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ZOTAC GeForce 8500GT with attached DVI-to-HDMI dongle, dongle not included (Source: DailyTech, Anh Huynh)

ZOTAC Zone Editions (Source: DailyTech, Anh Huynh)

ZOTAC Zone Editions back side (Source: DailyTech, Anh Huynh)
Mainstream GeForce 8-series models equipped with HDMI output and S/PDIF audio input

ZOTAC Technology, a new division of PC Partner Group, displayed a top to bottom lineup of GeForce 8-series products. All new ZOTAC mainstream GeForce 8-series products feature HDMI output and S/PDIF input. The ZOTAC mainstream GeForce 8-series lineup consists of GeForce 8600, 8500 and 8400-series based graphics cards.

ZOTAC provides HDMI output on mainstream GeForce 8-series graphics cards via DVI-to-HDMI dongle, similar to AMD fashion. As with the AMD ATI Radeon HD 2000-series, the ZOTAC models pipe audio and video through a single HDMI cable. The DVI-to-HDMI dongle is included on the upper-end GeForce 8600-series and sold as an optional accessory for the entry-level GeForce 8500 and 8400-series.

ZOTAC provides an internal S/PDIF input header since the mainstream GeForce 8-series lacks integrated audio processing capabilities. S/PDIF input is a new feature to mainstream GeForce 8-series based cards. Users can connect S/PDIF output from sound cards and integrated audio solutions for single-cable audio and video output via HDMI.  GeForce 8800-series products will not have S/PDIF input and the feature is limited to the GeForce 8600, 8500 and 8400-series.

All mainstream ZOTAC GeForce 8-series cards shipping in Europe and the U.S. will feature HDMI with HDCP compliance and S/PDIF input, ZOTAC Marketing Director Carsten Berger said. Some early models sold in Asia lack HDCP compliance and S/PDIF input, however, all cards manufactured in June and afterwards have the features, Berger said.

ZOTAC had the new mainstream GeForce 8-series Zone Editions on display at Computex 2007. The new Zone Editions feature passive-cooling in addition to HDMI output and S/PDIF input. ZOTAC Zone Edition models include the GeForce 8600GTS, 8600GT and 8500GT. Each ZOTAC Zone Edition model features a different passive-cooler.

At the top of the Zone Edition spectrum is the GeForce 8600GTS. This model features a single-slot passive cooler with heat-pipes. ZOTAC equips the GeForce 8600GTS with 256MB of 2.0 GHz video memory. The GeForce 8600GTS GPU features a 675 MHz clock speed.  

The middle GeForce 8600GT Zone Edition makes due with a double-slot passive-cooler. The GeForce 8600GT Zone Edition uses heat-pipes to transfer heat from the GPU to a radiator on the backside of the card. ZOTAC pairs the 540 MHz GeForce 8600GT with 256MB of 1.4 GHz video memory.

At the bottom of the Zone Edition lineup is the GeForce 8500GT. The GeForce 8500GT has a single-slot cooler and 256MB of video memory. The 450 MHz core clock is joined by 800 MHz memory.

The different passive coolers on the GeForce 8600GTS and 8600GT models are due to cost reasons and the single-slot cooler on the GeForce 8600GTS costs more, Berger said.

Expect a top to bottom ZOTAC product lineup to arrive in retail channels next month. Pricing on the Zone Editions aren’t set yet, however, expect around a $10 price difference compared to regular models.



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HDMI equipped? Missleading heading?
By cheetah2k on 6/8/2007 12:56:44 AM , Rating: 4
I dunno if my eyes are buggered, but i cant see any HDMI output on any of these cards in the photos supplied. And.. WTF are they still using VGA. Why not replace the VGA with native HDMI, and have DVI-D output as well.

It's a shame that the leaders in the industry aren't listing to consumers. I shake my head in frustration at why video card OEMS still include VGA ports these days. Its like having the old Parallel and Serial ports on motherboards..

Mind you, I do agree with Saphire making their X2600 video cards with AGP. At least i figure more people have moved away from the old CRT monitors these days, and still left with AGP.

my 2 cents




By Anh Huynh on 6/8/2007 1:53:39 AM , Rating: 2
The cards use a DVI-to-HDMI adapter that passes audio as well.


RE: HDMI equipped? Missleading heading?
By B166ER on 6/8/2007 3:28:22 AM , Rating: 2
I agree with manufs not leading the charge of chopping the head off been dead legacy connects, 'specially when theres an alternative i.e. dvi - HDMi dongles and the like. I prayed five years ago for no more serial/parallel ports in exchange for more cutting edge tech, and 5 yrs laters my dream came true, selectively. Now gimme a laptop with HDMI, or even DVI outputs... please...

( Yes I do know there are lappies comin out/already out with HDMI, the above was for illustration..)


By jtesoro on 6/10/2007 9:47:39 AM , Rating: 2
They still shouldn't take out the VGA ports though. If they did, the laptops probably wouldn't work with a huge percentage of LCD projectors being used in offices these days.


