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Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
59
91
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Well i don't have a technical background, and i guess nordichardware is a big (Nordic?) hardware site, so for the guys there, technology is their life!

If you can believe the guys at XS then basically you should view nordichardware as a site that scours the forums (XS, AT, etc) for rumors and your random pseudo-technical postings and then summarizes them nicely (without giving credit of course) and presents it as their own.

I don't know if I really subscribe to that train of thought, but the occasions where the XS guys have called them out the timing of the posts with their content versus when an "independent" article pops up on nordics is pretty suspicious.

Regardless I like perusing nordic because even if it is just borrowed rehashed posts from various forums you can read it and get the salient points in a few minutes versus dealing with the drivel (e.g. fanboys mucking about) intermingled with all the decent posts in those threads.
 

wlee15

Senior member
Jan 7, 2009
313
31
91
Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln


DDRAM doesn't come in set 64-bit buses. You can make it be whatever you want.

This is why you've seen the 8800GTS 320MB and 640MB. They come with a memory bus of 320 bits. Another example is the GTX260 and 275. They come with 894MB of memory with a 448 bit bus. The 8800GTX came with 768MB of memory a 384 bit bus. Are you beginning to see the correlation?

320,384,448 and 512 are all divisible by 64 and almost all 64-bit memory channels for their memory controllers(I believe the ATI ringbus cards used 32-bit channels).

 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Originally posted by: Janooo
This information is very interesting:

...
However, we did learn at that AMD has a card with performance better than Radeon HD 4850 but consuming less than 75W. We would expect this to be a flavor of Redwood, RV830. Evidently, AMD has mastered the 40nm process and managed to reduce power consumption while maintaining good performance.

Hey, I opened the link and i read nordichardware's info!

You might have heard rumors of some odd memory configurations going around and a source close to AMD has confirmed this. Numbers are pointing to something like 384-bit and GDDR5 with the high-end X2 part, 192-bit and GDDR5 with the performance part, and then scaled down to 96-bit and perhaps even 48-bit with lower-end parts.The numbers are still pending confirmation, but we are quite confident AMD will bring some odd memory configurations to the market with Evergreen

Well i don't have a technical background, and i guess nordichardware is a big (Nordic?) hardware site, so for the guys there, technology is their life!

But can some explain to me, how is it possible to have DDR memory interface like 48-bit with 64bit DDRAM?

Why they reporting (confidently) 96-bit & 48-bit memory interface?

Also if this is not possible, why they wait for a confirmation?
Can someone tell me if their site is sucessful (I will open one too!)

Just kidding!

DDRAM doesn't come in set 64-bit buses. You can make it be whatever you want.

This is why you've seen the 8800GTS 320MB and 640MB. They come with a memory bus of 320 bits. Another example is the GTX260 and 275. They come with 894MB of memory with a 448 bit bus. The 8800GTX came with 768MB of memory a 384 bit bus. Are you beginning to see the correlation?

I am not talking about custom models of DDRAM!
I am talking about the mainstream (volume) memory market (99%) which ATI & NV (or their partners) can shop for cheap DDRAM ICs!
In this volume market (99%) , the DDR IC transferres data at 64 bits at a time!
The "48bit" & "96bit" models are at the 60-30$ range!
Why ATI to shop expensive custom made DDR modules?

About the examples you gave, all are 64bit dividable.

 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
59
91
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Originally posted by: Janooo
This information is very interesting:

...
However, we did learn at that AMD has a card with performance better than Radeon HD 4850 but consuming less than 75W. We would expect this to be a flavor of Redwood, RV830. Evidently, AMD has mastered the 40nm process and managed to reduce power consumption while maintaining good performance.

Hey, I opened the link and i read nordichardware's info!

You might have heard rumors of some odd memory configurations going around and a source close to AMD has confirmed this. Numbers are pointing to something like 384-bit and GDDR5 with the high-end X2 part, 192-bit and GDDR5 with the performance part, and then scaled down to 96-bit and perhaps even 48-bit with lower-end parts.The numbers are still pending confirmation, but we are quite confident AMD will bring some odd memory configurations to the market with Evergreen

Well i don't have a technical background, and i guess nordichardware is a big (Nordic?) hardware site, so for the guys there, technology is their life!

