Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro architecture

Evgenie Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

Implementation of the newest processing techniques offered by corporation of Intel, demands the appropriate accessories, differing quite often raised price. Company Gigabyte has developed for depreciation of possession and has released motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro which is calculated for usage of a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage with units as traditional DDR SDRAM, and the newest DDR II SDRAM. In the architecture of this card created on the basis of a chip set of Intel 915P a number of perspective branch and firm processing techniques is realised

The modern computer accessories presented in the domestic market, differ the big variety. The width of their nomenclature complicates a choice for potential users. It is especially difficult to make an optimal choice in case of such difficult products, as motherboards in which architecture find incarnation the advanced processing techniques actively inserted by leaders of branch. Not only to experts, but also nonprofessional users well-known, that the models of motherboards presented today in the computer market differ both the architecture, and functionality, and design. The product price, eventually, depends on a collection of these characteristics, and accordingly and the price of the future computer.

Tens large and small manufacturers of motherboards persistently recommend to potential users the numerous solutions. Their products differ not only the price and packing, but also functionality, parametres of dependability and stability of operation. Thus the given parametres substantially depend on a choice of chips and quality of manufacture of cards corporations-manufacturers. And it depends on suppliers, qualification of implementators, underlying hardware and carefulness of testing. All it is mirrored in the price of finite systems.

By the way, price rise is promoted also by the newest perspective accessories inserted by a package, is frequent with a high speed. As the example needs to be recollected rather recent innovations of the company of Intels linked to simultaneous change of processor tanks and plugs, chip sets, slots and specifications of videoadapters and maps of the extension, dynamic storage type.

At the heart of platform modification tendency to advancement on the computer market of the new solutions providing sharp rise of productivity and the extension of functionality lays. All it on a plan of implementators should stimulate rise of demand and provide high level of industrial growth for branch, of course, with increase in profit for manufacturers.

Giving due to the given efforts, it is necessary to mark, that a consequence of the given steps is the time increase in cost of computers. Really, it is enough to compare the prices of units of traditional memory DDRSDRAM and the newest DDRII SDRAM. As it was possible and to assume, new, perspective solution differs essentially bolshej the price. Considering the existing tendencies linked to fast increase of sizes of dynamic storage, it is possible to estimate easily growth of cost of possession – a metric so favourite by large corporations. They often enough result it in the numerous researches routed on the proof of advantages of solutions created by them.

Understanding importance of lowering of the given metric, a number of manufacturers is offered by the various variants linked to step-by-step transition to new platforms and processing techniques. One of paths is development of the special motherboards accepting an alternative choice of used accessories at a choice of an optimal pattern.

As an example of one of the advanced models realising the given approach, it is possible to result motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro created by known Gigabyte corporation (Giga-Byte Technology Co., Ltd). This corporation, as is known, 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.

In this card have found incarnation many perspective obshcheotraslevye processing techniques which concern LGA775, PCI Express, RAID  0/1/0+1/JBOD, etc. Card Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo 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-8I915P Duo 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.

Special flexibility of solutions is provided with possibility of a choice of type of dynamic storage: can use either DDR SDRAM units , or DDRII SDRAM units. It reaches an optimal relation of functionality and cost of the system created on the basis of Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro.

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 915P.

Intel chip set 915P motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro

Intel chip set 915P (i915P) 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 LGA 775 plug and working with bus FSB of type QPB (Quad-Pumped Bus) which clock rate can make 133 or 200 MHz.

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 i915P consists of Intel chips 82915P Memory Controller Hub (MCH) 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. Here it is necessary to mark, that Intel corporation has temporarily stopped release variants of chips ICH6 supporting functions Wi-Fi, in view of insufficient demand for acquitting of mass production.

Chips MCH 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 MCH 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 graphic interface PCI Express x16 and communication facilities with a chip of input/output ICH.

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

Built in Intel chip 82915P 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 for support of correct operation all units should be one type, specified in the documentation on the motherboard: either DDR2, or DDR. Maximum size of dynamic storage — to 4 Gbytes. Two-channel memory DDR2 with frequency of 533 MHz has maximum capacity to 8,5 Gbytes/with.

Chip MCH 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. Thus it is necessary to mark, that in a chip set i915P 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 i915P.

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, 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, and also ICH6W, ICH6RW (taking into account marked above the remark on time abbreviation of nomenclature ICH6) is possible .

Structure of package Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro

Fig. 1. Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro package

Into structure of a package of card Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro standardly enter:

·         the Packing box,

·         Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo 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,

·        Two panelki with external plugs (1 – 2 USB, 2 – 2 USB + 2 IEEE1394).

The main technical parametres of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro

Fig. 2. Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro

The processor

·         Support of the processor of Intel of Pentium 4 in tank LGA775 with the system bus of 533/800 MHz and with processing technique Hyper-Threading (HT),

·         Support of processors of Intel Celeron D in tank LGA775 with the system bus 533 MGTS,

·        Intel OF PENTIUM 4 Extreme Edition.

Chip set

·         Intel 82915P (MCH),

·        Intel 82801FB (ICH6R),

·         Firmware Hub (FWH).

Dynamic storage

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

·         Two DIMMDDR SDRAM slots,

·         Support of two channels DDR 400 or DDR 333 SDRAM,

·         Maximum size DDRSDRAM — to 4 Gbytes,

·         Two DIMMDDR slots II SDRAM,

·         Support of two channels DDR II 533/400 (DDR 600 in a dispersal mode) SDRAM,

·        Maximum size DDRII SDRAM — to 4 Gbytes.

Video

·         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 VT6410,

·         Two ports IDE (Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133),

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

USB 2.0

·         Eight ports USB 2.0 (4 through a cable).

LAN

·         Two Gigabitnyh (10/100/1000 Mbit/c) network subsystems on base gigabitnyh network controllers Broadcom 5789.

System BIOS

·        Uses Award BIOS (under the licence).

Interfaces of peripheral devices

·         Eight ports USB 2.0 (4+4),

·         Three ports IEEE1394 (through a cable),

·         One parallel port LPT,

·         One consecutive COM

·         One port of the floppi-drive,

·         One IR,

·         keyboard and mouse Ports PS/2*.

Input/output system

·         the Controller of input/output IT8712.

Slots

·         one PCI slot Express X16,

·         two PCI slots Express x1,

·         three PCI slots.

Form factor

·         ATX,

·         the Sizes of 305 mm h 244 mm.

Features of Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro architecture

The motherboard is created according to referens-design, that, however, and it is no wonder as otherwise it is impossible to provide working capacity.

In the card architecture LGA 775 plug (a Fig. 1) uses .

Fig. 3. The processor plug of motherboard GigabyteGA-8I915P Duo Pro

High efficiency of modern processors is accompanied considerable teploobrazovaniem. Appropriate resources of cooling are demanded also by the chip set chips which working capacity is provided by the passive coolers presented by heat sinks from copper (a Fig. 4).

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

It is necessary to mark, that motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo 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 D. Certainly, can be applied and the most efficient processors — Intel of Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, fulfilled in tanks with LGA 775 plug. However it is necessary to consider, that the retail price of their upper models quite often exceeds $1000 that mismatches the price of the motherboard oriented to lowering of a total cost of system.

For possession depreciation together with the card can use both traditional DDR SDRAM units, and more efficient DDR units II SDRAM. However, a gain from existing DDR units II SDRAM makes all some percent, however for many users it can be solving argument, despite higher price of the given variant. Other users can carry out transition on DDR II after lowering of their price.

Additional increase of productivity it is possible to reach usage of not certificated mode DDR II 600. This is reached by installation for parametre of frequency of the bus of the processor of 800 MHz and a mode choice overclocking in BIOS Setup.

It is necessary to add, that the functional mode of a subsystem of dynamic storage can be one-or two-channel. The two-channel mode allows to receive as much as possible depthbalanced system. Unfortunately, it is necessary to underline, that usage of both types of units (DDR and DDR II) as it is not admitted by the architecture of the chip set of Intel 915P is impossible.

From features of the architecture it is necessary to mark 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 approximately three times though for existing program applications put in pawn potential to realise to the full and it will not be possible.

One more feature is the audiosubsystem realising 2/4/5.1/7.1 audiochannels. As the codec chip C-Media 9880 CODEC is used.

Two network controllers Gigabit Ethernet are built in the motherboard architecture, controllers Broadcom 5789001 realised on chips which have been hooked up through bus PCI Express X1. Hooking up is carried out through built in RJ45 (LAN plugs.

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-8I915P Duo 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. Chips Dual BIOS (are selected red)

For the extension of the computer system created on the basis of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro, the appropriate slots presented by traditional PCI plugs and PCI Express x1 are. Thus it is necessary to mark, that PCI Express x1 (500 Mb per second) speed more provides than in 3,5 times exceeds speed traditional PCI (133 Mb per second).

Power supply of units of motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo 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-8I915P Duo Pro

In motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo 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-8I915P Duo Pro are besides, realised.

At performance of tests the given copy of card Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro worked steadily.

High-powered card Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro can be recommended a wide range of users, especially to those who prefers step-by-step transition from DDR to DDRII.

Motherboard Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro is given by company "Aerton Sankt-Peterburg" (www.airtonspb.ru)