rambus memory actually works good if you uses each rambus chip on a seperate bus. the problem is on pc's (from what i understand) is they only use one bus for a whole lot of chips. which is terrible for computers.. not only does the bandwith stay at 1.6 gb.. but the memory's latency goes up. this is because rambus memory is like a single line of data. and this line goes through every chip.

but from my understanding it would work alot better if each chip was on its own bus.. that way each chip doesnt get killed by latency, and the bandwith goes up. i have just begun researching rambus memory .. and this is what i have guessed is the case. did i get it right?

I have a Commodore 64
no Rambus as far as I know
anyway why did Intel wait for the 6800 Motorola
to show before puting in 8086 ??
hint: to correct design
Greetings from Bulgaria:))
Gerbil??(hope anonymous)

Originally Posted by SuperRob
Let me get this straight once and for all, as I\'m getting pretty sick of the implications (and my fuse is a tad short today).

I am NOT, nor have I every been, or plan to ever be ...

1. A RAMBUS employee.
2. A RAMBUS stockholder.
3. A RAMBUS \"advocate\" or \"evangelist.\"

I do have RAMBUS memory, but not in my PC. I own a Nintendo 64 and will get a Sony PS2, so that is the extent of my ownership of any RAMBUS technology.

Just because somebody is playing Devil\'s Advocate, or has an opinion that comes out in favor of the company, does NOT mean that they have any vested interest in the company whatsoever. Claiming they do is a weak argument at best and devalues everything else you might say.

This is specific response to Gerbil #45.

*yawn*

Originally Posted by AlienAtWork
What do we care if the price of RDRAM RIMMs comes down anyway? Even if it was the same price or even cheaper than SDRAM I wouldn\'t buy it. It\'s under performing and striaght up junky. I don\'t want junk in my computer.
Down with Rambus. Anyone want to join me in developing a TRUE open standard?

I agree with post #49. The problem is not the 1% SDRAM royalty. The problem is the DRAM cartel that controls supply.

Also yields of RDRAM parts are as high as SDRAM parts. The bad yields on RDRAM is a myth. Samsung and Hyundai already gone on record saying that yields on RDRAM are as high as SDRAM. The issue here is one of supply, plain and simple. Why is it that we had an over supply of SDRAM to drive the prices down all these years (except last fall)? It all comes down to supply. The DRAM cartel is controling prices by controling supply. Plain and simple. Hopefully the new royalties on SDRAM and DDR will make the point moot and so they can start shifting more and more supply to RDRAM which will bring the price down.

(addition to 52) So instead RAMBUS is trying to force DRDRAM into production by licensing and charging people to make SDRAM, which has been an open standard up to this point.

If people were producing RAMBUS in large volumes, it would be less expensive. But for memory companies to produce things, there has to be a demand for it, just like anything else in this world. And so far, there hasn't been a demand for it, and until it proves itself worthy of large volume production its not going to go anywhere!

To post #28,
The yields issue is not BS. RDRAM has the worst yields. Ask Micron, the DRAM king. They've been trying to produce it but have had near 100% failure. RDRAM is more expensive because nobody can make it cheap.

I totally disagree with posts 26 and 28. If the DRAM manufacturers were pricing their products too high. They wouldn't report losses every other quarter. The fact that RAM prices fluctuate so much is indicative that there is no conspiracy going on. No price fixing.

I totally agree with post #26 & #28. The roylties ARE not the cause of the high prices. They add a few bucks to each stick. What causes the pricing is the collusion of the memory cartel. If RDRAM was about the same price as SDRAM when it came out, no one would have complained about it. The lack of supplies prevented this from happening. If more memory makers where producing RDRAM the price would drop dramatically. As far as Rambus and it's lawsuits, well, they did sue as soon as there patents where official. And the idea of patents is to help promote innovation. What's the point of creating something if someone just rips of your idea immediately? RAMBUS came up with the concept of SDRAM and the idea of DDR-RAM way back in the early 90's. They don't have the manufacturing infrastructure so they license their ideas to companies. A few extra bucks a stick stinks , I mean I would love to keep even those few extra bucks, but the collusion of the memory industry is a HUGE problem. They can just cut production and BOOM, a HUGE price increase because of the good old law of supply and demand. Then when people start bitching they raise production to placate the masses. Just my two cents...

Rambus does not have to worry about being sued and broken up like microsoft. The difference.

1. Rambus has politicians/lobbiests.
2. Microsoft did not and learned the hard way.

Think about it intel is acting like a monopoly and they get away with it

WE RAMBUS will make all of you are slaves. PREPARE TO pay the PIPER. The Rambus Technology Tax is in effect. the only memory technology safe from our control is Core Memory
Technology from the 1960's

Originally Posted by rambus2001
Well.... not very techincal, but very accurate....
go & see for yourself...
http://www.geocities.com/rambus_2001/

From what I can gather by reading your posts, It appears that the only person on this post group that somewhat supports Rambus actually works for Rambus or holds stock in Rambus. That would explain the blame that he/she puts on the Dram manufacturers for price increases.

