VESA Adopts Adaptive-Sync

[Phynaz]

Adaptive-Sync added to DisplayPort spec

http://techreport.com/news/26451/adaptive-sync-added-to-displayport-spec

G-Sync is dead.

 

[Mand]

Adaptive-Sync added to DisplayPort spec

http://techreport.com/news/26451/adaptive-sync-added-to-displayport-spec

G-Sync is dead.

G-Sync is not dead. Adding variable refresh to the DP spec does not magically conjure up the hardware to make it actually happen. That will take significant development time, equal to at least what has been done for G-Sync.

The difference is that nobody's actually announced that they're moving forward with implementing it. Not AMD, not display manufacturers, nobody.

G-Sync is not dead, and claiming that it is is nothing more than propaganda. This part in particular stands out:

The fact that a spec update happened is also a bit of a blow to Nvidia, simply because the firm's G-Sync guru, Tom Petersen, told us at CES that he didn't think an update to DisplayPort was needed for variable refresh. Evidently, VESA was persuaded otherwise.

It doesn't matter whether VESA was persuaded otherwise, G-Sync works now, with existing, non-updated DisplayPort, using the same VBLANK-extension style of variable refresh. For TechReport to talk about it in this way is a major journalistic error. The author of this article has no idea what the VESA spec actually does.

Enough with the propaganda and spin that people swallowed wholesale from AMD - despite it being thoroughly debunked by follow-up reporting - and now keep repeating as if it were the truth.

 

[DiogoDX]

What is DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync?

A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is a new addition to the DisplayPort™ 1.2a specification, ported from the embedded DisplayPort™ v1.0 specification. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync provides an industry-standard mechanism that enables real-time adjustment of a monitor’s refresh rate of a display over a DisplayPort™ link.

Q: What is Project FreeSync?

A: Project FreeSync is an AMD effort to leverage industry standards, like DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, to deliver dynamic refresh rates. Dynamic refresh rates synchronize the refresh rate of a compatible monitor to the framerate of a user’s AMD Radeon™ graphics to reduce or eliminate stuttering, juddering and/or tearing during gaming and video playback.

Q: How are DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync and Project FreeSync different?

A: DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient DisplayPort™ feature that enables real-time adjustment of monitor refresh rates required by technologies like Project FreeSync. Project FreeSync is a unique AMD hardware/software solution that utilizes DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync protocols to enable user-facing benefits: smooth, tearing-free and low-latency gameplay and video.

Q: Is DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync the industry-standard version of Project FreeSync?

A: The DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification was ported from the Embedded DisplayPort™ specification through a proposal to the VESA group by AMD. DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync is an ingredient feature of a DisplayPort™ link and an industry standard that enables technologies like Project FreeSync.

Q: What are the requirements to use FreeSync?

A: To take advantage of the benefits of Project FreeSync, users will require: a monitor compatible with DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, a compatible AMD Radeon™ GPU with a DisplayPort™ connection, and a compatible AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver. AMD plans to release a compatible graphics driver to coincide with the introduction of the first DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync monitors.

Q: When can I buy a monitor compatible with Project FreeSync?

A: AMD has undertaken every necessary effort to enable Project FreeSync in the display ecosystem. Monitor vendors are now integrating the DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification and productizing compatible displays. AMD is working closely with these vendors to bring products to market, and we expect compatible monitors within 6-12 months.

Q: What AMD Radeon™ GPUs are compatible with Project FreeSync?

A: The first discrete GPUs compatible with Project FreeSync are the AMD Radeon™ R9 290X, R9 290, R7 260X and R7 260 graphics cards. Project FreeSync is also compatible with AMD APUs codenamed “Kabini,” “Temash,” “Beema,” and “Mullins.” All compatible products must be connected via DisplayPort™ to a display that supports DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync.

Q: How is Project Freesync different from NVIDIA G-Sync?

A: While both technologies have similar benefits, G-Sync uses expensive and proprietary hardware. In contrast, Project FreeSync utilizes the industry-standard DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification to promote wider adoption, lower cost of ownership, and a broad ecosystem of compatibility.

Q: Why should gamers purchase a system that utilizes Project FreeSync?

A: Project FreeSync’s ability to synchronize the refresh rate of a display to the framerate of a graphics card can eliminate visual artifacts that many gamers are especially sensitive to: screen tearing, input lag, and stuttering. Project FreeSync aims to accomplish this through an open ecosystem that does not require licensing fees from participants, which encourages broad adoption and low end-user costs.

Q: What is the supported range of refresh rates with FreeSync and DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync?

