Download enables graphics processors to take on the work of a CPU
(Computerworld) ATI Technologies Inc. today announced the availability of a free download that enables its powerful-but-underused graphics processing units (GPU) to take on the work of a computer's CPU.
The ATI Catalyst 8.12 software driver lets ATI Radeon HD 4000 series-based cards accelerate tasks, such as converting DVD video into compressed video for smart-phone screens. The drivers would run on the 2 million graphic cards sold to date by vendors using the above Radeon graphics processor from ATI, a subsidiary of Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
The cards can perform other tasks normally done by the CPU, such as playing back high-definition video or rendering video game images. This frees up the CPU to do other work.
First announced in November, the technology is dubbed "ATI Stream."
To show its potential, ATI released free Avivo Video Converter software, which takes advantage of the Radeon HD 4000's graphics processors to let users convert video as much as 17 times faster at up to 720p quality, said Dave Nalasco, a technical expert at ATI, during a webcast today. The entire archived webcast is available online by clicking on "On Demand" and then "Live Show Wed Dec 10 2008."
More: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123119&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1
(Computerworld) ATI Technologies Inc. today announced the availability of a free download that enables its powerful-but-underused graphics processing units (GPU) to take on the work of a computer's CPU.
The ATI Catalyst 8.12 software driver lets ATI Radeon HD 4000 series-based cards accelerate tasks, such as converting DVD video into compressed video for smart-phone screens. The drivers would run on the 2 million graphic cards sold to date by vendors using the above Radeon graphics processor from ATI, a subsidiary of Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
The cards can perform other tasks normally done by the CPU, such as playing back high-definition video or rendering video game images. This frees up the CPU to do other work.
First announced in November, the technology is dubbed "ATI Stream."
To show its potential, ATI released free Avivo Video Converter software, which takes advantage of the Radeon HD 4000's graphics processors to let users convert video as much as 17 times faster at up to 720p quality, said Dave Nalasco, a technical expert at ATI, during a webcast today. The entire archived webcast is available online by clicking on "On Demand" and then "Live Show Wed Dec 10 2008."
More: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123119&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1