Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro architecture

Evgenie Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

Company Gigabyte develops and releases motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro with a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage with DDR units. In the architecture of this card created on the basis of Intel 915G c by integrated resources schedules, a number of perspective branch and firm processing techniques is realised

Modern computers consist of the big number of components. Major of them are the motherboards possessing rather difficult internal architecture. Functionality of computers is substantially defined by possibilities of these components. On quality of their design and used units depend productivity, and that quite often it is much more important — stability and dependability of operation of all computer system.

Now motherboards release many corporations. Their number already makes some tens and permanently increases. However among them there are the known world brands, guaranteeing to potential users excellence of products and uninterrupted technical support through the furcated network of the dealers, representations or through appropriate firm sites.

Company Gigabyte concerns number of such known corporations (Giga-Byte Technology Co., Ltd) which is included many years into number of leaders among manufacturers of motherboards. This company releases the big number of regularly refreshed models created with application of perspective conventional branch and own firm processing techniques. A basis of all released products are high-quality units.

As an example of one of advanced models it is possible to result motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro. In this card have found incarnation many perspective obshcheotraslevye processing techniques which concern which LGA775, PCI Express, Intel High Definition Audio, Intel Matrix Storage, RAID  0/1/0+1/JBOD, etc. Card Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is oriented to development of high-powered desktop personal computers. She allows to realise all advantages of the architecture of processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading, known as Prescott and 90 nanometers created on processing technique . High efficiency of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is reached thanks to support of the processor bus with a transmission frequency of the given 800/533 MHz and units of a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage. At the expense of usage of the integrated graphics resources and DDR 400/333 SDRAM units the optimal relation of functionality and cost of the system created on the basis of Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is reached.

Reaching of high technical and operation parametres is not in the last instance provided thanks to in the architecture of the given motherboard of a set of system logic — Intel chip set 915G, last generation possessing by built in graphics resources. This chip set is the difficult product created on the basis of usage of modern computer architectures and solid-state technologies. It provides implementation of the big number of controllers of peripheral devices.

Intel chip set 915G motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro

Intel chip set 915G (i915G) is oriented to creation of high-powered desktop personal computers. Supports systems with processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading, 90 nanometers created on processing technique , hooked up through LGA775 plug and working with bus FSB of type QPB (Quad-Pumped Bus) which clock rate can make 133 or 200 MHz. Usage of the models calculated for frequency of the bus of 400 MHz is possible .

As is known bus FSB of type QPB at clock rate of 133 MHz carries out data transfer with frequency of 533 MHz, an address part — 266 MHz that capacity to 4,2 Gbytes/with provides peak. At clock rate of 200 MHz data transfer is carried out with frequency of 800 MHz, and an address part — 400 MHz. In this mode peak capacity reaches values of 6,4 Gbytes/with. The bus supports 32-bit addressing that provides to 4 Gbytes of dynamic storage.

Traditionally for chipsets of system logic the chip set consists of two components named Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and I/O Controller Hub (ICH).

The base package of a chip set i915G consists of Intel chips 82915G Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and Intel 82801FB (ICH6). As the second chip can use improved variants ICH6. It can be Intel chip 82801FR (ICH6R), possessing the expanded possibilities of operation with a disk subsystem of memory, or Intel chip 82801FW (ICH6W) with integrated controller Wi-Fi, or Intel chip 82801FRW (ICH6RW), possessing both specified functions (Intel has temporarily stopped release of chips ICH6 supporting functions WiFi, in view of insufficient demand for mass production).

Chips GMCH and ICH are jointed by special Direct Media Interface (DMI local bus to a transfer rate to 10 Gbit/with in each direction: a full duplex.

The GMCH component contains the controllers giving interfaces with high capacity in the structure. These controllers control the system bus with data transfer with frequency of 800 MHz and two-channel dynamic storage. Besides, they will organise operation of the integrated graphics resources on the basis of processing technique of Intel GMA 900 which have come in the stead Intel Extreme Graphics 2, graphic interface PCI Express x16 and communication facilities with a chip of input/output ICH.

Built in Intel 82915G the controller of processor bus FSB of type QPB supports the bus with clock rate of 200/133/100 MHz that provides data transfer on frequencies of 800/533/400 MHz.

