HQV Benchmark 2.0 Analysis – ATi, nVidia and Intel

Overview:
This second chapter focuses on the video processors ability to reduce noise throughout the image in a variety of ways. This is critical to giving a good, clean image as the human eye is very susceptible to picking up noise within a video file.

Notes:
We need to check noise reduction features for all the graphics solutions on test today, and measure the results while ensuring that fine detail is not compromised. Image quality can be reduced by blurring and smearing techniques which means a reduction in the overall scoring. Many HDTV's have noise reduction features built in which can improve image quailty, but we have omitted this today to ensure we are correctly analysing the hardware and driver solution.

Highly compressed digital video displays artifacts on playback and these can appear as noise, blockiness or ringing on the edges of objects. The tests on the coming pages give an indication of how the graphics processor can remove compression artifacts while preserving image detail.

Scoring:
Sometimes it can be hard to see compression artifacts and the tests have moving items which can bring in judder and pulsating artifacts in the images.

Compression Artifacts: Scrolling Text (Score either 5, 3 or 0)
Noise around the edge of the characters is significantly reduced and the characters are not softened. As well, the blocks in the background are softened and not distinct. – Scores 5
Noise between the characters is substantially (not fully) reduced around the edge of the characters. As well, the blocks in the background are softened and not distinct. – Scores 3
No noise is reduced around the characters or in the background. – Scores 0

This is a particularly demanding test and we noticed the best results with the high end ATI graphics cards such as the HD5850 and HD5870. nVidia cards struggled with this test.

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