H.264 Hardware decoding at Micronas CeBIT : 900W for Tagan and Quad SLI CeBIT : NVIDIA DXVA & H.264 filters CeBIT : i965 everywhere CeBIT : Mr Freeze at POV CeBIT : original towers CeBIT : call PETA

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H.264 Hardware decoding at Micronas   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 12:44 by Marc - source: Clubic

	Micronas showed at CeBIT the first card that decode in hardware H.264 videos: MicRacer 1D-X. This PCI Express graphic card includes a decompression chip initially developed by WISchip, a company bought by Micronas last October. According to Micronas, the CPU use rate would be of 10% for a Celeron D 2.8 GHz in 1080p at a bitrate of 20 mbps. Of course, it isn't the first chip that supports hardware H.264 decompression, Broadcom, Conexant, Sigma Designs or STMIcroelectronics also have similar products but it is the first time that one is found on a graphic card for computers. The card presented was a prototype and we don't know yet the MicRacer 1D-X recommended price or release date.

CeBIT : 900W for Tagan and Quad SLI   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 11:30 by Marc

	While waiting for the 1100 Watts version that was pre-announced at CeBIT, Tagan showed their 900 Watts power supply. Specially conceived for quad SLI configurations and including four PCI-Express connectors, this power monster delivers up to 864W at +12V through four distinct rails each supporting up to 20A. This extreme power is however apparently disproportionate since the power required for a Quad SLI would be closer to 700W than 900…

CeBIT : NVIDIA DXVA & H.264 filters   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 11:10 by Marc

	During CeBIT, NVIDIA gave a demonstration of the new functionalities of PureVideo. From the next major version of NVIDIA's ForceWare (the 9x), which will also include a new user interface, PureVideo will integrate accentuation and anti noise filters. It will be possible to activate one filter or the other and adjust their intensity. The effect is convincing for NVIDIA's test videos even if, of course, we will have to see how it behaves in our own tests when these functions will be available. It is also important to point out that one effect can cancel the other one out. For example, if the reinforcement is activated for the video that has a high level of noise (used for the anti noise filter), the level of noise will be even higher and we will also have to activate the anti noise to get back to a more reasonable level. NVIDIA also demonstrated H.264 acceleration available since the ForceWare 84.12 with the latest PowerDVD, Nero ShowTime and soon WinDVD versions. For now it is more efficient than ATI's. For the same video, the CPU use rate goes from 95 to 85% for ATI to 60% for NVIDIA. Of course there is still time for the situation to change before the release of the first Blu-Ray & HD-DVD H.264 movies.

CeBIT : i965 everywhere   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 10:17 by Marc

	If this new chipset will to be officially released early June, the i965 could be seen on many motherboard stands: ABIT, Albatron, ASUSTeK, ECS, Gigabyte or even MSI. These cards generally mentioned « Conroe Ready », because the processor will be LGA775. We remind you that the i975X chipset is also compatible. It however requires several modifications on the motherboards design: unfortunately none i975X at CeBIT was « Conroe Ready » even if this chipset is, unlike the i965, already available. The i965 supports 1066 FSB, DDR2-800 and will work with 8th generation Intel ICH. They will no longer support P-ATA and replace it by two additional SATA ports (8 in total). The number of USB ports increases from 8 to 10 and AC’97 audio codec is replaced by HDA. Last but not least, Gigabit network will be integrated into the chipset. PATA isn't completely left over. All motherboards exposed included an additional chip and came with 1 (ABIT/ASUSTeK/ECS/MSI) or 2 PATA ports (Abaltron & Gigabyte).

CeBIT : Mr Freeze at POV   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 09:41 by Marc

	After the Ice Chameleon which almost one year old, Point Of View will release a new cooler to reduce the noise level of graphic cards based on the latest GPU: Mr Freeze. If POV stands out from other manufacturers because of bundles including recent games, it would also be interesting for them to have cards that get rid of the reference cooling system and replace it by this one. Update: it is important to point out that Mr Freeze is just an existing product of Evercool, the VC-RHC.

CeBIT : original towers   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 09:17 by Marc

	Specialised in design, Testa Motari exposed at CeBIT, tower cases that really stood out. Of course you like it or not, but it changes form hundred of other stands where you see almost identical towers…:

CeBIT : call PETA   Posted on 13/03/2006 at 09:05 by Marc

	Because of the multiplication of the number of actors on the laptop market, some of them innovate with for example leather bezels. It is the case of Testa Motari specialised in the design but also, and it is more surprising, of ASUSTeK. ASUS also worked on design and exposed next to a Lamborghini Gallardo, the VX1 laptop in partnership with the famous car brand. Awaited in April, this laptop will be build around the new Core Duo and a GeForce Go 7400. After Acer and Ferrari, ASUS and Lamborghini, who will be next?