Built in Intel chip 82915G the memory controller provides support of two and one-channel functional modes of memory DDR/DDR2 SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM — SDRAM with data transfer on lobbies and back edges of clock pulses of the bus of memory). Probably patterns with usage as DDR SDRAM with frequency of 333 and 400 MHz, and DDR2 SDRAM with frequency of 400 and 533 MHz. But all units should be one type, specified in the documentation on the motherboard. Maximum dynamic storage size — to 4 Gbytes. Two-channel memory DDR2 with frequency of 533 MHz has maximum capacity to 8,5 Gbytes/with.

Chip GMCH supports different frequency functional modes for processor and memory buses.

Handle of computer peripheral devices is carried out by the second component of a chip set — I/O Controller Hub (ICH6). Thus it is necessary to mark, that in a chip set i915G chip ICH of the sixth version is used. According to this fact it has received name ICH6 and is presented by Intel chip 82801FB. This chip enters into a base set of a chip set i915G.

The built in resources of a chip of handle of peripheral devices of a base set support: one channel IDE with support ATA 33/66/100 (to two arrangements IDE), four ports Serial ATA 150, eight ports USB 2.0, to four PCI Express x1, to seven PCI (PCI Rev 2.3, 32 bits/33 of MHz), LPC (Low Pin Count), the controller of Intel High Definition Audio with support of three codecs, AC ’ 97 2.3 (to 8 channels), integrated controller LAN (10/100 Mb/s Ethernet), SMBus, Wireless Connect Technology (only for ICH6W/ICH6RW), APIC, ACPI Rev.2.0, and also other resources and functions.

Except Intel 82801FB as it has been specified above, usage of the expanded version of hub ICH6 — ICH6R, ICH6W, ICH6RW is possible .

Structure of package Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro

Fig. 1. Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro package

Into structure of a package of card Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro standardly enter:

·         the Packing box,

·         Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro,

·         the Cover plate of input/output corresponding to specification ATX 2.01, 

·         the Quick reference guide of the user in English,

·         the Compact disc with the software from Gigabyte,

·         Two cables for hooking up ATA66/100/133, two cables Serial ATA 150, a cable for hooking up of the flexible drive, an adapter of power supply Serial ATA 150,

·        Three panelki with external plugs (1 – COM, 2 – 2 USB, 3 – 2 USB + 2 IEEE1394).

The main technical parametres of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro

Fig. 2. Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro

Fig. 3. Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro plugs

The processor

·         Support of the processor of Intel of Pentium 4 in tank LGA775 with the system bus 533 and 800 MHz,

·         Support of processors of Intel Celeron with the bus of 533 MHz in tank LGA775.

Chip set

·         Intel 82915G (GMCH),

·        Intel 82801FB (ICH6),

·         Firmware Hub (FWH).

Dynamic storage

·         Four plugs (240 contact electrodes) for dynamic storage DIMM,

·         Support of one or two channels of dynamic storage,

·         DDR 400 Units or DDR 333,

·        maximum size — to 4 Gbytes.

Video

·         the Graphics subsystem of Intel GMA900,

·         Possibility of installation of the videoadapter in PCI slot Express X16.

Audio

·         the Audiosubsystem on the basis of codec C-Media 9880 CODEC (UAJ).

Serial ATA

·        ICH6,

·         Four ports Serial ATA 150.

IDE

·        ICH6,

·         One port IDE (Ultra DMA 33/66/100).

IDE RAID

·         Chip set GigaRAID IT8212,

·         Support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID JBOD.

USB 2.0

·         Eight ports USB 2.0.

LAN

·         Gigabitnaja (10/100/1000 Mbit/c) a network subsystem on base gigabitnogo network controller Marvell 8001.

System BIOS

·        Award BIOS.

Interfaces of peripheral devices

·         Eight ports USB 2.0,

·         Three ports IEEE1394,

·         One parallel port,

·         One port of the floppi-drive,

·         keyboard and mouse Ports PS/2*.

Input/output system

·         the Controller of input/output IT8712.

Slots

·         one PCI slot Express x16,

·         three PCI slots Express x1,

·         two PCI slots.

Form factor

·         mikro-AtX,

·         the Sizes of 243,84 mm h 243,84 mm.

Features of Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro architecture

The motherboard is created according to referens-design which by tradition develop the manufacturer of a chip set, in this case is a corporation of Intel.

Rather recently Intel corporation has passed to the new standard of tank and the plug — LGA 775. It has found the reflexion and in the motherboard architecture.

