AMD: You'll hear more from us on G-Sync soon

[humbug]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ama-toms-hardware,3672-7.html

Q. GSync got tongues wagging in spite of the fact that people wouldn't be able to see the difference on a compressed Youtube video. Is AMD considering a similar solution, or working towards one that's more open than GSync? Also, AMD still does not support PLP (portrait-landscape-portrait) monitor setups for gamers - will that ever change?

A. You'll hear more from us on G-Sync soon. Bezel compensation is designed to treat the bezels of matched-sized/resolution displays as an object game content passes behind, rather than an object that chops game content in half. The feature is not intended to support for mixed-sized or mixed-resolution configurations. With respect to PLP, that is a feature we have in development, but I don't have an ETA at this time.

Looks like they are looking to respond to G-Sync. let hope its also cost effective

 

[humbug]

More fragmentation inc!

What do you mean?

 

[humbug]

Maybe Gsync isn't locked to Nvidia? have Nvidia said it's only for there GPU?

Be great if 2014 Both Nvidia and AMD can use Mantle and Gsync then we all be happy

At the moment Nvidia say you must have an Nvidia GPU, it would be nice if they changed their mind on that, but as it stands AMD have to make a separate system.

 

[humbug]

Again,

I'll point out some fundamentals for people.

A gpu without vsync enabled sends the frame as soon as it's ready to the monitor. Nvidia gpu's using gsync are running in the same mode GPU's have been capable of since gpu's were first being made.

Hardware side, there is nothing on the gpu required, at all, full stop.

Monitor side, very simple again, you have a buffer for the screen to read and display, you have a timing program and you have a control program that says "update every 8/16/32/whatever milliseconds" depending on what mode you're in. Monitor side you need software to say, don't update every X ms, update when the buffer is refilled...........

and there we have G-sync, it's simplicity is rather impressive actually, and the fact it hasn't been done till now is hilarious. I've made many posts about how an industry does things not because they should, but because they used to do it so they do now. Refresh on lcd's has essentially always been down to the fact that old monitors used refresh rates....... and no one bothered to change it. Same way 4k screens have all kinds of odd connection methods and crap refresh rates...... because you couldn't get the industry giants in a room to agree on a standard(AMD stepped up, wrote a standard and gave it to Vesa to use fairly recently, so we should have 120hz/display port/one cable as a 4k standard amongst most screens in the future).

G-sync, is Nvidia only enabling g-sync to work on screens they deem to have paid them enough to enable it. It's also the chip on the monitor, Nvidia decided to enable g-sync mode they require an Nvidia monitor controller, and their own software, and will disable any Nvidia users not using the right screen/monitor controller.

There is NOTHING, at all, even possible that Nvidia can do to stop every single other monitor chip being updated to include a "g-sync" like mode, nothing. It may need updated asic's, it may be doable in firmware on some chips, not on others, who knows really. The actual application is ludicrously simple.

Think of g-sync like the mode that all screens have had the potential for since LCD's started, and no one thought to enable... because they are stupid. Then think of Nvidia's g-sync like anything else they do, insisting their own customers pay 3 times the actual prices for the privilege of not having the option locked out by nvidia drivers.

The only thing Nvidia can patent is their driver code, and the actual physical chip they make, they can in no way prevent monitor controllers having the same mode added, and as said, gpu hardware side, the hardware has been compatible since day 1 of gpu's being available.

Be that as it may, perhaps AMD can convince other Display manufacturers to make input refresh Displays without the need for software based propitiatory lockouts..
That would upset Asus as much as Nvidia.

 

[humbug]

From my discussions with them, it should be free, they have being and are looking at options.

But lets wait and see.

Ahhh....ohhh...uhhh....

 

[humbug]

Are you crazy man?

I'd rather swap my fancy IPS panel for a crappy TN screen!

Rocking an LG IPS226 here, Had it for 3 years, best screen i ever owned, Colours and sharpness is awesome, no way i'm going back to a standard LCD Display.

 

[humbug]

I won't be getting rid of my 120hz samsung screen any time soon, but if AMD can get a G sync equivalent working on AMD cards without the need for extra hardware that would be great. I'm sure i read recently that G sync would only work with 144hz monitors though.. Sounds like a bs cash grab to me.

I can't see why they have to be 144Hz

 

[humbug]

So does Nvidia have a patent on this simple technology? If it was Apple, and another company introduced something similar,it would be going through the courts in no time

You can't patent a result, what you can do it patent how you get to said result.
For example, you can't patent electricity, you can only patent how you make it.

Nvidia can patent the name G-Sync, they can patent the components if they designed them, which they didn't as they are off the shelf from third parties.

All AMD would have to do is get to the same result in a slightly different way and call it anything other than G-Sync.

 

[humbug]

Unless its Apple, in which case they'll try sue you anyhow

Patent laws are very tricky which ever way you look at it, it can take months if not years to get some things approved.

AMD aren't afraid of the courts or Nvidia, they took Intel to court and won, twice i think.

AMD are the sort to just do it and then let Nvidia moan about it.

It wasn't even Nvidia's idea, it was AMD's David Nalasco. if any one of them should be worried about the courts in this, its Nvidia.

 

[humbug]

Where there is blame, there is a claim. Call us now for a free evaluation

I will send them your number

 

[humbug]

Unfortunately most employment contracts will state any new tech/patents created are credited to the company not creator, so it may still all have nvidias name all over it and any paperwork protecting it.

My contract says the same thing, though I'm far too lazy to create anything other then a mess

I have searched USPTO for G-Sync and found nothing

As i said Nvidia cannot Patent G-Sync in its result, and the hardware components are made by ARM, Hynix ecte...

AMD can do the same thing configured in a different way, thats if they need to, there is no sign that Nvidia have been awarded a Patent for it at all.

 

[humbug]

If you don't think that Nvidia wont have covered this tech with as many patents as it can to make sure someone else cannot just copy it, then unfortunately your living in a fantasy land.

These companies know what their doing, they wouldn't have got to the size they are if they kept coming up with ideas and just let everybody else copy them.

Since AMD were the first to come up with it the same argument applies, they will have filed for patents left right and centre, which suggests they already have their own way of doing it, a way that Nvidia will have had to insure they didn't infringe upon. (provided AMD were granted patents)

Maybe this is why the unnecessary complicated approach Drunkenmaster was referring to.

 

[humbug]

patents are never for brand names, search for apple patents and you won't find a single one called iPhone or ipad or whatever else, patents describe a technology, search for NVidia patents in general and you'll find a load related to monitors / displays / refresh rates etc.
working out which ones directly relate to gsync or not would be is a job for someone with much more free time on their hands than me (and I don't even work anymore)

i know that, i spent some time looking. the closest thing i was able to find is this, which isn't it.

The bones of the argument is Nvidia cannot stop AMD from coming up with their own G-Sync, to think they can is wishful.
And as i said before. the chances are AMD have already filed a G-Sync method of their own.