But can some explain to me, how is it possible to have DDR memory interface like 48-bit with 64bit DDRAM?

Why they reporting (confidently) 96-bit & 48-bit memory interface?

Also if this is not possible, why they wait for a confirmation?
Can someone tell me if their site is sucessful (I will open one too!)

Just kidding!

DDRAM doesn't come in set 64-bit buses. You can make it be whatever you want.

This is why you've seen the 8800GTS 320MB and 640MB. They come with a memory bus of 320 bits. Another example is the GTX260 and 275. They come with 894MB of memory with a 448 bit bus. The 8800GTX came with 768MB of memory a 384 bit bus. Are you beginning to see the correlation?

I am not talking about custom models of DDRAM!
I am talking about the mainstream (volume) memory market (99%) which ATI & NV (or their partners) can shop for cheap DDRAM ICs!
In this volume market (99%) , the DDR IC transferres data at 64 bits at a time!
The "48bit" & "96bit" models are at the 60-30$ range!
Why ATI to shop expensive custom made DDR modules?

About the examples you gave, all are 64bit dividable.

I could be wrong here but isn't the bus bit for an individual IC either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word)?

For example desktop Dimms are 64bit buses but the actual bit bus of the individual IC's on the dimms depends on the organization (x4, x8, or x16 are common organizations).

DDR memory bus width per channel is 64 bits (72 for ECC memory). Total module bit width is a product of bits per chip by number of chips. It also equals number of ranks (rows) multiplied by DDR memory bus width. Consequently a module with greater amount of chips or using x8 chips instead of x4 will have more ranks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...Module_characteristics

So for graphics cards, I imagine the lowest bus bit you could have is that of a single DRAM IC, or 8bits with today's most commonly available IC's. And both 48bit and 96bit are divisible by 8, as is 64bit.
 

dflynchimp

Senior member
Apr 11, 2007
468
0
71
I'm pretty sure there are no active links at the moment. Anything that may have cropped up most likely was a result of someone on the inside violating NDA, and will be taken down quickly.

Patience, my fellow geeks. We will have our cake and eat it too, just not here, not now :
 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: Idontcare
I could be wrong here but isn't the bus bit for an individual IC either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word)?

For example desktop Dimms are 64bit buses but the actual bit bus of the individual IC's on the dimms depends on the organization (x4, x8, or x16 are common organizations).


DDR memory bus width per channel is 64 bits (72 for ECC memory). Total module bit width is a product of bits per chip by number of chips. It also equals number of ranks (rows) multiplied by DDR memory bus width. Consequently a module with greater amount of chips or using x8 chips instead of x4 will have more ranks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...Module_characteristics

So for graphics cards, I imagine the lowest bus bit you could have is that of a single DRAM IC, or 8bits with today's most commonly available IC's. And both 48bit and 96bit are divisible by 8, as is 64bit.

I really don't know! (That's why i asked someone to explain to me how it is possible)

I saw the link you provided, (you can't imagine the torture that is for a foreigner to read such detail english articles!)

and i noticed that this link is for DDR1 (2000 tech), not even for GDDR1!

"Beginning in 1996 and concluding in June 2000, JEDEC developed the DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM specification"

I don't know if this plays any role,
but I opened a newer technology such as GDDR5:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GDDR5

The GDDR5 interface transfers two 32 bit wide data words per WCK clock cycle to/from the I/O pins. Corresponding to the 8n prefetch a single write or read access consists of a 256 bit wide, two CK clock cycle data transfer at the internal memory core and eight corresponding 32 bit wide one-half WCK clock cycle data transfers at the I/O pins

But there is no need for us to be so analytical:

If you see a picture of a 4350 with 512MB,
you will see that the memory ICs are only 2!
And the memory configuration is 8Mx32

http://www.diamondmm.com/HD4300.php

Is the "memory configuration" a term that used per IC?

 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
12,026
2,241
126
I think most of those sites are saying November AT THE EARLIEST. If nV could surprise everyone and launch at the same time as ATI that would be really cool.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
59
91
Originally posted by: MODEL3
If you see a picture of a 4350 with 512MB,
you will see that the memory ICs are only 2!
And the memory configuration is 8Mx32

http://www.diamondmm.com/HD4300.php

Is the "memory configuration" a term that used per IC?

memory configuration as they refer to it is what is more commonly referred to as memory organization.

