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The versatility and power of high-end graphics hardware

Posted 28 September 2011

For many people, their experience of graphics hardware is limited to playing the latest computer game, or downloading digital pictures and camcorder movies on to their computers.digital_signage

However, when it comes to the high-end, professional market, graphics devices can go way beyond this functionality. Here are some examples of what can be achieved by finely tuned computer systems interacting with the best graphics devices on the market.

1)Video walls: These are multi-screen displays either showing a number of different video streams simultaneously on multiple monitors or a single film shared seamlessly across multiple screens. Video walls are common in air traffic control centres, cinema multiplexes, and also in corporate reception areas.

2)High end graphics cards: Such cards can support more than one output simultaneously achieving high throughput rates at consistently high resolutions (such as 1920 X 1200) for each output.

3)Video capture cards: These cards are able to capture video in real-time from devices such as HD camcorders, computers, and TVs. Video capture devices often work in tandem with a graphics card, feeding digital data to the card for outputting. Video capture devices play a crucial role in medical services, for instance recording what a probe 'sees' during an internal investigation.

Also, in the finance industry, where there’s an auditing requirement to record trading activity on each desktop, capture cards come in to their own.Here at Datapath, we energetically support the high-end graphics market with a range of robust, resilient, and incredibly powerful tools – tools which will always get the job done.

What to Consider When Purchasing Graphics Cards

Posted 19 August 2011

image4-angle-from-frontGraphics cards are responsible for delivering computer graphics displays to your monitor. They have come a long way since IBM introduced the first one way back in 1981. This early version was called a Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) and provided text-only displays of green or white on a black screen. Today, the minimum standard for graphics cards is Video Graphics Array (VGA), which enables 256 colours to be used. In addition, high-performance standards such as Quantum Extended Graphics Array (QXGA) allow modern video cards to display millions of colours at resolutions of up to 2040 x 1536 pixels.

The graphics card market is a very competitive one, and there are many different manufacturers around these days who seem to release a new card onto the market practically every six months. This provides a wealth of options for consumers, so it is important to know exactly what your graphical needs are before making any purchase.

For standard 2D applications such as word-processing and web surfing, a basic graphics card with about 64MB or 128MB video memory should be more than adequate as it will enable you to run your monitor at various different resolutions. These low-cost graphics solutions are commonly integrated within the core components of a PC motherboard. However, if you need 3D graphics capabilities to run 3D applications or play 3D games, you will need to get a 3D video graphics card with at least 256MB or maybe even 512MB of video memory.

How Graphics Cards Work

Posted 17 August 2011

A video graphics card is similar to a motherboard, in that it has a printed circuit board that contains its own processor and RAM. In addition, it also has an input/output system (BIOS) chip that stores the card's individual settings and performs diagnostics on the memory, input and output at start-up. 

GPU
 A graphics card's processor is called a graphics processing unit (GPU) and it is also similar to a computer's CPU. A GPU however is designed exclusively for performing the intricate mathematical calculations needed for high-level computer graphics rendering. Many GPU’s are extremely complex and indeed many of the fastest units contain more transistors than an average CPU. In general, a lot of heat is produced by a GPU so it is typically located under a heat sink or fan.

Image creation
As the GPU creates images, it holds information and completed images in the card's RAM; storing data about each pixel, its colour and its location on the screen. Video RAM generally operates at very high speeds and is dual ported. This can be very advantageous as it means that the system can read from it and write to it at the same time. The RAM connects directly to the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC). This converter (sometimes known as the RAMDAC) translates the image into an analogue signal that can be used by a monitor. Some graphics cards have multiple RAMDACs in order to help improve performance and maintain graphics for more than one monitor.

Graphics Cards – A Buyers Guide

Posted 02 August 2011

A computer graphics card is the piece of hardware that determines the images that you see on its monitor. Most graphics cards that come with computers will be capable of displaying basic programs and some videos. However, if you wish to use your PC to display high definition video, for HD video editing or intensive gaming, you may need to upgrade your computer’s graphics cards. If you are looking to buy graphics cards, there are various things you should look out for.

 

  • First, you should check the slots, located on the motherboard, that are supported by your computer. They will be PCI, PCIe or AGP. Generally, older PCs will have PCI and AGP slots and newer PCs will have PCIe slots.
  • You should then assess the kind of graphics card you will need. If you will be using your PC for surfing the Internet and playing some games with 3D graphics, then an AGP card will suffice. If you plan on watching high definition videos, you will need a HD graphics card. For video editing, a PCIe card will be needed.
  • Take some time to compare the different features offered by certain graphics cards, and assess whether you will need them. For example, some will offer multiple monitor support, which is incredibly useful for people who use multiple programs at once. Others offer a TV out facility, enabling to view your computer images on a TV screen.


Once you’ve chosen your graphics card, you can look forward to enjoying superb quality video, stunning video game graphics and smooth video editing on your computer.

Make the most of digital signage with great graphics cards

Posted 25 July 2011

Digital signage is rapidly growing in popularity among firms in many countries around the world as people become increasingly aware of its potential to boost custom and bolster brand images.

Indeed, many shops and other outlets feature such technology these days and the trend shows no sign of dying down.


You might be among the individuals seeking to make use of such provisions in order to provide your company with an edge. However, to get the very most from them, it is vital you invest in the best video capture software. After all, if you fall into the trap of purchasing substandard offerings, you may quickly run into problems.


The last thing you want is to experience difficulties with your software solutions as this not only wastes your time and possibly your money, it also makes your organisation look unprofessional.
By coming here to Datapath to source the items you are looking for, you can rest assured that you will not run into such issues.

Our products are second-to-none in terms of their quality, meaning you can rely on them to promote your firm, provide individuals with information and so on without interruptions.


Being able to trust your video capture devices and displays means you can use them to their full potential and should be able to experience all the benefits associated with the items. For example, you can draw people's attention to offers, new products and so on. And, because our offerings work superbly, this process is quick and easy.

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