RE: HDMI equipped? Missleading heading?
By SmokeRngs on 6/8/2007 11:23:01 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
It's a shame that the leaders in the industry aren't listing to consumers. I shake my head in frustration at why video card OEMS still include VGA ports these days. Its like having the old Parallel and Serial ports on motherboards..


Are you going to replace every last CRT out there (and there are millions) with an LCD of equivalent quality/features/picture/resolution? Until you do that, I don't see any reason for you to complain about DSUB connectors. My 7600GT doesn't have DSUB natively but does have DVI->DSUB.

My 19" CRT is paid for and has been that way for several years now. It serves me very well with good color reproduction, scaling with resolutions and none of the drawbacks of LCDs. It also doesn't give me a headache, unlike LCDs. I've used several LCDs from regular monitors to a good number of laptops. My eyes are comfortable with any of them.

Does my CRT eat power and put out heat? Yes. Do I care? No. I don't really care about the electricity use and heat output of the 17" sitting next to it.

Will I eventually get an LCD? I'll probably be forced to buy one when my 19" NEC CRT dies unless something else comes out at a reasonable price before it happens. By the way, I run 1600x1200 on my 19" CRT. I require an LCD to keep a similar screen real estate ratio to that. I'm not talking about aspect ratio either. I also need the LCD to have no color difference or noticeable response difference. I have yet to find one that can do this or even get close to it at a decent price.

My wants and needs are different from yours so I would suggest you stop trying to push your wants and needs off as everyone else's.


By hubajube on 6/8/2007 3:08:21 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Until you do that, I don't see any reason for you to complain about DSUB connectors. My 7600GT doesn't have DSUB natively but does have DVI->DSUB.
It's retarded to put a dsub connector on the card when all you need is the DVI-DSUB converter that's usually included with every card that has DVI outputs on it. I would rather have an onboard HDMI port than a rusty old dsub.


HDMI Equipped...Sort of
By feraltoad on 6/7/2007 7:01:05 PM , Rating: 2
Why not put an actual HDMI port on the card and include a HDMI to DVI dongle. My 1900xt has been "HDMI Equipped" for quite a while now with my dongle (though their dongle is bigger :(. Props for silent cooling and audio though, HTPCers will rejoice.




RE: HDMI Equipped...Sort of
By Mikey D on 6/7/2007 7:37:53 PM , Rating: 2
Nah, it makes sense. If you've got a HDMI output you lose the ability for people to connect older analog monitors.. so a DVI-I (with sound) > HDMI dongle makes more sense.


RE: HDMI Equipped...Sort of
By Talcite on 6/7/2007 11:24:33 PM , Rating: 2
I also would think that it has something to do with the fact that HDMI is proprietary and there's royalties involved with using the connector. They can probably save cost by leaving it as an option and not including it in the standard package


RE: HDMI Equipped...Sort of
By PitViper007 on 6/8/2007 10:25:47 AM , Rating: 2
Also, can you imagine trying to keep a heavy DVI-I cable/dongle plugged into an HDMI port? It just doesn't make sense to do it that way.

PitViper


RE: HDMI Equipped...Sort of
By HaZaRd2K6 on 6/7/2007 7:45:27 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Props for silent cooling and audio though, HTPCers will rejoice.


Definitely. I've been looking around at different passively-cooled GeForce 8's with the VP2 silicon and pretty much the only one I could find in Canada was made by ASUS. This gives me a much better option, though, with both the (semi-)native HDMI and the audio output capability. Hopefully they ship it to the Great White North. It's really not that cold in summer...


Audio on all GF8s coming soon?
By Rampage on 6/7/2007 7:12:05 PM , Rating: 2
Methinks so.

Sometime in the future expect a DVI-> HDMI adapter with sound breakout like AMD offers, but for GF8 cards.

NV will likely do this, and it will be yet another extension to the crushing blows being dealt to AMD.

A stream processor, is a stream processor.




RE: Audio on all GF8s coming soon?
By HaZaRd2K6 on 6/7/2007 7:42:44 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
A stream processor, is a stream processor.


Evidently not. The 8800GTX has 128 stream processors and the HD 2900XT has 320... the 8800GTX's are infinitely more efficient and perform much better.

As for the sound card comment, remember the SoundStorm audio on the old nForce 2 boards? That was some of the best integrated audio ever and nVidia was rumoured to be developing it as an add-in card (never materialised). If they could pull off something of that calibre again, and stick it on a GeForce, I'd be there with my chequebook in my hands.


RE: Audio on all GF8s coming soon?
By Goty on 6/7/2007 8:02:33 PM , Rating: 2
The 2900XT only has 64, they all just happen to be Vec4+1. I'm not sure what the setup is in the 8800, exactly.


no 7.1 PCM, no deal
By sotti on 6/7/2007 7:11:49 PM , Rating: 2
HDMI is worthless unless they do better than spdif.




RE: no 7.1 PCM, no deal
By deeznuts on 6/7/2007 7:58:20 PM , Rating: 2
Allows one connection to a TV, however most people with HTPCs will have a separate receiver usually, making your point quite valid. But there is the exception.


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