May 2006
Volume 5 / Issue 2

Downloadable Version (.pdf format)
 
 In This Edition:
 

Welcome to another edition of the ASI Corporation Technical Newsletter! This newsletter features articles on the latest computer technologies and products offered by ASI CORP, a leading North American Distributor of computer components and whitebox systems. We are focused on helping our resellers and system builders be able to offer the very best technology solutions and this newsletter is a free tool so you can learn about current and next generation products. If you are an ASI customer feel free to call our Technical Support Staff if you have any questions or visit www.asisupport.com (general technical help), www.asiserver.com (server solutions) or www.asimobile.com (notebooks) for further information. Thank you.

  ATI Graphics Part 1: Xpress 3200 Chipset

ATi's first generation of the CrossFire chipset, the CrossFire Xpress 200, lacked true dual x16 PCIe lanes, which wasn't attractive in the video and computing gaming enthusiast world. However, ATI's next generation of the CrossFire chipset, the CrossFire Xpress 3200, aka "RD580" is going to change that view with a significant improvement in dual graphics performance.  The CrossFire Xpress 3200 chipset was design from the ground up with the CrossFire platform and overclocking in mind and includes true dual x16 PCIe lanes with an unparalleled bandwidth of up to 8GB/s to each GPU.

The Xpress 3200 core logic was built by TSMC using a 0.11 micron low-k process, making it the smallest chipset in today's market.  The reduction of the core die allowed the Thermal Design Power (TDP) be reduced down to 8 Watts.  This achievement results in a low power and low heat dissipation from the chipset, which mean an active cooling, a sophisticated heat pipe, or water coolant solution are not required.
CrossFire Xpress 3200 (Single-Chip Solution)

CrossFire Xpress 3200 was loaded with 40 lanes of PCI Express in a single-chip solution. In theory, single-chip solution supposed to be more robust and faster throughput than two chips but only a series of benchmark can determine this claim.  Dissecting the 40 PCIe lanes, we have 32 PCIe lanes (dual x16) are dedicated for graphics only.  Four (x4) lanes are use to connects Xpress 3200 north bridge to a south bridge.  The south bridge can either be ATI SB450 (basic) or the more popular ULi M1575.  This leaves headroom for four (x4) lanes for a single PCIe slot or several x1 x2 PCIe lanes. 
-
ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 (RD580) featuring:
  • True 2x16 PCI-Express single chip package
  • Total of 40 lanes of PCI Express: a true information highway
  • Enables high-end graphic solutions even without a 'CrossFire Edition' GPU
  • Allows for flexible modular multi-GPU solutions: start with one GPU and when performance demands it, add a second
  • Supports connector and connector-free CrossFire graphics cards
  • Enthusiast-friendly BIOS allows tuning of every possible motherboard component for maximum overclocking potential
  • High overclockability without voltage adjustments: default voltage setting on the platform offers high tunability without the need to increase voltage
  • No active cooling required: no need for complicated thermal solutions
  • Ready for the next generation CrossFire graphics cards

The battle for supremacy on dual graphics between NVIDIA nForce4 SLI x16 and ATI CrossFire is an ongoing trend.  The chipset data specification comparison between it's sibling CrossFire Xpress 200 and rival nFore4 SLI 2x16 clearly reviles that CrossFire Xpress 3200 is on the upper hand for high performance dual graphic solution.

Chipset Comparison Table

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  CrossFire Platform: Build-Your-Own Guide

 
a) Only three components required:
  1. a CrossFire Ready motherboard, ideally based on the ATI CrossFire™ Xpress chipset
  2. a compatible Radeon graphics card
  3. a related Radeon CrossFire Edition co-processor board.
b) NEW! Radeon X1300 and X1600 CrossFire Ready cards do not require an external connector. CrossFire mode is enabled via ATI’s Catalyst software and the cards communicate over the PCI Express® bus.
-
ASI currently stocks the following ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 motherboard partners:

ASI SKU# 46255
A8R32-MVP Deluxe
Supports dual PCI Express x16 slots running at full speed to liberate graphics cards through ATI's™ CrossFire™ Xpress 3200. Additionally AI Life Series features such as Precision Tweaker, AI NOS and PEG Link etc. are also inherited. For easy overclocking, the board comes with Q-Fan2 and Stack Cool2 to ensure quiet yet efficient cooling. With exclusive innovative designs that bring out the real potential of the ATI™ CrossFire™ Xpress 3200 chipset, gamers can experience faster graphics performance and higher video quality today, and ready for video technology advancements of tomorrow.
 

ASI SKU# 44970
AT8 32X
Exclusive ABIT Engineered motherboard technology designed for unprecedented power, convenience, and control over your PC. Through this unique ABIT Engineered heat-pipe Silent OTES™ design, heat generated by the chipset can be efficiently and noiselessly conducted to the back panel.
-ATI Graphics Part 2: X1K Family / X1900XT Video

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ATI's new Radeon® X1000 video chipsets are out! The X1300, X1600, X1800, and X1900 series graphics cards deliver unique quality-enhancing features offered exclusively by ATI. This new series has basically four families, each one for a distinct market segment: Radeon X1300 for the entry-level market, Radeon X1600 for the mid-range market and Radeon X1800 for the high-end market, and the Radeon X1900 for the extreme performance market.

