|
Motherboards like the Intel DH67BL that PCSTATS is reviewing today support one PCI Express 2.0 x16 videocard and have one DVI-I and HDMI video output.
78% Rating: 
|
|
|
|
Home >
Reviews >
Motherboards >
Intel DH67BL |
|
|
Intel H67 Chipset Features Explained
Intel Flexible Display Interface
Intel Flexible Display Interface (FDI) can be thought of as a direct line to
the integrated graphics core built into every Sandy Bridge microprocessor. While
Intel's H67 chipset features the FDI link, and with it users could rely on the
integrated graphics core for everyday work and for specialized video transcoding
acceleration via Intel Quick Sync, the Intel P67 chipset does not.
|
Intel H67 Express
Chipset
|
Graphics Onboard the Sandy Bridge 2nd Generation
Core i5 Processor
The Intel H67 Express Chipset takes over where the popular
Intel P55 and P45 Express chipsets left off, but instead of a Graphics Media
Accelerator integrated onto the chipset, the
graphics core is integrated into the Sandy Bridge processor (either HD 3000 or
HD 2000 GFx).
Looking at the Intel HD 3000 graphics core
specifically, the IGP isn't a radical departure from previous Intel chipset-based
integrated graphics offerings. It's focus is still geared towards
standard 2D desktop graphics, still geared towards helping the home user
do HD content playback and still geared towards a bit of light gaming at modest
screen resolutions.
The H67 does have a few new tools such as hardware-based video
transcoding acceleration (Intel Quick Sync), H.264 & MPEG2
encode and support for HDMI 1.4 with 3D.
Standard features with the H67 / HD 3000 combo include a 4th generation
Unified Shader Architecture, H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 hardware
decoding, 12
Execution Units, Open GL 3.0, Shader Model 4.1 and DirectX 10.1 support. Clearly, lack of DX11
support will limit the H67 / HD 3000 usefulness in the
FPS gaming arena.
To get all its video processing power onto an HDTV, the
HD 3000 supports HDMI 1.4 with 3D. HDMI v1.4 provides support for Stereo 3D
and delivers uncompressed HD video and uncompressed multi-channel audio in a
single cable, supporting all HD formats including 720p, 1080i and 1080p.
Let's be clear, the
Intel H67 Express is an integrated video chipset made with High Definition content
playback and video transcoding acceleration in mind, not extreme 3D FPS gaming. It's quicker
than previous Intel IGPs (as you'll see momentarily) but not intended to directly compete
with discrete mainstream videocards.
QuickSync - Video Transcoding Acceleration
In the PCSTATS labs we set about converting a 450MB 1080i high definition
MPEG2 video via Cyberlink MediaShow Espresso 6 to a 640x360 MP4 video format
suitable for the iPhone 4.
Using an Intel Core i5 2500K / nVidia Geforce GTX470 / Intel DH67BL test
system, this video transcoded in about 48 seconds. Not bad, but with the
videocard removed and the computer system reconfigured to run off the Intel
HD3000 integrated graphics core, the same 450MB video was transcoded in a mere
14 seconds with the aide of QuickSync.
To use Intel QuickSync you need to plug your display into the motherboard's video ports
and run off the Intel HD3000/2000 graphics core. Pretty simple,
eh!
Next up, a 360-degree look at the Intel DH67BL motherboard gallery.
|
RSS Newsletter
