Intel pact with Rambus prohibits DDR chip sets for three years !!!

[Czar]

http://www.semibiznews.com/story/OEG20000718S0003


<< SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Intel Corp. is essentially barred from introducing its own double data rate (DDR) chip set for microprocessors in personal computers before 2003, under terms of its 1997 licensing agreement with Rambus Inc.

Industry sources said the virtually unknown restriction explains why Intel recently licensed patents for chip set support of DDR memories to Via Technologies Inc., Acer Laboratories Inc, and Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. (SiS) in Taiwan. The pacts allow these three companies to offer DDR chip sets for Intel's Pentium III and Celeron processors.

An Intel spokesman in Santa Clara denied that the company's DDR chip set deals had any connection with Intel's own Rambus licensing agreement. He agreed, however, that independent chip set suppliers could fill a void for DDR support in PCs with Pentium III and Celeron processors, since Intel has no double data rate products. >>



This means that Intel will not make the Itanium Chipsets unless it uses SDRAM or RDRAM, and because its a server I think the only chipset for Itanium we might see will be using SDRAM.

So thats why Intel wants Rambus to go to hell.

 

[Scorpion]

&quot;So thats why Intel wants Rambus to go to hell.&quot;

Exactly! Even Intel now sees that Rambus is &quot;the debil&quot;.

Haha, up the goat arse. Glad I'm stickin with AMD. Now UNLOCK THOSE !@$# Multipliers!

 

[HaVoC]

Rambus needs to compete with better technology, not better lawyers. This whole Rambus issue is turning into a fiasco for Intel. The market is going to punish them for their bad decisions.

I'd like to see Rambus dissappear until the technology offers substantial performance deltas over SDRAM with minimal price/MB increases. That may be several years away!

 

[NOX]

So much for Willamette DDR support from Intel.

Rambus is killing the big dog! Looks like Via to the rescue, what a major turn in events! I remember when Intel was trying to kill Via LOL...

 

[Mday]

rambus can't really &quot;go&quot; to hell, i mean RDR is the debbil.

 

[StanTheMan]

Rambus will soon die bcos they lack of supporter. Well, the death of rambus will be the most glorified day in the computing industry, even for Intel

 

[Chad]

August 1st will have the DDR Athlon boards rolling out. Wheee!!!!!!!!!

 

[ViRGE]

As much as I hate Intel for their efforts to screw the consumer(relitively high CPU costs, poor mobos(i815)), I have to feel sorry for them now. Rambus has turned into an industry leech, as they're sucking Intel, and the DRAM manufacurers dry. Even Intel doesn't deserve this...

 

[BoberFett]

You're talking crazy ViRGE!

Intel helped create that monster, they certainly deserve to be a part of it's meal.

 

[Robor]

After everything that's happened how can you not hate Rambus? Well, except for fkloster but that's another story! :Q Rambus is evil. I'd rather run old technology than &quot;upgrade&quot; to anything with Rambus backing. They'll get my money the same time Metalica does (never).

ViRGE: What's so bad about the 815? Seems to be a better overclocker than the BX (1/2 AGP) and a better option than the 810/820 etc as far as Intel chipsets go. I thought Anand really liked that ASUS 815 board. Something change?

Rob

 

[apoppin]

Don't feel sorry for Intel. They will come out of this ok. However, Rambus is not likely to fare too well - they have made plenty of powerful enemies (and they won't get any sympathy either).

Whatever was Intel thinking - a SIX YEAR exclusive RDRAM Rambus contract? Now, at least they have a good workaround.

 

[Thorn]

I think very soon we're gonna see some fabulous products from VIA in the way of chipsets... but only for Intel CPUs. Here's a hunch, I'll bet that Intel will be supplying some &quot;under-the-table&quot; help in DDR chipset design to VIA IF:

1.)VIA will stop producing products that support AMD or

2.)VIA will produce crappy (or weak) chipsets for AMD CPUs

It would be very attractive for VIA to abandon AMD if Intel offered them a 70-80% market share on chipsets for Intel CPUs.

Now that is a conspiracy theory. I hope I'm dead wrong... maybe I've been reading too many Tom Clancy novels lately.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

I'm not so sure this is legit ... they say &quot;according to sources&quot;. Exactly what sources? Intel is not commenting.

What IS true though, is that Intel's option on RAMBUST stock is only exercisable if Intel reaches at least a 20% RAMBUST-enabled portion of its total _chipset_ shipments. At current stock prices, these options are worth about $1B US.

Thorn may prove prophetic as well ... afterall, Intel let VIA off the hook pretty easily. They coulda put the hurt to them in a big, big way.

 

[cobain]

If Intel decides it wants out of this and to make DDR chipsets then Intel will. Rambus will not take Intel on, as Intel would just crush them. Intel can do what it likes with Rambus as I see it.

 

[BigToque]

I bet Intel will produce DDR chipsets anyway. If they dont, they will fall far behind AMD and VIA.

 

[Zorba]

Thorn:
Or maybe VIA will twist Intel's arm for once, say &quot;You help use, or we won't make 'em&quot;

The when Intel says &quot;Only if you stop making AMD chipsets&quot;

VIA &quot;Hell no, we're going to use your R&amp;D for both AMD &amp; Intel chipsets. And if you don't like that, who else is going to make a DDR chipset for Intel, SiS? Yeah Right!&quot;

Just a thought, probably wouldn't happen but it'd be nice, finally get some good chipsets from people besides Intel (not saying Via doesn't make good ones, just not as good as Intel's).

 

[apoppin]

Don't forget, Intel has a loophole. The agreement with Rambus is only for desktop CPUs. Their server line (Foster) will use Intel designed and made DDR chipsets, not RDRAM.

As I understand it, their deal with Rambus is only worth 350 million dollars in Rambus stock options. If Rambus stock FALLS, Intel has nothing to lose - chump change if Intel decides they want to dump Rambus. Intel must be worried about being sued by Rambus, however, if they fail to promote RDRAM.

 

[DDad]

Apoppin:
&quot;Whatever was Intel thinking - a SIX YEAR exclusive RDRAM Rambus contract?&quot;

Please remember that 3 yr's ago the main competition to Intel was Cyrix, AMD was rolling the dice for it's survival, Apple was on it's last legs. Intel could dang near do whatever it wanted to do.