Description of features of graphics cards for output of video, including:
- role of DAC
- role of DSP (to allow hardware decoding of data stream including MPEG files)
Digital to Analogue Convertor (DAC)
Most monitors use an analogue input, the Digital to Analogue Convertor (DAC) is used by the graphics card to convert the digital signal into the analogue signal the monitor can understand.
Digital Signal Processor (DSP)
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU or graphics card) is a DSP that can be used to render 3D graphics or decode video files. It helps reduce the load on the CPU by performing calculation and adding effects as required. The video below shows as GPU using direct X 11 to render a game. These are special hardware codecs.
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