Via hit by chipset glitch

Reliable sources at customers of chipset manufacturer Via are reporting that the initial stepping of product is displaying bugs which will have a knock-on effect on motherboard, and therefore PC, shipments. Via production has also been adversely affected by the Taiwanese earthquake, the sources add. Despite bullish statements by the Taiwanese government about the integrity of fabs and the quick restoration of supplies to firms in the Hsinchu science park, our information is that delicate re-alignment of equipment is taking longer than expected. The source said that the problem with the Via chipsets is related to Northbridge, with the Taiwanese firm promising that it will be able to supply a further stepping in the first week of November. That will have a knock-on effect as mobo manufacturers and vendors will take some time to validate the new stepping, when it is received. Meanwhile, there is still no news from Intel or Rambus about whether they have, indeed, fixed the glitch which caused them to scrap the i820. Earlier this week we reported that Intel was advising its PC customers to use Via chipsets as a short time measure until the Rambus problem was resolved. Several PC manufacturers have since contacted us to confirm this was the case. For the last two months, manufacturers and distributors have been hit by a number of problems, including shortages, which has prevented them ramping up for Yule as they would have liked. Via was unavailable for comment at press time. ®