Video Cards and Drivers - PT 1

One of the first things you will learn after investing in a high-end presentation software is that the video card really matters. Gamers already know this, unfortunately most serious computer gamers are not the ones using the presentation software. MediaShout has higher requirements then most PC games. MediaShout uses a Microsoft language called DirectX 9 to render all video within the application which includes video files, DVD playback and live video feeds. Microsoft updates this language every other month and releases new updates to accommodate the ever-changing demands of the gaming industry. The MediaShout programmers occasionally make changes to the instructions used for rendering when they learn the new features and controls that can increase the quality and stability of video playback within the application. The drawback to these changes in programming is the need for users to update the drivers for their video card.
Updating drivers is typically not a problem, however laptops usually require the owner to get driver updates from the manufacturer's website. Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer, Asus, Cyberpower, Toshiba, Sony, IBM all limit driver updates to the ones they provide. My old HP laptop was unable to install drivers from ATI because of an INF file. This INF file is the limiting factor in the drivers install files. I am assuming that the manufacturers want more control over to keep the GPU from overheating. We will address modified drivers in the next post.
With the latest update to MediaShout version 3.2, many users are finding that video files will no longer play. This is simply because the current installed drivers do not understand the new DirectX 9 instructions. There is a language barrier between the software and the video card. The 3.2 update and the full version both contain the full DirectX 9 from Feruary '07. So if your drivers are dated before this, you may have poor or no video playback. The next blog will explain how to find out what the date of your drivers are and how to update them if necessary. Until then....