VIA releases chipset documentation [LWN.net]

VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 6:25 UTC (Mon) by laf0rge (subscriber, #6469)
In reply to: VIA releases chipset documentation by undefined
Parent article: VIA releases chipset documentation

You seem to have missed the fact that VIA is no longer producing chipsets for Intel or AMD processors for about one year now. Also, VIA was always only putting their graphics in integrated chipsetes, i.e. not dedicated GPUs that you can attach to AGP or PCIe.

The only place where you will find VIA graphics units is either

1) old systems (Unichrome / Unichrome Pro core)
2) new systems with Via C7 or CN, using a VIA chipset (CX700/VX800) together with a VIA CPU.

So it's not surprising that there are no socket 939 boards vith VIA.

I disagree that it's too late. There are still a number of those systems, just look how popular the various VIA based EPIA / miniITX / nanoITX / ... boards are. There's also lots of custom embedded boards, used in inflight entertainment systems, firewall appliances (hardware crypto!) and the like.

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VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 9:59 UTC (Mon) by obi (guest, #5784) [Link] (4 responses)

I wouldn't have minded going for a netbook with a Nano, also considering the fact that I tend to use crypto on my disk and I've seen what difference it can make (VIA's marketing could exploit this argument better, I suppose).

But for some mysterious reason it seems like VIA is leaving the entire market to Intel's Atom (see hp mini-note 2133 -> hp mini 1000).

Anyways, this announcement is nice - but then they are competing with Intel, one of the better open-source participants out there.

VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:30 UTC (Mon) by gnb (subscriber, #5132) [Link] (2 responses)

> But for some mysterious reason it seems like VIA is leaving the entire
>market to Intel's Atom (see hp mini-note 2133 -> hp mini 1000).
In fact I haven't seen any evidence of anyone shipping consumer
nano-based products, be it mini-ITX boards, laptops... which is odd
several months after the announcement. Which suggests either it's all
going to the industrial embedded market or they're having trouble
bringing something to production (either boards or CPUs) (or I'm looking
in the wrong places, always possible). It's a pity as I'd quite like one.
Anyone know anything more?

VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:54 UTC (Mon) by Cato (guest, #7643) [Link] (1 responses)

The ITX market is pretty specialised - there are online retailers who just sell ITX kit but they are for specific niches including home built in-car computers, low power PCs, industrial applications, etc. See http://www.itx-warehouse.co.uk/ProductSearch.aspx?Filter=... for some Nano based products for example.

VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 12:01 UTC (Mon) by gnb (subscriber, #5132) [Link]

There are a reasonable number of shops selling mini-ITX boards to end
users, but few of them seem to be carrying nano-based boards. In the link
you provided (thank you for looking that up by the way) none of the
boards seem to have a nano CPU. One has a "C7® 1.8GHz NanoBGA2 processor"
but that's just the previous-generation C7 in a smaller BGA package.

VIA releases chipset documentation

Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:57 UTC (Mon) by nim-nim (subscriber, #34454) [Link]

There is no mysterious reason,
1. Via's best hardware opportunity is netbook, not laptop or desktop side,
2. Via botches its FLOSS Linux support,
3. Intel invests heavily in FLOSS Linux support
4. ~ 30% of netbook sales are Linux,
5. IHVs dump Via for Intel/Atom.

And now we see
6. Via discovers a new FLOSS religion and is trying to get itself supported Linux-side.