Alternative transportable chip sets

Evgenie Rudometov

Correct usage of processors and successful development of their architecture demands adequate chipsets of system logic — chip sets. Implementation of potential possibilities of processors, together with efficiency of their interaction substantially depends on operation of these sets with other units and computer subsystems, that in a finite role defines functionality of computers

Perfection of semiconducting and computer processing techniques has allowed to raise complexity of accessories. As a result it was possible to create the compact systems which basis are transportable processors and sootvtetstvujushchie chipsets of system logic — the transportable chip sets which are carrying out necessary support to processors. Usage of optimally designed specialised set is pledge of wide functionality, including its high efficiency.

In nastojaee time the indisputable leader and transportable processors and transportable chip sets supporting them is Intel company. However, despite the financial and technological power this company is exposed to hard pressure from the aggressive competitors. First of all, it is linked to very fast growth of this segment of the market. It leads to concentration of the big financial and industrial resources providing not only mass release of transportable arrangements, but also reception of considerable profit. All it promotes increase in number of the companies interested in this business.

The main players of the second echelon

Except Intel company, in the market of chip sets for transportable systems an appreciable role such known manufacturers of chipsets of system logic as play VIA corporations (VIA Technologies, Inc.) and SiS (Silicon Integrated System Corporation).

Recently the claims for a certain share of this perspective segment of the computer market has declared takde and ULi corporation (ULi ElectronicsInc.) which is a child there is known implementator and the manufacturer of popular desktop and transportable chip sets — ALi corporations (Acer Laboratories Inc. — AcerLab).

And recently to the given collective of immemorial contenders of Intel it was added also ATI corporation (ATI TechnologiesInc.). This corporation has received wide popularity thanks to the geometry processors of the original architecture which have become by a basis for high-powered videoadapters. As is known, they successfully compete to similar products from NVIDIA. Estimating reachings ATI, it is necessary to mark and its chip sets with the integrated drawing, created for desktop computers. It is interesting, that productivity of the video resources built in these chip sets quite often above intelovskih solutions.

Unfortunately, similar to the built in video resources from ATI the appreciation does not concern dynamic storage subsystems where positions of the present leader chipsetostroenija are traditionally strong. These reachings while are inaccessible not only for ATI, but also other contenders not only in desktop, but also transportable systems. However it does not prevent to struggle successfully to competitors of Intel with the leader, defending the right to existence among manufacturers of computer accessories, and actively to participate in development of a transportable segment of the market, receiving the share, by the way, rather big profit.

And rather recently and NVIDIA corporation (NVIDIA Corporation), inspired by successes in the market of videoadapters and the high-powered chip sets created for sector of desktop computers with processors AMD, has offered own solutions for the transportable market. However, it is necessary to mark, that while manufacturers of transportable systems do not hasten to use them in the portable products. But it is quite possible, that the situation becomes in due course more favorable for the given deserved and known manufacturer difficult semiconducting koplektujushchih.

Certainly, shares of all these corporations are not now considerable and yet do not represent real threat for the leader inspecting an overwhelming part of the market of transportable chip sets. By some estimations Intel share makes more than 80 %. Nevertheless, systems of the alternative architecture are successfully released and not less successfully realised among manufacturers of transportable computers.

It is necessary to mark, that presence of competitors of Intels which are powerful manufacturers of extremely difficult and rather qualitative chips, is the important engine for development of all branch. Besides, their existence does not admit monopolism and limits «financial appetite» the leader. It is necessary to add, that it promotes not only to a rapid progress in the field of production of superdifficult chips, but also to considerable reduction of prices on a wide spectrum of computer accessories, and, therefore, and end production of manufacturers of transportable systems.

Market segmentation on processors

Before to start consideration of transportable chipsets of system logic, it is necessary to mark, that, generally speaking, it is conditional chip sets expediently to divide according to processors serviced by them. The matter is that Intel company, as well as in case of chip sets, has competitors in sector of transportable processors. In this role such known players of the computer market as AMD corporations, VIA and Transmeta appear. However, last recently has declared, that because of industrial and financial difficulties leaves from the market of manufacturers of processors, having limited to exclusively scientific developments, licensing of results of the reachings, and also allocation of paid consultations. However products from Transmeta corporation, used in a wide spectrum of products, not only are for numerous users, but also till now meet in numerous price-lists.

