SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Intel Corp. opted this week to introduce its delayed 820 chip set with no changes to the design or the Direct Rambus inline memory modules (RIMMs). The company said it had determed that motherboard configurations with two RIMMs would not encounter errors.
In late September, Intel and its 820 customers were surprised to find signal integrity problems in PC systems with three-RIMM configurations. The launch of the 820--code named "Camino"--was delayed for eight weeks while Intel analyzed the problem. On Monday, Intel introduced the 820 and said all major PC manufacturers are expected to be shipping products based on the chip set within the next 30 days (see Nov. 15 story).
Intel has not completed validation testing of three-RIMM motherboard configurations, according to a company spokesman today. Intel has not decided if it will rework the 820 design or change system specifications for motherboards using three RIMMs.
The inability to use three RIMMs instead of two memory modules will reduce some of the flexibility in systems but it will not limit the maximum use of Direct Rambus DRAMs in desktop PCs, said the Intel spokesman. The 820 chip set handles up to 32 memory devices, which can be placed on two RIMMs. With the 128-megabit DRDRAMs, two RIMMs can provide the maximum memory for the 820 chip set at 512 megabytes. In the first quarter of next year, 256-Mbit DRDRAMs are expected to become available for 1-gigabyte on two RIMMs, the Intel spokesman said.
The loss of the third RIMM will limit the mixture of memory devices with by-4-, by-8- and by-16-bit configurations. "This could cause the loss of a little bit of flexibility, but it is not limiting the amount of memory on the motherboards," the Intel spokesman explained.
The 820 chip set is priced at $42.50 each in 10,000 quantities. It supports Pentium III-based desktop designs using DRDRAM technology for double the peak memory bandwidth of today's conventional 100-MHz SDRAM.
RSS
Digital
10 emerging technologies to watch:
EE Times has compiled a list of emerging technologies that we think will be worth watching out for in 2010. Biofeedback or thought-control of electronics are among the contenders.
Hot applications in 2010:
We've compiled a list of 10 technology applications you should watch for in 2010, ranging from e-book readers to 3-D TVs. We examine the features that make these apps so compelling as well unresolved issues.
Top 25 predictions for semis in 2010:
2010 is just beginning to unfold in the electronics industry. Looking into our crystal ball, we have released our own chip forecasts--and other predictions--for 2010.
Seven things to fix in 2010:
The editors of EE Times came up with their own informal list of things we hope engineers fix in 2010, spanning everything from nano-lithography to space travel. What do you want to see get done this year?
'09 moves that are shaping the future:
This was a brutal year, but the industry gets a nod for showing grace under fire. Here's our Top 10 guide to the coming year, illustrating what to expect in 2010.
10 CEOs out in 2009:
It's been a tough year for the global electronics industry and CEOs. We survey the dismissal of 10 industry CEOs during the first three quarters of 2009 and what's ahead for the rest of the year.
Notable women in microelectronics:
There is no better time than a global economic recession to examine the keys to successful corporate governance. So, EE Times has compiled an international list that celebrates women who are business and technology leaders in semis.
EE Times updates Silicon 60:
Seventeen companies have been added to the lastest version of our Silicon 60 list of emerging startups. Forty-three companies survived as emerging companies that are still worth watching.
RSS| 
Digital| 
Mobile
