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 : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (17327)	3/13/1999 9:02:00 AM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 93625

rmbs news, good stuff. just when you think we are the only people who know about rmbs. March 15, 1999, Issue: 1506 Section: products & technology White Box -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brain Candy For Your PC Memory -- System memory product leaders herald Rambus' RIMM, the 'new standard for 1999' David Myron Slowly appearing on the memory module horizon is a next-generation, high-performance plug-in for PC main memory called the Direct Rambus RIMM Module. Rambus Inc. may be accurate when it says that its RIMM module is "the new memory standard shipping for 1999," because memory interface technology is expected to make its debut in the PC main memory marketplace with Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel Corp.'s Camino motherboard in the fourth quarter. Intel is not alone in its support. Last month, Hewlett-Packard Co., Kingston Technology Co. and National Semiconductor Corp. joined a list of more than 50 leaders in system memory implementation products by announcing plans supporting the new technology. The RIMM module conforms to the standard DIMM form factor, but is not pin-compatible. Therefore, an upgrade to a Rambus dynamic RAM (RDRAM)-compliant motherboard is required. Its architecture is based on the electrical requirements of the Direct Rambus Channel, a high-speed bus operating at a clock rate of 400 MHz, with a data rate of 800 MHz-far surpassing synchronous DRAM's (SDRAM) highest transfer rate of 100 MHz. A 2-Byte-wide data path allows for a peak data transfer rate of 1.6 GBps, doubling the SDRAM's 800-MBps rate. With faster clock speeds coming from processor manufacturers, "it's been a concern that the memory subsystem would become a bottleneck," says Julie Kates, corporate marketing manager at Rambus. "You've got to upgrade your memory subsystem or you're going to starve for memory access." "Rambus is revolutionary because it uses a different technology to allow for multiple transactions on the bus," says Lisa Dreher, memory product manager at Kingston Technology. A variation of the new module is planned for mobile PCs in the fourth quarter. There are also plans to develop large-scale servers, workstations and communications applications.

To: unclewest who wrote (17327)	3/13/1999 9:07:00 AM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 93625

rmbs news March 15, 1999, Issue: 1052 Section: Product Week -- Test -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analysis probe tweaked as Rambus tool Colorado Springs, Colo. - FuturePlus Systems Corp.'s latest tool can be hooked up to an Hewlett-Packard logic analyzer and the result is a Direct Rambus passive analyzer. The FS2222 Direct Rambus Analysis Probe provides a direct interface from the RIMM connector to the instrument. Software sets up the logic analyzer for real-time transaction state analyses. The result of joint efforts by FuturePlus, HP and Intel, the tool can latch Direct Rambus Channel signals at a rate of 800 MHz. The probe operates in a synchronous-state analysis mode, in which the analyzer master clock is a buffered version of the Direct Rambus clock. Parallel data is clocked into the analyzer, which allows for easy triggering and performance monitoring of the bus. An inverse assembler displays the transactions as they execute. The tool sells for $19,995. Call (719) 380-7321 www.futureplus.com EETInfo No. 620 Copyright ® 1999 CMP Media Inc.

To: unclewest who wrote (17327)	3/13/1999 9:14:00 AM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 93625