Transportable chip sets VIA

Processors VIA can be maintained with the chip sets of Intel created for processors of Intel of Pentium III and Pentium III–M. However VIA corporation for the processors recommends the own sets created for built in and transportable solutions. By the way, this corporation, having taken advantage of the situation which has been added in the computer market thanks to a number of errors of the company of Intel (it is enough to recollect an epopee with Rambus), successfully was in the lead in the field of chip sets. However Intel has drawn correct outputs, and now VIA it is necessary to struggle already for the second place with the immemorial opponent in face of the firm SiS.

It is necessary to mark, that specially company VIA, at least on the official site, does not select a class of transportable chip sets in weight of numerous chipsets of system logic, but they all the same are. As the possible variants used for transportable systems, chip sets VIAPN133, VIA PN266T, VIA CLE266 and VIA CN400 can be resulted, for example. These chipsets are intended for the own processors released VIA corporation. However they are capable to support as well appropriate processors of the immemorial competitor — Intel companies. These processors are Intel of Pentium III and Intel of Pentium III-M.

Chip set VIA PN133 is oriented to sector of transportable systems. Supports transportable processors VIA C3 and Intel of Pentium III-M. It is calculated for bus FSB with clock rate 66/100/133. The North Bridge component presented by chip VIA VT8603, has built in sredstava schedules S3 Graphics ProSavage4 providing hardware support 2D/3D, usage of the internal bus with bar AGP 4X, SMA architecture implementation. Application of the external videoadapter is not provided. The chip set is calculated for usage of units of dynamic storage PC100/133 SDRAM and VCM (Virtual Channel Memory). Maximum informational size — 1,5 Gbytes. In quality of the SouthBridge component which are hooked up to NorthBridge by means of bus PCI with a bar 133 Мбайт/c, chip VIAVT8231 is applied. Support of 2 audiochannels AC ’ 97 and modem MC ’ 97, and also PCI, ATA 33/66, 4 USB, LPC Super I/O, etc. is provided . Usage and other variants South Bridge which chips are hooked up by means of bus PCI is possible.

Chip set VIA PN266T is oriented to sector of transportable systems. Supports transportable processors VIA C3 and Intel of Pentium III-M, and also desktopnye VIA C3, Intel of Pentium III and Intel Celeron. It is calculated for the bus with clock rate of 100/133 MHz. The North Bridge component presented by chip VIA VT8613, has built in sredstava schedules S3 Graphics ProSavage8 providing hardware support 2D/3D, usage of the internal bus with bar AGP 8X, compensation of movements DVD and implementation of Shared Memory Architecture (SMA architecture providing selection of a part of dynamic storage under needs of video resources. The external videoadapter is not supported. The chip set is calculated for usage of units of dynamic storage DDR266/200 SDRAM or PC133/100 SDRAM. Maximum informational size — 4 Gbytes. In quality of the SouthBridge component which are hooked up to NorthBridge by means of VIA V-Link with a bar 266 Мбайт/c, chip VIA VT8233 or VIA VT8233C is applied. Support of 6 audiochannels AC ’ 97 and modem MC ’ 97 is provided. Built in resources VIA (VIA VT8233) or 3Com (VIA VT8233C) Ethernet MAC 10/100Mb Ethernet provide hooking up to a local area network. It is supported PCI, ATA 33/66/100, 6 USB, LPC Super I/O, IO APIC, ACPI/APM/PCI/PM and processing techniques energosberezhenija type of Intel SpeedStep.

Fig. 1. Structure of the computer with chip set VIAPN266T

Chip set VIA CLE266 is capable to work with the bus of 133/100/66 MHz, units of dynamic storage DDR266/200 SDRAM or PC133/100 SDRAM with informational size to 2 Gbytes. It also has the built in graphics resources once developed by company S3, but can use and external AGP 8X/4X videoadapter . The second component of a chip set — South Bridge is presented by chip VIA VT8235.

Chip set VIA CN400 is calculated for clock rate of the bus of 200/133/100 MHz, memory modules DDR400/333/266 SDRAM with informational size to 4 Gbytes, has built in graphics resources S3, but can, as VIA CLE266, to use as well external AGP 8X/4X videoadapter . The second component of a chip set is chip VIA VT8237.

