** OFFICIAL ** Intel DX38BT & DX48BT2 BoneTrail Thread

[Manel]

Thanks Stasio, too bad.
Paty, yes this was true some time back. But Haswell has been delayed as well, April 2013 seems more likely now. New socket 1150 - have fun Intel haters!!!
Sorry, didn't realize that it's already set to H1'13, it's correct indeed.
Too bad Intel are getting lazy with the lack of competition.

[Manel]

BIOS 0453 for Siler released.

[JohnZS]

So what is the general concurrences for enthusiast upgrade path from X38/X48?
I tend to upgrade my main platform ~4yrs and my GPU ~1.5yrs
Would Z77 be a viable option? Or X79 as we know this is going to get more cores and more improvements as the platform matures as Intel want this to be the premier platform.
John

[Manel]

John
Intel Z77 Extreme (when available ) paired with i7-3770K and GTX680 sounds really sweet right now.
But that's if you can settle with just IB, fewer PCIe 3.0 lanes.
If you want to go all out, SLI/CFX, loads of cores, massive mem - then IB-E when it comes out, and the re-spin of X79 (if ever) is the way to go.
Right now I guess Z77 would cut it for me, but I would love it if X79 would get a refresh so that it would deserve the Extreme moniker.

[Manel]

I said whenthere is a Z77 Extreme available but there is info already of the DZ77GA-70K on Intels page. I seems it has a new "Visual BIOS"- maybe a graphical UEFI interface already, bout time!! I hope it looks like XTU finally, surelly will. Cool board! Too bad stll has PCI though, waste of space and additional bridge (I guess). 8 USB 3 ports, 4 SATA6 and 1 eSATA6. Gone back to having PS2 port? Come on Intel! Too colorfull, the internal conectors. Itching to see how it clocks...

[Manel]

5 Media Series additional boards based off Z77 as well.

The extreme GA has 1 PCIe 3.0 16x and 1 8x electrical. Also Dolby.

[djs357]

Yeah there's a bridge on the DZ77GA-70K. The bridge also supports the ieee-1394 interface

[Manel]

djs, FireWire usually is not part of the bridge, I guess they should be using a TI PCIe chip (as usual) which is hanging from the PCIe bridge. But I find that setup strange, if that's the case. FW should be on the PCH, along with the other IO. IOntel made that mistake (in my opinion) with the Siler using CPU lanes.

[Manel]

BITS 730 released.

[Manel]

Siler gets a BIOS update to 0460.

[djs357]

It is a PCI Firewire chip. On one of the ports, can't be sure of brand, but assume TI.

[Manel]

Funny being PCI, they have been using PCIe TI chips for quite a while, BT uses it anyway. Odd, since PCI will not provide the bandwidth necessary for FW to go full speed.
Where did you find info on this board already?

[Manel]

LAN drivers v17.0 and graphics driver out.

[djs357]

I think you probably know by now...

[Patyabc]

Dear Friend:

I have some info on new branded Intel MB's.
These ones could be the second generation for Siler?
What about that?
I hope my Intel friends get improved the first Siler , and the USB issues , too.

Thanks friend

[Manel]

OK, info at Intel's already. Visual BIOS looks really cool. I wonder why they still call it BIOS, I assume it's UEFI already.
2 Fast Charge USB 2.0 ports (yellow?!) - good, PS2 still?! Be done with it. Also PCI should go, no-one is going to use old PCI cards (sound cards maybe, but drivers should be scarce now).
Either 1xPCIe x16 or 2xPCIe 8 for SLI/XF.
Its a little too colorfull for me, the conectors I mean.
Dual Gb LAN is good (teaming), Power Supervisor must be a VR controller chip for intelligent regulation, phase control.

[Manel]

Something funny just hapenned. Intel released a Win7 graphics driver older than the one provided a couple of days ago. Problems?

[Manel]

Where does it say that FireWire hangs off the PCI-PCIe bridge? They could have used one of the PCI ports but since the PCH still has available PCIe lanes I don't see the reason. Doing the math maybe not after all, with all the extra ports: LAN, USB3, SATA6G and slots.

[Manel]

Paty, do share the info on the next iterationof Siler - I'm curious now. I heard only next year there might be a v2 of this board.

[Manel]

OK, seen the docs. You are correct djs, althouh I find Intel's options awkward.
Using USB 3 hubs gives out more ports but if all populated (hardly, so why so may?) competition for bandwidth will occur.
But the worst of all is that PCI bridge actually: PCI, eSATA and FW competing for 1 lane? Yaicks!! Why not do away with the x4 PCIe (which will hardly be used - maybe storage cards, but not everyone has them) and give all peripherals their own lanes? There would be another x1 left still and could be used for the PCI bridge, if that was really necessary.
Intel needs to revise their doc, same info for ages (mem address space gives me the creeps with DOS area still). And some errors too: TPS refers 64MbFlash and flyer sas 32Mb, which is it Intel? How come TPS doesn't mention Visual BIOS?

[Manel]

At least the audio subsystem looks ok,althogh I'm not a fan of Realtek codecs, but it's what everyone uses. And this one is ok.
Also, Intel only mentions the 579V LAN controller while in fact the second (and that's the correct configuration) is a 574.
Another flaw is the HW monitoring chip, Winbond is metioned in the TPS (I believe they forgot to update from older documentation) while Nuvoton is referred earlier in the same doc, I believe this is the correct one. Intel has been using Nuvoton chips now latelly.

[Manel]

Good news, Haswell-EX (yes, read it right) will come in 2014 - still a long way.
This is the enterprise version, 16 cores minimum and DDR4 mem at 1.2v and maybe even lower 1.05v.
Haswell will come in 2013 but still with DDR3 and 2014 will see 14nm Broadwell also still on DDR3 for the desktop. Only in 2015 the sucessor to Broadwell will use DDR4 on the desktop.
Haswell will be here next year on 22nm, socket 1150 with Lynx Point chipset (8 series?), all SATA6G ports and 6 USB3 native ports.

[stasio]

Something funny just hapenned. Intel released a Win7 graphics driver older than the one provided a couple of days ago. Problems?

NOTICE: This download requires a program password to unzip. Contact your Intel salesperson if you received a sample board that requires this driver.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...?DwnldID=21135

Why password?

[Manel]

stasio, I noticed it too - odd!! Secret driver?!
I see you're running a Z77 board already - how does it go? Everything cool with Z77 and 2600K? Can you fit all those mem modules in there?

[stasio]

stasio, I noticed it too - odd!! Secret driver?!
I see you're running a Z77 board already - how does it go? Everything cool with Z77 and 2600K? Can you fit all those mem modules in there?

Giga Z77X-D3H is super for me,run very stable.
Waiting for better info about IB (retail) temperature,clocking,etc...then I'll decide to go with another memory 2400+.