Saturday, June 7th 2008
NVIDIA and AMD Vie with Intel Over USB 3.0
First-tier makers NVIDIA and AMD are dissatisfied with Intel's ownership of the USB 3.0 specification, CNET reported yesterday. The next-generation high-speed USB 3.0 specification is aiming to become standard in 2009. It will be 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and at the same time as widespread as the current USB 2.0. The USB 3.0 will also retain full compatibility with USB 2.0 and presumably USB 1.0. The main investitors behind the USB 3.0 specs include Intel as well as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, NEC, and NXP Semiconductors. "The challenge is that Intel is not...giving the specification to anybody that competes with CPUs and chipsets," said a source close to AMD who is familiar with the dispute. As a result AMD, NVIDIA, VIA Technologies and probably others could be driven to create their own USB 3.0 specification that may lead to a lot of frustration and money lost on development. "We are going to be forced to create a secondary specification ... new open host controller standard for USB 3.0." the AMD source added. "They could spend the time, engineers and money developing their own host controller spec," an Intel source said. "In the past they have chosen to let us do the work and then benefit from the fruit of our labor." Continue reading the full story here.
Source:
CNET News
43 Comments on NVIDIA and AMD Vie with Intel Over USB 3.0
What's interesting is that AMD allows Crossfire to run on Intel platforms, but Intel is going to be a stinker about this... I do hope that AMD does not rush into making another USB spec though, because they will be able to get Intel's eventually, and it will take a while for USB 3 to replace USB 2, so I imagine everyone will have it before it's even replaced USB 2.
I am personally looking forward to getting a PCI=E USB 3 card for my tower and a USB 3 thumb drive for ReadyBoost. =)
Now DVD -R and +R are another story... =/
Oddly enough, USB was first made to kill off PS/2, and then they realizedthat Apple was really greedy by charging per Firewire controller, so the USB people decided they neededto break some chains. If you noticed, most of Apple's products now lack Firewire support.
And yes, I read up on it and you are right.
Maybe USB 2 has more latency than Firewire 400?
Makes an especially noticeable difference when dealing with large chunks of data. Whereas, when you move something over the firewire interface, it constantly streams the data, without the pauses.
Still, as great as firewire seems to be, USB is number one with consumers (guess it's kinda like VHS winning over Betmax) and this kind of segregation will do nothing for the industry as a whole.
Imagine have USB 3a and USB 3b, and having to have all things compatible with each, or having to look out for devices specifically for each spec.
It will cause chaos with Joe Public.
Don't forget Apple uses Intel boards and CPUs so you can't count on them for Firewire support anymore. They'll use what ever Intel gives them the best deal on.
You can nderstand Intel's frustration in making these specs and developing a new standard and not realizing a proprietized gain from it but this is the business they're in and what made them great are the open standards that separated them from the likes of Apple hardware back in the day.
It is looking like another mess to add to the non-sli Intel boards.
At least that's how I see it.
It is Intel's IP ........ they ae supposed to just share it with everyone??............
explain plz :toast: