970 Motherboards to enter production soon (MacBidouille)
According to MacBidouille, Apple has contacted manufacturers in Taiwan to build the 970-based motherboards for their future machines. Here is a traduction of the article:
"Apple has finalized the design of its 970-based motherboards (for the X-Serve and the Powermac lines).
The company has contacted several manufacturers from Taiwan to build those products. Two of them will be chosen, eventually.
The motherboard for the Powermac machine is way longer and narrower than the current one. That gives us an idea of the shape of the next Powermac case."
Any comment?
"Apple has finalized the design of its 970-based motherboards (for the X-Serve and the Powermac lines).
The company has contacted several manufacturers from Taiwan to build those products. Two of them will be chosen, eventually.
The motherboard for the Powermac machine is way longer and narrower than the current one. That gives us an idea of the shape of the next Powermac case."
Any comment?
Comments
- George W Bush
It would seem reasonable, this late in the game, for something like this to be leaked. Obviously it would be better with pictures. Maybe MacWhispers will say something?
One thing makes me skeptical though: Would Apple really move the Xserve to the 970 immediently? Wouldn't it run too hot? Or maybe it's moki's surprise <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[surprised]" />
Barto
One thing makes me skeptical though: Would Apple really move the Xserve to the 970 immediently? Wouldn't it run too hot? Or maybe it's moki's surprise <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[surprised]" /> <hr></blockquote>
The current 1.85V 1 GHz G4s dissipate 35.5W typical. The 1.8 GHz PPC 970 should dissipate 42W typical. So where do you think that puts the 1.33 GHz G4s?
[ 03-17-2003: Message edited by: Eugene ]</p>
<strong>Maybe MacWhispers will say something?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I guess you missed this:
[quote]March 07, 2003
Apple Readies New PowerMac Motherboards For Production
Late Thursday, MacWhispers learned that an Apple OEM assembly partner has placed a new motherboard design out for bid with at least two Taiwanese circuit board contractors. Our source within one of these contractors has been surprisingly forthcoming in his report.
What we have been told is that a set of CAD files detailing what "appears to be a final design for a pair of completely new motherboards" was given to at least two contractors this week for review and production price bidding. The deadline for bid responses is said to be March 28th.
Our source states that these designs "are obviously for new PowerMacs," and that "the architecture of the boards looks to be totally different" from existing models. We were told that this price bidding activity typically indicates a finalized product being readied for production, and that this point in the process usually precedes actual production by 3 to 4 months.<hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.envestco2.com/macwhispers/archives/000046.php"; target="_blank">MacWhispers</a> <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
<strong>***From here on in MacBidouille will be refered to as FreedomRumors***
- George W Bush
</strong><hr></blockquote>
ok, that is funny ...
I'd love to hear a leak about what's on this mobo.
Serial ATA?
DDR 400 support(Dual Channel)?
What's the processor to Memory Bus interconnect?
Audio??
Any PCI changes?
Modem?
<strong>Great news!
I'd love to hear a leak about what's on this mobo.
Serial ATA?
DDR 400 support(Dual Channel)?
What's the processor to Memory Bus interconnect?
Audio??
Any PCI changes?
Modem?</strong><hr></blockquote>
[quote] 2. The two motherboards we reported as being in the bidding stage, prior to production, are for single processor and a dual-processor variants, are said to be "larger, longer, and narrower" than present designs. No word on other details, yet.
<hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.envestco2.com/macwhispers/archives/000047.php"; target="_blank">MacWhispers 03/10/2003</a>
So singles and duals, anyway. "Larger, longer, and narrower" suggests rack-mount style for PM, too - front panel slide-out mobo access, maybe?
<strong>Great news!
I'd love to hear a leak about what's on this mobo.
Serial ATA?
DDR 400 support(Dual Channel)?
What's the processor to Memory Bus interconnect?
Audio??
Any PCI changes?
Modem?</strong><hr></blockquote>
It is Apple we are talking about... Lets hope they get it right this time...
And that means state of the art hardware, and not some bullshit like the DDR flop!!
<strong>And that means state of the art hardware, and not some bullshit like the DDR flop!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
That wasn't Apple's fault.
4 Serial ATA ports
PCI Express 3slots plus 1 AGP8x
3 3.5 HD Bays
4 FW ports. 2x FW400 2x FW800
Outboard Box Firwire DA Converter, USB and Audio Input all over FW.
USB 2.0
Dual Channel DDR- 4 Slots
Easy Access Cases ala El Capitan
I'm easy to please
<img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" />
<strong>Ok I'm not asking for much just
4 Serial ATA ports
PCI Express 3slots plus 1 AGP8x
3 3.5 HD Bays
4 FW ports. 2x FW400 2x FW800
Outboard Box Firwire DA Converter, USB and Audio Input all over FW.
USB 2.0
Dual Channel DDR- 4 Slots
Easy Access Cases ala El Capitan
I'm easy to please
<img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
I don't think that's unreasonable. Apple needs to redesign their controller chip from scratch to support the new 970 comanion chip, so why not include new standards and technology? Up until the new MDD G4's they have just building on the technology of the original Sawtooth chipset. This is their chance to radically overhaul the featureset of their towers and introduce all the modern wizz bang features.
So bring on S-ATA! Bring on USB 2.0! Bring on PCI-Express and/or PCI-X!
Finally, we'll have the 21st century equivalent of the IIfx. A computer ahead of it's time in almost every way.
<strong>
That wasn't Apple's fault.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Maybe not 100%, but Apple should have pushed Moto more than they did..!
What exactly is Serial-ATA?
Serial ATA replace Parallel ATA.
Benefits
Faster- Current incarnation 150MBps. Will scale to 4x that at least.
Thinner Cables- Since you're not sending data down 40 think wires the cable is the size of a Firewire cable with a much smaller connecter.
Hop Swap- I don't know if Manuf will attempt to utilize this but SATA is supposed to Hot Swap
Compatibility- SATA should remain total signal compatibility. Only the connecters should really need to change.
<a href="http://www.serialata.org"; target="_blank">www.serialata.org</a>
<strong>Great news!
I'd love to hear a leak about what's on this mobo.
Serial ATA?
DDR 400 support(Dual Channel)?
What's the processor to Memory Bus interconnect?
Audio??
Any PCI changes?
Modem?</strong><hr></blockquote>
yeah, i must agree, the modem is DEFINITELY the deal breaker for me
<strong>
Compatibility- SATA should remain total signal compatibility. Only the connecters should really need to change. </strong><hr></blockquote>
But could current ATA drives be used with a simple adapter? Obviously there might be a performance hit, but the cost savings for the end user could be helpful.
<strong>But could current ATA drives be used with a simple adapter? Obviously there might be a performance hit, but the cost savings for the end user could be helpful.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Converting serial <-> parallel is rarely all that simple. Price SCSI <-> FireWire converters to get some idea (FireWire is a serial form of SCSI).
<strong>
Maybe not 100%, but Apple should have pushed Moto more than they did..!
What exactly is Serial-ATA?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well according to rumor Steve said on more then one occassions a few shouted expletives to describe Moto and thier chips during meetings. Not sure how much more you can push when they are the only ones making your main bread and butter chip. Hopefully, that era is over.
<strong>
Well according to rumor Steve said on more then one occassions a few shouted expletives to describe Moto and thier chips during meetings. Not sure how much more you can push when they are the only ones making your main bread and butter chip. Hopefully, that era is over.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Confront them with the real deal: No chips, and they're going Intel/AMD.
We're talking money here, and I cant see why Moto is letting that down..
The PPC 970 will hit the Power Mac in the summer of 2004