New generation cards and VIP

[magician]

Does anybody knows why VIP connections are no more in use? Remember those acicular connectors on older graphic cards?

Parhelia and Millennium P-series cards have designed space for VIP connector but non of them are ulilizing it in final (commercial) version.

I don't get it how Matrox intend to target video editing stations with cards that don't have VIP connector. I find RT X10x video products quite handicaped with lack of VIP connection comparing to early RT2x00 solutions that were coupled with G4x0 graphic cards. I understand that it is somewhat redeemed with direct PAL/NTSC output from RTx100 itself but VIP is industrial standard and has many applications in work with digital video and it's advantages over PCI pathway is quite obvious.

Regardless preview output on RTx100 I believe that users should have option of (desktop) window preview, especially those who invested in triple-head cards. Is it really so difficult and expensive to implement video interface port?

On VESA's (Video Electronics Standards Association) site I found Matrox on VPORT Committee Members list, so I believe that there should be no technical obstacles, besides in Matrox's chip and PCB itself.

[magician]

No comments?

Is there any hints regarding utilization of VIP on future Matrox bords?

Dr Mordrid, what do you have to say about my observations?

[Wombat]

The initial press releases by Matrox of the Parhelia design/feature set had a VIP connector. They changed their mind before it ever hit the market though.

[magician]

Yes I know, but I don't understand why.

[albatorsk]

Perhaps that figured that it would please a customer, so they decided to scrap it.

[Ayaz]

I've a G-450 AGP card. I'm in very need of utilizing the VPE with my realmagic Xcard (for DVD & divx playback). G450 has the connector with one pin missing i.e 25 pins. The Xcard card supports VPE in its drivers. I connected the two cards with the 26 pin cable but there was video on the screen.

Is it due to the missing pin OR it needs a support in matrox drivers too?
Is there any possibilty of enabling my G450 to work with the Xcard ?

Please help.

rgds

Ayaz

[magician]

Ayaz,

you should actually ask this question on Matrox's tech support forum. As I understand, pin that you mention should be missing, that is quite normal, al least it was in case of Matrox's RRG card.

In order to get picture over VIP-port your software has to use hardware overlay. Consult your player documentation.

You can also chech if your player supports HW overlay by enabling DVDMax option in G450 driver. If you then have video on second output (monitor/TV) that means your player is properly using HW overlay.

[Ayaz]

Thanks magician. Yes the card support hardware overly there is a vpe32.dll file specially built for this purpose. I've asked this in matrox forum but the they replied that they no more support video inlay due to hacking risks. I want to know whether there is any backdoor for working both cards together. Either in hardware or software.

rgds

Ayaz