HP Vectra VEi8 HP Vectra VEi7, VEi8 & VLi8, Technical Reference Manual (V - Page 26

Core Components and Technologies AGP Graphics Controllers 128-bit Dual Bus Architecture AGP Graphics Controllers AGP technology was developed as a means of accessing system memory as a viable alternative to augmenting the memory of the graphics subsystem needed for high quality 3D graphics applications. All the PCs covered in this manual support an AGP device (Matrox MGA-G200, 8MB, not upgradeable, or SiS super AGP, 4MB upgradeable to 8MB). Matrox Millennium G200 AGP Graphics (VEi 8, VLi 8 and VLi 8SF PCs) The Matrox® Millennium G200's 128-bit DualBus architecture uses two independent 64-bit buses to allow faster management of data and process graphics. The G200 graphics chip also provides full AGP 2X optimization based on Symmetrical Rendering Architecture. This enables faster data transfer rates and drawing engine access to both frame buffer and system memory. The Millennium G200 uses a high-speed 250 MHz RAMDAC to eliminate screen flicker and produce crystal clear displays. Its 250 MHz RAMDAC incorporates ultra-high bandwidth DAC for sharp display images. The 128-bit DualBus uses two independent 64-bit buses that operate in parallel inside the graphics engine to effectively double the raw performance of almost every operation. In addition, the 128-bit DualBus architecture uses Dual Command Pipelining so that read and write phases of two consecutive commands can be overlapped and executed simultaneously. This system allows very fast 2D performance even at the most demanding resolutions and color depths. The 64-bit granularity of the 128-bit DualBus means that for frequent copying of small bitmaps and fonts, performance is much higher than with a traditional 128-bit architecture. 26