Can someone explain to me what IQ and IRQ are?

[lein]

I've been seeing a lot of this "IQ" lately. What does it mean/measure. All that I know is more is better.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Lol

IQ = Image Quality

-Kevin

 

[lein]

Ah. Then what is IRQ?

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: lein
Ah. Then what is IRQ?

Image Reduction Quality... 😉

j/k

 

[pibrahim]

Interrupt resource something... I think.

AFAIK, each card in your system (graphics, sound, etc) has its own IRQ. I remember on my very old Soundblaster, you had to manually set the DMA, IRQ, etc.

Its nowt to do with image quality though and unless something's wrong with your system, you won't need to worry about it.

 

[ShadowBlade]

i know its on a bsod...

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade
i know its on a bsod...

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Irrational Reboot Quota Log.

It means that your Windows PC hasn't been crashing enough recently, so to maintain the user experience it's throwing one in for fun.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: lein
Ah. Then what is IRQ?

Interrupt ReQuest

As pibrahim said it has nothing to do with IQ, or speed. It is merely how the graphics card and other controllers mesh with the rest of the controllers in your system.

-Kevin

 

[btabios]

I'm computer science IRQ stands for interrupt request, calling an interrupt in hardware will cause the cpu to hault its current process (also save its state) and execute the interrupt handler.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: btabios
I'm computer science IRQ stands for interrupt request, calling an interrupt in hardware will cause the cpu to hault its current process (also save its state) and execute the interrupt handler.

Exactly

 

[lein]

My 7800GT had an IRQ of 18. What does that mean? (Just curious)

 

[beggerking]

Originally posted by: lein
My 7800GT had an IRQ of 18. What does that mean? (Just curious)

there are 17 devices that will get the cpu's attention before your graphic card. The lower the IRQ, the more responsive your device would be.

 

[InsiderGamer]

beggerking, I'm wondering if this has an effect on performance, and if so, by how much? IIRC, the IRQ of my 7800GT is similar to that of lein's, where on my old P3 600 Mhz, the video card had an IRQ under 10 (probably 4-5ish). If this does affect performance, how can I change the IRQ of my video card?

Thanks.

 

[ArchAngel777]

In short, no it does not affect performance.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: InsiderGamer
beggerking, I'm wondering if this has an effect on performance, and if so, by how much? IIRC, the IRQ of my 7800GT is similar to that of lein's, where on my old P3 600 Mhz, the video card had an IRQ under 10 (probably 4-5ish). If this does affect performance, how can I change the IRQ of my video card?

Thanks.

i can answer for him and say that it will not effect performance, reason being the GPU should not be communicating much with the CPU at all, if at all, and sure as hell shouldn't be sending interrupt requests to it. i cannot remember the technicalities of everything, but rest assured that videocards need not have a low IRQ. and, I can tell you your old machine would not allow a videocard to have a lower than 10 IRQ. No computer can. The low IRQ's are reserved for critical components in the interrupt request scheme of things, mainly like COM ports, system clock, keyboard, etc etc etc. again, can't remember the specific IRQ's that are reserved, but I am quite sure the list of reservations goes to around 13 or 14. And no two 'devices' could share the same IRQ number, else you get IRQ conflicts. More modern machines assign IRQ by software methods and handle the assignments in that IRQ conflicts rarely happen unless something is seriously wrong with the hardware. Old old old equipment is more prone to IRQ conflicts.

 

[beggerking]

Originally posted by: InsiderGamer
beggerking, I'm wondering if this has an effect on performance, and if so, by how much? IIRC, the IRQ of my 7800GT is similar to that of lein's, where on my old P3 600 Mhz, the video card had an IRQ under 10 (probably 4-5ish). If this does affect performance, how can I change the IRQ of my video card?

Thanks.

no.. even if an interrupt is required heavily, it won't affect performance because of the speed of CPU in today's computer. With GPU, CPU should not be heavily interrupted.

600mhz CPU is planty. it might have made a difference in 286 era or 086 era, but its not a problem anymore.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: lein
My 7800GT had an IRQ of 18. What does that mean? (Just curious)

That is the common IRQ for Video Devices. It just means that it doesn't have the same precedence as a DMA, or System Bus Controller.

Again, it in no way affects your speed.

-Kevin