ScullTrail uses HyperTransport?

[BaronMatrix]

That's right folks. The rag known as the Inq is reporting that Intel's zeal to have SLI and Quad SLI for sculltrail meant that nVidia had to provide their MCP without all of the south bridge functionality.
As we all know nVidia uses HT to sit in between the GPUs and the North Bridge. This means that Sculltrail may have similar problems as QFX with the signal going through two chipsets.

Check out today's Inq for more.

 

[pausert20]

Mmmmm, HT might be part of those chips but the Skull Trail is only using them as a PCIe switching chip. PCIe is sent to them they then provide 2 x16 PCIe channels to the 2 PEG slots.

HT is not being used on the Skull Trail board.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Mmmmm, HT might be part of those chips but the Skull Trail is only using them as a PCIe switching chip. PCIe is sent to them they then provide 2 x16 PCIe channels to the 2 PEG slots.

HT is not being used on the Skull Trail board.

Yes it is. What part of SLI needs HT do you not get? If nVidia had used some other bus, then Sculltrail wouldn't use HT but if you have SLI you have HT.

 

[pausert20]

I can tell you that there are no active HT links on the Skull Trail motherboard. Make of that what you will. Remember the source you are quoting.

 

[BaronMatrix]

I can tell you that there are no active HT links on the Skull Trail motherboard. Make of that what you will. Remember the source you are quoting.

I guess Intel could have routed through the North Bridge without using the MCP, so that maybe why nVidia only allows it for V8 as they want the chipset sales.

Don't think I'm knocking anyone. It was just interesting as HT is how nVidia implements SLI and Quad SLI.

 

[pausert20]

I agree with you that that is how Nvidia does SLi but from my information the chips are just taking the PCIe bus out of the Seaburg MCH it goes into the Nvida bridge chip which then outputs 2 x 16 channels to the PEG slots.

 

[yomamafor1]

BM, you might as well say, "SLi uses HyperTransport".

"SkullTrail uses HyperTransport" is misleading in essence.

 

[BaronMatrix]

BM, you might as well say, "SLi uses HyperTransport".

"SkullTrail uses HyperTransport" is misleading in essence.

Only to a person who doesn't know what a QUESTION MARK is. It normally denotes an interrogative statement, not a declarative one.

 

[Reynod]

Intel also had its SkullTrail system up, running, and ready to be benchmarked. SkullTrail features two LGA-771 sockets, accepting a pair of special unlocked Penryn processors that use the Xeon socket but have the same core as the desktop processors. According to Intel, with the Core 2 based processors there are slight differences in the hardware prefetchers in Xeon vs. desktop Core 2 parts and thus it is important to distinguish the SkullTrail CPUs as being Yorkfield based (desktop Penryn) and not Harpertown (server Penryn). The SkullTrail motherboard actually supports NVIDIA's SLI, which is apparently made possible by actually using a pair of NVIDIA MCPs on the motherboard itself. This isn't an SLI licensing deal; this is Intel purchasing NVIDIA MCPs and using them on its motherboard. 2-way SLI is supported today and Intel claims eventual support for up to 4-GPU SLI, depending on whenever NVIDIA releases drivers and product.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3105&p=2

So NVIDIA got screwed ... suckers ... no SLI royalty there.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Intel also had its SkullTrail system up, running, and ready to be benchmarked. SkullTrail features two LGA-771 sockets, accepting a pair of special unlocked Penryn processors that use the Xeon socket but have the same core as the desktop processors. According to Intel, with the Core 2 based processors there are slight differences in the hardware prefetchers in Xeon vs. desktop Core 2 parts and thus it is important to distinguish the SkullTrail CPUs as being Yorkfield based (desktop Penryn) and not Harpertown (server Penryn). The SkullTrail motherboard actually supports NVIDIA's SLI, which is apparently made possible by actually using a pair of NVIDIA MCPs on the motherboard itself. This isn't an SLI licensing deal; this is Intel purchasing NVIDIA MCPs and using them on its motherboard. 2-way SLI is supported today and Intel claims eventual support for up to 4-GPU SLI, depending on whenever NVIDIA releases drivers and product.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3105&p=2

So NVIDIA got screwed ... suckers ... no SLI royalty there.

What royalty? They have to buy the MCPs, that means nVidia gets more. A licensing deal usually means a discount where they pay some money upfront.

 

[Reynod]

Still sounds like Intel are trying to screw over NVidia to me.

I would imagine Intel would have to acknowledge NVIdia if they are offering SLI ... it is NVIDIA's patent is ot not?

I'm asking a serious question here ... just out of interest.

I'll google something up when my brain reboots ...

 

[chunkymonster]

What this really says to me though is that Intel's CSI is not up to snuff and/or ready for production. Which really begs the question, why not just use Hypertransport as opposed to developing (re-inventing?!) a chip interconnect? Oh, that's right, Intel can't use the same interconnect (HT) as AMD, because when Intel begins using an IMC, the only difference between Intel and AMD will be marketing and product taglines.

The FB-DIMM's are still killing me, I don't care how much proc cache or how high they pump the fsb. I still say an enthusiast's platform should use non-ECC DIMMs. At least they got right by using procs with an unlocked multiplier. Going with desktop Yorkfields die'd to Skt 771 was an interesting move as well, I wonder if they'll market them as "The V8's" and in pairs like AMD does with the FX's.

