Most spectacular failure in video card history

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Insomniak
Rollo vs. BFG is likely going to become a grudge match as infamous as Alien vs. Predator.

LOL this is pretty funny. I shouldn't let BFG annoy me, but sometimes if I'm in the right mood his pompous "Your system is not properly tweaked" comments are like nails on a blackboard to me.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
I would put the XGI Volari series as the most spectacular failure.

Anyone remember their "market leader by 2007" roadmap? :laugh:

I'd have to disagree with you there. I did a review on the V3 made by Chaintech a while back, and it was a great card for $40. It had some nice features (HDTV out) and very good 2D. It did have its issues, but for the money I really didn't think it could be beat.

Now, as gaming cards...I'll agree with you. And, with the Duos...more so.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: KristopherKubicki
Unquestionably Voodoo5. Not only did 3dfx dissapear, but so did Glide, and about half a dozen other things. 5800U was a very strong second though.

Anyone want an interesting story?

When Anand and I were going to check out the 5800U in Las Vegas for the first time, NVIDIA held the brief in the same hotel city, same hotel, same suite as the Voodoo5 brief a few years before. I kinda get the feeling that even the dates lined up.

Fortunately, R520's introduction was not in Caesar's Palace as was the V5/5800U.

Kristopher

Are you saying that the R520 would have brought ATI down if it had been? Are you subtly hinting that the R520 is gonna tank? :Q

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Gstanfor

Originally posted by: OvErHeAtInG

Originally posted by: 5150Joker

Originally posted by: Rollo

The V5 was a "good" card, but the swansong of a great company. A last ditch effort to sell their original idea for the fourth time.

Kinda reminds me of the R520 aka R300 + SM 3.0 at this point. :laugh:

What?!? R520 is supposed to be a brand new core design. Stop spreading false rumors, or is there some reason you say this? Secondly, issuing revs on an existing design is not necessarily a bad thing, look at the 7800.

No, it isn't - it is a derivative of the R300 architecture (go search the Beyond3D forums for posts by ATi engineers on the subject if you don't believe it).

LOL- this takes the cake. It took a year of re-spins to bring a tweaked R420 to market?!?!?

ATI management: "What are we going to add to this years R300?"
ATI engineer: "How about that new fangled SM3 stuff that MS made their standard last summer?"
ATI management: "How about "R300d" for a name?"
ATI engineer: "Too transparent. Let's call it the "R520- code name: FUBAR"
ATI management: "I like it, let's do a press release saying we have a glorious new wonder core arriving so I can sell the rest of my stock!"

 

[artemedes]

Edit: Sorry, posted before reading entire thread.

I still say the ATI Rage Maxx should have been listed in the poll. I remember wanting one when I first heard about it. Lucky for me that I couldn't buy one until the issues with it were well known. I see the problems mentioned that were never fix as a true failure.

Other cards might not have performed as fast as others, but mostly worked. So you were still buying a working solution.

 

[vss1980]

Actually despite some early teething troubles they did get it working. The problem was that it didn't offer as much performace as I think others were expecting. It was expensive and didn't offer the same options as the Geforce did. Also the drivers for that card were not the same as all the other Rage 128 cards although I'm sure there wasn't huge differences.
At the end of the day it was a niche product and as such a few problems always cropped up and were expected to be honest.

The main drawback was that each GPU had to have its own bit of memory so even though the card had loads of memory it only really had half to play with. But the biggest problem of all was that Windows 2000/XP killed it off - the architecture of the card just wasn't compatible with NT so it was dropped. More ATI's fault that one but I'm sure ATI wouldn't have gone down that route knowing for sure it would be a dead end.

The card didn't do a line from one gpu, then one from the other, and so on - that was 3dfx's SLI.
ATI used something called AFR - Alternate Frame Rendering (I think it was), where one GPU would render frame 1, then start work on frame 3, whilst the other would render frame 2, then start frame 4.... and so on.
In this case, all of the GPU's output would be displayed and it works on a full frame and not split up as it is on other systems. The drawback is that one GPU would have to wait for another - if one frame is a bit longer to render than the one that follows - one GPU will be waiting around. It never yielded 2x the performance, but it gave a fairly hefty boost to ATI's product line and let it have a performance contender long enough until it could get the Radeon out of the door.