The most powerful Radeon X1K family video card is ATI Radeon X1900XTX Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), which features dual DVI-I ports, 512MB DDR3 video memory, two HDTV outputs, 650Mhz core clock, and supports a 2048x1536 maximum screen resolution. The X1900XTX supports the finest in graphics technology, including Avivo Video and Display Engine, CrossFire multi-VPU (video processing unit) technology. It is built using an amazing 384 million transistors on 90nm fabrication with an architecture Ultra-Threaded Shader Engine Support for Microsoft® Direct X®9.0 Shader Model 3.0.

ASI SKU# 44972
RADEON X1900XTX (DDR3 /2DHTV/ 512M)
This high-end performance graphic card supports the finest in graphics technology, including Avivo Video and Display Engine, CrossFire multi-VPU technology, Ultra-Threaded and Shader Engine. Combined with unique ASUS innovations such as SPLENDID Video Intelligence Technology for intelligent video enhancement and interactive gaming features, the all-new ASUS card delivers the ultimate in computer visual enjoyment.

:: ASI # 1 Choice for Performance Graphic Card (Single or Dual) ::
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ATI Radeon X1K Family Matrix

Model

 Year Code-name Bus interface Memory max (MiB) Core clock max (MHz) Memory clock max (MHz) Pipes x TMU's x VPU's Fillrate max (MT/s) Memory
Bandwidth (GiB/s) Bus type Bus width (bit)
Radeon X1900 XTX Jan 2006 R580 PCIe x16 512 650 1550 (775 DDR) 16(48)x1x8 10400 (31200) 49.60 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1900 Crossfire Edition Jan 2006 R580 PCIe x16 512 625 1450 (725 DDR) 16(48)x1x8 10000 (30000) 46.40 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1900 XT Jan 2006 R580 PCIe x16 512 625 1450 (725 DDR) 16(48)x1x8 10000 (30000) 46.40 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1900
All-In-Wonder
Jan 2006 R580 PCIe x16 256 500 960 (480 DDR) 16(48)x1x8 8000 (24000) 30.72 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1800 XT Oct 2005 R520 PCIe x16 512 625 1500 (750 DDR) 16x1x8 10000 48.00 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1800 XL Oct 2005 R520 PCIe x16 256 500 1000 (500 DDR) 16x1x8 8000 32.00 GDDR-3 256
Radeon X1600 XT Oct 2005 RV530 PCIe x16 128 590 1380 (690 DDR) 4(12)x1x5 2360 (7080) 22.08 GDDR-3 128
Radeon X1600 Pro Oct 2005 RV530 PCIe x16 128, 256, 512 500 780 (390 DDR) 4(12)x1x5 2000 (6000) 12.48 GDDR-2 128
Radeon X1300 Pro Oct 2005 RV515 PCIe x16 256 600 800 (400 DDR) 4x1x2 2400 12.80 GDDR-2 128
Radeon X1300 Oct 2005 RV515 PCIe x16 128, 256, 512 450 500 (250 DDR) 4x1x2 1800 8.00 DDR 128
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ASI currently stocks ATI Radeon X1K Family line card partners:

ASI SKU

Brand

 Model Memory Bus interface Crossfire Enabled
(can be master card)
44972 ASUS EAX1900XTX/2DHTV/512M 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
46279 ASUS EAX1900XT CROSSFIRE/2DH 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
44974 ASUS EAX1900XT/2DHTV/512M 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
43038 ASUS EAX1800XT/2DHTV/512M  512MB PCIe x16 Yes
44533 ASUS EAX1600XT SLNT/TVD/256 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
45036 ASUS EAX1600PRO/TD/512M 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
44538 ASUS EAX1600PRO/TD/256M 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
44546 ASUS EAX1300PRO/TD/256M 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
44547 ASUS EAX1300/TD/128M 128MB PCIe x16 Yes
44766 ATI X1900XTX 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
44955 ATI X1900CF 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
44764 ATI X1900XT 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
45545 ATI AIW X1900 256 DDR3 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 No
42366 ATI X1800XT 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
41765 ATI X1800XL 256M DDR3 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 No
43365 ATI AIW X1800XL 256M Retail 256MB PCIe x16 No
45541 ATI X1600Pro 512M DDR2 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
45543 ATI X1300Pro 256M DDR Retail 256MB PCIe x16 No
43853 ATI X1300 256M DDR Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
45033 GigaByte X1900XTX 512 DDR Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
45037 GigaByte X1900XT 512 DDR Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
44734 GigaByte X1600XT 256M Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
45201 MSI X1900XTX 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
45205 MSI X1900XT 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
43579 MSI RX1600XT-T2D256E PCI-E 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
43578 MSI RX1600PRO-TD256E PCI-E 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
43577 MSI RX1300PRO-TD256E PCI-E 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
46423 PowerColor X1900XTX 512M DDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
46432 PowerColor X1900CF 512M GDDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
46430 PowerColor X1900XT 512M GDDR3 Retail 512MB PCIe x16 No
43594 PowerColor X1600XT 256M GDDR3 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
45914 PowerColor X1600XT 256M GDDR3 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
44707 PowerColor X1600PRO 256M DDR2 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
44706 PowerColor X1300 256M DDR2 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
44768 Sapphire X1900XTX 512 DDR3 Bulk 512MB PCIe x16 No
44954 Sapphire X1900CF 512M DDR3 Bulk 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
44767 Sapphire X1900XT 512M DDR3 Bulk 512MB PCIe x16 No
42642 Sapphire X1800XT 512M DDR3 Bulk 512MB PCIe x16 No
46417 Sapphire X1800XT 256M DDR3 Retail 256MB PCIe x16 No
43854 Sapphire X1600XT 256M DDR3 Lite 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
43427 Sapphire X1600PRO 512M DDR2 Lite 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
43426 Sapphire X1600PRO 256M DDR2 Lite 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
42967 Sapphire X1300PRO 256M DDR Lite 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
42640 Sapphire X1300 512M DDR2 Lite 512MB PCIe x16 Yes
42448 Sapphire X1300 256M DDR Lite 256MB PCIe x16 Yes
 
