Image Quality
We will be providing additional image quality results in our mATX roundup that will provide in-game and Blu-ray screenshots, but for now here are a few samples that we collected during our recent testing.
Our first image quality test consists of playing back House of Flying Daggers utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also used PowerDVD 7 and WinDVD 8 with basically the same results.
We think the 690G and G965 provide the best overall picture with the 6150 just not producing an image with the same color and detail as the other platforms. Utilizing the PureVideo application resulted in a slightly better picture but still behind the 690G and G965. Overall, we tend to think the G965 had the best picture quality during playback but your mileage will vary.
Our second image quality test consists of playing back a Windows WMV-HD clip from the Fighter Pilots DVD utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and it generated similar results.
We believe the 690G and G965 once again provide the best overall picture quality; the 6150 produces an image that is clear but without the color saturation of the other two alternatives. These results could be considered a toss up depending on personal preferences. We tend to think the G965 has the best picture quality although it took a lot of long stares for our opinion to be formed on the subject. We think the pilot's harness was slightly sharper in the G965 picture thus swaying our opinion.
Our final image quality test consists of playing back a Windows .AVI clip from our encoding tests utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and PowerDVD 7 with both generating similar results. The results from the encoding process from the AVI to WMV file format will be provided shortly. It is near impossible to capture the image at the exact same point with Windows Media player but the images in this test group are very close to being identical.
When reviewing these images we firmly believe the G965 has the best overall image from both a color saturation and picture detail viewpoint. The 690G and 6150 produce an almost equal image that but we think the clarity in the 6150 images give it an edge.
In our video playback tests we believe the G965 had the best picture quality of our solutions with the 690G performing equally in most cases and the 6150 trailing behind. Intel touted the G965's Clear Video Quality at product launch and from all indications this technology has made a difference, at least in our limited testing to date.
We will be providing additional image quality results in our mATX roundup that will provide in-game and Blu-ray screenshots, but for now here are a few samples that we collected during our recent testing.
Our first image quality test consists of playing back House of Flying Daggers utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also used PowerDVD 7 and WinDVD 8 with basically the same results.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
We think the 690G and G965 provide the best overall picture with the 6150 just not producing an image with the same color and detail as the other platforms. Utilizing the PureVideo application resulted in a slightly better picture but still behind the 690G and G965. Overall, we tend to think the G965 had the best picture quality during playback but your mileage will vary.
Our second image quality test consists of playing back a Windows WMV-HD clip from the Fighter Pilots DVD utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and it generated similar results.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
We believe the 690G and G965 once again provide the best overall picture quality; the 6150 produces an image that is clear but without the color saturation of the other two alternatives. These results could be considered a toss up depending on personal preferences. We tend to think the G965 has the best picture quality although it took a lot of long stares for our opinion to be formed on the subject. We think the pilot's harness was slightly sharper in the G965 picture thus swaying our opinion.
Our final image quality test consists of playing back a Windows .AVI clip from our encoding tests utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and PowerDVD 7 with both generating similar results. The results from the encoding process from the AVI to WMV file format will be provided shortly. It is near impossible to capture the image at the exact same point with Windows Media player but the images in this test group are very close to being identical.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
When reviewing these images we firmly believe the G965 has the best overall image from both a color saturation and picture detail viewpoint. The 690G and 6150 produce an almost equal image that but we think the clarity in the 6150 images give it an edge.
In our video playback tests we believe the G965 had the best picture quality of our solutions with the 690G performing equally in most cases and the 6150 trailing behind. Intel touted the G965's Clear Video Quality at product launch and from all indications this technology has made a difference, at least in our limited testing to date.
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chucky2 - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
BlingBlingArsch of the AnandTech forums linked to some pictures of the board, and there's one of the back panel I/O: http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5498/board234cx...">http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5498/board234cx...Looks like there's definitely no Firewire... :( :( :(
What are these manufacturers thinking (or rather not thinking) not including Firewire on this boards? These would be totally complete solutions, especially this Abit with the optical out it has, if they'd only have Firewire on them...
...and the expansion is so limited, putting in an add-in Firewire basically kills for TV tuner, capture, etc. additions.
Man...talk about something that's almost perfect that gets ruined by either a poor design decision or a poor bean counter decision... :(
Chuck
Myrandex - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
"The 6150 performs okay considering the age of its core and we will see the new 6150SE and older 6100 chipset performing a few percent better overall but not enough to catch the 690G."How would the 6100 be a few percent better when it is clocked lower?