 

[Creig]

I find the overall results of the poll to be quite entertaining. Here Rollo was trying to get yet another ATI slamming festival going by creating this thread only days after Crossfire was officially released, and yet it's his beloved 5800U that people are picking nearly 2:1.

So now he's creating post after post trying to convince people that the 5800U wasn't really so bad and that Crossfire and the R520 should be stuck in a trash compactor, set on fire, encased in concrete and shoved down a mineshaft, never to see the light of day again.

Keep fighting the good fight, Rollo!

 

[ronnn]

Yes these trolling threads are silly, but do help get the real info out there.

 

[Turtle 1]

Originally posted by: ronnn
Yes these trolling threads are silly, but do help get the real info out there.

Yes they do ronnn if its in the spirit of point vs.counter point . when it degrades to name calling and insults it only damages a very good forum.

 

[Gamingphreek]

While i have to agree that the underlying reason might have been Anti-ATI, this is hardly damage to a good forum. There have been FAR, FAR worse things done in this forum than this parody thread.

-Kevin

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
[
Anything is possible, I guess. Yes, I did read. I just have not looked at this thread in a while and I wanted to respond to your point, specifically.

I wouldn't say they have nearly caught up either, both of your terms "slightly behind" and "almost caught up" are stretching it quite a bit...

except for the 60hz limitation - ONLY for the x800 series, NOT the r520s - how is ATI "way behind" nVidia's SLI?

edited

No problem with the quotes... Anyway, I have to note, that it is a big exception! Also 1600 X 1200 is a big exception too! If we take both of those out? Then it is litterally, on par with SLI. But if you notice, a few posts back I think in this thread? I had noted that the current CrossFire is a failure, not the future version of it. As it stands now, CrossFire really is a stinker... When the R520 is released on the shelves on retail stores and working properly, then I will acknowledge CrossFire as a valid competitor.

as it stands now?
[unless i'm mistaken there is NO Xfire available - for x800 OR r520 yet}

well wait a few days :Q
:roll:
[we'll see if they caught up with r520's xfire]


and i'm off to work

aloha


edit: THIS xfire is ATI's belated promise to CURRENT x800 owners . . .

Call it a paper launch if you want... But if ATI's belated promise of CrossFire to the X800 owners was this LATE!!! Holy balls batman! How long will it be for them to make good on the promise that CrossFire can now do over 1600 X 1200 and more than 60 Hz with the R520? I guess we are just sitting here waiting and waiting and waiting, while ATI delays and delays. This is bad for us, we need ATI to get back on their feet so they can drive down the prices of the cards and release new tech.

the people who get tired of waiting buy a GeForce . . . why are YOU complaining? did you have your heart set on a r520 in X-fire? :brokenheart:
:roll:

 

[chinkgai]

Originally posted by: Creig
I find the overall results of the poll to be quite entertaining. Here Rollo was trying to get yet another ATI slamming festival going by creating this thread only days after Crossfire was officially released, and yet it's his beloved 5800U that people are picking nearly 2:1.

So now he's creating post after post trying to convince people that the 5800U wasn't really so bad and that Crossfire and the R520 should be stuck in a trash compactor, set on fire, encased in concrete and shoved down a mineshaft, never to see the light of day again.

Keep fighting the good fight, Rollo!

ROFLMAO, i was thinking the same!!! god i really want to see what sort of being he is behind the computer.

 

[kb3edk]

Originally posted by: route66
I voted S3, because the other solutions at least worked.

Me too - though so many people knew it was bad, nobody bought it. So I can see how it's maybe not as "spectacular" as something else that was hyped so much and then just didn't live up to its potential.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
[
Anything is possible, I guess. Yes, I did read. I just have not looked at this thread in a while and I wanted to respond to your point, specifically.

