Another broken chipset from Via?

muddocktormuddocktor
edited June 2004 in Science & Tech
I don't know how I managed to overlook this earlier, since it has important implications for people wanting to overclock their A64's and FX53's. It seems that Via's first try at a chipset that includes a working AGP/PCI lock on it (K8T800 PRO) has gone awry (another failure for Via ;) ). This article came out on 6/2/04 and I searched around but didn't find anything posted here.
We figured that we would be seeing working competitive PCI/AGP locks on shipping K8T800 PRO chipsets, but that has not really materialized. In fact, we are very disturbed at the chaos that seems to surround the VIA implementation of the PCI/AGP lock at the manufacturers that we have talked with here at Computex. Some have proclaimed the feature is so unstable that they will not include it in VIA K8T800 PRO boards, while others say the feature is actually broken in the majority of the chipsets that they are currently receiving from VIA.

VIA themselves acknowledge that there is a problem with the AGP/PCI lock feature on the K8T800 PRO chipset, though they state the feature does work for limited overclocking in shipping chipsets - and will be quickly and completely fixed as soon as they can determine the factors that are causing the instability and inconsistency in the current PCI/AGP lock. The fact that VIA still does not know what exactly is wrong with the PCI/AGP lock on K8T800 PRO does not bode well for a quick fix.

Source: Anandtech Article

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited June 2004
    They might as well just stick to the budget boards.:rolleyes: That or give us ratios of like 8/7/6:2:1 FSB:AGP:PCI!:D
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Anand has started taking direct measurements of AGP/PCI feq on AMD mobos and not trusting what is reported in BIOS or using software tools. They haven't made a geat deal of it, but it is nice to see tehm putting in some effort to bring us the truth
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited June 2004
    crap like that is the reason ill never ever buy another via chipset based board...

    Gobbles
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited June 2004
    I've have yet to see an appealing Socket 754/939 solution :o Hopefully the nForce3 250 will be good, as I'm going to need options for a new system.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited June 2004
    Templar wrote:
    I've have yet to see an appealing Socket 754/939 solution :o Hopefully the nForce3 250 will be good, as I'm going to need options for a new system.

    If you read the whole article, you'll see that Anand is saying that the nforce3 250 is actually looking pretty darn good, and all the mobo's using that chipset have working PCI/AGP locks and there's hardly any difference in benchmarking at stock speeds between nforce3 250 and the Via chipset.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited June 2004
    Chances are that the fix for this will require a new chipset revision, a la K8T800A. Users who bought into their platform early looking for locked PCI/AGP are SOL.

    Can't wait until the NF3 250GB (with working PCI/AGP locks & 1000 HT) is shipping on a Rev 2 Socket 939 board. Paired with a 90nm Winchester A64 or a 130nm Newcastle A64 and you'll have one hell of a stompin' system!! :)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Like SimGuy (Out of hiatus?) I can't wait until someone besides Asus debuts a 939 NF3 250GB. :D

    That'll be one hell of a system to move on.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited June 2004
    I'm kinda floating around and can't wait until the switch to a NF3/A64 system :D
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Thrax wrote:
    Like SimGuy (Out of hiatus?) I can't wait until someone besides Asus debuts a 939 NF3 250GB. :D

    That'll be one hell of a system to move on.

    I agree with everything except fo the 'someone besides Asus' part...
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Assus. :rolleyes:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Gigabyte and Epox are worse. ;)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Yes, in fact they are. Which is why I don't own a board from either. ;)
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    So much hate...

    There are much worse companies than Epox and Asus. The divide of quality between Abit and the other top tier companies is present, but is nothing compared to the divide between Epox and the underdogs like ECS.

    I'd still buy an Epox board. Mine ran great for years. I'd just make sure I could RMA it if there was ever trouble.

    Oh, and I loved my VIA chipset. :D
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