Nforce 5 HD Audio is an Azalia thang

DESPITE NVIDIA'S CEO comments and the enthusiasm that he managed to build on NviDiA editors days, Sound Storm 2 won't return that fast. He kind of made you all believe that Nforce 5 will end up with Sound Storm 2.

Nforce 5 and MCP04 chipset will end up with HD audio, Azalia audio, nothing more. Sound wise Nvidia won't offer anything better than Intel, ATI and ULI some of the Azalia supporters. Azalia is good but it's still not enough to cope with Sound Storm.

The good news for all of you Sound Storm 2 supporters is that Nvidia decided to get this audio back. It just prematurely announced it, as it will take Nvidia at least nine months to put it back to Southbridge. The decision has been made.

Soundstorm 2 will come back but not before roughly the "fall" of 2005. Until that time all future Nforce 4 and Nforce 5 chips will end up with Azalia HD audio. An Intel Azalia audio in Nforce 4 Athlon chipset. Isn't that at least intriguing.

I guess that my endless formatting of hundreds of your mails and an open letter to Nvidia might help to get the Sound Storm 2 feature back. Maybe. You never know. µ