See slide 6 in this presentation. (and slide 14 to see why changing the organization is done to better target a given bandwidth for a given ram capacity)
 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: Idontcare
Originally posted by: MODEL3
If you see a picture of a 4350 with 512MB,
you will see that the memory ICs are only 2!
And the memory configuration is 8Mx32

http://www.diamondmm.com/HD4300.php

Is the "memory configuration" a term that used per IC?

memory configuration as they refer to it is what is more commonly referred to as memory organization.

See slide 6 in this presentation. (and slide 14 to see why changing the organization is done to better target a given bandwidth for a given ram capacity)

Sorry, I tried to open the file and it doesn't open with any programs that i have!

I googled ppt and it seems that i need to have powerpoint (I don't even have word) :laugh:


Anyway, what i am trying to say is, since you said:

Originally posted by: Idontcare
I could be wrong here but isn't the bus bit for an individual IC either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word)?

For example desktop Dimms are 64bit buses but the actual bit bus of the individual IC's on the dimms depends on the organization (x4, x8, or x16 are common organizations).

How is it possible for the 4350, to have 64bit memory interface with only 2 ICs?

Since, you said that the ICs are either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word),

doesn't that mean that 2 ICs are either 16bit or 32bit?

 

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,866
517
126
DRAM is manufactured in other widths besides x4, x8, and x16, particularly graphics DRAM, whether integrated or using stacking technologies.
 

Jacen

Member
Feb 21, 2009
177
0
0
Mark your calendars, I am hearing second hand that the Sept 10th date is just a pre launch event and that the actual launch will be the 24th.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
59
91
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Sorry, I tried to open the file and it doesn't open with any programs that i have!

I googled ppt and it seems that i need to have powerpoint (I don't even have word) :laugh:

Sorry, yeah it is a powerpoint file but just like with adobe acrobat files in which you can download acrobat reader for free to open the pdf file you can download Microsoft Powerpoint Viewer for free to open and view any powerpoint files.

Originally posted by: MODEL3
Since, you said that the ICs are either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word),

doesn't that mean that 2 ICs are either 16bit or 32bit?

As TSCenter mentioned, which feeds into my comment above regarding memory organization, the memory on the card you are referencing is x32 (specifically 8Mx32) which means each IC is 32bit I/O. Two such chips would give you the 64-bits of I/O you'd need to interface with a 64bit memory controller.

If you go to http://www.dramexchange.com/ you'll see by far the more common memory organization for commodity dram and nand flash is the x8 organization. The fact that the 4350 doesn't use commodity grade x8 chips already confirms for you that your earlier point regarding the need to use commodity chips is in fact not always the case as you have proof they use x32 organization on that AMD board.

To get 48bit they could be using three x16 chips, or six x8 chips. What they use will depend on the total dram capacity they want to install combined with the dram density of the chips they order from the manufacturer among other cost-driven decisions such as pincount and PCB layout (real-estate). Likewise to get 96bit I/O they could easily go with three x32 chips, six x16 chips or twelve x8 chips.
 

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
17,305
1,002
126
Originally posted by: Jacen
Mark your calendars, I am hearing second hand that the Sept 10th date is just a pre launch event and that the actual launch will be the 24th.

Ah, just in time for my birthday. I have a feeling the 24th is more likely than the 10th, the links I read made the 10th seem more like what you say, a pre-launch type of event.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
59
91
Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
Originally posted by: Jacen
Mark your calendars, I am hearing second hand that the Sept 10th date is just a pre launch event and that the actual launch will be the 24th.

Ah, just in time for my birthday. I have a feeling the 24th is more likely than the 10th, the links I read made the 10th seem more like what you say, a pre-launch type of event.

Didn't AMD do this before? A pre-pre launch event to smooth over the media's expectations in a controlled setting before the reviews could come out? I could be completely off-base here (or just completely imagining a series of events that never actually occurred) but wasn't the HD3xxx launch like this, and something about a Taos event or a Trinidad event that got under Anand's skin in one of his articles?

