'Twinview'

[dZeus]

Copying ideas is one thing, naming the features the way nVidia does is another matter:

We have a new official driver release that will provide improved performance for TNT/TNT2 owners as well as stability fixes and performance tweaks. Also, we have made some significant optimizations which should make this driver release far more user friendly. Check them out below:

* Full support for all TwinView functionality*:
Support for all of the following display options: two digital flat panels, two RGB monitors (with second RAMDAC), two analog flat panels, digital flat panel and analog flat panel, digiital flat panel and RGB monitor, digital flat panel and a TV, RGB monitor and a TV, RGB monitor and analog flat panel (with second RAMDAC), analog flat panel and a TV. Windows 98 multimonitor support: The desktop area can be spread across two displays with independently set refresh rates, color depths, and resolutions. Application exclusive. An application may be dedicated to one of the two monitors (or both, if necessary). Watch a DVD on one screen and have an spreadsheet application open on the other. Clone mode. Two monitors may show exactly the same output, useful for presentations. Application zoom mode. In this mode, part of the image from the primary monitor is shown on the secondary display, but zoomed in. This mode can be used for image editing, close-up work in modeling or CAD applications, or image processing and mapping applications. Virtual desktop. Full support for virtual desktops is available for panels and monitors with limited resolution. Virtual desktops, with full pan-and-scan mode, can be configured for one or both displays.

We have included several other optimizations as detailed below * New NVIDIA Desktop Manager which installs optionally in the tray. This new desktop manager allows users to tweak a variety of settings and is most useful in Windows 2000 TwinView setups. The Desktop manager also allows Win2k users to specify which screen to open apps, save settings for specific apps, etc. * Digital Vibrance Control Slider in color control panel. * Improved Anti-aliasing interfaces in both D3D and OpenGL panels * Cursor trails

[High_Jumbllama]

Once again, Matrox set the standards and someone else copied. Probably not as easy to use though.

[Maggi]

Can't find DVD Max in that list ...

and is there already an MX available that offers all neccessary connectors ?

[Himself]

Matrox should look at it as a compliment and encouragement, the more cards with dual head like features the better for it to become a standard. NVIDIA is encouraging Matrox here in a sense, there is the blatant grab for their lunch sure, but the other aspect of it is that it means more support for dual head.

[High_Jumbllama]

True. True.

[Greebe]

Unless it was stolen technology then you would feel different.

[Electric Amish]

Nvidia's a bunch of money grubbing thieves!

amish

[Ashley]

If "DualHead" belonged to Matrox, you can be sure Matrox would be hauling NVidia into court. In fact, DH predates the announcement of the G400 by over a year...

[Greebe]

Ashley, since you obviously haven't heard, they are!

[Ashley]

For hiring practices, not IPR infringement...

[Greebe]

Shame you just don't know. and you don't. Period.

[Ashley]

Greebe - I thought you were referring to that unfair recruitment thing from 6 months ago. I didn't know Matrox had filed another suit over IP more recently...

I do know, however, that I have a vintage (1997) ViRGE/GX2 that supports two "heads" under Win9x - a feature S3 called "DuoView". Matrox's implementation is much, much better, but it is *not* older.

Period.

[Wombat]

Matrox is hauling nVidia to court over IP, not (just) hiring.

[Himself]

What are the specific IP suits about? I doubt it's about dual head.

[Greebe]

Sorry but what we know isn't for public disclosure. I'd just put it this way, if you did know, you would never buy nVidia again.