Fig. 2. Structure of the computer with chip set VIACN400

Both chips SouthBridge  — VIAVT8235 and VIAVT8237 provide support: buses 8X V-Link (533 Mb per second) hooking up to NorthBridge; AC ' 97 and MC ’ 97; audioresources VIAVinyl 6-channel Audio (AC ' 97); resources of local area network VIAMAC 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet; 6 PCI-arrangements; ParallelATA133 (to 4 arrangements); I/O APIC; LPCSuper I/O; ACPI/APM/PCI/PM. Differences of South Bridge VIA VT8237 component from VIA VT8235 consist that the first supports the high-speed interface for hooking up of disk drives Serial ATA and functions RAID linked to creation of the array from several hard disk drives. Besides, VIA VT8237 supports 8 USB. In the second variant presented by chip VIA VT8235, from the enumerated functions is present only 6 USB, and possibilities SATA and RAID are not supported. Nevertheless, despite smaller number of audiochannels and absence of modern, perspective functions, VIA VT8235, instead of VIA VT8237, is now popular chip South Bridge among manufacturers of the transportable solutions fulfilled on the basis of chip sets from VIA corporation and oriented to processors VIA or Intel.

The described chip sets as it was underlined above, support appropriate processors VIA and Intel. As to the processors of company AMD possessing the own, original architecture and incompatible on interfaces of hooking up and the processor plug VIA corporation for them offers special chip sets. As variants of such chip sets which approach for transportable systems, chipsets of system logic KN133, VIAKN266 and VIAKN400 can be considered.

Chip set VIA KN133 supports transportable processors AMD Mobile Athlon and AMD Mobile Duron, and also desktopnye variants of these processors. The architecture in many respects coincides with VIAPN133. Unlike clone VIA KN133 it is calculated for the bus with a transmission frequency of the given 200/266 MHz (FSB DDR). The North Bridge component presented by chip VIA VT8362, also has built in sredstava schedules S3 Graphics ProSavage4 providing hardware support 2D/3D, usage of the internal bus with bar AGP 4X, SMA architecture implementation. The external videoadapter is not supported. The chip set is calculated for usage of units of dynamic storage PC133/100 SDRAM and VCM (Virtual Channel Memory). Maximum informational size — 1,5 Gbytes. In quality of the SouthBridge component which are hooked up to NorthBridge by means of bus PCI with a bar 133 Мбайт/c, chip VIAVT8231 is applied. Support of 2 audiochannels AC ’ 97 and modem MC ’ 97, and also PCI, ATA 33/66, 4 USB, LPC Super I/O, etc. is provided . Usage and other variants South Bridge which chips are hooked up by means of bus PCI is possible.

Chip set VIA KN266 is oriented to transportable processors AMD c by the architecture of kernel AMD Athlon XP and working on clock rate of the bus of 200 MHz. The architecture and parametres in many respects coincides with VIAPN266T. Contains, as well as its clone calculated for processors VIA and Intel, the built in resources of drawing S3 Graphics ProSavage8 which do not provide usage of the external videoadapter. It is calculated also for usage of units of dynamic storage DDR200/266 SDRAM or PC100/133 SDRAM. The common maximum informational size of units can reach 4 Gbytes. Together with chip North Bridgre VIAVT8372 of chip set VIAKN266 the manufacturer recommends to use chip South Bridge VT8233 or VT8233C which have been described above. These components support audio AC ’ 97, 10/100Mb Ethernet, PCI, 6 USB, ATA 33/66/100, ACPI/APM/PCI/PM.

More powerful in comparison with the enumerated variants of chipsets of system logic from VIA is chip set VIA KN400. It is oriented to transportable processors AMD Athlon XP and AMD Duron with frequency of the bus of 200/266/333 MHz. Contains the built in resources of drawing UniChrome 2D/3D Graphics which are more efficient in comparison with S3 Graphics ProSavage8. There is a possibility of hooking up of external AGP 2X/4X/8X videoadapter (AGP 3.0). The chip set is calculated for usage of units of dynamic storage DDR200/266/333/400 SDRAM. Together with chip North Bridgre of chip set VIA KN400 it is recommended to use chip South Bridge VT8237 or VT8235 which parametres have been considered above.

Estimating the enumerated chipsets of system logic from VIA corporation, it is necessary to mark, that on these products progress has not stopped. According to appearance of the new transportable processors AMD, which basis there was kernel AMD64, VIA corporation had been released new chips of a surrounding. Chip sets VIA K8N800 and VIA K8N800A became them.

