Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/29/sapphire_hdmi_graphics_card/
Sapphire has claimed to be the first graphics card maker to offer a board with a built-in HDMI port. The card is based on ATI's CrossFire-ready Radeon X1600 GPU.
The Radeon X1600 Pro HDMI's graphics core has 12 pixel pipelines and is connected across a 128-bit bus to 256MB of GDDR 3 clocked to 800MHz. The GPU runs at 500MHz. The board supports ATI's Avivo picture enhancement system.
In addition to the HDMI port, the board has a VGA connector for backwards compatibility - there's a VGA-to-DVI adaptor in the box. The HD-oriented connector is linked to an HDCP chip on board allowing it to transmit copy-protected content. The card has in inside-facing connector for digital audio signals, which are then sent out through the HDMI port.
HDMI is already the de facto standard for connecting HD devices in the consumer electronics world, and it's gaining traction in the PC arena too, particularly for media applications. It's compatible with DVI, but supports audio as well as video. It's a much smaller, more convenient connector than DVI.
The HDMI specification was last week updated to version 1.3.
Sapphire said the board will go on sale next week at around the $155 (£85) mark. ®
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/24/sapphire_zalman_x9150_card/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/10/16/sapphire_boxart_compo/
Sapphire adds DVI output to integrated-graphics PCs (27 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/27/sapphire_launches_add2_card/
Gigabyte readies silent HDMI, HDCP graphics card (23 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/23/gigabyte_preps_hdmi_card/
MSI preps Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT card with HDMI (8 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/08/msi_nvidia_hdmi_card/
BenQ readies 'world's first' HDMI monitor (25 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/25/benq_fp241w_hdmi_monitor/
Chinese CE vendors courted with cheaper HDMI (21 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/21/hdmi_cuts_annual_fee_for_china/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/20/powercolor_launches_hdmi_x1600_board/
Leadtek readies Nvidia 7600-based AGP boards (20 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/20/leadtek_agp_nvidia_7600_boards/
FSP to ship CrossFire, SLI-friendly PSU next week (12 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/12/fsp_booster_x3_shipdate/
GeCube ships HDCP-compliant graphics cards (6 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/06/gecube_hdcp_graphics_cards/
Samsung ships GDDR 4 chip (5 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/05/samsung_ships_gddr4/
ATI sales dip during 'challenging' quarter (30 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/30/ati_results_q3_06/
HDMI 1.3 upgrade finalised, published (22 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/22/hdmi_1-3_spec_posted/
Toshiba unveils 1TB HDD/HD DVD recorder (22 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/22/toshiba_rd-a1_hd_dvd_r/
Sharp ships HD-friendly DVD player (20 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/20/sharp_90_quid_hd_ready_dvd/
Nvidia talks Purevideo HD (12 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/12/nvidia_talks_purevideo_hd/
Asus unwraps HD DVD notebook duo (9 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/09/asus_hd_dvd_notebooks/
Asus readies HDMI-enabled graphics cards (6 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/06/asus_hdmi_enabled_graphics_cards/