[ Question ] GPU Question

[Grady56]

Hi, I have been looking for the answer to to this question for a while now, so If I may I'd like to say something before I start (PLEASE READ THIS PART): If your response is going to be anywhere along the lines of: "Its feasibly impossible" or "You don't know what your doing/getting into" or "Why would you want to do that?", or something like "I've been doing this forever and that's not possible, but you can try x, or you can try z" THEN DON'T REPLY, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT ALREADY


Now that I've come off as a complete ass(I am serious though: If your going to say stuff like I mentioned, or cant help me, DON'T REPLY), let me actually ask my question: Is it possible to design (NOT manufacture or even make into a functional unit!) a dedicated graphics card? But I've already thought of a problem that might arise:

1) I'd actually have to Design the GPU IC(IC= Integrated Circuit) UNLESS I can find one that's not owned publicly by a company, like Nvidia or ATI/AMD. Does anyone know where I can get a "GPU-Like" IC Schematic, If its even possible?

If anyone could answer that question, I'd <3 you forever!! REALLY!

Thanks (If you actually read through it all),

- Grady ^.^

 

[monu_08]

try this one http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_5/chpt_9/17.html

 

[hang-the-9]

Of course it's possible to design a card, how do you think the other companies do it?

Or are you asking "HOW" to do that? Because that takes a bit more work than just knowing you can do it. A bit like asking if it's possible to design a ship that carries planes vs. actually building one.

 

[monu_08]

its possible but only taiwan is the leading who desgin the gpu may be ask some experts will help to build up

 

[Grady56]

try this one http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_5/chpt_9/17.html

Thats just a few pictures representing schematic symbols. I wasn't really asking for that. I was asking, more or less: In-depth overview of the Graphics card design and implementation process, If I wanted to just design, not implement, a possibly fully functional Graphics card, what are the steps and standards I must follow or do?

That was my question, hope it helps anyone that needs clarification.

 

[monu_08]

follow this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlkIQNEWBQI

 

[monu_08]

also check this one http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/graphics-cards/how-gpus-are-made-1000923

 

[Grady56]

Thanks for all those reply's Monu, I found the TechRadar one pretty interesting.

I have developed a better Idea of what my question actually is for anyone that knows/is willing to help ----->

I have still been really stumped on a few things:

1) I have soaked up all the "pre-cursor" type (PLEASE READ THIS COMMENT: I am not claiming to know everything, not even remotely, there is still LOTS of stuff that I have to learn about things of this matter, BUT its my passion, so its all in good light! ) knowledge that I possibly could as far as the actual design process goes, topics such as:

- General Transistors (The evolution and creation of the transistor as a switch and/or an amplifying device + How each type of transistor has developed and their different uses)

- MOSFETS = I have been studying not only the MOSFET and Its own unique types (p and n-type, etc.), but things that tie directly to it as well, such as The Field Effect (Hence, Field Effect Transistor right? )

- Schematic Emblems, Diagrams, and Pinouts that represent anything from P-type transistor to DDR2 DIMM's (Which look kind of like large billion legged centipede's in a CAD program )

- CMOS/CMOS Logic = Most Modern day IC's are built up with CMOS-Based logic right? Even Processors?

- Analog-Digital Conversion/DSP (Digital signal processing)

- ETC.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOST IMPORTANT PART -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But I guess the reason I'm saying all that is to lead up to my real question: Is there a way to, quote, pass over that stuff, without having to study the equivalent of a bachelors level EE (Electrical Engineering) Degree? Like, I've looked in Different CAD Programs to see if they had a Integrated/3rd Party add-in library's that contained components used on Modern day Intel-socket/AMD-Socket MB's such as LGA Sockets, ZIF Sockets, DDR3 DIMM's, Chipset IC, Chokes, etc. BUT all the CAD Programs that I've looked in have libraries that are MORE focused on actual design of the IC, RATHER than the Compilation of IC's and the like on a piece of PCB. So a more direct and straight question would be: Does anyone know of any 3rd party OR Integrated CAD Library's (With or Without the program itself, if the Libraries require another CAD App. to be viewed and run, please provide a link to both! ) that have what I described previously? Or will I have to do it all from scratch and build LGA/ZIF Sockets from the ground up and THEN place them into CAD? Cause that would suck

Also, another quick but possibly insuperior question: Is it possible to obtain Schematics and Related Information for the design of a AMD/Nvidia-GPU based Graphics card? Because most of the information that I find isn't related to the actual DESIGN (Not Manufacturing/Production) PROCESS, I wanted to see stuff such as: Library's containing Brand name GPU IC's and their related information (Which I had an issue within my mind with that one: wont that kind of information and resources be protected by the given company by Law? Or can you actually get Open source information and stuff about different Discrete GPU's), Size-restriction schematics, ETC.

A MOUTHFULL I KNOW, BUT I REALLY NEED HELP WITH ALL THIS STUFF AND THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE I KNOW OF THAT WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE MEMBERS EXPERIENCED WITH THE GIVEN INFORMATION

 

[hang-the-9]

You need several years of study maybe more to design a chip that does anything more than pass electricity though it. Probably more than several years, a good degree for starting out with circuit design is 6 years. I have had 3 friends go though this before they started working for Digital in chip design. You won't find a tool that you can cut and paste to do something like "render my 45,000 polygons in shade 345 and then rotate them 4% while tossing a shadow form the left".

 

[mactronix]

The answer (if I have managed to distil the correct group of questions down to the actual question) is. No.

That is No there is no short cut, I would think that almost with certainty that even if someone from Nvidia or AMD were reading this and decided to send you the diagrams and schematics you are looking for along with all the associated notes and text that you would understand about 10% of it without having done the required study/degree's etc.

Mactronix