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Chipsets:

While everyone focuses on Processors, we believe Chipsets to be underrated and often overlooked. A great PC starts with a good Chipset. We're covering a few of what we consider to be currently important Chipsets from Motherboards to Video to Audio Codec Chipsets. Intel's best Chipset is still the Intel 440BX Chipset from 1998. This was also when the Audio market exploded with new possibilities never before seen.

 From 1998 until now in 2002, we're finally seeing something to get excited about. Who ever thought we'd see Via and others besides Creative with Digital Audio Solutions achieving 24 bit / 96 KHz Audio possibilities! This year from the Computex Taipei Trade Show, we're seeing these possibilities become realities. Who said ProAudio had to exist only in the Studio?

And how will Vendors balance Consumer, Prosumer & ProAudio needs of Digital Audio Solutions offering 24/96 and beyond when Via's Audio Codec Chipset does the job while still supporting Macrovision Copy Protection schemes? Sounds like a neutered Technology possibly following in the footsteps of Sony's MiniDisc and SCMS. Digital Audio IS a Reality for all and it's here today to stay! Computer Manufacturer's cannot afford to mess this one up! (7/12/2002)

1. AMD: Motherboard Chipsets.
2. Intel: Motherboard Chipsets.
3. Via: Motherboard Chipsets and now Audio Codec Chipsets too!
4. Realtek: Audio Codec & LAN Chipsets for Motherboard integration.
5. www.conexant.com - Narrowband Modems: Dial-Up Modem Chipset Technology.

Chipset News:

All News, eventually transferred to News page.

1. Intel Corporation - Performance Acceleration Technology: PAT - Requires 800-MHz FSB and Dual Channel DDR 400 configuration with i875P Chipset. Auto Activation.
2. www.extremetech.com - Via Announces Opteron Chipset: K8T400M chipset for the Opteron processor (4/23/2003).
3. www.extremetech.com - Intel To Overhaul PC With Grantsdale Chipset: "Users should expect the PC to receive a thorough overhaul by the fall of 2004, when PCI Express touches down on the PC with Intel's "Grantsdale" chipset." (2/28/2003)
4. ExtremeTech.com - Update SIS Plans Quad-Channel Rambus Chipset (1/31/2003).
5. ExtremeTech.com - Nvidia Announces QuadroFX Line to meet the needs of the workstation market (1/25/2003).
6. ExtremeTech.com:  SIS Announces Dual-Channel DDR Chipset (11/18/2002).
7. AxionTech.com - News: VIA Chipset Roadmap (6/18/2002).
8. TheInquirer.net:  Intel's 845 family is DDR confusing (6/11/2002).
9. ExtremeTtech.com:  Intel Discloses Itanium 2 Chipsets (6/07/2002).
10. why buy an Intel 845G chipset-based system (5/22/2002).
11. ExtremeTech.com:  The Intel 845 Chipset Gets a Facelift (5/20/2002).
12. Home Computing Information on 850E Chipset and Pentium(R) 4 Processor (5/10/2002).
13. tecChannel VIA Insides Wenchi Chen speaks up: Chen promised to have his south bridges redesigned (4/12/2002).
14. RealTek.com.tw:  News Room: Realtek First to Produce 6-Channel Audio CODEC (3/6/2002).
15. tecChannel VIA Chipsets slow down PCI cards: VIA now offering new Chipset drivers to remedy the situation (2/04/2002).
    • tecChannel VIA Chipsets slow down PCI cards - Benchmarks: Burst Mode
16. eXtremeTech.com: In Short Chipset Tidbits From Platform Conf. (1/24/2002).
17. MSI.com Press - MS-6373 Socket A MB, with integrated nForce NVIDIA Chipset -

Whatever your Processor, Video or Sound Card, Chipsets Rule! A good processor requires a great chipset! When working on your PC, you'll need to know a few things before upgrading your MB Bios. They are:

1. MB Brand 
   

2. MB Model
   
3. MB Revision Number 
   
4. MB Chipset 
   
5. MB Bios Date

The above info can also be found by locating the FCC Number located on the item in question and searching the FCC Vendor Database. Please refer to our HowTo page to help determine your bios upgrade info above if required to flash.

1. www.fcc.gov: OET --FCC ID Number Search Page
2. www.driverzone.com:  FCC ID Search-- Introduction
   • www.driverzone.com:  FCC ID Search
3. www.hardwaresecrets.com:  FCC Search Hardware Secrets
4. www.PLASMA-online.de - Your hardware guide: Search by FCC ID

MotherBoard Chipsets:  

AMD-750™ Chipset
AMD-760™ MP Chipset - Multi-Processor!

1. Intel Products - Intel 865PE Chipset: "The 865PE chipset offers high-bandwidth interfaces such as dual-channel DDR400 main memory, coupled with an 800 MHz system bus, AGP8X graphics interface, Intel Communication Streaming Architecture (CSA) featuring a Dedicated Network Bus (DNB) interface for wire-speed Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), dual independent Serial ATA ports and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connectivity..." (5/22/2003).
2. Intel Chipsets for Intel Processors: Design Specs
   1. Intel Chipsets – Support
   2. Intel Chipset Software
3. Home Computing Information on 850E Chipset and Pentium(R) 4 Processor (5/10/2002).
4. Intel 850 Chipset - RAMBUS support. Processor Package - PGA 423.
5. Intel 845 Chipsets - PC133 SDRAM support... DDR...? New chipset, new CPU socket designation too! Processor Package - mPGA 478 & PGA 423
6. Pentium 4 Motherboards Chart -
7. Intel Pentium 4 (400 MHz FSB)

8. Intel P3 Processors Reference Chart

9. Intel 440FX chipset - Pass 
10. Intel 440BX AGPset Product Overview:

    Intel 440BX chipset - Our Preferred Intel Chipset dating back to 1998!