A: AMD Radeon™ graphics cards will support a wide variety of dynamic refresh ranges with Project FreeSync. Using DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync, the graphics card can detect and set an appropriate maximum and minimum refresh rate based on the capabilities reported by the display. Potential ranges include 36-240Hz, 21-144Hz, 17-120Hz and 9-60Hz.

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/2014/05/12/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-displayport-1-2-standard/

 

[Phynaz]

G-Sync is not dead. Adding variable refresh to the DP spec does not magically conjure up the hardware to make it actually happen. That will take significant development time, equal to at least what has been done for G-Sync.

The difference is that nobody's actually announced that they're moving forward with implementing it. Not AMD, not display manufacturers, nobody.

G-Sync is not dead, and claiming that it is is nothing more than propaganda. This part in particular stands out:

It doesn't matter whether VESA was persuaded otherwise, G-Sync works now, with existing, non-updated DisplayPort, using the same VBLANK-extension style of variable refresh. For TechReport to talk about it in this way is a major journalistic error. The author of this article has no idea what the VESA spec actually does.

Enough with the propaganda and spin that people swallowed wholesale from AMD - despite it being thoroughly debunked by follow-up reporting - and now keep repeating as if it were the truth.

How much you want to bet Nvidia drops G-Sync like a hot potato?

What makes you think people will pay $130 for Nvidia's proprietary implementation when the standards based implementation will essentially be free?

 

[Mand]

Show me even one shred of evidence that the "standards-based implementation" will be free.

What it will require is for a display manufacturer to develop new hardware, specifically a new variable-refresh capable timing controller. Why would they give you that for free?

The burden is on AMD to prove that it's going to be free. When pressed in the days after the CES announcement, they backpedaled and admitted that no existing hardware for desktop monitors supported it and that display manufacturers would have to develop it first, and that their goal with the standards-based approach was designed to "encourage" them to do so. Which directly contradicts their earlier claim that it would require "no new expensive hardware." In other words, they were lying through their teeth at the announcement. But because people love to hate Red/Green as applicable, and love to hate being charged for things, people bought it hook line and sinker.

So, I ask you this: do you have a shred of evidence that it will be free, anything at all?

And before you ask, I have an AMD card, not Nvidia.

 

[BrightCandle]

Nvidia's had purchasable gsync monitors in the market for 4 months now. The first AOC monitors just got released and we are expecting monitors from other makers over the next few months. Freesync is a year away, we have zero announcements from manufacturers, its not even paper launched yet.

A: While both technologies have similar benefits, G-Sync uses expensive and proprietary hardware. In contrast, Project FreeSync utilizes the industry-standard DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync specification to promote wider adoption, lower cost of ownership, and a broad ecosystem of compatibility.

Everytime I see AMD say this I cringe a little bit. The technologies are based on the same premise and AMD requires that special hardware be built into the monitors to support Freesync. Nvidia is providing this for the monitor manfacturers and AMD isn't, its a fundamental difference in approach but there is the advantage that Nvidia made a market by building the hardware. Doesn't mean it will always work that way, but since the monitor companies don't have this technology on the desktop and haven't done this for themselves so far it seems only sensible to help them get products made. Its disingenuous to downplay the need for special hardware to support this on "freesync" because its seriously misleading.

I think gsync is too expensive, no doubt about it. $200 for a FPCGA is a bad solution frankly. It ought to be $50 or less even at this stage and in the end it will needs to be marginal cost. But I don't see how Freesync can be much cheaper as its got the same problems and needs similar hardware.

 

[sontin]

How much you want to bet Nvidia drops G-Sync like a hot potato?

What makes you think people will pay $130 for Nvidia's proprietary implementation when the standards based implementation will essentially be free?

Because it is much cheaper than to buy a new graphics card. Freesync is only supported by GCN 1.1 gpus. Even one of the latest rebrands like r9 270x doesnt support it unlike a GTX750 andG-Sync. :sneaky:

 

[Midwayman]

G-Sync is not dead. Adding variable refresh to the DP spec does not magically conjure up the hardware to make it actually happen. That will take significant development time, equal to at least what has been done for G-Sync.

The difference is that nobody's actually announced that they're moving forward with implementing it. Not AMD, not display manufacturers, nobody.

G-Sync is not dead, and claiming that it is is nothing more than propaganda. This part in particular stands out:

It doesn't matter whether VESA was persuaded otherwise, G-Sync works now, with existing, non-updated DisplayPort, using the same VBLANK-extension style of variable refresh. For TechReport to talk about it in this way is a major journalistic error. The author of this article has no idea what the VESA spec actually does.

Enough with the propaganda and spin that people swallowed wholesale from AMD - despite it being thoroughly debunked by follow-up reporting - and now keep repeating as if it were the truth.