I wouldn't say they have nearly caught up either, both of your terms "slightly behind" and "almost caught up" are stretching it quite a bit...

except for the 60hz limitation - ONLY for the x800 series, NOT the r520s - how is ATI "way behind" nVidia's SLI?

edited

No problem with the quotes... Anyway, I have to note, that it is a big exception! Also 1600 X 1200 is a big exception too! If we take both of those out? Then it is litterally, on par with SLI. But if you notice, a few posts back I think in this thread? I had noted that the current CrossFire is a failure, not the future version of it. As it stands now, CrossFire really is a stinker... When the R520 is released on the shelves on retail stores and working properly, then I will acknowledge CrossFire as a valid competitor.

as it stands now?
[unless i'm mistaken there is NO Xfire available - for x800 OR r520 yet}

well wait a few days :Q
:roll:
[we'll see if they caught up with r520's xfire]


and i'm off to work

aloha


edit: THIS xfire is ATI's belated promise to CURRENT x800 owners . . .

Call it a paper launch if you want... But if ATI's belated promise of CrossFire to the X800 owners was this LATE!!! Holy balls batman! How long will it be for them to make good on the promise that CrossFire can now do over 1600 X 1200 and more than 60 Hz with the R520? I guess we are just sitting here waiting and waiting and waiting, while ATI delays and delays. This is bad for us, we need ATI to get back on their feet so they can drive down the prices of the cards and release new tech.

the people who get tired of waiting buy a GeForce . . . why are YOU complaining? did you have your heart set on a r520 in X-fire? :brokenheart:
:roll:

Now, now, lets not disrespect... Lest you awaken the demon. Anyway, I do care, because I care about advancement. I am not so short sighted as to care who wins this round, I can care less who wins it, I just care about how much progress is made. Bring new features to the table, bring speed... Bring anything to advance 3D gaming...

I guess some people are short sighted.

 

[ronnn]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
While i have to agree that the underlying reason might have been Anti-ATI, this is hardly damage to a good forum. There have been FAR, FAR worse things done in this forum than this parody thread.

-Kevin

Yep there has been far worse. :beer: So lets get a moderator to stop it all.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Yet another useless fanboy thread in the video forums. And why is it always the nVidia people doing this? Are they paying you guys to do this stuff?

nVidia = ATi
ATi = nVidia

Just pick whichever one plays your game & future games better at the price you want to spend. The worst failure ever is the inability for people on this board to put their bias aside.

/thread

 

[Turtle 1]

Originally posted by: ronnn

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
While i have to agree that the underlying reason might have been Anti-ATI, this is hardly damage to a good forum. There have been FAR, FAR worse things done in this forum than this parody thread.

-Kevin

Yep there has been far worse. :beer: So lets get a moderator to stop it all.

Ronnn I really look forward to the day when you can come here into video and start a topic without it being bashed to pieces . The truth is the mod has been present and nothing was really said that hasn't happened in the past as many of you have stated.

The members themselves have to say . This is what we would like so as to have informative decussions. Lay out some guide lines as to how we respond to a thread in a positive way. That doesn't mean no disagreements. But how we conduct ourseves in those instances. If its an ATI thread a nvidia fanboy coming into just to flame is not exceptiable. The video forum is not the only forum here that this applies.

I really believe to blame the mods is really wrong . They do not write our responses for us. In the end its how we treat 1 another that counts. As a group however we can suggest. What should be allowed or not.

So why don't somebody post a thread asking the members just that . How should we conduct ourselves in the forums.

Than take the very best replies and vote on them . I think this might work. Of course it would require another thread with all the best relies . than vote on them on a scale of 1-10 as importance to the members. 1 being a rule that can't be broken without a ban.

 

[Topweasel]

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy
Yet another useless fanboy thread in the video forums. And why is it always the nVidia people doing this? Are they paying you guys to do this stuff?

nVidia = ATi
ATi = nVidia

Just pick whichever one plays your game & future games better at the price you want to spend. The worst failure ever is the inability for people on this board to put their bias aside.

/thread

Not really, while people can turn this into a Flamewar and what not. It is still fun to go down memory Lane and remember every screwup. We can all do the same for lots of things like CPUs.

What was the Biggest CPU screwup.

