IBM to make Nvidia chips...

[Cantacuzene]

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/news/news_6023965.html

Nvidia signs a pact with IBM Microelectronics to help it avoid putting all its graphics chips in one basket.

Nvidia has announced an agreement with IBM Microelectronics in which IBM will serve as an additional manufacturer of the GeForce family of graphics chips. Nvidia's current manufacturer is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Nvidia wanted more manufacturing capacity and was looking to avoid the pitfalls of working with just one producer, said Nvidia spokesman Derek Perez.

As previously reported, Nvidia had to delay the introduction of the top-of-the-line GeForce FX processor in part because TSMC, its only manufacturer at the time, was making the transition from the .15-micron manufacturing process to the new .13-micron manufacturing process. The new process allows chipmakers to produce smaller, faster, and less power-hungry chips.

When looking for an additional foundry, Nvidia also sought out technology that would help it boost performance, Perez said. This gave IBM a leg up on the competition. IBM is rivaled only by Intel in its chipmaking technology and research and development prowess. IBM has introduced a number of new chip-manufacturing technology breakthroughs over the years.

The chipmaker plans to continue its work with TSMC, even for its highest-performance chips, said Perez, who noted that the manufacturer has produced more than 200 million Nvidia graphics chips over the last five years.

By John G. Spooner, News.com [POSTED: 03/26/03 11:03 AM]
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Could this be how they are going to exorcise the 3dfx demons?

[sbp]

Good move.

IBM will be producing the NV35 (http://www.siliconstrategies.com/story/OEG20030325S0051).

Its no secret the transition to .13 micron process has been very problematic for TSMC.

The 3dfx demons won't be that easy to get rid of.

[Cantacuzene]

Originally posted by sbp

The 3dfx demons won't be that easy to get rid of.

All they have to say is, "you're fired," to the all the former 3dfx employees who are sinking the ship. I don't see why they havent done that yet.

[hang10wannabe]

Originally posted by sbp
Good move.

IBM will be producing the NV35 (http://www.siliconstrategies.com/story/OEG20030325S0051).

Its no secret the transition to .13 micron process has been very problematic for TSMC.

The 3dfx demons won't be that easy to get rid of.

u know too much... smartness++

:P

[Joshua]

I don't have much faith in IBM unfortunately... Deathstar anyone?

[sbp]

The Deathstar money losing hard drive operation have been unloaded onto Hitachi.

I do know IBM's fab operation is quite good.

Well a product of one division of a company may not reflect the quality of a product from another division of said company.

[Joshua]

Speaking of Hitachi, Ironically enough, they came into my company trying to sell us their high end storage solution similar to EMC...

When they came in with the Demo, it wasn't working... the techs were downloading drivers off the internet and reading the instruction manuals trying to make it work..

A little preparation goes a long way guys!

Needless to say, we didn't go with their solution...

[Hiro]

Originally posted by Cantacuzene
All they have to say is, "you're fired," to the all the former 3dfx employees who are sinking the ship. I don't see why they havent done that yet.
because the minds behind 3dfx were some of the best when it came to video cards. Why would you get rid of that? 3dfx Glide was some of the best software I had ever seen.


Originally posted by SnotRocket
I don't have much faith in IBM unfortunately... Deathstar anyone?
I am with SnotRocket on this one. I have lost a lot of faith in IBM since their mass hard drive failures.

[Cantacuzene]

Originally posted by Corsec

because the minds behind 3dfx were some of the best when it came to video cards. Why would you get rid of that? 3dfx Glide was some of the best software I had ever seen.

YEah but their hardware design team sucks. They are slow and not even that talented. Note the last days of the VooDoo line. Late and underpowered. The first project with Nvidia in which they get a major hand in running: GeforceFX, late and underpowered.

[Speedfreak]

Originally posted by Cantacuzene
The first project with Nvidia in which they get a major hand in running: GeforceFX, late and underpowered.

Well, it's underpowered because it is late, but ya.

[GraingerGuy]

How are you going to blame the 3dfx workers for it being late? It was TSMC's problem that they couldn't get the .13 micron process to work....not the ex-3dfx workers.

woah...that sounded cool....ex-3dfx....:)

[Speedfreak]

Originally posted by Corsec
I am with SnotRocket on this one. I have lost a lot of faith in IBM since their mass hard drive failures.

Me too. I have 2 45GB 75gxp drives sitting on my desk collecting dust that I am affraid to use. They work fine right now, but you never know when they will get corrupted. They would be perfect (size) for the linux box that I want to make. If I was just going to fool around with Linux, I would use them, but I want it to be my mail/ftp/web server.

My lost faith is not because the bad line of harddrives, but because of the stories I have heard on them "taking care" of the problem. It's like they were telling people there wasn't a problem. I called IBM when it first happened and the tech told me to reformat and it would be fine. Ya, for 2 weeks, buddy. What a crock.

[Speedfreak]

Originally posted by GraingerGuy
woah...that sounded cool....ex-3dfx....:)

Ya, they should start a company called that. Maybe they can "hide" it by calling it X-ThreeDEffects. :hihi:

[Hiro]

Originally posted by Cantacuzene


YEah but their hardware design team sucks. They are slow and not even that talented. Note the last days of the VooDoo line. Late and underpowered. The first project with Nvidia in which they get a major hand in running: GeforceFX, late and underpowered.
The last days of the Voodoo line brought us the Voodoo5 6500. That was way ahead of it's time. Power that along with the 3DFX Glide software, and you have one bitchin as card.

The problem with 3DFX was that they didn't sell their chips to proprietary makers. nVidia sells their chips design to 3rd party builders, it brings in the money and gets the nVidia foot into every company out there that makes a video card.

3dfx didn't do that, they strictly kept their designs inter-company. it lead to great cards, but it was also their downfall.

[GraingerGuy]

Didn't they use Creative for a while....then they dropped 'em? Forgot the reasoning why they did that.