11. Intel 820E chipset - 1st Edition, MTH (Memory Translator Hub) Problem!

    Intel 820 chipset with RDRAM (RAMBUS) memory, boards or systems shipped before November 1, 1999

    1. Intel Memory Translator Hub (MTH) Reboot Issue - On systems shipped before November 1, 1999!

    2. Intel MTH ID Utility - Check Your System! (DOS Or Windows)
12.  ftp://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/ – Docs For Developers & Tweakers!
    
13. ftp://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/linecard_pv.pdf - Chipset Line Card (Very Informative!)
14. Intel 430 Series PCI Chipset Comparison Chart - Pentium Class Chipsets

Intel 82430VX PCIset -
Intel 82430FX PCIset -
Intel 82430HX PCIset -
Intel 82430TX PCIset - Our last (Socket 7) Pentium class chipset from Intel which also supported AMD (Socket 7).

VIA Technologies, Inc.

1. VIA Arena - Drivers: 4in1 4.38(2)v(a) (6/3/2002).

2. Via's revs KT400 Chipset to KT400A Chipset - "The VIA Apollo KT400A takes the AMD Athlon™ XP Processor to the summit of system performance with a FastStream64™ memory controller technology, 333MHz Front Side Bus, AGP 8X Graphics, 6-Channel Audio, Serial ATA, ATA-133, USB 2.0 and 8X V-Link chip interconnect.

   FastStream64 Technology - The VIA Apollo KT400A provides lightning fast access to system memory and can reach a peak bandwidth of 3.2GB/sec, 25% greater than the KT400, enabling the full performance potential of the fastest AMD Athlon™ XP processors to be harnessed. (3/30/2003).

   1. www.giga-byte.com - GA-7VAXP-A Ultra

    
3. VIA Apollo KT333
4. VIA Apollo KT266A ◊◊◊
5. Chipset Benchmark Comparison - i820, VIA Apollo Pro 133/ 133A & Intel 440BX Chipsets
6. VIA Apollo KX133 Motherboard Partners

7. VIA Apollo KX133 – Slot A, Two-chip set chipset (Supports AGP 4X / PC133 SDRAM, 200MHz FSB & ATA-66 support).

• VIA Arena ... VIA Technologies, Inc.'s official support portal.
• VIAHardware Dot Com: VIA related News not associated with VIA Technologies. 

Consumer Sound Card Chipsets: 

To locate Audio Cards, please go to our Audio page to locate ProAudio, Prosumer and Audiophile Sound Card Solutions. More important these days than Audio Card Chipsets would be WHAT type of Audio do you want?

Vortex of Sound - Aureal Chipset Drivers.

Aureal, bought by Creative and buried. WinXP may have driver support. Otherwise, go to www.VortexOfSound.com for drivers and news.

• Aureal AU8830 chipset -

  • www.aureal.com - Gone! Currently inhabited by Target Search.com
  • www.a3d.com - FSBO - For Sale By Owner! PopUp Mess!

Interesting to note, someone still owns the aureal.com domain name even though Creative Labs, a Singapore Company, bought the Aureal assets. See for yourself:

• www.Internic.net - WHOIS Search Results for Aureal.com

• www.Internic.net - Whois search shows someone else owns A3D.com -

Creative Labs -

• Emu10K2 - Audigy

• EMU10K1 chipset -

  • Creative - Emu / Ensoniq

ESS Maestro PCI Audio Accelerators

Sound Cards Review - HAL-PC Magazine

Video Card Chipsets: 

1. 3Dlabs The 3D OpenGL video graphics leader
2. Video Display: Matrox Graphics: Coming May 14, 2002 - Parhelia (5/7/2002).
3. MSI.com Press - MS-6373 Socket A MB, with integrated nForce NVIDIA Chipset ATI Technologies - Been around the longest and still here with great cards!
   
4. Diamond / S3 - Reinventing themselves! Good Luck! Only Modems now since SONICblue Inc.
   
5. Matrox - G550 or G450! (Or older G400 Dual Display)
6. Matrox Graphics - Matrox Parhelia™ graphics cards to ship with Coloreal Visual by WayTech Development (6/28/02)
7. Matrox Graphics - Matrox introduces Parhelia™-512-based line of graphics accelerators (6/18/02)
   
8. 3dFX - VooDoo - Gone! Quote: "on February 19, 2002, the 3dfx.com website will be shut down entirely."

   Driver Alternatives: Download 3dfx Drivers | voodoofiles.com | www.nvidia.com

   NVIDIA To Acquire 3dfx Core Graphics Assets (12/15/2000).
   

9. NVIDIA - GeForce2 GTS (Gamers delight!) Now, GeForce3... GeForce4...!
   • Creative Labs Annihilator Pro 
   • Guillemot / Hercules 3D Prophet II GTS 32 MB