AMD Multi-Core Processor Update
Multi-core processors are the future of personal computing and AMD is a leader in the field.

AMD 64 processors were designed from the start (since 1999) to add a second core and AMD was the first processor manufacturer to release dual core CPUs on the market, first the dual core Opterons and then quickly followed by the X2 series of dual-core Athlon 64. This move improved an already popular and impressive line-up which has continued to grow. We will be taking a closer look at both desktop and server market and the choices available to PC system builders. First we will take a look at how AMD's dual-core technology directly compares to Intel's.
AMD versus Intel
There are several major design differences between how AMD and Intel implement multi-core technology. While it is difficult to directly compare the two in every situation (with so many processors and different types of systems it must be an individual decision) here are some general comparison insights.

Intel dual-core processors combine two cores into a single package, each with their own Level 2 cache, and communication between the cores is done via the Front Side Bus (FSB). AMD's dual core processors are based on DCA or Direct Connect Architecture which helps reduce bottlenecks of system architecture because everything is directly connected to the CPU including the IO and the memory controller.

Intel still has raw clock speed advantages over AMD and has recently moved to the more efficient 65nm cores with the Pentium D 900 series but AMD has a solid architectural platform which was designed from the beginning for multi-cores and performs well in many benchmarks. More details on AMD dual core (opens interactive flash animation). To compare more features see chart below:
Desktop Dual-Core Competitive Comparison
  AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor Intel Pentium D™ Dual-Core Processor
Infrastructure
Socket 939
Socket LGA775
Process Technology
90 nanometer, SOI (silicon on insulator)
90 nanometer / 65 nanometer
Core Clockrate  2.0 GHz up to 2.6 GHz 2.66 GHz up to 3.73 GHz (the 965 Extreme Edition)
Number of Transistors
154 to 233 million
230 million
64-bit code
AMD 64 Instructions
Enhanced Virus Protection Yes (with OS support) Execute Disable Bit (with OS support)
System Bus Technology HyperTransport™ technology up to 2000MHz, full duplex Front Side Bus @ 800 MHz, half duplex (1066MHz for PEE)
Memory Controller Integrated memory controller, 128-bit + 16-bit ECC unbuffered PC3200, PC 2700, PC 2100, or PC1600 Chipset on motherboard determines memory support (DDDR1 or DDR2 up to 800MHz)
Total Processor-to-System Bandwidth HyperTransport technology: up to 8.0 GB/s

Memory bandwidth: up to 6.4 GB/s

Total: up to 14.4 GB/s

 Total: up to 6.4 GB/s (on 800 FSB)
3D & Multimedia instructions 3DNow!(TM) technology, SSE2, SSE3 SSE2, SSE3
Chipset support NVIDIA: Nforce4 Series chipsets

ATI: Radeon Xpress 200 Series chipsets

VIA: K8 Series chipsets

SiS: 75x Series chipsets or greater

 Intel: 945/955/975 Series

NVIDIA: Nforce4 Series chipsets
Total Designed Power (TDP) 89W or 110W 95W or 130W (90-nanometer)
Athlon 64 X2 Goes Mainstream + New Socket Preview
In less than a year the dual-core AMD Athlon 64 X2 series has moved into mainstream price points and will eventually dominate a large portion of the desktop market as consumers realize the many benefits of dual core technology such as improved multitasking. Now is the time for PC system builders and resellers to really utilize and feature this technology on their systems.

In a related note there will soon be released the new AMD processor socket known as AM2. The AM2 socket is a next generation desktop processor interface which will bring DDR2 memory support to the Athlon 64 processor with DDR2-compatible on-die memory controller. The sockets are NOT backwards compatible with current processors. Of course all the major motherboard manufacturers will probably have at least one AM2 Socket board out shortly after launch. The official launch will be around June so you will have wait a little while for more information and available products.

