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SCMP Reporter

ONE of the big names in the multimedia hardware business, S3, recently launched its new ViRGE (Video and Rendering Graphics Engine) and Trio64UV+ family in the territory.

ViRGE and ViRGE/VX 64-bit graphics are the first two products based on the company's advanced new S3d architecture, which enable three-dimensional (3D) graphics on mainstream PCs.

The Trio64UV+ is a new graphics and video accelerator that uses Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) for entry-level and mid-range PCs.

Targeted at the 1996 entry-level segment of the home PC market, the 64-bit, video-enabled Trio64UV+ graphics accelerator comes with its own video graphics memory on-board.

The UMA-based solution allows for enhanced multimedia functionality and performance at less cost than current architectures.

'By lowering the graphics subsystem cost, the Trio64UV+ graphics and video accelerator enables systems manufacturers to bring video features and 64-bit performance to home PC users at entry-level prices,' said Sunil Sanghavi, group director of marketing, home and advanced systems at S3.

Sanghavi added S3's Trio64UV+ core provides a highly optimised graphics solution, including mature drives, video acceleration, and the company's expertise in shared frame buffer technology ranging over four generations.

 As a result, the Trio64UV+ accelerator is expected to achieve volume production quickly.

Based on the company's advanced new S3d architecture, ViRGE and ViRGE/VX are one of the first single-chip products to integrate 3D rendering, 2D GUI (graphic user interface) and video acceleration with a RAMDAC and clock synthesizer.

 Vice-president corporate marketing at S3, Michael Nell, said: 'This is great new 3D technology. No tech product will ever take over the market over night, but we are prepared to sell what the customer wants.' Nell said S3's products were one step ahead of the competition.

S3 also announced that eleven add-in-card manufacturers, in addition to leading motherboard and systems manufacturers, have publicly committed support for the ViRGE and ViRGE/VX products.

'With the new 3D standard, the home market is the place to be as there is wide growth in this area. The future of multimedia is on the horizon with this new 3D technology from S3,' said Mr Nell.

'There will be further expansions of these products in the near future,' he said.

 The company had gross worldwide revenues ofof US$300 million for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1995 with its large base of customers and partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

S3 has always catered to the small office/home office (SOHO) market.

'We are looking at announcing products for mobile use by mid-1996,' said Mr Nell.

'The company's products are capable of working with Intel and Microsoft standards, so our products will be featured in Windows 96, which will be launched next year. These products complement the use of Intel central processing units (CPU),' Mr Nell said.

The ViRGE family pricing is expected to translate to the availability of full-featured 3D add-in-cards starting around US$200 (HK$1,546). System costs for the end user are expected to increase by no more than US$50. The S3 Trio64UV+ graphic accelerator is priced at US$25 for volume sales of 10,000 units and more; no retail price has been set.



3D graphics for entry-level PCs