IMO, the more I read about the V8 project, the more I just keep thinking that it's a knee jerk reaction to a compelling platform (QuadFX) idea and to "compete" in a highly niche market. Overall though, I have to agree with Anand when the articles states, "They (V8 and QuadFX) may be perfect for workstation users who also want to game on their machines, but other than that specific market we don't see much of a need for even the most demanding enthusiasts. Stressing four cores is tough enough most of the time, making the argument for eight at the sacrifice of price, power and noise is a difficult one."

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

Only to a person who doesn't know what a QUESTION MARK is. It normally denotes an interrogative statement, not a declarative one.

Oh, well that makes it all right! Perhaps Sharikou should do that when spreading misinformation, just put a QUESTION MARK!

LOL

AMD can do it with their benchmarks:


Barcelona 150% faster?
Our product is actually shipping?
We don't have yeild issues?
We're making a profit?


It's ok to dispense misinformation, just use a question mark!

 

[yomamafor1]

Only to a person who doesn't know what a QUESTION MARK is. It normally denotes an interrogative statement, not a declarative one.

...or only to a person who doesn't know what MISLEADING is. Even if its an interrogative statement, the fundamental is wrong in ESSENCE.

Skulltrail doesn't use HTT. Only the SLi MCP chips incorporated on board use them.

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

...or only to a person who doesn't know what MISLEADING is. Even if its an interrogative statement, the fundamental is wrong in ESSENCE.

Skulltrail doesn't use HTT. Only the SLi MCP chips incorporated on board use them.

Watch this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=m5B_oNKoqbM

 

[pausert20]

Nice find TC.

 

[yomamafor1]

LOL...

I love Jon Stewart's show. Thanks for the find, TC

EDIT:

So in illustration,

BM is a mindless fanboy?

 

[Joe_The_Dragon]

This makes sculltrail look like a even bigger joke

SLI and QuadSLI. So Skulltrail will not sport Nvidia's cool dual GbE controllers (or even Quad GbE, in this case), nor RAID5 features from Nvidia. All of the SouthBridge functionality remain with Intel's own chip.

CPU through FSB, through the NorthBridge to the first MCP and then through HyperTransport from first to second MCP. So you have a 4 chipsets chips

vs
In a amd system you can have more then 1 HT link to the chipset i/o and you can even have 2 full HT links for CPU to CPU with 1 left over a HTX slot

This AMD cpu set with Full HT links from the cpu to chipset or chipets
* Codenamed RD790
* Dual or single AMD CPU configuration
* Supports socket AM2+ and socket F CPU
* Allowing maximum of four physical PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots [4] at x8 lanes bandwidth or 2 PCI-E x16 slots at maximum bandwidth (16x-16x or 8x-8x-8x-8x CrossFire)
* Discrete PCI-E x4 slot [4]
* Providing a total of 52 PCI-E lanes [4], 41 lanes in Northbridge [5]
* Two to four cards CrossFire, with reported 2.6 times of performance than single card [6].
* Support of HyperTransport 3.0
* Support for HTX slots [4]
* Support of PCI-E 2.0
* Supports Dual Gigabit Ethernet, and teaming option [4]
* Discrete chipset cache memory of at least 16 KB to reduce the latencies and increase the bandwidth [4]
* Reference board codenamed "Wahoo" [7] for dual-processor (Quad FX) reference design board with three physical PCI-E x16 slots, and "HammerHead" for single socket reference design board with four physical PCI-E x16 slots, also notable was the reference boards includes two ATA ports and only four SATA 3.0 Gbit/s ports (as being paired with SB600 southbridge), but the final product with SB700 southbridge (see below) should support up to six.
* Northbridge runs at 3 W when idle, and maximum 10 W under load [6]

OR the Nvidia chipset with 2 Full HT links from the cpus to the chipset with a HT link from the cpu to cpu. The Nforce pro boards are set in the same way.

 

[jkflipflop98]

It so funny to see you AMD fanboys grasping at straws in the dark AMD is beaten and relegated back to second place. A place they know very, very well. Get used to it.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Watch this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=m5B_oNKoqbM

Ok, you got me, I was making fun of Intel.

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

Ok, you got me, I was making fun of Intel.

LOL, Baron, you I like.

 

[beerandcandy]

Baron HT is only designed into AMD processors
intel doesnt even have it in thier processors.
it would be impossible for intel to use HT

 

[HYST3R]

shouldnt there be a ? after that sentence?

 

[chunkymonster]

What's Intel now going to do with Skulltrail now that the FASN8/QuadFX project has been taken off AMD's product list?

Will Skulltrail also go by way of the dodo?

Isn't ending sentences with question marks fun?

The John Stewart link what a riot, I like that guy!

 

[BaronMatrix]

Baron HT is only designed into AMD processors
intel doesnt even have it in thier processors.
it would be impossible for intel to use HT

The HT links are in nVidia's MCP, not in Intel's chips. Sculltrail is the only Intel platform that has SLI and that's mainly because it lets nVidia sell workstations.