news March 15, 1999, Issue: 1052 Section: Semiconductors -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Intel cuts broad path Michael Slater The recent Intel Developer Forum, at which Intel delivered its detailed technology vision for the next generation of PCs, vividly illustrated the complexity of the company's role in the computer industry. Much more than just a microprocessor supplier, Intel is seeking to drive the evolution not only of conventional PCs but also of servers and workstations. Three areas emerged in which Intel's positions have caused considerable controversy: USB vs. 1394, DRAM and server I/O. Because of Intel's enormous influence with regard to the direction of the platform, through its chip-set and motherboard businesses as well as its standard-setting efforts, the company's technology plans will affect many semiconductor and system makers. Intel' plans for a 10-to-20-times speed boost for the Universal Serial Bus (USB), due to roll in the second half of 2000, dramatically diminishes the opportunity for the IEEE 1394 interface in PC mass storage, scanners and other peripherals. Intel now positions 1394 as a consumer-electronics link-a sensible move, given that the interface's success has been almost solely in that arena, but a disappointment for those who sought a broader role for the standard. In the DRAM arena, the big issue is the emergence of Direct Rambus DRAMs. The SLDRAM consortium has folded its tent, leaving double-data-rate SDRAM as the primary Direct RDRAM competitor for next-generation systems. Intel's staunch support of Direct RDRAM remains unchanged, making it all but inevitable that this will be the next memory standard. Backers of 133-MHz and DDR SDRAM claim their designs are superior for many applications, but Intel's influence is likely to eventually limit them to a few niches. The transition, however, will be slower than Intel and Rambus Inc. had hoped. Low yields on the 800-MHz memories spawned plans for a 600-MHz speed bin, which compromises performance significantly. Because initial production volume will be low, prices will be high. And Intel's first chip set to support Direct RDRAM is rumored to be delayed until September. Server I/O is the most controversial of the sticky wickets. Intel is backing its Next-Generation I/O (NGIO) scheme, with Sun as a partner. Three other leading server makers, on the other hand-IBM, Compaq and Hewlett-Packard-have balked at NGIO and are promoting a similar alternative under the banner of Future I/O. Next month, I'll delve into this debate. -Michael Slater (mslater@best. com) is principal analyst at Micro Design Resources (www.mdronline.com). Copyright ® 1999 CMP Media Inc.

To: unclewest who wrote (17327)	3/13/1999 9:18:00 AM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

news March 15, 1999, Issue: 1151 Section: News -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PC133 gaining support Jack Robertson The first PC desktops and servers with PC133 SDRAM will be introduced around June, according to chipset and memory vendors supporting the interface technology. PC133 SDRAM chips have been billed as an interim alternative to Direct Rambus DRAM devices, which were slated to debut in June but have been delayed until the third quarter, according to industry sources. More than 150 representatives from companies that build microprocessors, chipsets, memory chips, and PCs gathered at a San Jose hotel last week for a status report on PC133. Chipset maker Reliance Computer Corp., San Jose, which is helping coordinate PC133 efforts as part of an ad hoc group, organized the event. The meeting was held at the same time that JEDEC (Joint Electron Devices Engineering Council) approved the PC133 memory-chip specification as an industry standard. Operating data on PC133 SDRAM chips disclosed at the meeting "proved conclusively that they are ready to move into the mainstream of the PC market," said David Pulling, Reliance's vice president of marketing. "We also found that all the technical interfaces for integrating PC133 in complete computer systems have been worked out." Reliance will have PC133 chipsets ready to link to Intel Pentium Xeon processors for servers. Taiwan-based Via Technologies Inc. demonstrated a PC133 chipset for desktops at the meeting. Other chipset makers are said to be developing PC133 products as well. Also at the meeting, DRAM maker Micron Technology Inc. showed test data for production-capable PC133 chips, according to Pulling. Michael Siebert, marketing manager at Boise, Idaho-based Micron, had said previously that the 133-MHz speed naturally comes as part of the 0.21-micron design-rule shrink. As Micron converts solely to 0.21-micron processing, the quantities of 133-MHz SDRAM parts should soar, he said. The early start for PC133 will help build an installed base of PCs using the new memory, deferring the need for Direct Rambus, according to Pulling. The longer Direct RDRAM is delayed, the more entrenched PC133 will become, he claimed. The industry's PC133 effort simply ignores Intel Corp.'s attempts to torpedo the memory chip by sticking doggedly to its own PC100 chipset until Direct Rambus comes along. "We don't need the Intel chipset," Pulling said. "Independent chipset producers can provide the PC133 solution." Julie Cates, program marketing manager for Rambus Inc., Mountain View, Calif., responded to Pulling's statement by referring to Intel's own product roadmap, which supports Direct RDRAM. At the Intel Developers Conference last month, Peter MacWilliams, the company's director of platform architectures, said Direct RDRAM and the corresponding Intel Camino chipset would be delayed for an unspecified period of time. "Some of the parts need additional efforts," he said at the time. "We've already seen samples, and we expect to see production parts in the second quarter-a full quarter ahead of the Q3 ramp. This ramp is looking as aggressive as or more aggressive than before, once this thing gets started." Pulling said Reliance and other companies backing the PC133 group are working to coordinate the development of various interfaces needed to link the faster memory chips with processors. "We had the advantage of all the work that was done to make the existing PC100 SDRAMs a reality," he said. "The PC133 introduction should be a smooth transition from PC100." Copyright ® 1999 CMP Media Inc.