High efficiency of modern processors is accompanied considerable teploobrazovaniem. It demands sootvetsvujushchih cooling resources. So, for example, powerful boksovye processors of Intel of Pentium 4 are supplied by the heat sink with radial layout of edges. Considering high teplotvornuju ability of such products, in the heat sink underplate is built in an interposing from copper.

Appropriate resources of cooling are demanded also by a chip set chips. First of all it concerns GMCH which structure the controllers which are responsible for link with the processor are built in, subsystems of dynamic storage and video, and also with chip ICH (a Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Chips Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and I/O Controller Hub (ICH6) with cooling resources

It is necessary to mark, that motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is oriented as a basis of high-powered systems. Therefore it is expedient to use processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading and the bus of 800 MHz. But can use and less efficient Intels Celeron.

For possession depreciation together with the card DDR SDRAM units use. The mode of their operation can be one-or two-channel. The two-channel mode allows to receive as much as possible depthbalanced system when pass-bands of the processor bus and the memory bus coincide and make equal values — 6,4 Gbytes/with.

Considering that fact, that in many cases of implementation of systems on Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro graphics resources as a part of chip GMCH of a chip set i915G use, it is expedient to use exclusively two-channel pattern of dynamic storage.

Parsing possibilities of integrated videos of resources, it is necessary to mark, that the built in graphics adapter of Intel GMA 900 provides: support HDTV, wide-screen liquid crystal displays, hooking up of two displays simultaneously, an expedition of Microsoft DirectX 9 for the three-dimensional drawing. Productivity more than in 1,5 times exceeds productivity of the previous graphics solutions of Intel.

In case of unsufficiency of productivity of the integrated video subsystem there is a possibility of application of external PCI Express Х16 videoadapter . Graphics solution PCI Express x16 exceeds high-speed performance of the best external graphics adapters with interface AGP 8X.

For handle of input\output devices the component of chip set ICH6 responds.

From features of the architecture it is necessary to mark an audiosubsystem realising 2/4/5.1/7.1 audiochannels. As the codec chip C-Media 9880 CODEC is used.

The network controller Gigabit Ethernet realised on a chip of controller Marvell 8001 on bus PCI is built in the motherboard architecture. Hooking up is carried out through built in RJ45 (LAN plug.

The motherboard architecture incorporates four ports Serial ATA 150 (2 arrangements) and one port Parallel ATA-100 (UltraDMA 100/66/33, 1 arrangement). For rise of dependability of subsystem HDD it is possible to use RAID — RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID JBOD.

Dependability rise is promoted also by usage in the architecture of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro of two chips with BIOS — processing technique Dual BIOS (a Fig. 5). Copy presence facilitates changeover of program code BIOS. Besides, the copy can be useful at solution of the problems linked to virus attacks.

Fig. 5. PCI plugs, PCI Express х1, chips Dual BIOS (are selected red)

For the extension of the computer system created on the basis of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro, the appropriate slots presented by traditional PCI plugs and PCI Express x1 (a Fig. 5) are. Thus it is necessary to mark, that PCI Express x1 provides speed more than in 3,5 times exceeds speed traditional PCI.

Power supply of units of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is carried out through system of impulse stabilising devices.

In a multi-channel impulse surge protector of the processor (a Fig. 6), traditionally allocated round a processor socket, the considerable quantity of filtering capacitors is applied.

Except this converter, on the card there are additional converters of supply voltage PCI Express  x16 and dynamic storage units (a Fig. 6).

Fig. 6. VRM motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro

In motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro architecture possibilities of the hardware monitoring providing the control over supply voltages and operation of cooling fans are realised. Functions of dispersal and a number of the firm processing techniques facilitating customisation and maintenance of system, created on the basis of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro are besides, realised.

Stability and dependability

And as to an estimation of the main operation parametres of the described motherboard it is necessary to mark, that at performance of tests card Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro worked steadily.

For data acquisition about dependability of card Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro it is necessary to access or to the computer corporations realising this product, or it is direct to the manufacturer of mother chamber — companies Gigabyte through its representations.

The high-powered card Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro which has embodied in the architecture a number of the newest, perspective processing techniques, can be recommended a wide range of users.

Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro is given by company "Aerton Sankt-Peterburg" (www.airtonspb.ru)