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** ATI Developer Relations Newsletter
- Fall 2001 **
November 5, 2001
Welcome to ATI's Developer Relations Newsletter. This edition includes information about the new Radeon 8500 graphics processor.
Contents
1.0 Technology Update
- New OpenGL® Extensions exposed
- SmartShaders™
- SmoothVision™
- TruForm™
- Radeon 8500 Sample Code Available
2.0 ATI 2001 Presentations
- Preparing Sushi, How Hardware Guys Write a 3D Graphics Engine
- Advanced Vertex and Pixel Shader Techniques
- 1.4 Pixel Shaders
- Vertex Shading with Direct3D and OpenGL®
3.0 ATI On-Board
ATI Design Wins
4.0 ATI Announcements
ATI Press Releases
5.0 Contacting Us
Developer Support
1.0 Technology Update
New OpenGL® Extensions Exposed
In drivers released alongside the Radeon® 8500, you can now access new OpenGL® ATI extensions. This new list can be found on the web at the 3D Programming page of the Radeon SDK on the Developer Relations website.
These new extensions include ATI_vertex_array_object, ATI_element_array, ATI_fragment_shader, and EXT_vertex_shader. Also be aware that the ATIX_envmap_bumpmap and ATIX_pn_triangles extensions have changed to ATI_envmap_bumpmap and ATI_pn_triangles respectively. Further, ATI_pn_triangles will no longer be software emulated on the Radeon®.
We have also released a new whitepaper regarding the use of ATI_vertex_array_object and ATI_element_array extensions entitled Fast Geometry Processing with ATI_vertex_array_object and ATI_element_array. ATI_fragment_shader and EXT_vertex_shader use is outlined in the whitepaper entitled Hardware Shading with ATI_vertex_shader and ATI_fragment_shader.
SmartShaders™
SmartShaders™ consists of 2 core technologies, Pixel Shaders
and Vertex Shaders. Pixel shaders are short programs that
execute for each pixel when triangles are rasterized.
Programmable vertex shader is a flexible replacement for
the fixed-function transformation and lighting module
in the Microsoft® Direct3D® geometry pipeline.
The new Radeon® 8500 GPU fully supports the DirectX 8.1 Pixel Shader 1.4 model. Vertex Shaders 1.1 is supported on the new GPU as well. Support for Pixel and Vertex shaders is available in OpenGL® 1.3 applications using ATI_fragment_shader and EXT_vertex_shader extensions respectively.
SmoothVision™
SmoothVision™ is the GPU technology that allows
multi-sampling effects such as Full-scene Antialiasing.
Full-scene Antialiasing refers to a technique that uses
multiple samples for each rendered pixel to reduce aliasing
effects. With SmoothVision™ rendering of all samples can
be done in a single pass, however application can control
rendering of each sample for multi-pass rendering techniques.
SmoothVision™ allows for a new experience in Antialiasing
image quality, due to much improved sampling patterns
over existing implementations.
TruForm/N-Patches
TruForm is ATI's leading edge implementation of N-Patches
-- a form of higher-order surfaces -- that is implemented
completely in the hardware. N-Patches, sometimes also
referred to as PN triangles, improve visual quality by
providing more sample points for vertex processing by
tessellating triangles sent to GPU. Because this technique
uses triangle vertex positions and normals for generating
new vertices, it is fully compatible with existing rendering
pipelines and art creation processes, unlike many other
types of higher-order surface techniques. Using N-Patches
provides a good way to enhance 3D scene look, that is
backward compatible with existing graphics chips.
TruForm™ Resources
Radeon 8500 Sample Code Available
- Radeon
8500 sample code demonstrating new ATI
OpenGL extensions:
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2.0 ATI 2001 Presentations
- ATI Presented the following sponsored sessions during
2001 and the slides are now online:
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3.0 ATI On-Board
ATI has announced Design Wins with Dell, IBM, Compaq, Gateway, Micron, NEC, Acer, Toshiba, HP, and Sony.
See http://www.ati.com/onboard/onboard.html
for more information and check here often for new design
wins in all our target markets.
