GeForce2: Duo Deluxe (7/12)

ASUS V7700 Deluxe

Miscellaneous

Thanks to a Winbond monitoring chip on the board, the ASUS SmartDoctor utility lets you monitor the card’s health at all times. You can check on the fan speed, the 3,3V voltage and even the temperature of the GeForce 2 GTS chip itself. Should the chip begin to overheat, the program warns the user before any damage occurs. "Dynamic Overclocking" is also a very useful optional function. Working in conjunction with the ASUS Tweak utility, it allows controlled overclocking of the chip and memory. Should any of the components begin to overheat, SmartDoctor automatically lowers the clock rate to a safe setting to avoid crashing your game or application. Most hardcore overclockers will probably just shake their heads, either in disbelief or in wonder. Be that as it may, it’s an optional feature, so using it if you like. If you don’t – don’t. Easy.

ASUS SmartDoctor	ASUS Tweak

Notes on the side

Inside the retail box you’ll also find the ASUS DVD 2000 software player which is based on the PowerDVD player. Unfortunately it doesn’t utilize the GF2’s motion compensation capabilities, putting an extra workload on the cpu. The monitor calibration tool 3Deep is supposed to help adjust your monitor to your video card.

I have my doubts as to the usefulness of the video surveillance software VideoSecurity. One possible application would be to check for movement in a room, like a security camera. Just configure the video input as a dummy scanner via the TWAIN driver and let the software display the images into your picture editing program. I honestly don’t see why this program was included, though, since all the features it offers are already covered by ASUS Live and Digital VCR.

Primarily I conducted all my testing under Win98SE. After all, when you buy a GeForce 2 card, it’s going to be for gaming and not for Office work. Besides, Windows2000 has turned out to be a bit slower and more problematic as a gaming platform. Still, Video-In and Out functionalities also work under W2K, although they tend to work less smoothly than under Win9x. For example, changing to TV-Out forces you to reboot your computer, and the screen capture mode still seems to be having some trouble.

Since "Soldier of Fortune" can not be sold to minors here in Germany because of violence issues, the game bundle consists of the aging Drakan. According to ASUS, this might soon change however. The company is contemplating bundling a different game instead. (Rumors have it that it might be Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force. No promises, though. Only hope.)

Rating

94%
Performance: 91% Accessories: 95% Features: 96% Wight: 50-25-25 Recommended sales price: DM 799,-
+ Very good 3D performance - - limited TV-Out functionality (No DualView, limited Overscan) + Lots of functionality   - cable for the glasses is too short + Good video capture performance   - Cheater’s best friend (see-through driver) + Hardware monitoring   - complicated driver menus and some small bugs + 3D shutter glasses       + Video editing software

More informantion on the card: ASUS V7700 Homepage

Copyright: 04.10.2000 -   RIVA Station 2000 - Lars Weinand
No Copy without Permission!

Translation by Benjamin Kraft

URL of this Article: www.rivastation.com/gf2-deluxe_e.htm - If you want to link to it, please use this URL! :-)