VRAM and Video Ram

[hongman]

Hi all

Just got off my A+ course, and I'm more confused then when I went in (as usual)

so, what is VRAM and Video RAM? Difference? Purpose?

Also, I swear somewhere along the line someone said 'Conventional Video RAM'. Is this something different?

The tutor was comparing VRAM and Video RAM to how DRAM works...

If someone could clarify, I'd be most grateful!!

Regards

Confused

PS And look out for my thread on Memory/Bits/Pentium/AMD/Bus width...

[Steve R Jones]

VRAM

Short for video RAM, and pronounced vee-ram. VRAM is special-purpose memory used by video adapters. Unlike conventional RAM, VRAM can be accessed by two different devices simultaneously. This enables the RAMDAC to access the VRAM for screen updates at the same time that the video processor provides new data. VRAM yields better graphics performance but is more expensive than normal RAM.

A special type of VRAM, called Windows RAM (WRAM), yields even better performance than conventional VRAM.



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[hongman]

Short for video RAM, and pronounced vee-ram.

Funny coz I got told explicitly that VRAM and Video RAM were two different things??

I also remember now something about single port and dual port, and reading and outputting at the same time...?

A special type of VRAM, called Windows RAM (WRAM), yields even better performance than conventional VRAM.

I get that bit, as I do SGRAM.

Oh dear

[SuperSparks]

Well now VRAM and video RAM might be different things. As Steve explained, VRAM is a specific type of memory, whereas video RAM is the memory used for the graphics display, regardless of what type it is. It could even be the main PC RAM itself, as is often used by on-board graphics.

[maestro7]

Is it at all possible that somewhere along the line someone is confusing NVRAM or non-volatile ram which is used by EEproms and SRAM???

Just a thought anyway...

[DrMDJ]

I also remember now something about single port and dual port, and reading and outputting at the same time...?

Yes, vram is dual port (each memory cell is really two memory cells, so to speak). This dual port feature is what is meant in the definition Steve quoted when it refers to the RAMDAC (which converts signals between digital and analog) and GPU/CPU both being able to access (read and write) the (video) memory at the same time.

[Nix]

Originally posted by maestro7
Is it at all possible that somewhere along the line someone is confusing NVRAM or non-volatile ram which is used by EEproms and SRAM???

Just a thought anyway...

Yeah I was going to mention NVRAM.

Hongman does your tutor actually have their qualifications.

I guess not or they'd be out doing a job in IT rather than teaching. LOL

[DrMDJ]

Hongman does your tutor actually have their qualifications.

I guess not or they'd be out doing a job in IT rather than teaching

Unfortunately there are more than enough people "doing a job" in IT these days who possess about the same qualifications.

[Nix]

Touche

[hongman]

Hongman does your tutor actually have their qualifications.

In a word, NO. Notice that every Wednesdaynight/Thursday morning either myself or DRead (another member here) have a barricade o Hardware questions?? The 'tutor' is simply reading from a manual, nothing more

Is it at all possible that somewhere along the line someone is confusing NVRAM or non-volatile ram which is used by EEproms and SRAM???

No, at least i dont think so...

Thanks for the replies.

1) So if VRAM is dual port, Video RAM is single?

VRAM is a specific type of memory, whereas video RAM is the memory used for the graphics display, regardless of what type it is.

Ok, got video RAM now. So if VRAM is a specific type of RAM, what is it used for? Where is it found? And how would you distunguish it?

Thanks all

Hong

[DrMDJ]

"Video Ram" is the generic class/term used when describing various types of memory used on graphics adapters, actual anywhere in the video subsystem in general. "VRAM" is a type (one type) of video ram, and (as with other video ram) it is used on graphics adapters. I know it probably seems a bit confusing given that "VRAM" is an acronym standing for "video ramdom access memory", which is what "video ram" would be taken to mean also. Perhaps it would be best to use the term "video memory" instead of "video ram".

As mentioned above, there are other types of video ram/memory besides VRAM. Forms of FPM and EDO, WRAM, SGRAM, DDR SDRAM, etc.

Not sure if you still had a question on this but... One of VRAM's characteristics is that is dual ported (though its not the only type of ram to be dual ported).

[hongman]

I think i got this now, just gotta learn the difference tween VRAM, WRAM, etc etc, but I can do that in my own time.

Many thanks for all your help!!

Hong