ALi: Neuer Chipsatz für AMDs K8-Prozessoren
Wie einem Bericht der DigiTimes zu entnehmen ist, hat der taiwanesische Chipsatzhersteller ALi mit der Massenproduktion des M1689 Chipsatzes für AMDs K8 Prozessoren begonnen.
Bei dem für Opteron, Athlon 64 und Mobile Athlon 64 geeigneten Chipsatz handelt es sich um eine kostengünstige Ein-Chip-Lösung. Die Entwicklung erster Mainboards auf Basis des Chips durch namhafte taiwanesische Hersteller ist bereits abgeschlossen, so dass die Auslieferung in größeren Stückzahlen für Ende August erwartet wird.
Auf der technischen Seite müssen potentielle Kunden allerdings auf einige Features verzichten. So setzt auch ALi vorerst weiter auf AGP zur Anbindung der Grafikkarte, eine Unterstützung von PCI-Express ist nicht vorgesehen. Ebenso fehlen eine chipseitige Unterstützung für FireWire und ein integrierter RAID-Controller. Auch der mit lediglich 800 MHz getaktete HyperTransport und der integrierte 10/100 MB/s Fast Ethernet-Controller erscheinen angesichts 1 GHz HyperTransport und GBit-LAN bei der Konkurrenz nicht mehr ganz zeitgemäß.
Die entsprechende Boards dürften sich bei Erscheinen im unteren Preissegment bewegen und eine günstige Alternative für den preisbewussten Käufer bieten. Die gesamte Pressemitteilung gibt es – wie immer – in englischer Sprache im Klapptext.
M1689 - Super K8 Single Chip
Product Overview
The M1689 is ALi's new generation super single chipset that offers a high-performance, the highest integration and cost-effective solution for AMD Hammer microprocessor PC systems.
The M1689 integrates AGP8X controller, AC-Link Host Controller, 2-channel dedicated Ultra-66/100/133 IDE Master controller, USB 2.0/1.1 Host controllers with 8 ports in total, IO APIC controller, 10/100 Mb/s Fast Ethernet, SATA, and HyperTransportTM Technology Link interface. Additional features include Host Signal Processing (HSP) software modem solution, ACPI support, green function, and Real Time Clock.
By incorporating USB 2.0 host controller with the data transfer rate up to 480 Mb/s, the M1689 provides the most advanced connectivity for higher performance USB devices. 8 USB ports are supported with 1 USB 2.0 EHCI (Enhanced Host Controller Interface) controller and 3 USB 1.1 OHCI controllers.
The built-in Audio solution in the M1689 is an advanced PCI HSP audio controller with Scatter-gathering DMA fully supported. The M1689 Audio is compliant with standard AC97 CODEC and supports 6 audio playback channels for PCM_out L/R, Surr L/R, Center and LFE, dual PCM inputs and dual microphone inputs.
The 100BASE-TX/10Base-T Fast Ethernet MAC is fully compliant with PCI Spec. 2.3 and IEEE802.3u. The MAC provides a direct interface to the PCI local bus and direct connection to the PHY/transceiver via MII interface. As a controller, it is bus master capable. The MAC also supports auto-negotiation function that enables it to detect speed and duplex automatically. The MAC provides the Power Management capability that is compliant with the Network Device Class Power Management Specifications Rev 1.1, ACPI Specifications Rev 2.0, and the PCI Bus Power Management Interface Specifications 1.1. In addition, it can support remote Wake-up capability to power up a remote sleeping station on the network.
The M1689 also provides the best power management solution. The M1689 incorporates ACPI support, deep green function, and 2-channel Ultra DMA-33/66/100/133 IDE bus master controller, all into one 35mmx35mm BGA (Ball Grid Array) chip.
Processor Support
- Supports AMD Opteron, Athlon 64, Mobile Athlon 64 processors.
- Supports HyperTransport Technology I/O.
- Provides a High Integration Bridge
(with Audio, HSP Mode
m, LAN, USB, IDE) between HyperTransport Technology I/O Link Bus, AGP bus, PCI Bus and Peripheral Bus for Desktop and Notebook Systems
- Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) Interface
- Compliance with AGP 3.0 specification signaling, supporting 4x and 8x transfer rates.
- Compliance with AGP 2.0 specification 1.5 volt signaling, supporting 1x, 2x, and 4x data-transfer modes.
- Supports up to 32 outstanding requests.
- HyperTransport Technology (HTT) I/O Link
- HyperTransport Technology I/O Link Protocol Meets the v1.05 Specification
- 16-bit HTT downstream link & 8-bit upstream link @ 800MHz
- HTT supports transfer rates of 1600, 1200, 800, and 400 mega-transfers per second.
- Maximum bandwidth is 3.2 gigabytes per second downstream and 1.6 gigabytes per second upstream
- Independent transfer rate and bit width selection for each side.
- PCI Interface
- Supports PCI Master and Slave Interface
- PCI spec. 2.3 Compliant
- PCI Power Management Interface spec. 1.1 Compliant
- Supports up to 7 PCI Masters
- Supports programmable PCI arbitration priority of PCIREQ#/PCIGNT#
- Provides Steerable PCI Interrupts for PCI Device Plug-and-Play
- Enhanced DMA Controller
- Provides 7 Programmable Channels, 4 for 8-bit Data Size, 3 for 16-bit Data Size
- 32-bits addressing capability
- Counter/Timers
- Provides 8254 Compatible Timers for System Timer, Refresh Request, Speaker Output Use
- Provides 3 multimedia timers
- Interrupt Controller
- Provides 14 Interrupt Channels
- Independent Programmable Level/Edge Triggered Channels
- Integrated IO-APIC capability
- Serialized IRQ Supported
- Quiet/Continuous Mode
- Programmable (Default 21) IRQ/DATA Frames
- Full Support for ACPI and OS Directed Power Management
- Full Support for Instantly Available PC feature
Audio System
- Fully Plug-and-Play PCI controller and software
- PCI 2.3 compliant bus master optimized for multiple stream operation
- Dual PCM inputs and dual microphone inputs support
- 6 audio playback channels: PCM_out L/R, Surr L/R, Center and LFE
- 20-bit sample resolution support
Serial ATA Host Controller
- Supports SATA 1.0 (High Speed Serialized AT Attachment, Revision 1.0), 1.5 Gb/s data rate.
- Supports Host adapter register interface (SCR, Status and Control Registers).
Package
- 35 x 35 millimeter, 748-ball BGA package
Fabian und 
Jan-Frederik