Intel T3200 processor

An OEM Processor

Like many of the processors that do not appear on the Intel website (so you cannot look up to see whether they support a particular feature such as vt-x), the T3200 is a process that Intel supplied to Original Equipment Manufacturers (aren't they all?) so that they could divorce themselves from what is capable and what is not.

Other examples of this feature on this blog and include:

• T5800
• P7350 and P7450

ARM Processors

ARM - RISC

ARM started out standing for Advanced RISC Machines but is now more a case of Intelletual Property rather than a manufacturer. There seems to be much debate (2012) who owns ARM.

RISC - Reduced Instruction Set Computer(ing) - a much  scaled down architecture that we have seen developed to date by Intel and AMD (plus others).
The Apple iPad, at least the first generation, used an ARM-Cortex A9 SOC processor.

There is also much debate (January 2012) about ARM devices and Windows 8 (secure_boot.html)

WOA - Windows on Arm

It is my contention that most of the discussion on this (February 2012) are from those that don't know what ARM is. It would seem that it is just a new buzz word and the next thing to come down the line. There is not even much talk of the fact that ARM based tablets could displace the dominance of Intel in the proessors market place. This is, of course if Intel do not get in on ARM manufacture.

The main reason for ARM is the low power requirements associated with a simpler processor architecture. The re-write of Windows 8 to work on such a platform gives rise to debate on whether Windows 8 will be "Windows" in the same way that previous versions were. The fact that a "Start" button and/or a full desktop interface will be there is probably a secondary issue and the fact that Microsoft are all ready behind the 8 ball when it comes to touch/tablet design and marketing is the main concern.

• Microsoft gets it right with Windows 8 on ARM, and why Apple should be worried - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes ZDNet February 10, 2012
• Five Reasons why Windows 8 will be dead on arrival - Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols | February 6, 2012
• Were Microsoft intimidated into Metro by Google? ms_google.html
• ARM Holdings website

E-350 and E-450 APUs from AMD

This is a discussion relating to the overclocking of the AMD "lower to mid-market" APUs

AMD C-50 and C-60 APUs

The first of the AMD Brazos APUs to hit the "budget" notebook market.

See also the E-350 and E-450 APUs

AMD Accelerated Processor Unit - APU

What an APU is and how it compares to a CPU and an associated GPU

Asus M4A785TD-M EVO motherboard

This motherboard is used in my Windows 7 experimental computer

---

Other links on this blog relating to the Asus M4A785 motherboard series:

• Asus Core Unlocker
• Asus Core Unlocker - How To
• JumperFree Configuration

An ITX format PC - Small Desktop Media PC - SDMPC

At the present time there are a few Atom based ITX motherboards and now AM2+ (AM3) and 775 socket boards are coming onto the market.

An investigatory exercise was made to see the viability of a Quad Processor based SDMPC

The requirements here are for a small media computer that has one HDD (possibly a 2.5" SSD) - just for booting, an intregal video chipset and enough USB and/or external SATA connections for external drives.

There is no requirement for an optical drive (BD) as all the media is to be stored on external SATA drives in docking station.

Zotac ITX Motherboards

There seem to be 3 different Intel boards and 1 AMD. The preference was for AMD
Saw a mention of a DFI (a company) unleashing an Intel lga 1156 socket p55 chipset based mini itx board in Q1 2010  - decided to go with the Zotac


Zotac GF8200-C-E Motherboard

This was ordered with an AMD Phenom II X4 CPU. The CPU, at 140W, will have to be used on the Windows 7 box as the ITX board has a recommended 65W maximum TDP for its processor. It is not known at the present time whether the AMD 550 (95W) will be safe to use on the ITX I may have to re-source for a lower TDP chip.

• Bin Selection of Processors for low TDP 
• HTPC - Home Theatre PC

Quad Core Faster than Dual

When it comes to media rendering.

I know that I may be "pissing into the wind" here but I am trying to find some evidential indication that a Quad Core computer is actually better than a Dual for watching media, bith from DVD, BD and downloaded torrents.

I am not looking for benchmark tests - of course they are going to say that the Quad is faster and have numbers to back it up. Especially if the figures come from the manufacturers, Intel and their shills in particular (tests that seem to be designed to make Intel devices perform better - AMD not even featuring on their charts - or if they do, it is arranged that the tests that might give them an advantage are down-played).

What I am looking for are comments from those that have upgraded from Dual Core systems to Quad Core and have noticed an improvement in performance. Although I am not into gaming, the fact that games such as Crysis and COD4 (Modern Warfare 2) can be played at higher frame rates (real figures needed here though)

Why choose AMD over Intel

In these days of "over-performance" specifications it is not a question of "who's best", it is more of a moral issue.

Intel need to be taught a lesson - they may or may not be guilty of all the charges of "bully" tactics with the pc manufacturers but the facts speak for themselves. The predominance of Intel powered product on the shelves and the fact that AMD processors are generally in lower-end pcs is self-evident.

The consumer is well aware of the fact that if something costs more it is better. Well, consider this: If Intel threaten HP that they will cause a shortage of parts if they allow their product line to contain more that 5% of AMD processors then they can charge pretty much what they like for those parts! No wonder AMD powered pcs are cheaper, AMD have to discount their parts just so they are included in the product range.

Unlocking an AMD 7750

Oooooh! Now I am getting really "geeky"!

All I wanted to do was to speed up my "torrent box", now with a little more research there are those that have been unlocking the extra 2 cores on the 7750 to make it a Quad Core Phenom.

Not that this is my intention as I only went for a reasonably priced dual core AMD (I have enough Intel product already - and we own AMD stock!). Looks like my Asus m/b (M2A74-AM) doesn't support this in any case(it was an ASRock board that does the trick) - but, heh! this was not why I bought it!

WikiPedia Credibility

Quoting WikiP as a source is not usually a good idea in an academic work. Whether or not the information on the Wiki page is correct is beside the issue. Due to the nature of the content of Wikipedia, being compiled and edited by the "experts" in the field, the facts presented are such that they are what the author wants you to believe is the truth.

In cases where an axe is wishing to be ground the presentation of information is likely to be highly biased. This is particularly true when there is something to be gained either politically, financially or both. The use of the information to "sell" is too irresistable for most!

This fact is borne out by the fact that my website is quoted as a source by a number of WikiP entries. Some of these references are to pages that were posted in the frustration with manufacturers in their inability to be forthright with their customers about the specifications of their products. Intel is one of the companies to which I refer, wrt Notebook Processors.