Industry’s Biggest Vendors Pledge Support for AMD’s Project FreeSync

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​Today, AMD announced collaborations with scaler vendors MStar, Novatek and Realtek to build scaler units ready with DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync and AMD’s Project FreeSync by year end. Under the technology partnerships, MStar, Novatek and Realtek each will develop a range of DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync-ready scalers to complement the new monitor product cycle in 1Q15. Monitors equipped with such DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync-aware scalers will allow contemporary AMD Radeon™ graphics cards to synchronize display refresh rates and GPU framerates via Project FreeSync to enable tearing and stutter-free gaming along with low input latency.
 
So which technology will have an IPS monitor out first, Gsync from Nvidia or Freesync from AMD?
 
Also, I thought FreeSync worked regardless if you were running an AMD or Nvidia GPU. Is this still correct? The press snippet reads as if its only compatible with AMD Radeon graphics cards.
 
Also, I thought FreeSync worked regardless if you were running an AMD or Nvidia GPU. Is this still correct? The press snippet reads as if its only compatible with AMD Radeon graphics cards.

Freesync is open source, and any GPU that supports it can use it for free

This flies in the face of Nvidia, which while I am sure will get Freesync support soon, Gsync will never be open source
 
Freesync is open source, and any GPU that supports it can use it for free

Good to hear. Some of us like to change up our graphics cards between the two camps from time to time. I'd hate to buy a monitor that no longer supported my GPU because I switched teams. :)
 
Not quite, Freesync is AMD's spin on the VESA Adaptive Sync standard. Freesync is offered royalty free to monitor vendors but I suspect if nVidia wanted to release something that they would have to license it.

From this I take it that Freesync contains some AMD specific features to improve on Adaptive Sync and although the Freesync monitors "most likely" will support Adaptive Sync as well it wont be enough for gaming purposes and thus would lock nVidia out from the broader customer base (unless Adaptive Sync is updated or nVdidia licenses Freesync).

/Q
 
Not quite, Freesync is AMD's spin on the VESA Adaptive Sync standard. Freesync is offered royalty free to monitor vendors but I suspect if nVidia wanted to release something that they would have to license it.

From this I take it that Freesync contains some AMD specific features to improve on Adaptive Sync and although the Freesync monitors "most likely" will support Adaptive Sync as well it wont be enough for gaming purposes and thus would lock nVidia out from the broader customer base (unless Adaptive Sync is updated or nVdidia licenses Freesync).

/Q

Eh?

"Since the dawn of hardware-accelerated graphics, gamers dreamed of liquid smooth gameplay free of stuttering and tearing," said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, Graphics Business Unit, AMD. "AMD's Project FreeSync is aimed at realizing that vision with an open, standardized and license-free approach that will encourage lower prices and wider adoption."

Or does the license-free portion only apply to certain companies?
 
http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/freesync-faq.aspx

  • Royalty-free licensing for monitor vendors;
  • Open and standardized monitor requirements (e.g. no non-standard display controllers or ASICs);
  • Industry-standard implementation via the DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync amendment to the DisplayPort 1.2a specification; and
  • interoperability with existing monitor technologies.

Since the Displayport standard dont have a "monitor vendors" only subclause we can assume that AMD is actually talking about Freesync in this statement. The conclusion seems to be that AMD has tweaked the software aspect of how Adaptive Vsync is specified to better support gaming scenarios.

Edit 1: Added quote from AMD site describing differences between Adaptive VSync and Freesync
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.​ Users are encouraged to read this interview​ to learn more.

Edit 2: If you follow the original link you'll find another link to another HW site (which is why I dont post i directly) that goes into HW details
 
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Sweet. Now combine it with a proper desktop OLED monitor.
I'm done with supporting LCD's. Time to move on.
 
Not quite, Freesync is AMD's spin on the VESA Adaptive Sync standard. Freesync is offered royalty free to monitor vendors but I suspect if nVidia wanted to release something that they would have to license it.

From this I take it that Freesync contains some AMD specific features to improve on Adaptive Sync and although the Freesync monitors "most likely" will support Adaptive Sync as well it wont be enough for gaming purposes and thus would lock nVidia out from the broader customer base (unless Adaptive Sync is updated or nVdidia licenses Freesync).

/Q

I don't think they can open source it and then charge nVidia a license fee. Unless it's open source (royalty free) to all monitor companies but license based to all GPU companies (ie: Intel/nVidia).
 
I just really like the idea of using a power savings feature to also use it for variable refresh rates, brilliant.

Curious to see it when we will get laptops with FreeSync enabled!
 
I don't think they can open source it and then charge nVidia a license fee. Unless it's open source (royalty free) to all monitor companies but license based to all GPU companies (ie: Intel/nVidia).

The trick here is that it isnt open sourced, its royalty free license for selected partners.
 
Yeah, open to MONITOR companies. I think you hit it. I gather NVIDIA is charging royalties for monitor cpmpanies?
 
I rather guess that nvidia is not charging royalties .. those happen by themselves by extra cost of adding required for gsync schematics (IIRC i've heard of $100-150 for that to base price of comparable monitor).
 
"they will use robust DisplayPort receivers from MStar, Novatek and Realtek in 144Hz panels with QHD 2560x1440 and UHD 3840x2160 panels up to 60 Hz."

speaking as a gamer looking longingly at these new 21:9 curved 34" screens with a 3440x1440 resolution; will they be 144Hz or 60z, or something in between?

The whole point is adaptable refresh right...
 
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