Color Bar / Vertical Detail

The first test on the DVD is the "Color Bar / Vertical Detail" test and evaluates how well a video processor can distinguish between moving images and still images. This is important because making the wrong decision has serious consequences on image quality. If the image is still, the wrong decision means that you lose half of the resolution. If the image is moving, the correct decision means that you will have feathering artifacts.

ATI had a perfect score in the last test, and with Catalyst 5.13 there's no difference. The ATI card flickers for a second or so, but then realizes that the image is not-moving. Both NVIDIA and XGI drop resolution but do not flicker meaning that NVIDIA and XGI have a harder time detecting when things are moving or not.

ATI

NVIDIA

XGI (the dithering artifact is from the capture device)

Score:
1st place: ATI (10 points)
Tied for 3rd place: NVIDIA and XGI (5 points)

Interpretation:
The ATI is the best solution for picture slideshows where there's no animation.