LOL not like the hardware for gsync really exists in the market yet either. The free sync stuff will take a little while to roll out, but once it does it will be game over. As for not needing a standard update, you're missing the subtext there. *Not needed if we add a really expensive custom chip to take advantage of the existing standard. So, yes he's technically right you can do it with the existing cards and cables. He's not right in that a monitor can just be randomly told to adjust vblank and it'll work. I'm not sure why team green is getting all worked up about this. Its a good thing for everyone. It means your favorite monitor is much more likely to support it and without having to pay a premium.

 

[96Firebird]

Can't wait to see the reviews comparing the two technologies. Wonder how they stack up against each other.

And LOL at the monitors with the new standard being "free".

 

[Leadbox]

Can't wait to see the reviews comparing the two technologies. Wonder how they stack up against each other.

And LOL at the monitors with the new standard being "free".

"Free" as in "free speech" NOT "free beer" :awe:
A lot of people are waiting on better than TN panels before jumping onto G-sync this looks like even more reason to wait
Then there's this bit:

The addition of Adaptive-Sync does mean Nvidia has achieved its stated goal of pushing the industry forward on this front. Yet it also means Nvidia's window of exclusivity, where only G-Sync-compatible displays combined with GeForce graphics cards will offer variable refresh tech, could be fairly narrow. That window had already shrunk somewhat with rumored last-minute changes to the G-Sync module. Issues with the module are apparently responsible, at least in part, for the fact that G-Sync-compatible monitors haven't yet reached the market as anticipated.

 

[Mand]

LOL not like the hardware for gsync really exists in the market yet either.

Yes it does...

"Free" as in "free speech" NOT "free beer" :awe:

No, that's not what AMD said. They said "Free" as in "does not require expensive hardware" - aka "free beer." Free as in "free speech" is an invention of AMD's internet defenders who aren't paying attention to what AMD is actually saying.

 

[MisterLilBig]

Guess which Intel iGPU's and every other GPU manufacturer will support?

Not G-sync.

 

[Despoiler]

G-Sync is not dead. Adding variable refresh to the DP spec does not magically conjure up the hardware to make it actually happen. That will take significant development time, equal to at least what has been done for G-Sync.

The difference is that nobody's actually announced that they're moving forward with implementing it. Not AMD, not display manufacturers, nobody.

G-Sync is not dead, and claiming that it is is nothing more than propaganda. This part in particular stands out:

It doesn't matter whether VESA was persuaded otherwise, G-Sync works now, with existing, non-updated DisplayPort, using the same VBLANK-extension style of variable refresh. For TechReport to talk about it in this way is a major journalistic error. The author of this article has no idea what the VESA spec actually does.

Enough with the propaganda and spin that people swallowed wholesale from AMD - despite it being thoroughly debunked by follow-up reporting - and now keep repeating as if it were the truth.

It's dead.

G-Sync is Dead. VESA Adds Adaptive-Sync to DisplayPort Standard

http://www.techpowerup.com/200741/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-to-popular-displayport-video-standard.html

 

[Mand]

It's dead.



http://www.techpowerup.com/200741/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-to-popular-displayport-video-standard.html

It's not dead. Copypasta from one tech site to another tech site does not a death certificate make.

The points you quoted are all still valid. Just because a lot of people got suckered by AMD does not mean they're right. Why? Simple:

Adaptive sync still requires new hardware, that doesn't yet exist.
AMD stated that they were letting display manufacturers develop the hardware.
Development of the hardware will take time and money, and we as consumers will have to pay for it.
G-Sync exists now, on the previous DisplayPort spec, and since they both use vblank modification the spec is not necessary

And, most importantly,

Updating the DisplayPort spec does not mean that all monitors will magically be able to use it. This is an --OPTION-- that the spec will now support. Expect to pay for it when a display manufacturer comes out with new hardware.

 

[NTMBK]

I really hope the final version of Oculus Rift supports this. Anything to make the image smoother will reduce motion sickness.

 

[Skurge]

Looks good. Can't wait.

 

[Mand]

I really hope the final version of Oculus Rift supports this. Anything to make the image smoother will reduce motion sickness.

As someone very familiar with the technology involved in HMDs, Rift needs all the help it can get. Variable refresh would be a very big deal for it.

 

[blastingcap]

It's not dead. Copypasta from one tech site to another tech site does not a death certificate make.

The points you quoted are all still valid. Just because a lot of people got suckered by AMD does not mean they're right. Why? Simple:

Adaptive sync still requires new hardware, that doesn't yet exist.
AMD stated that they were letting display manufacturers develop the hardware.
Development of the hardware will take time and money, and we as consumers will have to pay for it.
G-Sync exists now, on the previous DisplayPort spec, and since they both use vblank modification the spec is not necessary

And, most importantly,

Updating the DisplayPort spec does not mean that all monitors will magically be able to use it. This is an --OPTION-- that the spec will now support. Expect to pay for it when a display manufacturer comes out with new hardware.

