Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
DisplayMate
DisplayMate is a unique diagnostic and testing program designed to thoroughly test your
video adapter and display. It is somewhat unique in that most conventional PC hardware dia-
gnostics programs do not emphasize video testing the way this program does.
I find it useful not only in testing whether a video adapter is functioning properly, but also
in examining video displays. You easily can test the image quality of a display, which al-
lowsyoutomakefocus,centering,brightnessandcontrast,colorlevel,andotheradjustments
muchmoreaccuratelythanbefore.Ifyouarepurchasinganewmonitor,youcanusethepro-
gram to evaluate the sharpness and linearity of the display and to provide a consistent way
of checking each monitor you are considering. If you use projection systems for presenta-
tions—as I do in my PC hardware seminars—you will find it invaluable for setting up and
adjusting the projector.
DisplayMate also can test a video adapter thoroughly. It sets the video circuits into each pos-
sible video mode so you can test all its capabilities. It even helps you determine the perform-
ance level of your card, with respect to both resolution and colors as well as speed. You can
then use the program to benchmark the performance of the display, which enables you to
compare one type of video adapter system to another. The Video Edition also supports vari-
ous types of multimedia projectors and TVs used in home theater and presentation environ-
ments.
For more information on DisplayMate, visit
www.displaymate.com
.
Video Drivers
Driversareanessential,andoftenproblematic,elementofavideodisplaysubsystem.The
driverenablesyoursoftwaretocommunicatewiththevideoadapter.Youcanhaveavideo
adapter with the fastest processor and the most efficient memory on the market but still
have poor video performance because of a badly written driver.
Video drivers generally are designed to support the processor on the video adapter. All
video adapters come equipped with drivers the card manufacturer supplies, but often you
can use a driver the chipset maker created. Sometimes you might find that one of the two
providesbetterperformance thantheotherorresolvesaparticular problemyouareexper-
iencing.
Mostmanufacturersofvideoadaptersandchipsetsmaintainwebsitesfromwhichyoucan
obtain the latest drivers; drivers for chipset-integrated video are supplied by the system,
motherboard, or chipset vendor. A driver from the chipset manufacturer can be a useful
alternative, but you should always try the adapter manufacturer's driver first. Before pur-
chasing a video adapter, you should check out the manufacturer's site and see whether
you can determine how up to date the available drivers are. At one time, frequent driver
revisionswerethoughttoindicateproblemswiththehardware,butthegreatercomplexity
