IT7-MAX2 architecture from Abit

The modern personal computer is extremely difficult product which working capacity depends on accessories entering into its structure. Thus functionality of the modern computer, including its productivity in a wide spectrum of solved tasks, is defined by a pattern. It is known not only to experts, but also overwhelming majority of potential users. And, paying the most steadfast attention to the central processor unit, most experimental of them know, that is far not the last role in the computer the motherboard plays. This component of the system which have concentrated in overwhelming number vysokointegrirovannyh of controllers, substantially defines its future potential of possibilities, including such parametres, as productivity, stability and dependability of operation of the computer.

The architecture of modern motherboards is grounded on application of the newest electron technologies. Thus implementation of these processing techniques is carried out through used chips, design and production of these cards. Technical parametres and operation of the future computers depend on these units and quality of manufacture of cards, eventually.

Many computer corporations are engaged in development and release of motherboards. Some of them are well familiar to domestic users. One of such manufacturers is Abit corporation. This corporation releases a wide spectrum of the products oriented to modern high-powered processors.

As an example of the cards developed under processors of Intel of Pentium 4 and Intel Celeron of NetBurst architecture, created and released by experts of the corporation of Intel, it is possible to result motherboard ABIT IT7-MAX2. A basis of this card is Intel chip set 845E.

Intel chip set 845E (i845E), being motherboard ABIT IT7-MAX2 basis, is developed on a basis before the released set of specialised logic of Intel 845 (i845). The chip set i845E is oriented to systems with processors of Intel of Pentium 4 and Intel Celeron with Socket 478 plugs and with clock rate of bus FSB of type QPB of 100 and 133 MHz (Quad-Pumped Bus).

Bus FSB of type QPB at clock rate of 100 MHz carries out data transfer with frequency of 400 MHz, an address part — 200 MHz that capacity to 3,2 Gbytes/with provides peak. At clock rate of 133 MHz data transfer is carried out with frequency of 533 MHz, and an address part — 266 MHz. In this mode peak capacity reaches values of 4,3 Gbytes/with

Traditionally for line products i8xx the chip set consists of two components named Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and I/O Controller Hub (ICH). For other manufacturers of chip sets similar components are known as North Bridge and South Bridge.

Chips MCH and ICH are jointed by the special local bus which is traditional solution for link of components of chip sets of a series i8xx. This link is carried out by 8-bit wire Hub Link working on frequency of 66 MHz. This solution provides a transfer rate of 256 Mb per second.

The MCH component is presented by Intel chip 82845E. It contains resources of interfaces of operation with the processor, AGP videoadapter, dynamic storage and chip I/O Controller Hub fulfilling functions South Bridge.

Built in Intel 82845E controller FSB of type QPB supports the bus with clock rate of 100/133 MHz that provides data transfer on frequencies of 400/533 MHz.

The built in controller of memory provides support: memories DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM — SDRAM with data transfer on lobbies and back edges of clock pulses of the bus of memory), DDR200/266, a maximum memory size — to 2 Gbytes. The maximum transfer rate makes to 1,6/2,1 Gbytes/with at DDR200/266.

The built in controller of a drawing supports one arrangement AGP with support of modes AGP 2X/4X.

Handle of peripheral devices is carried out by the second component of a chip set. Thus it is necessary to mark, that in a chip set i845E chip ICH of the fourth version is used. According to this fact it has received name ICH4 and is presented by Intel chip 82801DB ICH4. This chip enters into a base set of a chip set i845E.

The built in resources of a base set support: two channels IDE with support ATA 33/66/100/133 (to 4 arrangements IDE), three controllers USB 2.0 (six ports), six PCI (32 bits/33 of MHz), LPC (Low Pin Count), AC ' 97 with support of 6 audiochannels (20-bit interface AC-Link), the integrated controller 10/100 Base-TX Ethernet, SMBas, ACPI 2.0, and also other resources and functions.

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