The chart below shows current Socket 939 product. AM2 processors will be revealed in a future issue.
SKU CPU Model Socket Speed L2 cache Product Code
39118 Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Socket 939 2.0 GHz 512KB per core ADA3800BVBOX
37941 Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Socket 939 2.2 GHz 512KB per core ADA4200BVBOX
37942 Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Socket 939 2.2 GHz 1024KB per core ADA4400CDBOX
37943 Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Socket 939 2.4 GHz 512KB per core ADA4600BVBOX
37944 Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Socket 939 2.4 GHz 1024KB per core ADA4800CDBOX
43918 Athlon 64 X2 FX-60 Socket 939 2.6 GHz 1024KB per core ADAFX60CDBOX
Dual Core Opterons - 100 / 200 / 800 Series
Launched approximately one year ago the dual-core series has further fueled interest in the Opteron  processors and the server space where they continue to gain share. The 100 Series Opteron are the latest entries into the race and the first in Socket 939 package, bring dual core Opteron to many existing motherboards. The main advantage of Opteron over Intel is the Direct Connect Architecture and HyperTransport Links which is perfect for multi-core processors
SKU Model Speed Series L2 cache Core AMD # 
42042 Opteron dual core model 165 1.8 GHz 100 Series Socket 939(one-way) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA165CDBOX
42043 Opteron dual core model 170 2.0 GHz 100 Series Socket 939(one-way) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA170CDBOX
42044 Opteron dual core model 175 2.2 GHz 100 Series Socket 939(one-way) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA175CDBOX
42045 Opteron dual core model 180 2.4 GHz 100 Series Socket 939(one-way) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA180CDBOX
47232 Opteron dual core model 185 2.6 GHz 100 Series Socket 939(one-way) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA185CDBOX
37185 Opteron dual core model 265 1.8 GHz 200 series Socket 940 (up to two processor per system) L2=1MB Per Core   90nm OSA265FAA6CB  

37184

Opteron dual core model 270  2.0 GHz 200 series Socket 940 (up to two processor per system) L2=1MB Per Core   90nm OSA270FAA6CB
37183 Opteron dual core model 275 2.2 GHz 200 series Socket 940 (up to two processor per system) L2=1MB Per Core   90nm OSA275FAA6CB  
40739 Opteron dual core model 280 2.4 GHz 200 series Socket 940 (up to two processor per system) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm  OSA280CBBOX
45186 Opteron dual core model 285 2.6 GHz 200 series Socket 940 (up to two processor per system) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA285CBBOX
37182 Opteron dual core model 865 1.8 GHz 800 series Socket 940 (up to eight processors per system) L2=1MB Per Core  90nm OSA865FKM6BS  

37181

Opteron dual core model 870 2.0 GHz 800 series Socket 940 (up to eight processors per system) L2=1MB Per Core  90nm OSA870FKM6BS  
37179 Opteron dual core model 875 2.2 GHz 800 series Socket 940 (up to eight processors per system) L2=1MB Per Core  90nm OSA875FKM6BS
40741 Opteron dual core model 880 (tray - no heatsink) 2.4 GHz 800 series Socket 940 (up to eight processors per system) L2=1MB Per Core  90nm OSA880FAA6CC
47627 Opteron dual core model 885 2.6 GHz 800 series Socket 940 (up to eight processors per system) L2=1MB Per Core 90nm OSA885CCWOF
AMD Roadmap - What does the future hold?
The future is looking very interesting for AMD multi-core strategies as new features become market place reality. DDR2 memory support, new RAS features (Reliability, Availability and Serviceability), Virtualization, 65nm cores, and very high power-efficiency are coming in the near future.

Further down the line, by 2007 and into 2008, we will see processors with more than two cores, shared L3 caches, Direct Connect Architecture 2.0, FBDIMM support (for servers), DDR3 memory support, and much more. It will be exciting indeed to see these changes unfold and give consumers more choices and greater processing power per dollar. AMD Three Year Product Outlook - http://www.amdcompare.com/prodoutlook
 

 

Intel® Viiv™ Technology Barebones Matrix
 
AOpen EPC945-m8 (SKU 44675) Shuttle SD36G5M (SKU 46624)

Features
  • Visually Integrates with Home Theater and other CE Devices
  • Integrated MCE Remote Dongle and Remote Included

Features
  • Silent X Technology w/ Integrated Cooling Engine
  • Compatible w/ XPC Accessories

 
Specifications Specifications
CPU Socket T LGA775 CPU LGA775 Pentium 4 & Pentium D 533/800/1066
Dual Core Processors Supported
Chipset Intel 945G + ICH7DH Chipset Intel 945G + ICH7DH
Memory 4x DDR2 533/667MHz.
Dual Channel (4GB Max)		 Memory 2x DDR2 400/533MHz.
Dual Channel (2GB Max)
Audio Intel HD Audio
with 7.1 Channel Support		 Audio Realtek ALC822 HD Audio
with 7.1 Channel Support
LAN Intel 82573L LAN
Gigabit 10-100-1000		 LAN Intel 82573L LAN
Gigabit 10/100/1000
Wireless LAN not included (add low profile wireless or USB wireless LAN) Wireless LAN Optional
PSU Active PFC 375W
(20+4-pin w/ 8cm fan)		 PSU SilentX 250W
Dimensions 430mm x 89mm x 325mm
(W x H x D)		 Dimensions 310mm x 200mm x 185mm
(L x W x H)
Video Onboard Intel GMA950 Video Onboard Intel GMA950
Video Out DVI (by ADD2 card), Component, VGA Video Out  
TV Tuner not included (add low profile tuner from XFX under ASI SKU 46674) TV Tuner not included (add PCI or external tuner)
PCI-E 1 x16 (Low Profile)
1 x1 (Low Profile)		 PCI-E 1 x16
PCI 2 (Low Profile) PCI 1
ECS P60 (SKU TBD) AOpen MiniPC MP945-VX (SKU 47692)

