Note: Since the original Dutch article was published in late January, we have finished tests of the 16-port Areca ARC-1160 using 128MB, 512MB and 1GB cache configurations and RAID 5 arrays of up to 12 drives. The ARC-1160 was using the latest 1.35 beta firmware. Furthermore, a non-disclosure agreement on the LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-2E PCI Express x8 SCSI RAID adapter was lifted. The performance graphs have been updated to include the Areca ARC-1160 and LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-2E results. Discussions of the results have not been updated, however. The results should be self-explanatory.
I've sadly had the 'experience' of working with EDS (they've been paid £60 million to manage the IT systems at Thorntons PLC for five years).
Utterly incompetent was the nicest compliment I ever managed.
The Vertex shaders are performed on the CPU, thus the faster the CPU, the faster the vertex shading. Seem ssensible as most CPUs will perform the vertex shaders faster than the IGP I expect - especially as the trend for OEM machines is to have high speed processors (for marketing purposes) and integrated everything-else-they-can-get-away-with (including modems, NICs, VGAs, AC'97s, and more)
It means it has hardware support for all DX9-API functions, including Pixel shaders v.2.0, Vertex shaders 2.0, GLSL, and more. I'd like to see your implementation of a driver to support the 'full' DX9 PS2.0 spec on a 'VGA' (starting with the mach64 perhaps?).
It's called Surroundview and ATi have been supporting it since their integrated Radeon 9100IGP northbridge. It allows the onboard graphics to work with a plug-in AGP card to provide up to three separate VGA/DVI outputs.
Press Release:
http://www.ati.com/companyinfo/press/2003/4661.htm l
It is powerful enough to run your most complex applications.
Erm, yeah right, how do they know?
I have a very complex application (a simulator) here that we run on a dual-opteron system and it still nearly kills it - but apparently if I buy a 1GHz OQO it will run it? Hell it wont even fit it in the RAM and combined with WinXP it'll need one huge swap-file!
While I appreciate your point, I must point out the following:
1) The latest market share information is as follows:
Jan 2003 iPod 27% market share Nov 2003 iPod 31% market share: http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/main_news.c fm?NewsI D=7609
May 2004 ? Unknown yet, but Apple have recently talked about the 800,000 iPods they've sold.
But yes, 31% is still less than 69%. I don't know if all the other 69% are capable of playing DRM'd WMA's either, and if this market share is global or UK only.
2) We are only talking about the UK Napster service here, and the iPod is undergoing a massive TV advertising campaign, something no other MP3 player manufacturer is currently doing in the UK. I would hazard a guess that the iPod is the player of choice of UK consumers, simply on this basis, and we haven't even got the iPod mini yet (and bearing in mind there were 100,000 on pre-order before it launched in the US...).
3. What can Apple do to stop them distributing DRM'd AAC files anyway. They don't own the format do they?
No, Mains power points are available on Virgin Trains in standard accommodation too. It's on all the new trains, including their trains running to the South-West, and will be on the new Pendelino trians on the West Coast line (when they're ready - supposedly by September 2004).
HTH
But what about digital TV broadcasts, we've had these for a few years, and they've certainly made a big difference to the old analogue signal. Plus there's also audio improvements including Mono -> Nicam Stereo, and Doly Digital 5.1 broadcasts through digital satellite transmissions (using Sky+ for example).
AND we also have receiver improvements, including CVBS -> S/Video -> RGB -> Component, and 100Hz TVs, widescreen TVs...
Slashdot Mirror
Am I the only one that immediately thought that some hybrid DEC Alpha EV7 bug was causing problems in China!?
From Page 2 of TFA:
Note: Since the original Dutch article was published in late January, we have finished tests of the 16-port Areca ARC-1160 using 128MB, 512MB and 1GB cache configurations and RAID 5 arrays of up to 12 drives. The ARC-1160 was using the latest 1.35 beta firmware. Furthermore, a non-disclosure agreement on the LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-2E PCI Express x8 SCSI RAID adapter was lifted. The performance graphs have been updated to include the Areca ARC-1160 and LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-2E results. Discussions of the results have not been updated, however. The results should be self-explanatory.
Hmmm, sorry previous link messed up: http://www.driverheaven.net/showthread.php?p=54186 0/
They are intending to significantly improve this in the near future: http://www.driverheaven.net/showthread.php?p=54186 0
P69
I've sadly had the 'experience' of working with EDS (they've been paid £60 million to manage the IT systems at Thorntons PLC for five years). Utterly incompetent was the nicest compliment I ever managed.
The Vertex shaders are performed on the CPU, thus the faster the CPU, the faster the vertex shading. Seem ssensible as most CPUs will perform the vertex shaders faster than the IGP I expect - especially as the trend for OEM machines is to have high speed processors (for marketing purposes) and integrated everything-else-they-can-get-away-with (including modems, NICs, VGAs, AC'97s, and more)
It means it has hardware support for all DX9-API functions, including Pixel shaders v.2.0, Vertex shaders 2.0, GLSL, and more. I'd like to see your implementation of a driver to support the 'full' DX9 PS2.0 spec on a 'VGA' (starting with the mach64 perhaps?).
It's called Surroundview and ATi have been supporting it since their integrated Radeon 9100IGP northbridge. It allows the onboard graphics to work with a plug-in AGP card to provide up to three separate VGA/DVI outputs. Press Release: http://www.ati.com/companyinfo/press/2003/4661.htm l
Erm, yeah right, how do they know?
I have a very complex application (a simulator) here that we run on a dual-opteron system and it still nearly kills it - but apparently if I buy a 1GHz OQO it will run it? Hell it wont even fit it in the RAM and combined with WinXP it'll need one huge swap-file!
While I appreciate your point, I must point out the following:
c fm?NewsI D=7609
1) The latest market share information is as follows:
Jan 2003 iPod 27% market share
Nov 2003 iPod 31% market share:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/main_news.
May 2004 ? Unknown yet, but Apple have recently talked about the 800,000 iPods they've sold.
But yes, 31% is still less than 69%. I don't know if all the other 69% are capable of playing DRM'd WMA's either, and if this market share is global or UK only.
2) We are only talking about the UK Napster service here, and the iPod is undergoing a massive TV advertising campaign, something no other MP3 player manufacturer is currently doing in the UK. I would hazard a guess that the iPod is the player of choice of UK consumers, simply on this basis, and we haven't even got the iPod mini yet (and bearing in mind there were 100,000 on pre-order before it launched in the US...).
3. What can Apple do to stop them distributing DRM'd AAC files anyway. They don't own the format do they?
Only secure WMA downloads available. Not the greatest idea IMHO bearing in mind the popularity of the iPod.
No, Mains power points are available on Virgin Trains in standard accommodation too. It's on all the new trains, including their trains running to the South-West, and will be on the new Pendelino trians on the West Coast line (when they're ready - supposedly by September 2004). HTH
But what about digital TV broadcasts, we've had these for a few years, and they've certainly made a big difference to the old analogue signal. Plus there's also audio improvements including Mono -> Nicam Stereo, and Doly Digital 5.1 broadcasts through digital satellite transmissions (using Sky+ for example). AND we also have receiver improvements, including CVBS -> S/Video -> RGB -> Component, and 100Hz TVs, widescreen TVs...