Fred & Intel Investors - Intel's Whitney Chip is Moving Forward
This article states that Intel's new Whitney - combination of 440 BX Chip Set/i740 Graphics/Soundblaster Audio - will be sampled before year's end.
Note at the end - several people spurn the idea of combining all these functions in to one chip - ignoring the fact that Intel had all this in mind - they will still offer STRAIGHT CHIP SETS (no graphics or sound) - for the market SEGMENT (there's that SEGMENT word again) that wants individual components.
Good idea !
Paul
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eet.com
Posted: 11:45 p.m., EDT, 7/19/98
Intel pushes graphics integration,
raises antitrust concerns
By Mark Carroll and By Rick Boyd-Merritt
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Intel Corp. this week will ship PC makers
technical details of a long-awaited chip set that marks a shift
in direction for both PC graphics and sub-$1,000-system
design. The so-called Whitney chip set could also mark a
renewed move by the microprocessor giant toward integrated
processors, as well as raise new concerns about Intel's
extending an alleged monopoly in PC processors into the
realm of graphics.
At least two core-logic makers here are following Intel in its
march into integrated silicon, though they might face
difficulties gaining a license to Intel's Pentium II processor
bus. But some Taiwanese systems manufacturers are balking
at a move to integrated parts that could lock them into
designs with potentially substandard graphics performance.
Analysts said Intel's Whitney, about which significant technical
details are already emerging here, represents a high-risk but
inevitable move to addressplummeting PC prices for both
consumer and business systems. And they believe the
products ultimately will have a profound impact on desktop
silicon.
"Will this restructure the market? In 1999, no; in 2000 and
beyond, you bet," said John Latta, principal at
graphics-market watcher Fourth Wave (Alexandria, Va.).
"This is likely to be the end of low-end graphics in economy
PCs with Intel processors," said Michael Slater, editorial
director of the Microprocessor Report, taking a more
measured assessment. "But a large portion of the economy
PC market does not use Intel processors."
Nevertheless, Whitney marks Intel's return to integrated
processors. The company has not dabbled in such parts
since it pulled the plug on its notebook-oriented 386SL and
486SL after system makers found them too expensive and
inflexible.
"It's the inevitable progression of the technology that Whitney
and Mendocino [Intel's upcoming low-end processor] will
merge into one," Slater added.
"To get high-performance systems at aggressively lower
costs, you have to provide more integration," acknowledged
Fourth Wave's Latta. "But it's a highly risky strategy until there
is a stable 3-D API, chip architecture and memory interfaces.
"The biggest downside is in cost and performance. Integrated
3-D may not be fast enough to compete with the latest
adapter-card solution."
Antitrust concerns
Beyond performance issues, the move into integrated core
logic and graphics will inevitably raise new antitrust questions
about Intel on two fronts. Intel has a small share in 3-D
graphics based on its i740 accelerator but a substantial one
in chip sets and CPUs. What's more, the company has been
slow to license rights to use its P6-class Pentium II bus-and
competitors require that access to make their own core logic.
"The [antitrust] question certainly will be raised," said Slater. "I
don't think it's viable for the government to dictate integration
strategies, but open interfaces are something the government
could require. Intel might decide to move in that direction
before the government requires it."
Preliminary information sheets from Intel show that Whitney
will integrate the i740 graphics engine with the Pentium II
north bridge 100-MHz core-logic chip. The chip set is to be
used with Intel's Mendocino CPU, which is a 330-MHz
Celeron with 128 kbytes of L2 cache on chip. Whitney will
offer integrated
3-D graphics as well as 100-MHz SDRAM support.
Graphics memory can be configured as an external frame
buffer, or system memory can be used for both graphics and
system functions. Software DVD, audio and modem functions
are supported.
The Whitney chip set comes in multiple versions. The
421-pin, mini-BGA north-bridge Graphics and Memory
Controller Hub will be offered in a version that uses a
graphics frame buffer and another that uses system memory
for the buffer. Both chips support two DIMM slots, for a total of
256 Mbytes of 100-MHz SDRAM with a 64-bit data bus.
The 241-pin BGA south bridge chip also comes in two
flavors. The basic chip has two 33-Mbyte/second ATA/IDE
channels. A higher-performance version has two 66-Mbyte/s
ATA/IDE channels.
The variants will let Intel target far more than sub-$1,000
consumer systems. The fast-I/O part will address business
systems; that part plus the north bridge with frame-buffer
support could address midrange to higher-end consumer
systems.
Intel declined to comment on the details of the part.
Whitney also has a separate, so-called FirmWare Hub, which
apparently implements new hardware security functions at
which Intel has previously hinted. The chip contains system
flash video BIOS; the security function is a hardware
random-number generator. The FirmWare Hub comes in
either a socketable, 32-pin PLCC or a 40-pin thin
small-outline package (TSOP).
Intel plans availability of Whitney and reference-board
samples by year's end. The initial production ramp for
Mendocino/Whitney systems is slated for the first quarter.
At least two Taiwan core-logic design houses have similar
plans. One uses an in-house graphics engine; the other
sources a design house's graphics core.
Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. (SiS, Hsinchu, Taiwan)
recently announced availability of the SiS 530, 100-MHz
core-logic with on-chip 3-D graphics. Up to 1 Gbyte of system
memory (which the graphics engine shares) is supported via
three DIMMs. The 64-bit internal bus allows for up to
800-Mbyte/s video-data transfer. The chip set also supports
an Ultra DMA-66 IDE controller and digital flat panels.
SiS' chip will sample in August, with production scheduled for
September. The 530 comes in a 557-ball BGA package.
The SiS530 is based on a Socket 7 interface, rather than the
Slot 1 interface of the P6-class Pentium II. SiS is not saying
when-or if-it will field Whitney-compatible core logic, although
the company does offer non-integrated core logic for the
100-MHz P6 bus.
Via Technologies Inc. (Taipei), meanwhile, has a Whitney
alternative in the works but will go to an outside graphics-chip
design house for the graphics engine. "We plan on having an
alternative to Whitney ready for debut at this year's Comdex,"
said a spokesman for Via.
Some Taiwanese motherboard makers have mixed feelings
about being locked in to one graphics chip along with their
core logic. "When Cyrix introduced the MediaGX, Intel said
that no one would want to be locked into less-than-the-best
graphics functions," said a systems producer. "Now they are
saying that putting graphics into the core logic is the way to
reach the low-cost price point.
"Intel has a lot of weight in this industry. Whether they can still
drive the market or not is not so certain."
"Quite a few of our customers want to customize their
systems," said a motherboard maker. "For them, putting the
graphics engine into the core logic is a negative feature."
"For us it makes no sense," said Al Su, international sales
manager for Holco Enterprises Co. "All of our customers
build their own systems and so want the flexibility of buying a
low-end graphics card, the latest and greatest one available,
or something in between."
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