Computex 2008: Sapphire develops 3D gaming graphics driver

Posted at: 8:37am 3rd June 2008 by Clive Webster in Taipei

New graphics driver to make games 3D, plus new Sapphire 3D screen to run them on.

New 3D gaming technology was on show at Computex, Taiwan today with Sapphire demonstrating two systems using it's new stereoscopic graphics driver and Sapphire-branded 3D monitors. The new driver 'polarise a stereoscopic image, which can be displayed on a two-layer LCD screen' said Bill Donnelly, Global PR Director for Sapphire Technology.

By using a special pair of polarised sunglasses, each eye can only see one of the two layers of the LCD, and when the brain combines the two images from both eyes, it makes the image on screen appear 3D. This is the same technique Nvidia uses for its Nvidia 3D Stereo driver to achieve the same effect.

Donnelly was keen to explain that the new driver is a Sapphire innovation, "ATI doesn't [have a stereoscopic driver]. We've done a proof of concept working with a different monitor manufacturer [than Zalman], using our own driver set to integrate with the ATI driver to deliver 3D not just in games but in the workstation market.'

Donnelly couldn't tell us which monitor manufacturer Sapphire had teamed up with, though the very fact that it was definitely not Zalman is interesting in itself - as Zalman has its 3D Trimon screen that we've seen working with Nvidia cards.

What we can say is that the results of the new driver are impressive, especially as Sapphire has had to write its own driver add-on to get it to work. Only a Ruby demo was playing, but the 3D technology certainly works.


Uncoincidentally, Sapphire was also showing off some Sapphire-branded dual-layer 3D monitors to show the new driver in action. Expect to see Sapphire screen and card bundles for gaming and workstation use soon, as while Donnelly pointed out that`"at this stage it [the stereoscopic driver] is a proof of concept" he also said that, "we're expecting to bring something to market in the next couple of months."