nggalai
2001-10-24, 14:28:34
Von Rage3D (http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=33586590):
23 October 2001, at 03:37 PM
Due to certain speculative articles floating around the web, ATI has issued this Q&A bit, highlighting some certain key questions:
Q1: What is the situation with SMOOTHVISION? Are you planning to unveil it in upcoming editions of the RADEON 8500?
A1: SMOOTHVISION will be enabled in the next RADEON driver release in mid-November.
Q2: You indicated that the RADEON 8500 supports WindowsXP. You also indicated that the RADEON 8500 supports AMD's AthlonXP processor. However, there seems to be some problems with your graphics board and AMD's latest processor under Windows XP. What's going on?
A2: There are stability issues that can occur specifically when using Athlon XP processors with motherboard revisions and BIOS versions that are not on AMD's list of approved products for Athlon XP. We have found that disabling AGP fast writes can alleviate some of the problems, but the best solution is to ensure that you use an AMD-approved motherboard revision and the latest BIOS with Athlon XP processors.
Q3: Kyle Bennett of HardOCP raised a question about RADEON 8500 drivers under OpenGL mode generating better framerates in Quake III benchmarks when optimized. What is your explanation?
A3: ATI optimizes its drivers on many different levels, including the application level, the game engine level, the API level, and the operating system level. That is, some optimizations work only on specific games, while others work only on specific game engines or only on specific operating systems. In the case of Quake III and Quake III Arena , we were able to achieve certain optimizations specifically for that game, as we do for other popular games. Our engineering team is committed to providing the best visual experience for the user in all applications, with the optimal combination of high frame rates, image quality, and stability.
Q4: Some customers are claiming that ATI is selling RADEON 8500 boards with 250/250 processors in retail. Is this true?
A4: No. The only RADEON 8500 board that ATI is selling into retail is an ATI-branded 275/275-configured product that comes packaged in a distinctive ATI gift box, marked "Built By ATI." However, ATI is selling RADEON 8500-based chips to its OEM, ODM and AIB business partners in whatever configuration they deem appropriate for their customers. As a consequenece, there are boards available from third parties today with RADEON 8500-based chips of a 250/250 configuration. We will be making a related announcement about this in the next few days. Historically, ATI has always sold its chip and board products to OEMs in whatever configuration they required to either achieve a certain price point or reach a specific end-user customer market. Since June, when ATI began selling its chips to ODMs and AIBs, it has offered these business partners the same flexibility it affords OEMs.
Also ... Smoothvision im November (zuerst hiess es noch, beim XP launch), OEM Karten mit x-beliebigen Specs möglich, der schon bekannte Schnippsel über die Quack-Affäre, und Kompatibilität ...
Hmm. Challinor ist ganz offensichtlich PR-Mensch, und ein begnadeter Spin Doctor. Hätte ich auch nicht besser formulieren können. :)
ta,
.rb
23 October 2001, at 03:37 PM
Due to certain speculative articles floating around the web, ATI has issued this Q&A bit, highlighting some certain key questions:
Q1: What is the situation with SMOOTHVISION? Are you planning to unveil it in upcoming editions of the RADEON 8500?
A1: SMOOTHVISION will be enabled in the next RADEON driver release in mid-November.
Q2: You indicated that the RADEON 8500 supports WindowsXP. You also indicated that the RADEON 8500 supports AMD's AthlonXP processor. However, there seems to be some problems with your graphics board and AMD's latest processor under Windows XP. What's going on?
A2: There are stability issues that can occur specifically when using Athlon XP processors with motherboard revisions and BIOS versions that are not on AMD's list of approved products for Athlon XP. We have found that disabling AGP fast writes can alleviate some of the problems, but the best solution is to ensure that you use an AMD-approved motherboard revision and the latest BIOS with Athlon XP processors.
Q3: Kyle Bennett of HardOCP raised a question about RADEON 8500 drivers under OpenGL mode generating better framerates in Quake III benchmarks when optimized. What is your explanation?
A3: ATI optimizes its drivers on many different levels, including the application level, the game engine level, the API level, and the operating system level. That is, some optimizations work only on specific games, while others work only on specific game engines or only on specific operating systems. In the case of Quake III and Quake III Arena , we were able to achieve certain optimizations specifically for that game, as we do for other popular games. Our engineering team is committed to providing the best visual experience for the user in all applications, with the optimal combination of high frame rates, image quality, and stability.
Q4: Some customers are claiming that ATI is selling RADEON 8500 boards with 250/250 processors in retail. Is this true?
A4: No. The only RADEON 8500 board that ATI is selling into retail is an ATI-branded 275/275-configured product that comes packaged in a distinctive ATI gift box, marked "Built By ATI." However, ATI is selling RADEON 8500-based chips to its OEM, ODM and AIB business partners in whatever configuration they deem appropriate for their customers. As a consequenece, there are boards available from third parties today with RADEON 8500-based chips of a 250/250 configuration. We will be making a related announcement about this in the next few days. Historically, ATI has always sold its chip and board products to OEMs in whatever configuration they required to either achieve a certain price point or reach a specific end-user customer market. Since June, when ATI began selling its chips to ODMs and AIBs, it has offered these business partners the same flexibility it affords OEMs.
Also ... Smoothvision im November (zuerst hiess es noch, beim XP launch), OEM Karten mit x-beliebigen Specs möglich, der schon bekannte Schnippsel über die Quack-Affäre, und Kompatibilität ...
Hmm. Challinor ist ganz offensichtlich PR-Mensch, und ein begnadeter Spin Doctor. Hätte ich auch nicht besser formulieren können. :)
ta,
.rb