It just feels rather Deja-Vu-ee.
 

spittledip

Diamond Member
Apr 23, 2005
4,480
1
81
Originally posted by: Idontcare
Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
Originally posted by: Jacen
Mark your calendars, I am hearing second hand that the Sept 10th date is just a pre launch event and that the actual launch will be the 24th.

Ah, just in time for my birthday. I have a feeling the 24th is more likely than the 10th, the links I read made the 10th seem more like what you say, a pre-launch type of event.

Didn't AMD do this before? A pre-pre launch event to smooth over the media's expectations in a controlled setting before the reviews could come out? I could be completely off-base here (or just completely imagining a series of events that never actually occurred) but wasn't the HD3xxx launch like this, and something about a Taos event or a Trinidad event that got under Anand's skin in one of his articles?

It just feels rather Deja-Vu-ee.

lol man, there would never be a launch event in Trinidad It must have been Taos
 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: Idontcare
Originally posted by: MODEL3
Sorry, I tried to open the file and it doesn't open with any programs that i have!

I googled ppt and it seems that i need to have powerpoint (I don't even have word) :laugh:

Sorry, yeah it is a powerpoint file but just like with adobe acrobat files in which you can download acrobat reader for free to open the pdf file you can download Microsoft Powerpoint Viewer for free to open and view any powerpoint files.

Originally posted by: MODEL3
Since, you said that the ICs are either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word),

doesn't that mean that 2 ICs are either 16bit or 32bit?

As TSCenter mentioned, which feeds into my comment above regarding memory organization, the memory on the card you are referencing is x32 (specifically 8Mx32) which means each IC is 32bit I/O. Two such chips would give you the 64-bits of I/O you'd need to interface with a 64bit memory controller.

If you go to http://www.dramexchange.com/ you'll see by far the more common memory organization for commodity dram and nand flash is the x8 organization. The fact that the 4350 doesn't use commodity grade x8 chips already confirms for you that your earlier point regarding the need to use commodity chips is in fact not always the case as you have proof they use x32 organization on that AMD board.

To get 48bit they could be using three x16 chips, or six x8 chips. What they use will depend on the total dram capacity they want to install combined with the dram density of the chips they order from the manufacturer among other cost-driven decisions such as pincount and PCB layout (real-estate). Likewise to get 96bit I/O they could easily go with three x32 chips, six x16 chips or twelve x8 chips.

I tried to open it with acrobat (i had it already in my pc) but it can't read it! (maybe i have an older version?) Anyway it doesn't matter!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well at first, you confused me saying that the there are only two possibilities[/u]!

Originally posted by: Idontcare
I could be wrong here but isn't the bus bit for an individual IC either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word)?

For example desktop Dimms are 64bit buses but the actual bit bus of the individual IC's on the dimms depends on the organization (x4, x8, or x16 are common organizations).

Now, you added the possibility to be 32bit!

Well if we add this possibility your scenario makes sense!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you explain to me another thing?

In the link you provided the 1GB is consisted from 16 or 32 pieces of ICs (non ECC) ,
in that case, in order the sum to be 64bit, each IC must have 2bit or 4bit bandwidth!

So we have to add in the possibilities, the 2bit and the 4bit!

So in order to be your logic correct (that each IC can communicate with memory bandwidth that is lower than 64bit) we have to reject your original scenario that:

bus bit for an individual IC either 8bit (1 byte) or 16 bit (1 word)

and add in your original scenario 3 more possibilities:

2bit
4bit
32bit

Are you absolutely sure that each IC can communicate with bandwidth that is lower than 64bit?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

You said:

Originally posted by: Idontcare
the memory on the card you are referencing is x32 (specifically 8Mx32) which means each IC is 32bit I/O

According to my understanding, it doesn't mean that! (i may be wrong, afterall you are the engineer!)

As i already told you the ICs are only 2 in the 4350!

The above term 8Mx32 has nothing to do with the memory bandwidth that the DDRAM is communicating with the memory controller!


It just means that each IC (256MBytes) has the following:

1. Each memory chip is essentially a matrix of tiny cells!

2. Each tiny cell holds one bit of information! (in the worst case scenario)

3. And since memory chips are described by how much information they can hold, we call this "chip density"!

4. The expression "8Mx32" it just describes what type of density we have!

It describes one kind of 256Mbyte chip (in this case) in more detail!

it just describe how the memory cells are divited!