Features
  • Smallest Footprint available in a Viiv Machine
  • Horizontal or Vertical Configuration

 
Features
  • DVI & Component connection
  • 6.5" x 6.5" x 1.95" Footprint

 
Specifications Specifications
CPU Socket T LGA775 Dual Core Duo (Yonah) 667MHz. FSB CPU Socket T LGA775 Dual Core Duo (Yonah) 667MHz. FSB
Chipset Intel 945GM + ICH7DH Chipset Intel 945G + ICH7M-DH
Memory DDR2 533/667MHz.
Dual Channel (2GB Max)		 Memory DDR2 533/667MHz. (1GB Max)
Audio HD Audio
Includes SPDIF Output		 Audio 5.1 Channel HD Audio (Realtek ALC880(D))
Includes SPDIF Output
LAN Intel GigaLAN 10/100/1000 LAN 10/100/1000MB Ethernet LAN
Wireless LAN Optional Mini-PCI Wireless LAN Optional Mini-PCI
PSU external AC Adapter (notebook style) PSU external AC Adapter (notebook style)
Dimensions 230mm x 197.5mm x 42mm
(L x W x H)		 Dimensions 50mm x 165mm x 165xx
(H x L x W)
Video Onboard Intel GMA950 Video Onboard Intel GMA950
Video Out DVI Output, (Component, S-Video, Composite out via Dongle) Video Out Component Video,  S-Video, DVI Outputs
TV Tuner Mini-PCI TV Tuner w/ Coaxial connector
Supports PAL, NTSC, SECAM		 TV Tuner not included (add USB tuner)
PCI-E N/A PCI-E N/A
PCI N/A PCI N/A
   
 NAS Device Update
Add Network Storage Anywhere! We would like to introduce you to two new NAS products, one from Intel and the other from Infrant. Both are innovative yet practical and are a perfect way to add storage to your network.
 Intel SS4000-E (ASK SKU# 46626)
First the Intel SS4000-E is an excellent compact NAS device that supports four SATA hard drives and provides affordable data protection for small to medium size businesses. Complete and advanced data protection is provided through support for RAID Levels 10, 5 and 1. It can connect to a Gigabit Ethernet network (in fact it has two Gigabit LAN ports) and can act as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server or as a DHCP client for easy network configuration. It also supports remote boot.

The SS4000-E is ideal for protecting valuable data and quickly restoring from a backup (built in backup and restore utility). With a convenient web interface, the SS4000-E provides security by limiting access to shared folders by user or group level authentication. Shared file permissions such as "read/write" or "read only" access can be set. It works with Windows, Linux or Macintosh users on the network with user name, password protection, and managed access in local workgroups.  .
Easy to use (built in setup Wizard), compact, and powerful the SS4000-E is really the perfect NAS solution for many companies. For more information download this Intel product brief  Download Product Brief
 Infrant ReadyNAS NV1 (ASI SKU# 45064)
Infrant's new NAS offering, the ReadyNAS NV1, takes an innovative approach to RAID. Like many of their ReadyNAS products this one supports up to four SATA hard drives and a Gigabit Ethernet connection for fast network performance.

The new idea here is Infrant's own technology called X-RAID for "automatic volume expansion." With Infrant's own X-RAID™ technology, users with no prior knowledge of RAID can expand their RAID volume without special knowledge. Simply plug a new disk in, and the automatic volume expansion takes over, securing your data while the expansion takes place. The NV model can also act as an excellent media storage device for the entire network and also as a print server.

Also very interesting feature is the new Backup Button. New with the ReadyNAS NV is the Backup Button on the front, conveniently located next to the front USB port. Simply connect a USB storage device to the port and press the button, and all your data in your backup share on the ReadyNAS gets backed up to the USB device. It's as simple as that!

Example of the ReadyNAS NV on your network:

 NVIDIA GeForce 7900 Series

Nvidia introduces three new members to their graphics family with the 7900 GTX, 7900 GT and 7600 GT series video cards. They're all made using a 90nm manufacturing process (Nvidia's previous performance GPUs were made on a 110nm process). The new design specifications, the 7900 GTX's GPU (code-named "G71") merely seems to be a die-shrinks G70, but when you look again, you realize one important facts: the G71 is missing 24 million transistors all while retaining the same number of pixel shader units, vertex shader units, and ROPs. The 7900GT and 7600GT GPUs. The 7900GT is the clocked down version of the mighty 7900GTX and comes with half of the memory onboard, while the 7600GT is based on another core, G73, and targets at the value-customer and conscience gamers.

 If King Kong had a computer this would be his video card!
The first major benefit to NVIDIA comes in the form of die size. The original G70 is a 334mm*2 chip, while the new 90nm GPUs are 196mm*2 and 125mm*2 for G71 and G73. There are eight 32MB on-board memory chips from Samsung rated at 1.42ns (700MHz). EVGA selects and tests the highest performing memory chips for their Super clocked models.

The effective data rate of the GeForce 7900 GT Super clocked is 1580MHz, which is 130MHz higher than there reference specification. The heat sink and fan is still the same two slot design as used on the 7800 GTX 512. It is much quieter than even the fan on the 7800 GTX 256MB or the 7900 GT. The 7900 GTX is equipped with two dual-link DVI connectors, enabling you to drive a pair of 30" LCD displays at 2560 x 1600 resolution (per display) if you feel the need to.

