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Decoding
Video Cards
Decoding
Video Cards - 2D/3D/DVD vs MPEG card
If
you've been following the news from the video card industry then lately
you would have heard the news that most new video cards will have "hardware
DVD". However, seeing as most people don't understand exactly what this
means anymore, it's not too surprising to find out in the official specifications
that "hardware DVD acceleration" has changed into "hardware DVD assist
acceleration".
There aren't exact specifications in the term "hardware DVD", but as a
general guide full hardware DVD acceleration is when CPU usage while playing
a DVD is under 15%.
Currently the best video chip around is the nVidia TNT, this chip
provides superior 2D and 3D acceleration, but as to it's claim to being
"optimised for software DVD", well it's not so hot, utilising almost 70%
of a Pentium II 400 CPU. I haven't yet seen a software/primary card solution
that could beat a decoder card, but this could all change within a matter
of months.
Let's have a look at the three new graphic chipsets that will be released
within the coming months - the budget S3 Savage
4, the all rounder ATI Rage
128, and the enthusiast 3DFX Voodoo
3.
S3 hasn't really been doing well in the video card market lately,
not managing to compete with other major chip makers such as 3DFX,
nVidia and ATI, but this is all set to change with the release
of the new Savage 4 chip. In 2D and 3D this chipset looks to be unbeatable
for it's price (probably selling for under US$100). They have been careful
in how they've phrased their DVD support. While stating "hardware DVD",
closer inspection reveals that the chip can take over the tasks of about
half the decoding and display processes. This leaves us with an average
of about 45% CPU utilisation when using the particular software DVD player
that will be bundled with most versions of it.
The Savage 4 will be a good budget solution but not a replacement for
a decoder card.
Now let's have a look at that gem from ATI, the Rage 128. It was
a bit of a surprise when ATI announced this chip, they had been
keeping very hush-hush about it, but when it was officially announced
the specs looked very nice indeed. A 2D/3D card which could run up to
3 times faster than the Riva TNT and real hardware DVD acceleration.
Although I haven't managed to have a look at this one myself, my contact
in the US has told me all about how the gamer's version (the ATI Rage
Fury) handles. This card really earned the title of "hardware DVD
acceleration" as it can play seamless 30 fps DVD at any resolution almost
at mpeg card quality, and because there's no need for an overlay there's
no display degradation when you're not playing a DVD. With just a few
tests, the DVD playback only needed 8% of the CPU for fantastic results,
also this was the only card which could output the normal TV signal straight
from the DVD, just like a decoder card. Personally this is the card that
I will be getting for my setup as soon as it hits the shelves, it should
cost about US$180).
And then there was the Voodoo 3. We've been hearing about this one for
well over a year and now that it's about to be released and I've had a
quick look at it, I feel a bit let down. We had been promised so much
by 3DFX - 32bpp 3D, full DVD hardware acceleration with direct
TV out - but they decided that these features were all expendable if they
tarnished the performance of their all important 3D. The DVD acceleration
on this card is not exactly top notch, using up about 60% of the CPU at
it's lowest. It's not known yet what software DVD player will be bundled
with this card, but I doubt it will make a huge difference. The card will
come in three flavours - Voodoo 3 2000, Voodoo 3 3000 and
Voodoo 3 3500. These are just changes in the speed of the internal
clock and only really effect 3D performance. This card will cost about
US$260 when it's first out, really only for the hardcore gaming enthusiasts.
If you want DVD acceleration look somewhere else, if you want top quality
3D too, wait for the TNT 2.
Tully
Rosen
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