I expect EVERYONE to pay for it instead of just a handful of Gsync adopters. If every monitor costs $10 more to make, and everyone (AMD, Intel, and NV graphics users) benefits, so what? Gsync is a nonstarter for those like me on triple-monitor setups, I'm not paying 3 x the Gsync tax and having to switch video cards too.

 

[Mand]

I expect EVERYONE to pay for it instead of just a handful of Gsync adopters. If every monitor costs $10 more to make, and everyone (AMD, Intel, and NV graphics users) benefits, so what? Gsync is a nonstarter for those like me on triple-monitor setups, I'm not paying 3 x the Gsync tax and having to switch video cards too.

The thing is, every monitor isn't going to have it. The VESA update is not a mandate for inclusion, it is announcing support. Very very big difference.

There will be monitors that don't have adaptive refresh, and there will be those that do - G-Sync or otherwise. The ones that don't will be cheaper, and the ones that do will be more expensive because they have a feature the other ones don't. And that won't change based on which one is or isn't proprietary.

 

[sontin]

And right now only AMD supports it on less specific hardware and with only a tenth of the market share.

So a G-Sync monitor appeals to more people than "Project Freesync". And nobody knows when at least nVidia and Intel will announce their support for it.

 

[Despoiler]

It's not dead. Copypasta from one tech site to another tech site does not a death certificate make.

The points you quoted are all still valid. Just because a lot of people got suckered by AMD does not mean they're right. Why? Simple:

Adaptive sync still requires new hardware, that doesn't yet exist.
AMD stated that they were letting display manufacturers develop the hardware.
Development of the hardware will take time and money, and we as consumers will have to pay for it.
G-Sync exists now, on the previous DisplayPort spec, and since they both use vblank modification the spec is not necessary

And, most importantly,

Updating the DisplayPort spec does not mean that all monitors will magically be able to use it. This is an --OPTION-- that the spec will now support. Expect to pay for it when a display manufacturer comes out with new hardware.

Oh it's absolutely dead. You have still not read or have ignored anything I posted on the original Free-Sync thread. The short version is that there is no new hardware needed if a manufacturer is using a programmable TCON. The only change going on here is an addition to the timing logic and an EDID entry to call out that logic. It's trivial. The TCON manufacturers need to update the firmware to support the latest spec. Manufacturers are just going to start selling their monitors with the latest TCON DP 1.2a firmware. Nvidia doesn't have any transistors dedicated to producing timing signals like AMD has had since the 5xxx series. Hence the need for a custom TCON aka G-Sync.

 

[Mand]

The short version is that there is no new hardware needed if a manufacturer is using a programmable TCON.

I remember that comment, and I also remember both AMD and Nvidia, along with at least one display manufacturer, saying it wasn't true. If you think otherwise, I suggest you send them your resume.

Manufacturers are just going to start selling their monitors with the latest TCON DP 1.2a firmware.

This, in particular, demands a specific callout since it's so blatantly false that I don't see how you can repeat it. Not a single player in the field has ever come anywhere close to saying that and been able to back it up.

 

[Maximilian]

G-Sync is not dead. Adding variable refresh to the DP spec does not magically conjure up the hardware to make it actually happen. That will take significant development time, equal to at least what has been done for G-Sync.

The difference is that nobody's actually announced that they're moving forward with implementing it. Not AMD, not display manufacturers, nobody.

G-Sync is not dead, and claiming that it is is nothing more than propaganda. This part in particular stands out:

It doesn't matter whether VESA was persuaded otherwise, G-Sync works now, with existing, non-updated DisplayPort, using the same VBLANK-extension style of variable refresh. For TechReport to talk about it in this way is a major journalistic error. The author of this article has no idea what the VESA spec actually does.

Enough with the propaganda and spin that people swallowed wholesale from AMD - despite it being thoroughly debunked by follow-up reporting - and now keep repeating as if it were the truth.

So... are you for or against G-sync? :awe:

 

[Mand]

I'm for variable refresh, no matter who puts it out. It will drive every future purchase of GPU and monitor for me.

What I'm against is AMD's blatant misrepresentation of what FreeSync actually was doing in the demo, what it would require in terms of hardware, and their utter disinterest of actually doing the engineering legwork to make this happen and instead announcing that they were trying to "encourage" the display OEMs to do the R&D for them.

Now they claim to be "working closely with these vendors" - this is a change. Surprising, and a little disconcerting, that they didn't feel like it was worth mentioning just who those vendors were.

 

[Bateluer]

G-Sync was pretty much a gimmick to begin with, but its pretty safe to call it DOA now.