NVIDIA GeForce 7900 Product Lineup Specifications

GPU

pixel processors

vertex processors

Bus

Memory Type/Amount

GPU Speed

RAM Speed
GeForce 7900 GTX 24 8 256-bit GDDR3/512MB 650-700MHz 1600 MHz
GeForce 7900 GT 24 8 256-bit GDDR3/256MB 450MHz 1320 MHz
GeForce 7600 GT 12 5 128-bit GDDR3/256MB 560MHz 1400MHz
GeForce 7800 GTX 24 8 256-bit GDDR3/512MB 560MHz 1600 MHz
GeForce 7800 GTX 24 8 256-bit GDDR3/256MB 430MHz 1200MHz
GeForce 7800 GT 20 7 256-bit GDDR3/256MB 400MHz 1000MHz
GeForce 7800 GS 16 6 256-bit GDDR3/256MB 375MHz 1200MHz

The 7900GTX and 7900GT both have  identical cores and there were minimal enhancements. The GeForce 7900 series have been updated with new specifications in both the GT and GTX. For a product that's close to top of the line, the GeForce 7900 GT requires very simple cooling and this is all the new G71 core and the competent memory parts that require no active cooling at their stock operating speed of 1320MHz DDR3.

The 7900 GT is based on the same G71 core with the same number of pipes and all. The clock speeds are bit lower at 450 MHz core and 600 MHz on the memory bus with 256 MB of GDDR3.  The vertex core runs a smidge faster at 470 MHz. The GT also has support for two dual-link DVI outputs, but only has a single slot cooler

The GeForce 7900 GT appears to be one of the best products in terms of price and performance. The 7900 GT card also comes equipped with two dual-link enabled DVI outputs, allowing support for massive 30" LCD screens. The card also supports HDTV / S-Video outputs, not all manufacture will have this support port on the card and also the cables that is needed to connect to the TV.
 

Both the GeForce 7900 GT and 7900 GTX cards are powered by a new GPU, Nvidia's codename G71. The G71, is a minor update on the already established G70 architecture which was featured on the GeForce 7800 lineup of cards. G71's big feature is that it is manufactured on a 90 nanometer manufacturing process and support Dual-Link DVI, Going to 90 nanometer also, in theory, should allow the GPU to consume less power and create less heat, and at the same time allowing the chip to be over-clocked higher then the base speed from Nvidia's base cards.
Specifications
NVIDIA® CineFX® 4.0 Shading Architecture
  • Vertex Shaders
    • Support for Microsoft DirectX 9.0 Vertex Shader 3.0
    • Displacement mapping
    • Geometry instancing
    • Infinite length vertex programs
  • Pixel Shaders
    • Support for DirectX 9.0 Pixel Shader 3.0
    • Full pixel branching support
    • Support for Multiple Render Targets (MRTs)
    • Infinite length pixel programs
  • Next-Generation Texture Engine
    • Accelerated texture access
    • Up to 16 textures per rendering pass
    • Support for 16-bit floating point format and 32-bit floating point format
    • Support for non-power of two textures
    • Support for sRGB texture format for gamma textures
    • DirectX and S3TC texture compression
  • Full 128-bit studio-quality floating point precision through the entire rendering pipeline with native hardware support for 32bpp, 64bpp, and 128bpp rendering modes

64-Bit Texture Filtering and Blending

  • Delivers true high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting support
  • Full floating point support throughout entire pipeline
  • Floating point filtering improves the quality of images in motion
  • Floating point texturing drives new levels of clarity and image detail
  • Floating point frame buffer blending gives detail to special effects like motion blur and explosions

NVIDIA® Intelli-sample™ 4.0 Technology

  • Advanced 16x anisotropic filtering (with up to 128 taps)
  • Blistering-fast anti-aliasing and compression performance
  • Gamma-adjusted rotated-grid anti-aliasing removes jagged edges for incredible image quality
  • Transparent multisampling and transparent super-sampling modes boost anti-aliasing quality to new levels
  • Support for normal map compression
  • Support for advanced lossless compression algorithms for color, texture, and z-data at even higher resolutions and frame rates
  • Fast z-clear

NVIDIA® Ultra Shadow™ II Technology

  • Designed to enhance the performance of shadow-intensive games

NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology

  • Patented hardware and software technology allows two GeForce-based graphics cards to run in parallel to scale performance and enhance image quality on today's top titles.
  • Quad SLI technology enables SLI support for four GPUs, providing mind-blowing performance and image quality at extreme resolutions
NVIDIA® PureVideo™ Technology
  • Dedicated on-chip video processor
  • High-definition H.264, MPEG2 and WMV9 decode acceleration
  • Advanced spatial-temporal de-interlacing
  • Inverse telecine (2:2 and 3:2 pull-down correction)
  • High-quality video scaling
  • Video color correction
  • Microsoft® Video Mixing Renders (VMR) supports multiple video windows with full video quality and features in each window

NVIDIA® Turbo Cache™ Technology

  • Combines the capacity and bandwidth of dedicated video memory with dynamically allocated system memory to dramatically turbo charge performance