ATI Design Wins
Notebook Systems - http://www.ati.com/onboard/index.html
Desktop Systems - http://www.ati.com/onboard/index.html
Set-Top Box Systems - http://www.ati.com/onboard/index.html
4.0 ATI Announcements
For the latest Press Releases see http://www.ati.com/companyinfo/press/2001/2001pr.html
November 5, 2001
ATI Mobility™ Radeon® technology gains widespread market acceptance in just nine months
Powerful, feature-packed mobile GPU now shipping in 15 new notebooks
October 29, 2001
ATI unveils Radeon® 8500LE graphics chip, cost-effective, industry-leading technology
Designed and marketed solely to OEM, ODM and AIB customers and based on award-winning, innovative technology
October 25, 2001
ATI's Radeon® 8500 wins Kick Ass Award from Maximum PC Magazine
World's fastest graphics board scores a perfect "10"
October 25, 2001
ATI customers to receive (US) $20 rebate on purchase of Radeon® 8500 or Radeon® 7500 and Windows XP® operating system
Promotion marries high-performance graphics and high function OS
October 19, 2001
ATI Mobility™ Radeon® graphics processor shipping in Apple's New Titanium PowerBook G4
Powerful video graphics and multimedia now available in revolutionary professional notebook
October 16, 2001
ATI Mobility™ Radeon® graphics processor to be used in IBM ThinkPad A Series notebooks
Powerful video graphics and maximum performance multimedia
now available in a desktop alternative notebook
October 9, 2001
Windows XP-ready Radeon® 8500 graphics board shipping with suggested list price of just (US) $299
Award winning ATI technology redefines gaming performance, 3D experience and value
October 9, 2001
ATI's Radeon® 8500 wins Peak Performer™ Award at recent international System Builder Summit™
World's fastest graphics board named best new hardware product
October 9, 2001
ATI announces support for AMD Athlon™ XP Processor 1800+
All current ATI products will greatly enhance visual experience
October 3, 2001
ATI reports adjusted earnings of (US) $0.01 per share
Margins improve; cash position strengthens significantly
October 2, 2001
Radeon® 7000 and 7200 boards latest additions to world's most powerful, innovative graphics family
Radeon® family offers industry's most complete range of innovative desktop PC graphics solutions at all price and performance levels
October 2, 2001
All current ATI graphics boards Windows XP-ready
ATI technology enhances Windows XP multimedia and productivity benefits
September 19, 2001
ATI confirms consumer technology leadership with NINTENDO GAMECUBE™ introduction
ATI logo imprinted on NINTENDO GAMECUBE console
September 17, 2001
ATI supports GLSetup initiative, technology that ensures optimal OpenGL 3D rendering
Company provides financial backing for GLSetup program
August 30, 2001
ATI unveils All-in-Wonder®Radeon® 8500DV:
the world's most advanced multimedia graphics board
1394 now supported in newest addition to All-in-Wonder family
August 29, 2001
ATI to support next-generation 3GIO architecture
PCI/AGP successor will be interconnect specification for future I/O
August 27, 2001
ATI introduces Mobility™ Radeon® 7500
World's fastest mobile graphics processor also significantly extends notebook battery life
August 27, 2001
ATI's introduces PowerPlay™ technology to improve battery life of notebook PCs
New technology extends notebook battery life by more than 30 minutes
August 14, 2001
ATI unveils next generation graphics processors:
world's most powerful and innovative graphics family
Company takes performance leadership in PC graphics industry
August 14, 2001
ATI introduces Radeon® 8500, the world's fastest, most advanced technology graphics board
Radeon® 8500 offers best visual effects, unsurpassed gaming performance, and is first chip to fully support Microsoft's DirectX 8.1 specification
August 14, 2001
ATI unveils FireGL 8800 workstation graphics board
New mid-range offering ideally suited to 3D animation and CAD/CAM
August 14, 2001
ATI introduces the Radeon® 7500 graphics board
Redefining mainstream graphics performance
July 30, 2001
ATI acquires Hydravision™ software from Appian
Company purchases multi-monitor application for (US) $2 million
July 18, 2001
ATI announces Radeon® VE Mac Edition
Single graphics card delivers multi-monitor support to the mainstream Macintosh market
July 16, 2001
ATI unveils SmartShader™ technology
Provides next big step in realism and image quality for PCs and Macs, gives game developers freedom to design greater range of visual effects
June 18, 2001
ATI's high-performance Radeon® 64MB DDR named year's best graphics card by PC World
Radeon graphics board garners Best of 2001 World Class Award
June 11, 2001
ATI announces the DV WONDER™, an affordable FireWire PC upgrade for superior video editing
Every DV WONDER™ ships with a free connector cable and industry-leading video editing software
May 30, 2001
ATI opens full range of graphics technology to high-volume board makers
New strategy broadens ATI sales and distribution worldwide
May 29, 2001
ATI unveils TruForm™ rendering technology
Enables creation of smoothest, most natural 3D images ever seen on PC
Enhances current 3D games without compromising PC performance
May 16, 2001
ATI unveils NINTENDO GAMECUBE™ technology at E3
ATI technology delivers blistering graphics performance for Nintendo's new home video game console
May 15, 2001
ATI number one in U.S. retail video card sales
ATI products occupy nine of top 13 spots in NPD Intelect Report
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5.0 Contacting Us
E-mail: devrel@ati.com
Hotline: (905) 882-2636
Fax: (905) 475-3930
Developer Relations
ATI Technologies Inc.
75 Tiverton Court
Unionville, Ontario
Canada L3R 9S3
ATI Developer Relations Web Site http://www.ati.com/developer/index.html.
Head Office, Sales and Marketing Phone: (905) 882-2600
World Wide Web: http://www.ati.com/
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