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.

Pastimes : Dream Machine ( Build your own PC ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Spots who wrote (3811)	11/30/1998 10:16:00 AM
From: Dave Hanson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14778

"ATI is definitely on my list of good guys." I agree that they do their best, but I must say they weren't much help on my NT-AIWP tuner problems. Just got an e-mail back basically saying, "we give up, but feel free to write back if you like." Too bad--It's great under W95. Perhaps when I get more time to play... Hope you had a great holiday, Spots.

To: Spots who wrote (3811)	11/30/1998 5:26:00 PM
From: Sean W. Smith	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 14778

Spots and All, Oops.... Guess I was the one not paying attention... honestly in hundreds of NT systems I have never seen a video card support this. MS does have a discussion of lack of APM and implications in the KB. the greensaver link I posted earlier actually came from MS NT workstation resource kit CD. It appears the ATI has gone the extra mile here. In 95/98 this service is provided by the OS and the video card manufacturers just call the existing code. ATI has obviously gone off and implimented there own. I have seen no other vendor do this. If anyone else knows of others please post them as I'm sure many people would like to have this ability in NT4. BTW, when Win95 came out my (new at the time) ATI Mach 32 wouldn't enter power saver mode. ATI said the Mach 32 used a a power saver method which 95 did not support. BUT they swapped it for a Mach 64 for a nominal price, about $70-$75. Doesn't sound so nominal now, but at the time the Mach 64 (VRAM version) was selling for well over $300 (I think I paid about 150 for the Mach 32). ATI is definitely on my list of good guys. They try hard. I have had varying luck with their drivers over the years. I had lots of problems with the MACH32 and MACH 64 under windows 3.1 with the Vesa Local bus cards. Definetly sounds like you had a good support experience. We had engaged with them when I was working on video chips at IBM and their engineering team seemed competent and knowledable unlike many other vendors like STB, Diamond, #9, etc which are essential marketing machines which repackage others technology. Matrox and ATI are the only two vendors (I know of) who do the ASIC's, boards, drivers, and sell and support the retail product. Obviously there seems to some merit to this approach versus the OEM approach taken by many other vendors. Support vendors who make quality products!!!!!!!! Price isn't everything. Sean EDIT: I forgot #9 does too but I find their TS and driver support lacking. They are up there with Diamond in terms of abandoning product support shortly after release and never implimenting features claimed in the marketing material. There whole 128 bit family is a superlative example of this poor behavior.