ATI Release Catalyst 3.8

ATI Technologies announced the release of CATALYST 3.8, a new unified software suite update that delivers exciting levels of performance, stability and innovation to the RADEON family of desktop graphics products. The first software suite of its kind to hit the 3D market, CATALYST carries a public commitment by ATI of delivering twelve updates a year.

ATI is on a mission to deliver the most stable, performance-driven and feature-rich software possible, said Ben Bar-Haim, Vice President, Software, ATI Technologies Inc. Key industry support and innovative features like ATI OVERDRIVE and VPU RECOVER help us raise the software performance bar, deliver new and exciting experiences to all PC users and further extend ATI's leadership in the industry.

One of the biggest problems with Microsoft Windows has been stability and one of the biggest causes of instability, until now, has been graphics drivers, said Rob Enderle, President and Principal Analyst, Enderle Group, a firm focused on emerging personal technologies. ATI's successful progress in addressing this problem is impressive. The 3.8 version of CATALYST now represents the state-of-the-art in terms of providing a stable, reliable, and feature-rich PC graphics solution.

The new features of CATALYST 3.8 software suite include:

- ATI's unique patent pending feature, OVERDRIVE, which will enable RADEON 9800 XT users to safely maximize the performance level of their graphics processor. OVERDRIVE operates by dynamically over-clocking the graphics processor, while always ensuring that it stays at a safe temperature;
- VPU RECOVER, a patent-pending innovative software recovery feature that enables the display driver to gracefully recover from graphics hardware hangs. This feature also offers a direct feedback and bug report mechanism and marks a major step towards crash-proof PCs;
- The introduction of SMARTSHADER Effects, a feature that delivers high-end shader effects to older games that lack this functionality. Gamers can now experience their favorite games in a totally new visual environment with stunning new shaders such as Inverse-Color, Sketch, Stylized Black & White and ASCII;
- A new sleek re-designed 3D control panel that allows users to create 3D game profiles for their Direct3D and OpenGL applications. Using profiles, users will no longer have to reconfigure every setting each time they use a different 3D application;
- Dedicated Linux support with aggressive driver releases, six times per year;
- The expansion to ATI's MULTIMEDIA CENTER with the addition of a new player application and EAZYLOOK, offers unparalleled value to built by ATI RADEON and ALL-IN-WONDER users;
- The introduction of an easy-to-use and intuitive version of HYDRAVISION. With a redesigned user interface, HYDRAVISION Basic Edition will provide users with the essential features required to configure and easily use a multiple display setup.