So, both data of a chip set are oriented to the transportable processors AMD created on the basis of the architecture and kernel AMD64. Thus VIA K8N800 it is calculated for support Mobile AMD Athlon 64 and Mobile AMD Sempron, and VIA K8N800A — AMD Turion 64, Mobile AMD Athlon 64, Mobile AMD Sempron. Processors are hooked up by means of bus HyperTransport Bus Link working on frequency of 800 MHz and providing usage of processing technique VIA Hyper8. Chip sets contain the built in resources of drawing UniChrome Pro IGP (S3 Graphics UniChrome Pro Integrated Graphic Processor), providing presence in the structure of two pikselnyh pipelines, 120 bits 2D/3D the executive kernel working on frequency of 200 MHz, 16-64 Mb of the video memory selected from dynamic storage, hardware expedition MPEG-2 (firm processing technique Chromotion CE), etc. the Video kernel also supports expanded handle energopotrebleniem. Possibility of hooking up of external AGP 8X/4X videoadapter is provided. Estimating possibilities of both chip sets, it is necessary to consider that fact, that kontollery memories are built in directly processors and calculated for 64/128 bits DDR SDRAM (one/two channel). Together with North Bridgre components of chip sets VIA K8N800 and VIA K8N800 usage of chip South Bridge VT8237 is provided, but can be applied South Bridge VT8235. Parametres both VT8237, and VT8235 have been considered above. It is necessary to add, that both chip sets support processing techniques energosberezhenija.

Fig. 3. Structure of the computer with chip set VIAK8N800A

Table 1. Correspondence of processors and chip sets VIA

Processors	Frequency Buses, MHz	Chip sets	Memory
VIA Eden, VIA Antaur, VIA C3 VIA C3 M, Intel OF PENTIUM III	133, 100	VIA PN266T	DDR or SDR
	200, 133, 100	VIA CN400	DDR
	133, 100, 66	VIA CLE266	DDR or SDR
Intel OF PENTIUM III – M, Intel Celeron, VIA C3	133, 100, 66	VIA PN133	SDR or VCM
	133, 100	VIA PN266T	DDR or SDR
AMD Athlon AMD Duron AMD Mobile Athlon AMD Mobile Duron	200, 266	VIA KN133	SDR or VCM
AMD Athlon XP	200	VIA KN266	DDR or SDR
	333, 266, 200	VIA KN400	DDR
Mobile AMD Athlon 64 Mobile AMD Sempron	800	VIA K8N800	It is defined by the processor
Mobile AMD Athlon 64 Mobile AMD Sempron AMD Turin 64	800	VIA K8N800A	It is defined by the processor

Transportable chip sets SiS

Company SiS, unlike the traditional contender — companies VIA, does not release own processors. However it does not prevent to create to it qualitative and rather inexpensive chipsets of system logic under the processors released by others to corporations.

As variants of specialised chipsets it is possible to result the chip sets intended for support of models of Intel of Pentium M, for example, such as SiS648MX and SiSM661MX.

Chip set SiS648MX is oriented to systems for notebooks with processors of Intel of Pentium M with bus QPB providing data transfer with frequency of 400 MHz. Consists of two components presented by chips North Bridge and South Bridge. Memory DDR400/DDR333/DDR266 with maximum size to 1 Gbyte and external AGP 8X/4X videoadapter is supported. Link between North Bridge and South Bridge is provided with firm interface SiS MuTIOL 1G with a pass-band of 1 Gbytes/with. As South Bridge chip SiS963 is recommended. This chip gives: 6 PCI, 2 channels ATA 133/100/66, 3 IEEE1394a, 6 USB 2, LAN Fast Ethernet MAC 10/100 Base-T, 6 channels of audio AC ’ 97, LPC 1.1, etc.

Chip set SiSM661MX as is oriented to systems with processors of Intel of Pentium M, working with bus QPB. However unlike SiS648MX SiSM661MX possesses the built in drawing. The built in graphics subsystem possesses two pipelines and clock rate of 133 MHz provides processing of 4 textures for a cycle (2P4T) . Hooking up and external AGP 8X videoadapter is provided. Other parametres, including possibilities of a subsystem of dynamic storage, for chip set SiSM661MX duplicate appropriate characteristics SiS648MX in sort of coincidence of chips South Bridge — SiS963.

