nVIDIA PureVideo and High Definition Content
High definition is the future entertainment standard of
tomorrow's video's. Playing high definition content on current generation PCs can bog down
even the fastest processors because there is more data to handle. Similar to the
need for DVD accelerators a few years ago, nVIDIA PureVideo enables computer
users to view MPEG-2/DVD and WMV High Definition formats on the monitor
without slowing the system to a crawl.
 The PureVideo
standard incorporates a hardware accelerator for the afore mentioned MPEG-2/DVD,
and Microsoft Windows Media High Definition Video standards (WMV HD). According
to nVIDIA's documentation on PureVideo, the GPU (GeForce 6 and 7 series GPUs)
takes on video decoding tasks from the CPU, and the end result is smoother,
shutter free High Definition playback. nVIDIA PureVideo also supports most
current and future high definition formats.
PureVideo is more than just a media accelerator; it also
includes features to improve video picture quality. DVD, cable and satellite
video provide poor crispness, clearness and smoothness that consumers have been
desperate to be "saved from." nVIDIA's PureVideo technology applies spatial
temporal de-interlacing to apparently deliver a better image than traditional
de-interlacing can muster. PureVideo also fixes the 3:2 pull down problem that
can arise from 24 fps video being converted to 30 fps for viewing on TVs or
monitors. By recovering the original 24 frame content, PureVideo allows for a
clear crisper image.
Another neat feature
of PureVideo is its ability to scale videos to any resolution, while maintaining
a relatively detailed picture. This means users can view lower resolution videos
at a high resolution without suffering too much from blocky or blurry
pictures.
Examining CPU Load with PureVideo
To test PureVideo's High Definition accelerating capabilities
on the Epox EP-AF550G Pro, we'll playback a video downloaded from
Microsoft's WMV HD Content Showcase through Windows Media
Player 10. "The Discoverers" (IMAX) video is available in both 720P and 1080P
formats. Socket AM2 processor utilization will be monitored via Task
Manager.
When running the 720P version of the Discoverers video, CPU usage
jumps between 20-28% with the Epox EP-AF550G Pro motherboard. That leaves a lot
of CPU resources for background applications/services without the worry of
dropped frames or interrupted video.
All GeForce 6 series and
higher videocards support PureVideo which is nVIDIA's High Definition
accelerator. That means the onboard GeForce 6100 has built in High
Definition Video accelerator and explains why CPU usage is low when watching HD
movies on the monitor. It can however only output a Standard
Definition signal via component output (on boards which support this). In
this test with the 720P video, nForce 6100/40 chipset combination handles the job well and CPU resources remain in line
with the previous test.
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