Re: Winmodem support, some performance tradeoff estimates

Aaron Tiensivu (tiensivu@pilot.msu.edu)
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 00:12:25 -0400

> On the other hand, the Cyrix cost per Pentium MHz appeared to
> be something like $.25, which could bring that soft modem CPU cost
> down to $12.50 ($37.50/3), and I think CPU price/performance ratios
> will improve faster than those of hard modems, and you can use the
> soft modem CPU power for other things when your modem is off, and I
> think you CPU will likely continue in some active use for longer than
> your modem. Also, if your usage pattern is that your CPU is basically
> idle when you are downloading, your CPU cost is really only the CPU
> cost of maintaining the software modem in an idle but connected state.

A Cyrix has trouble dealing with the 32 software voices of the AWE64, so
a Cyrix would be "hurt" that much more by using a Winmodem.

Marketing types have created these atrocities:

SB AWE64 -> glorified SB AWE32 w/ fancy software to add the other 32 voices

SB PCI128 -> glorified SB PCI64 w/ fancy software to add the other 64 voices

SB PCI64 -> Ensoniq AudioPCI for 3x the cost
Instead of using onboard ram, it robs your system's ram

AGP video -> If Intel had it's way, there would be no onboard video ram, it
would just use that DIME garbage

Software
DVD -> Big burden on the CPU

Winmodem -> already been discussed enough

Maybe I'm a stickler for keeping as much burden off the CPU as possible
(the Sony Playstation and Amiga are good examples of this)..

I'm sure I've left out some stuff but it's really too bad about the
current state of hardware to software movement.

L8r! :)

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