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Wonder Number Two - Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing |
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SMOOTHVISION 2.0 |
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The R300
core is the first from ATI to feature multi-sampling
anti-aliasing. As opposed to super-sampling, which was used
on the R200 processor and involves rendering a given scene
multiple times for the desired effect, multi-sampling is far
more efficient. Back when we first previewed the RADEON
9700 Pro, ATI set up two comparably configured test systems
one with a 9700 Pro and the other with a GeForce4 Ti
4600. Using a demonstration from the DirectX Software
Developer Kit and 4x anti-aliasing on both cards, it was
shown that the RADEON 9700 outperformed the GeForce4 in both
speed and image quality. Moreover, with 6x anti-aliasing
enabled, the RADEON 9700 Pro continued to outperform the Ti
4600. Again, the benchmarks will demonstrate how well the
R300 core handles ATIs multi-sampling algorithm.
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...And The Third - DVD Acceleration |
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VIDEO IMMERSION II |
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If you
asked a computer hardware enthusiast how they first came to
know ATI, youd either hear about painful driver issues or
remarkable video acceleration. ATI has ruled that
particular scene since processors running at 500MHz were
responsible for the brunt of the decoding process. First,
hardware accelerated motion compensation was added, then
inverse Discrete Cosine Transform (iDCT). Both features
free the host processor by moving the tasks to the graphics
card.
At the same
time, ATI also incorporated alpha sub-picture blending to
allow DVD menus and subtitles to appear without artifacts.
Using an overlay, alpha blending allows the graphics chip to
blend a sub-picture (a menu, for example), over the video
stream. Without the feature, sub-pictures will appear
crosshatched. And most recently, ATI added adaptive
de-interlacing, which selects bob or weave de-interlacing on
a per-pixel basis depending on the presence of motion or
not.
Even though
the R300 core is based on an entirely new architecture
designed by an entirely new group of engineers, it still
enjoys the performance advantages introduced by Hardware
Accelerated Motion Compensation and iDCT as well as the
quality features Alpha sub-picture blending and an
improved version of Enhanced Adaptive De-Interlacing.
Prior
versions of the Multimedia Center have utilized the Ravisent
decoding engine. This time around, ATI has instead
optimized the Cyberlink engine (the same decoder used in
PowerDVD), including adjustable fast forward/rewind, A/B
looping, and menu display. The DVD application also
supports THRUVIEW, a feature that alpha-blends the DVD
window, making other applications and icons visible through
the video stream. Finally, Multimedia Center 8.0
includes the option for multiple subtitles - the primary
subtitle will display at the bottom of the screen, while the
second plays at the top of the screen.
The
Fourth and Fifth Wonders |