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 WMV9 High Definition formats on the monitor without slowing the computer down 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 (WMV9 HD). According to nVIDIA's documentation on PureVideo, the GPU (GeForce 6, 7 and 8 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.

Examining CPU Load with PureVideo

To test PureVideo's High Definition accelerating capabilities on the MSI NX7900GS-T2D512E-OC, 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. AMD processor utilization will be monitored via Task Manager.

Running the 720P version of the Discoverers video resulted in higher than expected CPU usage. The video ate up between 20-26%, there's plenty for background applications but it's certainly higher than we've seen in the last little while.

As usual running the 1080P version of the Discoverers video used up less CPU resources than the lower bandwidth 720P version for some reason. CPU usage was between 16-24% which leaves plenty for background tasks. Up next, overclocking a pre-overclocked videocard.