Monday, May 12th 2014
G-Sync is Dead. VESA Adds Adaptive-Sync to DisplayPort Standard
The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today announced the addition of 'Adaptive-Sync' to its popular DisplayPort 1.2a video interface standard. This technology delivers several important capabilities to computer users: Adaptive-Sync provides smoother, tear-free images for gaming and judder-free video playback. It also significantly reduces power consumption for static desktop content and low frame rate video.
Computer monitors normally refresh their displays at a fixed frame rate. In gaming applications, a computer's CPU or GPU output frame rate will vary according to the rendering complexity of the image. If a display's refresh rate and a computer's render rate are not synchronized, visual artifacts-tearing or stuttering-can be seen by the user. DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync enables the display to dynamically match a GPU's rendering rate, on a frame-by-frame basis, to produce a smoother, low latency, gaming experience. In applications where the display content is static-such as surfing the web, reading email, or viewing a slide presentation-DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync allows the display refresh rate to be reduced seamlessly, lowering system power and extending battery life.
During the playback of lower frame rate video content, Adaptive-Sync allows the source to optimize transport of the video format leveraging OS and DisplayPort interfaces. In addition to providing smoother video playback, the lower frame rate enabled by Adaptive-Sync also reduces power demand, extending battery life.
"DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync enables a new approach in display refresh technology," said Syed Athar Hussain, Display Domain Architect, AMD and VESA Board Vice Chairman. "Instead of updating a monitor at a constant rate, Adaptive-Sync enables technologies that match the display update rate to the user's content, enabling power efficient transport over the display link and a fluid, low-latency visual experience."
Adaptive-Sync is a proven and widely adopted technology. The technology has been a standard component of VESA's embedded DisplayPort (eDP) specification since its initial rollout in 2009. As a result, Adaptive-Sync technology is already incorporated into many of the building block components for displays that rely on eDP for internal video signaling. Newly introduced to the DisplayPort 1.2a specification for external displays, this technology is now formally known as DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync.
"VESA is constantly evaluating new methods and technologies that add value to both the end user and our OEM member companies. Adaptive-Sync delivers clearly visible advantages to the user for gaming and live video, and contributes to the development of sleeker mobile system designs by reducing battery power requirements," said Bill Lempesis, VESA Executive Director. "VESA has developed a test specification to certify Adaptive-Sync compliance. Systems that pass Adaptive-Sync compliance testing will be allowed to feature the official Adaptive-Sync logo on their packaging, informing consumers which DisplayPort-certified displays and video sources offer Adaptive-Sync."
Implementation of DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync is offered to VESA members without any license fee.
Computer monitors normally refresh their displays at a fixed frame rate. In gaming applications, a computer's CPU or GPU output frame rate will vary according to the rendering complexity of the image. If a display's refresh rate and a computer's render rate are not synchronized, visual artifacts-tearing or stuttering-can be seen by the user. DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync enables the display to dynamically match a GPU's rendering rate, on a frame-by-frame basis, to produce a smoother, low latency, gaming experience. In applications where the display content is static-such as surfing the web, reading email, or viewing a slide presentation-DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync allows the display refresh rate to be reduced seamlessly, lowering system power and extending battery life.
During the playback of lower frame rate video content, Adaptive-Sync allows the source to optimize transport of the video format leveraging OS and DisplayPort interfaces. In addition to providing smoother video playback, the lower frame rate enabled by Adaptive-Sync also reduces power demand, extending battery life.
"DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync enables a new approach in display refresh technology," said Syed Athar Hussain, Display Domain Architect, AMD and VESA Board Vice Chairman. "Instead of updating a monitor at a constant rate, Adaptive-Sync enables technologies that match the display update rate to the user's content, enabling power efficient transport over the display link and a fluid, low-latency visual experience."
Adaptive-Sync is a proven and widely adopted technology. The technology has been a standard component of VESA's embedded DisplayPort (eDP) specification since its initial rollout in 2009. As a result, Adaptive-Sync technology is already incorporated into many of the building block components for displays that rely on eDP for internal video signaling. Newly introduced to the DisplayPort 1.2a specification for external displays, this technology is now formally known as DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync.
"VESA is constantly evaluating new methods and technologies that add value to both the end user and our OEM member companies. Adaptive-Sync delivers clearly visible advantages to the user for gaming and live video, and contributes to the development of sleeker mobile system designs by reducing battery power requirements," said Bill Lempesis, VESA Executive Director. "VESA has developed a test specification to certify Adaptive-Sync compliance. Systems that pass Adaptive-Sync compliance testing will be allowed to feature the official Adaptive-Sync logo on their packaging, informing consumers which DisplayPort-certified displays and video sources offer Adaptive-Sync."
Implementation of DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync is offered to VESA members without any license fee.
54 Comments on G-Sync is Dead. VESA Adds Adaptive-Sync to DisplayPort Standard
The use case for a game in a small window and a video playing on the same monitor may be very limited. :)
(goddamnit, now where do i get a 46", 4K HDTV with this tech?)
On a side note its amazing how a partial implementation that costs enough money that if I were to purchase it I could afford a newer or additional card to remove the need for it gets so much support, and people fall over themselves to talk about how great it is, reminds me of apple peasants.
Can you tone down the titles of your future articles to make them less derogatory?
G-Sync offers a fine control over the display and decreased lag - that kind of thing is not available in the updated VESA standard. You just cannot implement G-Sync features as a software update to the standard. Deal with it and stop pouring sh*t on NVIDIA.
Yes, they may look greedy but they are not a non-profit organization, they have to earn money to survive.
Your comment makes no sense.
G-Sync is not supported by both AMD and Intel.