Fig. 4. Structure of the computer with chip set SiSM661MX

It is necessary to mark, that except sets of system logic under Intel of Pentium M, SiS corporation appropriate solutions under platforms from Intel Mobile Pentium 4 are offered. Chip sets SiSM650 and SiSM661FX became them.

Chip set SiSM650 oriented to systems from Intel Mobile Pentium 4, supports processor bus QPB with a transmission frequency of the given 400/533 MHz, memory modules DDR 266/333 with size to 3 Gbytes. The chip set has the built in graphics kernel SiS315 realising video subsystem SiS Real256 Graphics. However along with the built in video resources hooking up and external AGP 4X videoadapter is provided. The South Bridge component is presented by chip SiS962: 6 PCI, 2 channels ATA 133/100/66, 3 IEEE1394a, 6 USB 2, LAN Fast Ethernet MAC 10/100 Base-T, 6 channels of audio AC ’ 97, etc. Given component differs from SiS963 twice a smaller pass-band (533 Mb per second against 1 Gbytes/c) of the interface jointing chips North Bridge and South Bridge.

Chip set SiSM661FX oriented to systems from Intel Mobile Pentium 4, supports processor bus QPB with a transmission frequency of data, according to technical parametres, 400/533/800 MHz, memory modules DDR 400/266/333 with size to 3 Gbytes. The chip set has the built in graphics kernel named as creators of set SiS Mirage Graphics. For support of small times of delays of signals and increase in capacity of the channel between the controller of memory and a graphics kernel processing technique Ultra AGP II uses. The formed map in the size 1600 h 1200 pixels can simultaneously on screen LCD and TV or screen monitor ELT. Despite presence of the built in graphics kernel, for this chip set hooking up and external AGP 8X/4X videoadapter is provided. The chip set supports mechanism HyperStreaming Engine intended for optimisation of informational streams. The South Bridge component for chip set SiSM661FX is presented by chip SiS963 described above.

As the solutions supporting appropriate transportable processors of company AMD, chip sets SiSM760, SiS755, SiSM741, SiS746FX and SiS740 appear. The greatest distribution have received SiSM760, and SiSM741.

Chip set SiSM760 is oriented to systems with transportable processors AMD Athlon 64. The controller of a subsystem of dynamic storage in SiSM760 is not present, as this major attribute North Bridge is built in a processor kernel. But something in a chip set component all the same is left, for example the chip set has built in graphics kernel SiS Mirage 2 Graphics. Despite video drawing presence, for a chip set hooking up and external AGP 8X videoadapter is provided . The traditional second component of a chip set — South Bridge for chip set SiSM661FX is presented by chip SiS963L which is a little simplified version SiS963. Difference consists in absence of controller IEEE1394a.

Fig. 5. Structure of the computer with chip set SiSM760

Chip set SiSM741 is oriented to systems with transportable processors AMD Athlon XP and AMD Duron. The built in controller of a subsystem of dynamic storage supports memory modules DDR 400/266/333 with total amount to 3 Gbytes. The chip set has built in graphics kernel SiS Mirage Graphics. However, as well as in case of SiSM760, hooking up and external AGP 8X videoadapter is provided . The South Bridge component for chip set SiSM741 is presented by chip SiS963 described earlier.

Table 2. Correspondence of processors and chip sets SiS

Processors	Frequency Buses, MHz	Chip sets	Memory
Intel OF PENTIUM M	400	SiSM661MX, SiS661MX	DDR
Mobile Intel OF PENTIUM 4	800, 533, 400	SiSM661FX	DDR
	533 / 400	SiSM650
AMD Athlon 64		SiSM760, SiS755	DDR
AMD Athlon XP	333	SiSM741, SiSM746FX	DDR
	266	SiS740

Transportable chip sets ATI

About company ATI, unlike SiS, it is impossible to tell, that it does not release processors. However, it is a question not about central, and the geometry processors which are a basis of videoadapters. But, as is known, modern graphics chips can by quantity of the used transistors, applied processing techniques and complexity of inner patterns to make a competition to the high colleagues. Possibly, received in engineering process of so difficult chips experience also has allowed company ATI to appear in the computer market as the implementator and the manufacturer of chip sets for desktop and transportable systems. Here last also become the object of our consideration. Not belittling advantages of the created chip sets, for the sake of justice it is necessary to mark, that the market share is smallest. However notebooks, on the basis of ATI chipsets all the same are released and consequently deserve short consideration.

