Beta driver allows AMILO GraphicBooster to shed the external display
By Donald Melanson 
posted Mar 18th 2009 5:35PM
posted Mar 18th 2009 5:35PM
Fujitsu Siemens's AMILO GraphicBooster has already proven itself to be pretty capable when hooked up to an external monitor, but a new beta driver now looks set to make the add-on even more convenient, and let you use it with the Sa 3650 laptops' own display. Better still, that apparently doesn't come at much, if any, expense to performance, but any other details (including word of availability) are unfortunately a bit light at the moment. You can draw your own conclusions from the video after the break, however, although Fujitsu Siemens' inability to produce a video in the proper aspect ratio may not inspire all that much confidence.
[Thanks, Max_P]
[Thanks, Max_P]
The last line is great, Donald! ;)
Winmo beta: Misses the mark
Fujistsu beta: Doesn't inspire confidence
iPhone3.0 beta: (despite being slow and having unremarkable standard features) Fawning praise
So it only brings performance to an external?
Kinda pointless IMO.
Imagine if you could stick two highend cards into that thing and connect it to any laptop! Laptops could get much smaller with weaker cards for better battery life on the road, and such a box with a BEAAAST inside for when you are actually working (and not watching pr0n on the go :p)
I meant to say "So it only brings any real performance to an external?" as from what I understand from the post, it doesn't currently do much for the laptop.
Well, saying that they actually work out these drivers, this is back to looking like my next big purchase. Ive been been looking to either get a mbp for bootcamp (not the glossy new ones, the matte oldies), or this laptop.
If any one wants to respond, are the mbps from a year or so ago effected by nvidia'gate?
Remember the AMILO!
music = zzz.
I really like their idea.. but I would love to have this type for other brands.. I don't like this company..
funny thing is the laptop isn't even super portable, this kind of tech would be much more impressive on, say the Adamo, instead of Amilo
Funny thing is the Adamo isn't even super portable.
Well you're not going to make a gaming machine out of a super-portable because of the CPU power issues. Especially GTAIV.
The only way this product should have been released... The external screen should be an option, but the laptop should be able to run on its own screen....
Or in Apple-bashing jargon, this would be phrased like this:
Samsung should charge extra 50 bucks for this "new" feature.
The laptop of course can drive its own screen with the built in graphics hardware. The external hardware is used to drive an external monitor, with more 3D performance than using the built in graphics chip. What it can do now, or soon, or whatever, is use the external graphics hardware to accelerate the laptop display. So fast(ish) gaming laptop at home, small(ish) laptop on the go.
You gotta wonder why this wasn't standardized years ago, it seems so obvious.. I guess it was a bandwidth issue, moving gobs of graphics-related data through external cables can't be so simple.
With switchable internal graphics cards these days, I'm not sure I see the point of the external graphic accelerator. Well, if I had an older notebook with integrated graphics, this would be a nice addition. But if getting a new notebook, just get one with a gfx card inside.
Well, the idea is that you can opt for a smaller and more portable laptop and still have it able to run games. Most laptops with competent graphics cards are too heavy or just don't get enough battery life for someone who moves around with his computer a lot.
- Michael
1) Graphics cards aren't switchable for most companies even now. I know you can switch Clevo's, but Dells and Apples are still soldered.
2) Because of heat issues, smaller laptops can't fit capable graphic cards. Since you're moving the card outside the box, you can have a high wattage card (like the 3850 in the AMILO) that performs closer to a laptops that weight 7+ pounds.
THAT is one helluva square screen...
Will this be compatible with our laptops such as my MSI VR330 (running on AMD 64 Athlon X2, 2gb DDR2, Geforce Go 6100)? I can barely play Fallout 3 in it with the chops and all. Would be great to incorporate this in it!
Sorry, quite new to these external GPU's. I hope someone could enlighten me. :)
ps. Is this out already? Where can I purchase one?
This thing is out of course... but wont work on another machine that isnt the Fuji Siem Amil Sa3650.
I got it, both the laptop and the graphicbooster, and its great!. Im running it thru a 24" samsung syncmaster and a 27" lcd tv. (pluss the 13.3 of the laptop itself), and Im enjoying a lot!
Why I got it?... because the price I got (40% off discount) and cause I wanted something smaller than a 15.4 for the portability (and commodity) when flying, or in the bus/train.. and then when I got home I just plug the cable, and got the system up and running as a desktop, for working with music, photography, graphic design, 3D and Video editing). and the great thing aswell, is that I got mouse, keyboard and others.. atached to the graphic booster, so I dont need to connect and disconnect them on the laptop! ;)
So... Im happy with it.. Vista 64bit worked great. Now Im on Windows 7 RC, just having the set-up without the graphicbooster, cause I get the Code 10 The Device Cannot Start Issue... hope that Microsoft or AMD/ATI gets a fix soon. (right now, I got the 24" connected thru the laptop and just using the HD3200.. and it works aswell (not as good, but it works) (I know that in older beta versions it works)
PD. ohh.. by the way, there is a beta driver out there already (I got it) that make you able to use the graphicbooster on the laptop screen (again, not in Win 7 RC yet)... but in older betas yes..
Ohhh... Ati just released (yesterday) the 9.5 Catalyst drivers for Windows 7 (32 and 64 bits)... so now I got it working!!! :D
Hey, I'm glad to see that you actually own the two devices :P
I'm considering buying them myself.. but I had a few questions.
I'm a noob when it comes to GPU's because I'm not a gamer.
My hobby is video editing.
I know you need a gpu to watch the video's (in dutch we call it a video card ;)
But does it also help when converting a video or while editing a movie?
I own a Sony CX11 HD handycam which records in the *.m2ts file format (*.mts before importing).
I wanted to know if I can play and edit the HD footage on the laptop.
And does the external graphics booster improve my video experience?
I've read it only boosts graphics on an external screen.
Does that mean I have to edit video on an external screen to get the boost??
It doesn't make that much sense to me xD
I hope you can clear it up a bit.
Thanks in advance.
PS
How does the laptop preform when the graphicsbooster is not connected?
Can you watch *.mkv files for example?