AM Computer
Service
Video Cards:
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Hardware T&L:
Memory Speed:
Hardware Transform & lighting, the
hardware
The speed at which the dedicated graphics memory
acceleration of T&L functions
provided by a
on the videocard operates.
videocard. This process during which
a scene is
constructed in wire frame mode and
lit, used to
Memory Bandwidth:
be performed by a system's CPU, but
is now
The rate at which the memory on the videocard
accomplished by a videocard's GPU. In
turn
can be accessed by the GPU. Memory bandwidth
this frees up CPU to preform other
tasks, which
is usually expressed in gigabytes per second (GB/sec)
improves performance
with the best videocards boasting figures over 20GB/sec.
Open Gl:
Programmable Shaders:
A graphics API first developed by
Silicon Graphics
Programmable shader units are the areas of the GPU
INC. for processing and displaying 3D
graphis.
that can run generalized programs rather than fixed 3D
functions, there are two basic types of programmable
RAMDAC: (Ramdom Access Memory Digital-to-Analog
shader units: pixel and vertex.
Converter) Circuitry that converts
data from the video
memory into analog signals that can
be displayed by the
Pixel Shader:
monitor. A fast RAMDAC is neccessary
to produce
A programmable shader unit that manipulates individual
flicker free images at high
resolutions.
pixels. Pixel shaders can create bump maps (a layer of
skin that goes on top of a textures, allowing for dimples
Vertical Sync: (Vertical Synchronization or V
Sync.)
or bumps to appear on a model, reflective surfaces,
is the signal that tells
the monitor when to draw that
dynamic shadows, and all sorts of effects.
next vertical line. the
rate at which V-Sync occurs is
also known as the
"Refresh rate". Enabling V-Sync
Vertex Shader:
in a game prevents the
game from running faster than
a programmable shader unit that specializes in the
the monitor's refresh
rate, which can cause textures to
geometry calculations. Vertex shaders handle terrain
tear or look distorted.
morphing, some lighting calculations, and some
shadow calculations.
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