For G-Sync you don't have to buy a new GPU either - it's supported by every GPU starting from Kepler.
Now tell me, why Mantle is better?
you've gone far beyond apples and oranges here, you're comparing coconuts to coconut crabs.
For gaming adaptive sync support (i.e. refresh rate driving by GPU), AMD's FreeSync/VESA's A-Sync requires desktop GCN 1.1 video cards. From GCN 1.1's point of view, it requires a new monitor and driver software. VESA's DP 1.2a with A-Sync feature was based from existing eDP 1.0's A-Sync standard.
Older GCNs has A-Sync for video and power saving modes.
at the time they did it, DVI and DP couldnt do it - so they made a new 'connector' that required a compatible GPU and monitor.
now that DP can do it, we still need a new GPU and monitor - its just not locked to nvidia.
"Adaptive-Sync is a proven and widely adopted technology. The technology has been a standard component of VESA's embedded DisplayPort (eDP) specification since its initial rollout in 2009. As a result, Adaptive-Sync technology is already incorporated into many of the building block components for displays that rely on eDP for internal video signaling. Newly introduced to the DisplayPort 1.2a specification for external displays, this technology is now formally known as DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync."
Monitor is a Nixeus IPS 2560x1440 Nixeus Vue 27D with a firmware update
Monitors are already adopting DP 1.2a. Dell released 3 new monitor all with DP 1.2a. Don't know if they will be "FreeSync" capable but goes to show DP 1.2a is being adopted and hit retail before a official G-Sync monitor did.
They also don't bring up or address that Nvidia will have to compete with TCOM companies which are well establish and at a competative or lower price to break into that market. Nvidia likes to sell stuff at a high premium we saw its short lived cycle in the mobile phone market in US because of it.
I'd wait for the 2nd gen of these products to make a decision myself. I wouldn't want to get a G-Sync monitor only for Nvidia to switch to DP 1.2a+ standard or have the first kinks worked out of VESA adaptive-sync if they are any. Things will move along faster once Nvidia and AMD are playing on the standards they both are part off.
Let me know when that is ACTUALLY TRUE. Until then I say BS, NV tried and couldn't get them to budge, so created a way to do it themselves. Too early to discuss commitments because there are ZERO to discuss. If scaler companies don't make the hardware, how far are you going to get? About as far as NV did I suspect. If it was progressing quickly why would you put a couple of YEARS? Also since there are moles everywhere, I'm sure NV will know when they decide to cooperate and at that point they can choose to drop gsync or lower the price to force more sales (it does sell a gpu also). It's up to them to figure out which way is better for their business and I'm sure their bean counters will be hard at work...LOL.
www.blurbusters.com/gsync/list-of-gsync-monitors/
The list is growing for gsync monitors announced. Not sure when it was last udpated but I'm sure more will be announced in the next 5 months. The only reason we don't see more already is the amount of time it takes to tune it for each panel (hence the cost). It would sure speed things up if they get a rev2 our or something that can just be applied to all monitors easily. Considering the difficulty in even doing it NV's way, I'm still wondering how GOOD AMD's solution will really be when someone finally is allowed to test it gaming across a dozen titles or so.
"couple years down the road"
This is a jump on Gsync that is ALREADY HERE? ROFL. "speed to market" means nothing if it takes years to actually GET to market. AMD said nothing here, no clearing the air, just more of what they HOPE will happen. Meanwhile monitors with gsync will be out in quite good numbers for xmas (meaning on a good number of monitors). Your comment is crazy. In order to have a jump on gsync you have to be FIRST don't you? Not in a COUPLE OF YEARS, right? Is it 6-12 months or a couple of years now?
"We can expect to see almost all mainstream and high-end monitors support Adaptive-Sync in the future."
Umm...There's that scaler problem that has to be worked out with the 4-5 vendors the AMD guy mentioned...Remember, NV said they tried and nobody would budge (that R&D costs money), so again, this is why they did it themselves. It is also why you DON'T give it away freely after doing that R&D. Make no mistake the scaler companies will charge the monitor people, and the monitor people will in turn charge YOU. The same thing happened with gsync. This is no different, it's just not AMD doing it to you, it's the scalers/monitor makers who will.
"If we wanted to do something over HDMI right now, it would have to be proprietary, and we would rather not do that."
ROFL...
So in other words "Nvidia had no choice but to do it proprietary because that is all they had available to work with, and since we don't want to be blamed for charging you, we'll wait for years maybe until scalers cooperate so it can be blamed on them or monitor makers"...LOL.
If scaler makers move at all it will be due to them losing sales because Gsync is included INSTEAD of their scaler. At that point (say xmas or so when all the monitors that we know are coming with gsync are out in great numbers), they may be willing to at least do the work and charge a minimal amount for it, but they won't go for FREE, just cheaper than NV probably to win back sales from Gsync monitors. You see, without vast numbers of gsync selling yet, they have no fears, but that ends at xmas. You could say, AMD's success at getting it into monitors is solely based on Nvidia's success at selling Gsync this xmas...ROFL. If NV succeeds you'll see scaler vendors ramp up some R&D to get new scalers out the door to stop gsync from taking all their sales. It's that simple. Then again, if NV can drive the cost down as sales ramp up they may lose anyway. That's how cuda got entrenched. By the time AMD actually did something they already had years in cuda and owned 90% of the market.
What air got cleared? No commitments discussed and no "it will be out on X day", so what got cleared up? The 4-5 scalers still haven't committed here either or it would be in the post. All I see is "it's taking long, so we thought we'd make more some more fluff noise and keep saying words like FREE when we know it isn't FREE for scalers or vendors".
Fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy...Not clear at all.