Built for Microsoft® Windows Vista

  • Third-generation GPU architecture built for Windows Vista
  • Delivers best possible experience when running Windows Vista 3D graphical user interface
  • New OS supported by renowned NVIDIA® Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) for maximum stability and reliability
  • NVIDIA® Pure Video™ technology delivers high-quality VMR pipeline for best-in-class video for Windows Vista

Advanced Display Functionality

  • Dual integrated 400MHz RAMDACs for analog display resolutions up to and including 2048x1536 at 85Hz
  • Dual-link DVI capability to drive the industry's largest and highest resolution digital flat panel displays up to 2560x16003
  • Integrated HDTV encoder provides analog TV-output (Component/Composite/S-Video) up to 1080i resolution
  • Full NVIDIA® nView® multi-display technology capability

High Speed Interfaces

  • Designed for PCI Express x16
  • Designed for high-speed GDDR3 memory1

NVIDIA® Digital Vibrance Control® (DVC) 3.0 Technology

  • DVC color controls
  • DVC image sharpening controls

Operating Systems

  • Windows XP/Windows XP 64
  • Built for Microsoft Windows Vista
  • Windows 2000
  • Linux
  • Macintosh OS X

API Support

  • Complete DirectX support, including the latest version of Microsoft DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0
  • Full OpenGL support, including OpenGL 2.0
  7800 GTX 7800 GTX 512 X1900 XTX 7900 GTX 7900GT 7600 GT
Architecture G70 G70 R580 G71 G71 G73
Manufacturing Process 110 nm 110 nm 90 nm 90 nm 90 nm 90 nm
Transistor Counts 302M 302M 384M 278M 278M 177M
Pixel Pipelines 24 24 48 24 24 12
Vertex Pipelines 8 8 8 8 8 5
Render Outputs 16 16 16 16 16 8
Core Clock (MHz) 430 550 650 650/700 450/470 560
Fill rate (Giga-pixels) 6.88 8.8 10.4 10.4 7.2 4.48
Memory Clock speed (MHz) 1200 1700 1550 800/1600 660/1320 1400
Memory Interface 256-bit 256-bit 256-bit 256-bit 256-bit 128-bit
Memory Bandwidth (GB/s) 38.40 54.40 49.60 51.20 42.2 22.40
Memory Size (MB) 256 512 512 512 256 256
 
ASI SKU

Models

  
46620 EVGA VCX N565 7900GT 550MHz CO 256MB  
46594 EVGA VCX N563 7900GT 500MHz CO 256MB  
46593 EVGA VCX N570 7900GTX 650MHz 512MB  
46619 EVGA VCX N575 7900GTX 690MHz 512MB  
46277 MSI VCX 7900GT PCI-E 16X 450MHz 256MB  
46276 MSI VCX 7900GTX PCX 16X 650MHz 512MB  
47073 ASUS VCX EN7900GT/2DHT/256M 450MHz  
46628 ASUS VCX EN7900GTX/2DHTV/512M 650MHz  
46830 XFX VCX 7900GT EXTREME 550MHz 256MB  
46828 XFX VCX 7900GT OC 520MHZ 256MB  
46738 XFX VCX 7900GTX OC 665MHZ 512M  
46591 XFX VCX 7900GTX OC 675MHZ 512M  
46670 XFX VCX 7900GTX OC 690MHZ 512M  
46831 XFX VCX 7900GT 560MHz EDTN 256MB  
46590 XFX VCX 7900GTX 650MHZ 512M  
46592 XFX VCX 7900GT 470MHz 256MB DUAL DVI  
 
  Introducing nVidia Business Platform

Business is about evolution. A company who become content with their products and don't diversify stand to become stagnant and irrelevant. NVIDIA has continued to grow and evolve throughout their history and they continue to do so today.

  While being one of the two major players in the desktop and console graphics market, NVIDIA has not rested on their success, they have instead worked to bring themselves into different markets such as chipsets and now an entire business platform model. While other manufacturers have presented business platform products with limited success in the past, NVIDIA hopes that by offering a complete high quality platform with a select group of manufacturing partners, to succeed where others have not. NVIDIA has the advantage of being able to offer a comprehensive package to the marketplace by utilizing it's own proprietary advanced technology and relying on partners that have proven to be leaders in their fields.

What is the NVIDIA Business Platform?

  In order to reduce total cost of ownership for computer systems in a corporate environment, IT utilization must be reduced to a minimum. By qualifying specific hardware products and vendors, NVIDIA can guarantee a stable, unchanging platform from which to build systems for a specified period of time. This allows you to rely on a single corporate image and driver platform from which to base all of your configurations on.

  The core principals that NVIDIA has based it's Business Platform off of are Quality, Stability, Longevity, Manageability, and Security.

  • Quality - Exhaustive testing by NVIDIA & certification process for ODMs and System Builders
  • Stability - Once qualified, customers can purchase identical NVIDIA Business Platform systems throughout the year
  • Longevity - Each generation guaranteed available to purchase for one year and supported for three years
  • Manageability - Certified remote management solutions from leading ISVs
  • Security - Hardware-based firewall and TPM-compliant security chip

  Based on a yearly cadence model, NVIDIA's Stable Image Program allows for a 3 month evaluation period followed by a 12 month production run and then a 24 month support cycle. With overlapping evaluation periods at the end of the previous generations production run, NVIDIA insures a smooth transition between newer and older generations of hardware which is solidified by the use of their patented Unified Driver Architecture. Generational cross compatibility, a feature that no other manufacturer offers.

