XGI gonna have a comeback?

[coolsquirtle]

<A HREF="http:// http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article3.asp?datePublish=2004/06/07&pages=B3&seq=84 " target="_new">http:// http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article3.asp?datePublish=2004/06/07&pages=B3&seq=84 </A>

oh boy oh boy, i can't wait for their magic drivers and new card!!

seriously, i wonder why the duo processor didn't work out, IMO XGI simply didn't have the resources to code the two processors correctly, so when running games etc, the two GPU doesn't know how to share the work or split the work or anything. Maybe that's why nVidia and ATi dont want to touch the dual GPU style.

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[ChipDeath]

<A HREF="http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article3.asp?datePublish=2004/06/07&pages=B3&seq=84" target="_new">Fixed Link</A>
I doubt they'll have come up with anything truly useful - It looks more like they'll simply be shipping their own cards, rather than selling the chips to third-party manufacturers - which means no new tech, so pretty bad performance.

They'll have to sell them at real low prices to get rid of any IMO.

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[entium]

You're exactly right. What happens with dual processors is if there is only one thing to do well the other processor will do nothing. Unless the program is written for it multiple processors are useless (well unless ya run more then one ap at once.

 

[HardWareBoss]

Link no work.

 

[phial]

couldnt the drivers be written to utilize the two chips equally?

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[cleeve]

If memory serves, the way that ATi did it with their MAXX (and probably 3dfx too, and I'd imagine XGI as well) was to give each GPU alternating lines of pixels to render, so both chips are doing equal work.

The downside of this is that each GPU needs it's own dedicated RAM. And for many reasons, it really doesn't work that efficiently...

There's a reason Nvidia never released a dual-GPU card, and Ati only did it once and never again. It sucks.

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[Zoron]

Yes, ala Voodoo2 SLI, and Voodoo5 5500.

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[MrPanther0]

well Alienware seems to have found a way to utilize two GPU's, yes i know they each have their own memory, but cant XGI just make a huge PCI-E card with 512 VRam?

 

[entium]

Well Alienware has two slots for 2 cards to work in parrallel, prefect for rendering in Max or Maya, since those programs are made for multiple render machines like a render farm. Don't think it was specificly made for gaming?

Does anyone know?

There ways to get cpu's well gpus to work in tandem but its very hard to get them to work efficiently. One reason wny the Voodoo 5's were so buggy. Damn powerful cards though.

 

[entium]

Ok it is targeted for gamming lol

“Alienware is using an exclusive software solution as well as a video merger hub. Both solutions are patent pending and were developed in house by Alienware. In addition Alienware has developed a dual PCI-Express graphics slot motherboard (X2). This motherboard is exclusive to Alienware and is also patent pending. To Alienware’s knowledge, no other motherboard currently supports dual PCI-Express graphics slots,” the company’s spokeswoman said.
......xbit labs

Will have to see the benches on this, don't think it will double performance though, moment there is something thats being done in software performance drops.

 

[cleeve]

I don't think GPU's are used when rendering, entium.

GPU's are used during realtime previews and modelling, but final rendering (which is the kind you'd do on a rendering farm) doesn't use the GPU (unless something has changed recently. I know the new quadroFXs have some wickedass plugins for Maya but I still think that's only good for previewing).

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[entium]

oh yeah forgot about the hehe. Only used for the viewports in Maya and Max

 

[blackphoenix77]

If it works good I'll buy it.

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[coylter]

3d rendering has nothing to do with the video card.

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[entium]

viewports have everything to do with videocards

 

[entium]

Actually this is kinda of changing shaders are now used in Maya and Max now and the gpu is neceessary for this, CPU's can't handle shader instructions

 

[Crashman]

It would be far more economical to purchase dual GPU cards from a company that specializes with them, than 2 cards and a special motherboard. There were dual 9700 cards for the professional environment.

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[entium]

True I think it wsa Lockhead Matrin who was using multiple Nvidia chips for thier flight similulator a while back

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

In order to make a 'Comeback' don't you have to be at the top at some point in the first place?

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[cleeve]

Yeah, but those shaders are emulating what rendered output will look like for real-time viewports, it think... speeding it up.

In the actual render, I don't think shaders are used.

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