-Faster, so how can we make all of these things on our monitor go fast without even a blip or fart? One of these can be answered by Microsoft's Direct Draw. Direct Draw has led to faster performance in Video Playback and is a better interface than the GDI. Lets look at direct draw a little and its features that go along with GDI. The Direct draw is simply a shortcut and helps get images on the screen faster.
-Features Of Direct Draw-
-Direct Frame Buffer Access, this allows programs to cut through GDI code and works it way into calling bits on screen quickly. This basically allows faster access to memory without causing a bunch of errors. The buffer will allow for the GDI code to be replaced with a smaller more considerate code.
-Double Buffer, this allows a extra image to sit behind the one onscreen. We are basically getting a image thought out before it appears so that there is less wait time for us.
-Color Conversions, when looking at a Video on the screen it in most cases has been converted from (YUV). This is the same as a television uses and must be converted to (RGB) or red, blue, green, which is a computers format. The UV represents color signal while Y represent brightness. To turn this into a RGB signal we have to uses as much as 30% of the processor. The processor is already hard at work pushing the video as is slowing performance. This is were your processor on the Video card can come in to free up the systems processor.
-Pixels Interpolation, you may have heard of this one before. The pixel interpolation makes the video you see better with less distortions, also increasing performance. What this comes down to is having a video that is in the format 320x240 resolution and making it 800x600. When doing this the picture will look pretty bad. Pixel interpolation can help fill in the empty spots but the effect is usually poor even with the help. The original resolution is the best way to go.
-Motion Estimation, this is on new Video Cards and can really help out performance of DVD video or MPEG-2 Video. The idea in simple terms it say you have a seen that is pretty light on graphics, lets say a guy just standing smoking a cigarette. Motion Estimation will keep all the background information in memory only calling on those newer pixels of say the smoke coming off the cigarette. Again we are just taking shortcuts and cutting down processor time.
-Now lets take a look at 3D acceleration and all the features involved there. Being familiar with 3D is important. It is a mainstay for today. If you play hardcore 3D games you will find this section very interesting.