K5
Pentium 60MHz
P3 1.13GHz
Cyrix III
Merced
Original Celeron

Or What was the worst Chipset Failure

Via KX133
Intel 820
Intel 815
Via Pro133 (non-A)
Via MVP4
ATI Crossfire

What was the Worst OS

Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT
OS9
Early Linux Distros

What was the Worst HDD

Deathstar 75GXP
Quantum Bigfoot
Thigh Capisity low speed 5400s from WD
Maxtor 540DX

Worst ROM drive

Kenwood TrueX drives

That just a few everyone should see if they can come up with something.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Are those your opinion on the worst things ever, or are those just options.

Arguable the IDT Winchip was a much larger faliure than any of those CPU's. Additionally, Prescott has to be pretty high up there.

As for chipset, i would definitely say most anything made by SiS or ULi. As for the crossfire, its not even released yet, chill out.

For OS, what are you leaving us. 95 was revolutionary. 98 improved upon the great features of 95. ME was arguable the worst OS, perhaps some of the very early linux distros.

As for HDD, the Deathstar was pretty bad, but im sure there are others.

-Kevin

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy
Yet another useless fanboy thread in the video forums. And why is it always the nVidia people doing this? Are they paying you guys to do this stuff?

nVidia = ATi
ATi = nVidia

Just pick whichever one plays your game & future games better at the price you want to spend. The worst failure ever is the inability for people on this board to put their bias aside.

/thread

I beg to differ....only Nvidia pfft. Give me a break. Dont bring that crap into this thread, both sides have arguably just as bad a repuation in these forums. However, i have noticed that more people claim to work for ATI (we barely get any Nvidia claimers in here).

-Kevin

 

[Turtle 1]

I think most members here know that Anand's forums are some of the most widely read forums around. To that end if I was a salesman it could prove advantagious to me to come into the forum and spread disinformation about comptetitors products. So i think its important that threads not be allowed to be attacked by such a person. If the topic is ATI we need only reply to the post as its intended. Nvidia and ATI both have fine products. So the fanboism . Should not be allowed in threads that partain to ATI only products. Or Nvidia only products. Now if someone starts a thread ATI VS. Nvidia I would say only the strong of stomach should enter that thread.

 

[Gamingphreek]

What did that post mean? What was the point of it, because i cant find it. THe most i got out of it is that it would be advantageous for reps to come in and support their card.
*My response: Ok assuming that we believe their identity, you completely misunderstand my question. Those "reps" that come into the forums do not contribute positively from what i have seen (except from Ronin, but he works for a software firm that works with ATI/Nvidia). Most of the time, you get those "reps" that are supposed to be "supporting their companies" starting huge flamewars, and posting mindless FUD.

-Kevin

 

[Turtle 1]

This is not were I should be posting this but here goes anyway. In the last few days I keep hearing people say that I am Intelia or this David fella. Fact is I am turtle I have never posted in a forum befor and its very fun.

Now being called intelia or david doesn't angry me at all. But it has got me curious and some one posted me links to some of her threads .

I am a little in disbelief that this person was banned . She always presented links to back up what ever subject she posted on and that always seemed to be topics about future products . This is something I like . I couldn't find a lot wrong with what she was saying very little infact . I never paid much att. to cpu's but since I was given those links I started reading about whats been PRed about Conroe . I don't see were she was that far off as to what her interpetation about conroe were.

The one thing that did stand out was that the people attacking her are the same ones that bring fud to almost all the threads that go bad at these forums. If some one could post me links to her threads that are just Fud please post these links as I am really interested.

 

[nRollo]

Some of you are taking this thread and the video forum WAY too seriously.

Crossfire was a big missfire, a spectacular belly flop. Big deal. Happens to all companies.

I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane, vote for the most spectacular.

None of us work for the companies in question, so no feelings should be hurt here. People need to lighten up.

 

[KeepItRed]

Originally posted by: Rollo
Some of you are taking this thread and the video forum WAY too seriously.

Yeah, like your anti-ATI spamming. Not to mention what the above dude said. "Crossfire is not a video card."