Now among chip sets ATI two chip sets, transportable computers actively used by manufacturers dominate. These chip sets have the similar company names differing only by indexing: ATI RADEON IGP 320M and ATI RADEON IGP 340M. Here it is necessary to remind, that IGP means Integrated Graphics Processors, that means presence as a part of the integrated graphics kernel. In this case equivalent ATI RADEON 7000.

Chip set ATI RADEON IGP 320M, given in the name to North Bridge component, is oriented to systems with transportable processors AMD Athlon and AMD Duron. Has the built in drawing, supports 64 bit processor bus of 200 and 266 MHz, one-channel dynamic storage DDR 200/266 SDRAM and admits usage of external AGP 4X videoadapter .

Chip set ATI RADEON IGP 340M was solution with the integrated drawing for processors of Intel of Pentium 4-M. The North Bridge component supports 64 bit processor bus of 400 and 533 MHz, one-channel dynamic storage DDR 200/266 SDRAM and admits usage of external AGP 4X videoadapter .

More powerful set oriented to transportable processors of Intel of Pentium 4-M, chip set ATI Mobility RADEON 7000 IGP is. As well as ATI RADEON IGP 340M the North Bridge component supports 64 bit processor bus of 400 and 533 MHz, one-channel 64 bits dynamic storage of type DDR SDRAM. Support DDR333 SDRAM, oby size — to 4 Gbytes is added  . Has the built in graphics resources, in 1,25 times more efficient on matching ATI RADEON IGP 340M, the architecture provides usage from 16 to 128 Mb of system dynamic storage under display memory, integrirova 300 MHz of 10 bits DAC, supporting the permission to 2048х1536. Usage of external AGP 4X videoadapter is admitted .

Even more powerful chipsets of system logic the chip sets created under processors of Intel of Pentium M and Intel of Pentium 4-M, are chip sets ATI Mobility RADEON 9000 IGP and ATI Mobility RADEON 9100 IGP. These chip sets are calculated for the bus with a transmission frequency of the given 800 MHz (QDR FSB with clock rate of 200 MHz). Incorporate two-channel 128 bits controllers of dynamic storage DDR400 SDRAM with the common informational size to 4 Gbytes.

The built in graphics resources in 4 times for ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP and in 6 times for ATI Mobility Radeon 9100 IGP more efficient on matching ATI RADEON IGP 340M, the architecture provides usage from 16 to 128 Mb of the system dynamic storage selected under display memory, in everyone is integrated 300 MHz of 10 bits DAC, supporting the permission to 2048х1536. Usage of external AGP 4X/8т videoadapter is admitted .

The resulted chip sets created for support of processors from Intel, does not mean prekraenija developments for alternative variants. Developing the architecture of chip set ATI RADEON IGP 320M and making use of the experience stored in engineering process and maintenance of chip sets 340/7000/9000/9100, company ATI has released on the market transportable completing chip set ATIRADEON XPRESS 200M.

Chip set ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M is oriented to systems with processors AMD Sempron, AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Athlon 64 FX with bus HyperTransport supporting frequencies of 800 MHz and 1 GHz. Processing technique AMD Enhanced Virus Protection is realised. Supports transportable processing technique Turion 64. Incorporates the built in graphics resources, under display memory it is selected dl 128 Mb from dynamic storage, it is supported DirectX 9.0 (Vertex Shader v2.0 and Pixel Shader v2.0), the permission in 2D to 2048х1536 32 (2D) and in 3D to 2536x2536 32, productivity corresponds Radeon X300. As to a dynamic storage subsystem appropriate controllers as a part of chip set ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M are absent as are attribute of the architecture of processors AMD created on the basis of kernel AMD 64.

ATI corporation has developed for components North Bridge of the chip sets the appropriate chips-partners fulfilling functions South Bridge in which quality can be used, for example, chips ATI IXP 200 or ATI IXP 250. They are hooked up to NorthBridge components by means of the special firm bus which have received name ATI A-Link.

Each of named chips South Bridge supports to 6 ports PCI 2.2, integrated six channel sound, to 6 ports USB 2.0, the integrated network controller, and ATI IXP250 — also remote control interfaces, mode Wake-on-LAN, etc.

However, despite existence recommended South Bridge, chipsets entering into base packages, implementators in some cases have preferred to use well checked up solutions. Importance of this solution is linked by that as is known, these components of chipsets of system logic substantially define functionality of the realised systems. Certainly, for compensation of missing possibilities always it is possible to use additional chips. However it increases dimensions and complexity of the realised systems. Besides, it is necessary to consider cost price rise at development cycles and testings. All it, eventually, affects the price of products. For this reason it is frequent enough manufacturers of transportable systems select the checked up solutions from indirect corporations. So quite often occurs and to ATI corporation chip sets.

As South Bridge together with North Bridge components of chip sets ATI many manufacturers of notebooks traditionally use a chip for transportable systems of ALi/Uli corporation — ALi M1535 +. This chip developed, by the way, for a long time, is quite often designated in the order bookings accompanying notebooks as ALI 1535 +. However the correct name of the given chip is ULi South Bridge Mobile Chipset M1535 + ver. A1 or it is simple ULi M1535 +. Usage of the given chip became possible thanks to compatibility of bus PCI used for hooking up ULi 1535 +, with bus ATI A-Link applied for North Bridge of chip sets ATI.

Chip ULi M1535 + supports bus PCI, 2 ports ATA-100, 6 ports USB 1.1, AC ’ 97, SMBus, PS/2 keyboards and mice, Super I/O, etc.

Table 3. Correspondence of processors and chip sets ATI

Processors	Frequency Buses, MHz	Chip sets	Memory
Mobile Intel OF PENTIUM 4 - M	400	ATI RADEON IGP 340M	DDR
	400, 533	ATI Mobility RADEON 7000 IGP	DDR
	800	ATI Mobility RADEON 9000 IGP	2 DDR
	800	ATI Mobility RADEON 9100 IGP	2 DDR
Intel OF PENTIUM M	800	ATI Mobility RADEON 9000 IGP	2 DDR
	800	ATI Mobility RADEON 9100 IGP	2 DDR
AMD Athlon, AMD Duron	200, 266	ATI RADEON IGP 320M	DDR
AMD Sempron, AMD Athlon 64, AMD Athlon 64 FX, AMD Turion 64	800, 1000	ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M	It is defined by the processor

Solutions from Transmeta

Processors Transmeta are taken up a position as a basis for efficient, but economic solutions. Before appearance IntelPentium M, vhodjaego in structure of Intel Centrino, processors Transmeta represented an uncontested variant when solutions with low energopotrebleniem were required. For the underplate results of numerous tests are this doubt. Besides, the systems created on the basis of processors of Transmeta corporation are characterised rather by low levels of the prices.

Considering features of products from Transmeta corporation, it is necessary to mark, that the competitive price is provided not only the low price of processors, but also the original architecture. And, first of all, it is linked to multiplexing of a kernel of the processor and controllers NorthBridge in a uniform chip.

Fig. 6. Processor TransmetaCrusoe TM5800 structure

As an example it is possible to result processor Transmeta Crusoe TM5800. In its structure, except a kernel with cache memory L1 and L2, controllers of the bus of memory SDR SDRAM and DDR SDRAM, and also bus controllers Serial of ROM and PCI are integrated. Here by means of bus PCI hooking up of the external videoadapter, maps of the extension and, of course, a chip which are carrying out functions of the Southern Bridge also is carried out. And as this component in the majority of systems chip ULi M1535 described above +, it ALi M1535 + appears. By the way, in this quality any chip which is South Bridge component and hooked up by means of standard 33 MHz, 33 bits of bus PCI can be used  .

Instead of the conclusion

Certainly, because of boundedness of size of given article it is impossible to consider in detail all variants of the transportable chip sets intended as a basis of the architecture of transportable systems. Besides, estimating possibilities of chip sets, it is necessary to consider, that many manufacturers in the compact products for lowering of their price quite often apply desktopnye accessories. And in some systems combinations transportable and desktopnyh units use. All it, of course, sharply expands a band of possible variants. Nevertheless, it is possible to assert, that the resulted examples of chip sets cover an overwhelming part of the modern transportable systems widely presented on bysto the developing computer market.

In article open substances of manufacturers of processors and chip sets are used