That's because every time you Post Anonymous, your title comes up "Anonymous Gerbil".

That's because every time you Post Anonymous, your title comes up "Anonymous Gerbil"]

Anonymous Gerbil seems informed, passionate, and has alot to say...

RAMBUS is suck.

Originally Posted by SuperRob
Gerbil #35:

They DID file as soon as they were legally allowed, which was immediately after the Patent was awarded. They filed for the patent in 1990 ... but it took 9 years to get the patent. They filed their lawsuit immediately after that.

Mommy, mommy! The blood-sucking DRAM cartel is coming to get me! Aaahhhhh!!!!!

Just another Anonymous Gerbil hollering about conspiracies and other plans to fleece his hard-earned money.

Funny how you didn't answer the question.

Rambus patents were first filed in 1990 well before SDRAM or DDR existed. They were not awarded till 1999 but it is the filing date that counts.

Why, do you work for Micron? AMD? Do you hold AMD stock? Micron stock? sheesh....

Keep your head in the sand and keep giving your money to the blood sucking DRAM cartel.

My God...a post that won't bitch all about money. The only thing that bothers me in
regards to this whole fiasco is the timing. If RAMBUS, as it seems they claim,
have the patents for SDRAM and DDR-RAM technologies, then why did they
not seek legal action when the technologies first became available? I've been
using SDRAM memory quite some time before I ever heard of RAMBUS. You
would think, with the advent of systems and vidcards using SDRAM they would
have reached out and cried foul...but they waited until the time they realized that
their own product would not be able to compete to call in the legal guns (assuming
they actually have the patents, which I'm a TAD skeptical about). It sounds like a
standard Microsoftian tactic to me. As far as costs...who cares? I mean, so RAM
prices go up....they ALWAYS go up. I severely doubt that these royalty fees will push
SDRAM and DDR RAM anywhere close the the cost of RDRAM. Simply put,
if RAMBUS doesn't have applicable patents, it shows them as a whiny, disrespectful
child who can't stand not being the winner. If they do have the patent, it shows their
concern as profit only. Not Ididn't say profit first. YES, I believe a company should
be able to make a profit. However, especially with tech companies that work in
important parts of industry, companies should also be concerned with the
advancement of their field in general. RAMBUS shows again that they'd sink the
memory quality in computer systems into the dirt just to pocket a buck.

Or do you merely hold Rambus stock?

You seem highly biased. Do you work for Rambus?

How exactly Rambus is destroying innovation? What exactly prevents anyone from coming out with something better? Nothing. All Rambus is doing is protecting their IP and patents. And they are doing it very responsibly I might add. 1% or $1 to $2 is not highway robbery. What the DRAM cartel on the other hand does with 25, 50 and 100% price increases by controlling supply is. What I'm afraid most of all is that the drug cartel, I mean the DRAM cartel, will use this excuse to work around the patents or redesign SDRAM which will cost big amount of $$$s to do and they will again shaft Joe consumer with price increases.

Joe Consumer or Intel for that matter, has no control what the DRAM cartel does. They do. And that's a scary thought.

I hope you all are used to $2 a gallon of gas cause $200+ SDRAM DIMMs are coming this fall courtesy of the DRAM cartel.

Like the guy down there (24) said, I think those of you who are so worried about pricing are over-reacting. I'll include the guy who can't use DRAM in a sentence without cartel or blood-sucking too. The issue is about how much power we want to give RAMBUS. Good 'ol competition and innovation has proven itself over the years, why do we want to let RAMBUS destroy that.

I dont know about you but its not just the fact that RDram is more expensive, but that most RDram is actually worst quality, or even slower than most SDram , in fact most benchmarks dont even show more than 25% increase in performance over SDram, but the price is well more than 25%, Rdram must figure if they cant get their money one way, why not tie a tube to the one market that does better than them, and drain whatever cash they please. I cant see how some of you blind guys can actually thing RDram is good, its all part of the Intel+Rdram hype , if you want to know more check out tomshardware he has the whole thing layed out for ya, most companies that make crap for high prices(like 3dfx) will usally buy up other markets to keep them in the bussiness.

Originally Posted by SuperRob
RAMBUS charging a royalty is not going to affect the RAM market directly. We could see three outcomes ...

1. SDRAM prices go up marginally. RDRAM maintains it\'s price premium.

2. SDRAM prices skyrocket. The royalties charged actually have nothing to do with this, but the RAM manufacturers claim it does as an excuse to pocket more cash.

3. RDRAM \"disappears.\" If RAMBUS can now make money without producing anything, why bother with RDRAM at all?

I feel that #1 is the likely scenario in the short-term, but 2 is more likely long-term. RAMBUS is not holding the market hostage, just exercising their patent rights. However, the RAM manufacturers would love for this to get even MORE media play so that when they jack up prices, they can claim innocence.

I just finished my RAM buying spree, so I think I\'ll just wait this out ...