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ATI
Announces RAGE 128 PRO™
Toronto, Ontario, April 6, 1999 - ATI Technologies Inc. (TSE:ATY,
NASDAQ: ATYT) today announced the performance-enhanced RAGE 128 PRO™ AGP 4X chips:
the best of class RAGE 128 PRO GL™ for entry level workstation and high end PC
markets and the cost effective RAGE 128 PRO VR™ for mainstream commercial and
consumer markets.
"The RAGE 128 PRO combines architectural enhancements with higher
clock frequencies to achieve a 50% improvement in 3D performance", said Phil Eisler,
Director of Component Marketing, ATI. "This accomplishment reinforces ATI's high-end
leadership already established by the RAGE 128 accelerator."
Providing an upward capability migration path and protecting investment
for existing designs, the RAGE 128 PRO accelerators maintain package pin out and software
driver compatibility with the million plus RAGE 128 family of parts already shipped.
RAGE 128 PRO offers integrated TMDS for digital flat panels
The RAGE 128 PRO saves money and space by integrating a 170MHz TMDS (Transition Minimized
Differential Signaling) transmitter, and a ratiometric [SXGA (1200 x 1024) source] input
scaler for digital flat panel monitors up to UXGA (1600 x 1200). In addition to continued
support for the DFP specification, the RAGE 128 PRO also meets all aspects of the DDWG
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) specification. These capabilities will accelerate the
market adoption of high resolution, thin, lightweight, and energy efficient digital flat
panels.
Only ATI delivers no-compromise 32bpp performance
Unlike other competitors, the RAGE 128 PRO is fully optimized to operate in 32-bit true
color. And it does so without performance degradation, providing true color with a
performance level equal to that of a card that supports only 16-bit color.
Setup engine capacity doubled, architectural optimizations boost
OpenGL performance
The RAGE 128 PRO GL, with a doubling of setup engine capability, now enables 7 million
antialiased lines per second for intensive CAD applications. This combined with other 3D
architectural optimizations enables the RAGE 128 PRO GL to obtain 100+ on the CDRS-03
OpenGL benchmark, which is best in class for the entry level workstation market.
Anisotropic filtering brings new levels of realism to the screen
In addition to leading 2D functionality and advanced 3D trilinear filtering features, the
RAGE 128 PRO improves perspective quality and rendering accuracy with Anisotropic
filtering. Anisotropic filtering reduces the distortion visible in the image of a 3D
object whose surface is at an angle with relation to the viewing plane. Compensating for
the distorted texels of an image adds considerable realism to the graphics programmer's
arsenal. DirectX texture compression adds further support to the RAGE 128 PRO's 3D texture
processing capability.
"The RAGE 128 PRO's feature list is amazing. In addition to
delivering industry-leading frame rates, stunning images, 32-bit rendering performance,
and a whopping 32MB of memory, it also has a digital flat panel out support, and DTV
de-coding - all that in one chip is unmatched in the industry." Dr. Jon Peddie,
President, Jon Peddie Associates, Tiburon, CA.
RAGE 128 PRO shows ATI's leadership in AGP
The RAGE 128 PRO implements the complete AGP 4X specification, while maintaining full
backward compatibility to the AGP 2X interface. For ultimate 3D quality and performance,
nothing matches the RAGE 128 PRO GL combined with AGP 4X and 32MB of local frame buffer
memory. In mainstream PCs, the benefit of AGP 4X is even more pronounced since the smaller
local frame buffer sizes require more texturing directly out of system memory.
MPEG-2 decode, simultaneous capture of two video streams, HDTV
support
With the industry's only integrated IDCT and Motion compensation, DVD decode can be
accomplished with an absolute minimum of CPU usage. Also, 4-tap video scalers enable DVD
playback at near perfect visual quality. Video Capture and Display features include:
support for simultaneous capture of two video streams; the capability to capture video
data rates up to 150MBytes/sec at 75 MHz for resolution up to 1920x1152 and HDTV support.
In fact, the RAGE 128 PRO is unique in its ability to capture and display all 18 ATSC
formats.
Pricing and availability
The RAGE 128 PRO GL is priced at $42 each in units of 10,000. The RAGE 128 PRO VR is
priced at $32 each in units of 10,000. Both chips are sampling April 1999 and full
production slated for July 1999.
Corporate Profile
ATI Technologies Inc., the world's largest supplier of 3D graphics and multimedia
technology, designs, manufactures and markets innovative and award-winning multimedia
solutions and graphics components for the personal computer, set-top box and consumer
electronics appliance markets. An ISO 9002 company, ATI is the world's leading supplier of
video and 2D/3D graphics accelerators to OEM and retail customers. Founded in l985, ATI
employs more than 1,600 people at headquarters in Thornhill, Ontario, and in offices in
the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Barbados, Malaysia, Japan
and Hong Kong. ATI is a public company whose shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange
and NASDAQ.
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