*** Cards
Diamond Multimedia's Pre-Order Customers and Sweepstakes
Winners Given First Priority For This Award-Winning Product
(March 12)
Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. announced the first shipments
of its 8MB Monster 3D II. Featuring 3Dfx Interactive's new
Voodoo2 graphics chipset and a top-quality 3D game bundle, the
8MB Monster 3D II has an estimated retail price of $249.95.
This 3D gaming accelerator has already received a "5-X,
Gameworthy" rating from CNET's Gamecenter, a leading PC gaming
resource on the Internet. The first shipments will be to
Diamond Multimedia customers who participated in various pre-
order programs, including CompUSA, Babbages/Software Etc.,
Electronics Boutique and Future Shop. These shipments will
ensure that end-users that prepaid for their Monster 3D II
accelerators with these retailers receive their orders as
quickly as possible.
Diamond Multimedia also has an aggressive product upgrade
program designed for first-generation Monster 3D customers who
want to purchase a Monster 3D II. Monster 3D owners can choose
from two upgrade program options:
- a $50 upgrade rebate offer, where customers mail in a coupon
with their Monster 3D proof-of-purchase
- a product exchange offer, allowing customers to return their
original Monster 3D boards directly to Diamond and then
purchase a Monster 3D II through Diamond Multimedia's Product
Trade-in Program
www.diamondmm.com/products/promotions/trade-in/
Diamond Multimedia offers a MEGAMonster option that can double
a computer's 3D performance speed up to six times that of the
original Monster 3D by using two Monster 3D II accelerators
simultaneously. Diamond Multimedia is shipping in every retail
box a 3Dfx-specified 1.5-inch cable to connect two Monster 3D
II accelerators for MEGAMonster performance. Diamond will offer
a special upgrade program for Monster 3D II customers who want
to purchase a second Monster 3D II to take advantage of the
MEGAMonster option. Details for the MEGAMonster upgrade
program are available by calling Diamond Multimedia direct at
800/468-5846.
www.diamondmm.com
STB Announces Single Board Solution for 2-D/3-D Acceleration
and DVD Decode
(March 4)
STB Systems Inc. announced its NITRO DVD 2-D/3-D and DVD
multimedia accelerator into the distribution channel. NITRO
DVD, which is scheduled to ship in mid-March, provides 2-D and
3-D acceleration, and hardware-assisted DVD decoding. By
combining a 2-D/3-D accelerator with a DVD decoder, the NITRO
DVD makes it possible for system vendors to add high-end 3-D
gaming and DVD entertainment features to systems targeted at
the sub-$1,000 computer buyer.
STB's NITRO DVD utilizes the Mpact 2 media processor with Mpact
Mediaware for 3DVD from Chromatic Research Inc., to generate
impressive 3-D benchmark performance scores.
www.stb.com
New AGP Graphics Accelerator from ELSA Provides High-
Performance 3D Graphics
(March 16)
ELSA, Inc. announced the GLoria-XXL, a new high-end 3D graphics
accelerator designed to meet the demanding requirements for CAD
modeling, animation, and visualization applications. GLoria-XXL
will ship in second quarter of 1998.
Based on the latest GLINT GMX 1000 chipset, which includes the
GLINT Gamma, from 3Dlabs, Inc., GLoria-XXL will be capable of
accelerating up to 3.3 million polygons-per-second, with full
geometry transformation, lighting calculations, texture
coordinate generation, and high-quality fog calculation.
GLoria-XXL will be configured with a 16 MB VRAM frame buffer
and 24 MB DRAM -- expandable to 40 MB -- local buffer memory
for Z-buffering and texture mapping. This latest addition to
the GLoria family also supports high-resolution true color
display of up to 1920x1080 or 1600x1280 on 24" monitors.
GLoria-XXL uses a 48-bit local buffer interface to enable
simultaneous use of 3D features such as front and back buffer,
Z-buffer, stencil, fast clear planes, and graphics ID. ELSA
GLoria-XXL also supports stereoscopic 3D imaging through a
VESA®-standard connector.
ESP for GLoria XXL is $2,399.
www.horizonpr.com
Micronics Computers Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary,
Orchid Technology, announces its Righteous 3D II 8 & 12MB
version shipping in March.
(March 19)
Orchid’s partnership with 3Dfx Interactive, Inc. delivers
Righteous 3D II in 8 and 12MB versions. The Righteous 3D II
delivers true arcade quality graphics at full motion frame
rates for full screen 3D applications on the PC.
Righteous 3D II bundled titles include: Incoming by Rage
Software, Jedi Knight: Ambush at Altyr 5 by LucasArts
Entertainment, Battlezone and the exclusive A3D version of G-
Police by Psygnosis.
Righteous 3D II 12MB version will be available in March for an
U.S. suggested retail price of $299. Product will be available
through NECX and Insight who are currently taking pre-orders.
Orchid sales can be reached at (800) 577-0977
www.orchid.com
Jazz Multimedia introduce the World's First Dual Bus Video
Graphics Accelerator
(March 10)
Jazz Multimedia Inc. announced Outlaw 3D - Bonnie & Clyde, the
world's first dual bus video graphics card solution. Created
by engineers at Jazz Multimedia, the Outlaw 3D - Bonnie & Clyde
is the first VGA of its kind to meet the demands of the
upcoming AGP standard while still catering to the needs of the
current PCI user.
Bonnie & Clyde, with a suggested retail price of $149, utilizes
the same Rendition Verite 2200 chipset as the Outlaw 3D card
and resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200 in 65K colors at 60-75 Hz
and fill rates that exceed 45 million pixels per second. An
extremely powerful 100 MHz memory architecture allows the
Outlaw 3D to support 4MB, 8MB or higher memory configurations.
The V2200 processor also includes a 230MHz RAMDAC and clock
generators. These integrated hardware advantages provide a low
cost, high performance solution. Released in early February
The reseller does not have to split shelf space between AGP and
PCI versions, and the system integrator does not have to worry
about correct allocation of AGP or PCI. One card is a complete
solution.
www.jazzmm.com.
Wave Issue 9804 3/27/98 Article 4-01