5. 8M means 8 million cells,

and X 32 means that each cell being 32bit in width!

6. The fact that the cell is 32bit in width, it doesn't mean that the DDR technology must communicate at 32bit! (That's why it needs 2 ICs in order to achieve the 64bit number!

On the contrary, the DDR tech (STANDARD TYPE) can communicate "efficiently" only at 64bit or multiples of 64bit!


I mean that the width of the cell doesn't necessarely mean that the communication bandwidth automatically is the same!

It can be anything multiply of the cell width!

In the case of DDR tech the communication number standard is 64bit at the time! (the data being transferred 64 bits at a time always)

That's why we never saw before 48bit types of memory bandwidth in GPUs!

At least that is my "point of view"!

But like i said before, since i don't have a technology backround and since you are an Engineer, probably i am wrong!


In this case again, the possibilities the 48bit scenario to happen is next to zero!

Because, like you said the 48bit scenario will need 3 or 6 chips!

The 64bit needs just 1 or 2 chips, this 48bit scenario will add the cost certainly,
which is not a good thing since we are talking for below 50$ GPUs!

Also since the 4350 is already bandwidth limited at 64bit, I can imagine that the 4350 will be even more bandwidth limited at 48bit,

so what this mean for a future much faster DX11 architecture?

It means that the "5350" will be extremely bandwidth limited!

Imagine the scenario (worst case) that the "5350" will have 8 ROPs instead of the 4 ROPs of 4350!

Anyway, we will see at the launch date.

 

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,866
517
126
Originally posted by: MODEL3
In the case of DDR tech the communication number standard is 64bit at the time! (the data being transferred 64 bits at a time always)
For standardized PC memory bus, not necessarily for all other interfaces that use DRAM. DRAM is used in almost everything, set-top boxes, DVD players, routers and switches, video capture boards, automotive applications, et. al. These don't have to follow 64-bit memory bus standard.
 

betasub

Platinum Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,677
0
0
tried to open it with acrobat (i had it already in my pc) but it can't read it! (maybe i have an older version?) Anyway it doesn't matter!

IDC was using Acrobat Viewer as an example of a freely available viewer for a specific file format (.pdf). He has linked to Microsoft's Powerpoint Viewer because that is the equivalent for the .ppt file format.
 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: tcsenter
Originally posted by: MODEL3
In the case of DDR tech the communication number standard is 64bit at the time! (the data being transferred 64 bits at a time always)
For standardized PC memory bus, not necessarily for all other interfaces that use DRAM. DRAM is used in almost everything, set-top boxes, DVD players, routers and switches, video capture boards, automotive applications, et. al. These don't have to follow 64-bit memory bus standard.

Maybe you are right, I don't know!

I just i don't remember any DDR2 or GDDR3 based GPU (probably the "5350" is going to use DDR3, an even newer tech!)

that had 8, 16, or even 32bit memory bus!

I suppose there is a reason for this (design efficiency or economical efficiency)

That's why I asked about the possibilities this scenario to happen in my original post!

I don't see how, what you are saying change that! (theoritical yes, but do you think this is a probable scenario?)

EDIT*

i just saw the power point presentation and it is about DRAM in general.

It says that there are a lot DRAM types:

S DRAM
DDR DRAM
RAMBUS DRAM
M DRAM

All these technologies are different!
Each one has its own specifications! (for example RAMBUS DRAM & DDR DRAM are wildly different!)

I mean maybe one specification of DDR DRAM is the data transfer to be always 64bit.
(I don't know, I just ask if this is true or not!)



 

MODEL3

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
528
0
0
Originally posted by: betasub
tried to open it with acrobat (i had it already in my pc) but it can't read it! (maybe i have an older version?) Anyway it doesn't matter!

IDC was using Acrobat Viewer as an example of a freely available viewer for a specific file format (.pdf). He has linked to Microsoft's Powerpoint Viewer because that is the equivalent for the .ppt file format.

Thanks!

I missed the link!

When I saw the word acrobat, I stoped there!
 
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