Renoir - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
The review over at http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/03/02/amd_69...">Bit-tech.netsays the 690G supports dual-link DVI and confirmed as much by sending 2560x1600 over DVI to the dell 30incher. This review however says "Larger 30" flat panel monitors won't be able to run at native resolution" and the technology overview article says "The digital outputs use TMDS transmitters that run at 165MHz". What's the deal?Gary Key - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
The 690G supports Dual-Link DVI. We had stated this on page two but not in a separate section. I will reword the 2D paragraph to make this clear. As for the resolution, I am using a Samsung 30" panel and the current Vista drivers limit me to 2048x1536. I have sent a board to Jarred who has the Dell 30" to test on it. AMD still confirms that 2048x1536 is the "current" max resolution although we know the hardware has 2560x1600 capability according to one of our sources.Renoir - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
Hmmm something's not quite right it seems. Can't see why they were able to send 2560x1600 if you couldn't. Would definitely appreciate Jarred checking it on the dell although I'd be surprised if it was a monitor issue. Who knows without trying. Have asked bit-tech what os they were using to get it to work. An XP vs Vista issue perhaps? The related paragraph in the technology overview article mentions the TMDS's run at 165mhz which I understand is single-link? Have seen the 165mhz listed elsewhere for the 690G so am curious where this info comes from if the chipset is dual-link? Unless I've misunderstood something about "165mhz"?Gary Key - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
The DVI spec transmits data using the transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) protocol. The DVI spec calls for each DVI output to have at least one TMDS “link” consisting of three data channels (RGB) and one control channel. The maximum speed at which a single 10-bit TMDS link may operate at is 165MHz, offering 1.65Gbps of bandwidth. In real world terms, this means a single 10-bit TMDS link can drive a display at up to 1920 x 1200 (the actual maximum resolution can vary depending on the panel, spec is 1920x1080). For most displays that’s not a problem, but the 30” Displays have a native resolution of 2560 x 1600, which exceeds the bandwidth a single TMDS link can deliver. So what do you do? Remember that the DVI spec calls for at least one TMDS link, but each DVI port can support up to two TMDS links (the 690G has dual TDMS links), thus doubling the maximum bandwidth and enabling support for a 30" (if driver support is present) display or even some of the new 27" units that can run at 2048x1560.Renoir - Thursday, March 8, 2007 - link
Thanks for the reply Gary. That was precisely my understanding of the situation which is why I found the following quote from the technology overview article confusing "The digital outputs each use TMDS transmitters that run at 165MHz." This sentence didn't come across as saying the digital outputs had 2 TMDS "links" but rather just 1 running at 165mhz (hence single-link). Perhaps you could reword it to explain that each link runs at 165mhz but that there are actually 2 links in order to support the higher resolutions afforded by dual-link DVI. Don't mean to be picky just think this part could be a little clearer :-)As for the resolution cap at 2048x1536 you guys are experiencing the Bit-Tech guys have confirmed they got 2560x1600 working on XP and suggest your problem is an issue with the current vista drivers.
Gary Key - Thursday, March 8, 2007 - link
I have a new Vista driver as of today.Here are the specs -
DVI - Supports dual link up to 2560x1600.
HDMI - maximum resolution supported is 1920x1080 (using a HDMI-DVI cable
you can go up to 1920x1200)
VGA- Maximum resolution support depends on monitor refresh rates and aspect
ratios:
2048x1536 @ 85 Hz in 4:3 format
2560x1440 @ 75 Hz in 16:9 format
2728x1536 @ 60 Hz in 16:9 format
2456x1536 @ 60 Hz in 16:10 format
Hope that helps.
Renoir - Thursday, March 8, 2007 - link
That's cleared that up then (was merely a driver issue). Anyhow 2 questions1) Both digital outputs support HDCP but are on separate display controllers. Does that mean they have 2 built in cryptoroms (1 for each controller) given that separate cryptoroms are required for each controller/output? If they do have 2 then why only allow HDCP on one output at a time?
2) In a related point (upcoming mobile version of chipset) what connection do laptops use internally for their screens? The reason I ask is I'm interested in getting a laptop in future which supports both hdcp for the laptop screen but also via an external digital connection to a larger display.
jonman03 - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
I know its onboard video and stuff, but a 3D Mark06 score of 313? They should be able to better than that, see who can get it into the 1000's first. Although unlikely, it'd be a nice alternative to buying a video card for a basic computing system.http://www.plugcomputers.com">Custom Gaming Computers