  By designing systems based on two separate usage models, one for basic business system use and the other for performance use, NVIDIA is able to offer solutions ranging from onboard to discreet graphics, multiple video output options, and varying PCI and PCI-Express slot configurations.

NVIDIA Business Platform Partners

  NVIDIA developed their Business Platform in conjunction with several partners who's reputations for quality and performance are well known in the industry. For the processor, NVIDIA has teamed up with AMD to bring their NVIDIA Business Platform to life. AMD, already familiar with the playing field through it's own CSIP (Commercial Stable Image Platform), is working with NVIDIA to insure that the processor side of the platform is held down and maintained in the same stability period as the overall platform which covers the evaluation, production, and support period.

By having a good, reliable, and available processor platform to work from, the ability to target small and medium sized businesses, and governments and educational organizations is simplified. AMD processors have been proven to run cooler and to use less power than their current competitors and have received very positive reviews throughout the industry over the past several years.

NVIDIA Business Platform Certified Processors

ASI SKU Specification CPU Type
37319 Athlon 64 (939-pin) 4000+
36946 Athlon 64 (939-pin) 3800+
37190 Athlon 64 (939-pin) 3700+
36945 Athlon 64 (939-pin) 3500+
36944 Athlon 64 (939-pin) 3200+
37944 Athlon 64 X2 (939-pin) 4800+
37943 Athlon 64 X2 (939-pin) 4600+
37941 Athlon 64 X2 (939-pin) 4200+

  On the motherboard side of the platform, NVIDIA has selected ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, and Foxconn as the partners of choice. Each vendor has a long history of providing quality products and backing them up with service and support which is first rate.

NVIDIA Business Platform Certified Motherboards

ASI SKU Manufacturer NVIDIA Business Platform Model# Manufacturer Model # Image
48448 ASUS NBP2005 - Essential A8N-VM/CSM/NBP
46885 Gigabyte NBP2005 - Essential GA-K8N51PVM9-RH-NV
46902 MSI NBP2005 - Essential K8NGM2-NBP
N/A Foxconn NBP2005 - Essential 6150BK8MC-EKRS

NVIDIA Business Platform Offerings

  NVIDIA Business Platform Essential NVIDIA Business Platform Performance
CPU AMD CSIP CPU AMD CSIP CPU
GPU Type NVIDIA GeForce 6150 NVIDIA GeForce 6200
MCP NVIDIA nForce4 430 NVIDIA nForce4 430
NVIDIA MediaShield Yes Yes
NVIDIA ActiveArmor Firewall Yes Yes
PureVideo Yes Yes
DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0 Support Yes Yes
DVI Yes Yes
VGA Yes Yes
TV Out No Yes
MPEG-2 / WMV9 Playback HD (720p / 1080i) HD (720p / 1080i)
Video Scaling High Quality (5x4) High Quality (5x4)
Audio High-Definition High-Definition
SATA / PATA drives 4 / 4 4 / 4
PCI-Express 1 x16
1 x1		 1 x16
2 x1
PCI 2 4
SATA speed 3Gb/s 3Gb/s
RAID 0,1 0,1
Ethernet 10/100/1000 10/100/1000
USB ports 8 (4 front, 4 back) 8 (4 front, 4 back)
Form Factor µATX ATX

NVIDIA Technologies

  As the driving force behind the NVIDIA Business Platform, NVIDIA has utilized several of it's own market leading technologies in order to offer the best possible product to the market. Using their own GPU's, MCP's, Forceware Software, and ActiveArmor Firewall Technology allows them to keep strong controls on the quality of the end product and allow for the confidence level afforded by dealing with an industry leader

Why Switch to NVIDIA?

  NVIDIA provides several advantages over it's competition when searching for a stable platform to bring into your organization.

Only certified business PC solution for channel customers
The NVIDIA Business Platform delivers the only certified stable image PC through the system builder and value-added reseller (VAR) channel. NVIDIA conducts an exhaustive certification process with motherboard manufacturers and system builders to ensure that each NVIDIA Business Platform PC meets the highest standards of quality for your business.

Only stable image program spanning integrated and discreet graphics configurations
With top-to-bottom NVIDIA stable image support across all PC configurations including both integrated and discreet graphics, IT managers can reap the benefits of a single stable image for all PCs in the enterprise and all classes of business users.

Patented NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture provides forward and backward hardware and software compatibility
Built on a foundation of forward and backward compatibility, current and future generations of NVIDIA Business Platform PCs will work seamlessly with NVIDIA Stable Image Program Drivers, even from past years. Choose to upgrade your PC environment on your schedule, not your vendors schedule.

NVIDIA hardware-based ActiveArmor Firewall protects PCs from malicious spyware and hacker attacks
Hardware-based firewall technology protects PCs at the network layer from virus, worm, and spyware attacks. Unlike software-based firewall solutions, ActiveArmor cannot be disabled by malicious code.

Designed around AMD CPUs, offering lower power consumption, cooler thermals, and a whisper-quiet computing environment
Superior performance in industry benchmarks and lower thermal requirements position AMD processors as a compelling alternative to the competition.

 
 
 

Original Websource: www.asisupport.com (tech support) / www.asipartner.com (corporate website)