two DRAM companies to have increased their revenue in last year's depressed market, according to Semico Research, in Phoenix, Ariz. Siemens and Micron plan to introduce SLDRAM midyear. Proponents said that in addition to their open architecture, DDR and SLDRAM are under consideration because both are extensions of existing DRAM technology and will demand fewer pinout, packaging, and module adjustments than Rambus. In fact, Hitachi's Etter said SLDRAM could serve as a follow-on to DDR, not just at the high end, but in mainstream PCs as well. "It's a very easy migration path," he said. So far, Intel is standing firm, saying its future chip sets will support only Rambus memory. However, companies such as Micron and Via Technologies are developing chip sets for SLDRAM. Via already has a chip set supporting DDR DRAM and plans to introduce a chip set for Direct RDRAM as well. ÿ