GV-Combo A Cards provide higher frame rates than GV-Combo Cards in most resolutions. GV-Combo A Cards also feature a Turbo Mode for high-speed recording. While GV-Combo A Cards have better performance, they require more powerful CPUs due to the higher frame rates and compression codecs that use more system resources but provide smaller file sizes. Both card types will see increased CPU usage under identical video sources with high motion scenes occurring simultaneously across channels.

1. About GV-Combo A Cards
Article ID: GV15-10-03-19
Release Date: 03/19/2010
What are GV-Combo Cards and GV-Combo A Cards?
GV-Combo Cards are GV-1120, GV-1240 and GV-1480 of version 1.02, 1.10, 2.00 and 2.01.
GV-Combo A Cards are GV-1120A, GV-1240A and GV-1480A of version 3.1, 4.2 and 4.21.
Are GV-Combo Cards and GV-Combo A Cards the same?
No. In terms of cardboard design, GV-Combo Cards and GV-Combo A Cards are different in
the card layout and driver. In terms of recording performance, GV-Combo A Cards have
higher frame rate in most of VGA, D1, Half VGA and Half D1 resolutions than GV-Combo
Cards.
GeoVision Inc. 1 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

2. The two different drivers that you can find in Windows Device Manager are listed below. Make
sure you install the correct driver for your GV-Video Capture Card; otherwise the video
capture card cannot work properly.
Model Entry
GV-Combo Cards GV1480/GV1240/GV1248/GV1120 Driver
GV-Combo A Cards GV1480A/GV1240A/GV1248A/GV1120A/GV1008
GV-Combo Card Driver Entry GV-Combo A Card Driver Entry
GeoVision Inc. 2 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

3. What is the performance comparison between GV -Combo Cards
and GV Combo A Cards?
Compared to GV-Combo Cards, GV-Combo A Cards provide higher frame rate
performance in most of VGA, D1, Half VGA and Half D1 resolutions. Up to two-fold increase
in frame rate is possible when using GV-Combo A Cards.
In addition to higher frame rate, GV-Combo A Cards feature Turbo Mode which allows
recording at the high speed at VGA and D1 resolutions.
Comparison 1:
The following is a frame rate comparison of GV-Combo Cards and GV-Combo A Cards in
different resolutions based on MPEG-4 (ASP) codec.
Single Card
Codec: MPEG-4 (ASP)
GV1480 GV1480A GV1240 GV1240 A GV1120 GV1120 A
NTSC
FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total)
VGA 120 240 120 120 80 80
D1 120 240 120 120 80 80
Half VGA 240 480 120 240 100 120
Half D1 240 480 120 240 100 120
Turbo VGA None 416 None 240 None 120
Turbo D1 None 352 None 240 None 120
GV1480 GV1480A GV1240 GV1240 A GV1120 GV1120 A
PAL
FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total)
VGA 100 200 100 100 72 72
D1 100 200 100 100 72 72
Half VGA 200 400 100 200 86 100
Half D1 200 400 100 200 86 100
Turbo VGA None 400 None 200 None 100
Turbo D1 None 320 None 200 None 100
GeoVision Inc. 3 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

4. Dual Cards
Codec: MPEG-4 (ASP)
GV1480 x 2 GV1480A x 2 GV1240 x 2 GV1240 A x 2 GV1120 x 2 GV1120 A x 2
NTSC
FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total)
VGA 240 480 240 240 160 160
D1 240 480 240 240 160 160
Half VGA 480 960 240 480 200 240
Half D1 480 960 240 480 200 240
Turbo VGA None 832 None 480 None 240
Turbo D1 None 704 None 480 None 240
GV1480 x 2 GV1480A x 2 GV1240 x 2 GV1240 A x 2 GV1120 x 2 GV1120 A x 2
PAL
FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total) FPS (Total)
VGA 200 400 200 200 144 144
D1 200 400 200 200 144 144
Half VGA 400 800 200 400 172 200
Half D1 400 800 200 400 172 200
Turbo VGA None 800 None 400 None 200
Turbo D1 None 640 None 400 None 200
Comparison 2:
The following tables are another testing result of comparison between GV-Combo Cards
(GV-1480 X 2) and GV-Combo A Cards (GV-1240A X 2). Previously you need to use 2
GV-1480 Cards to reach the expected frame rate at VGA, D1, Half VGA and Half D1
resolutions. Now 2 GV-1240A Cards can achieve the same frame rate as 2 GV-1480 Cards
with similar CPU usage.
GV-1480 X 2 Frame rate Live CPU usage% Rec CPU usage%
VGA 240 4.38 33.45
D1 240 4.68 37.45
Half VGA 480 4.99 31.87
Half D1 480 5.14 34.65
GV-1240A X 2 Frame rate Live CPU usage% Rec CPU usage%
VGA 240 4.38 33.64
D1 240 5.22 38.73
Half VGA 480 5.7 35.24
Half D1 480 6.02 40.07
Note: The test is run on Intel G43 chipset with the CPU of Q8200, 2.33G.
Other testing conditions include using non-identical videos, GV-System
V8.3.3 and NTSC video source.
GeoVision Inc. 4 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

5. How about CPU usage with identical and non-identical videos?
Under a testing environment, you may connect multiple channels of identical videos to the
GV-Combo A Cards. In this case, the CPU usage could increase by 7% on average during
recording due to high motion scenes simultaneously occurred on all channels. However, each
video capture card is no exception in consuming more CPU usage when high motion or
complex scenes occur on all channels exactly at the same time. And in a real surveillance
environment, video images will not be identical and the occurrence of high motion scenes on
all channels is temporary not continuing. Therefore, in terms of non-identical or live video
images, the CPU usage is the same between GV-Combo Cards and GV-Combo A Cards. It is
highly suggested to use non-identical or live images for your testing.
What is GV-Combo A Cards performance in a different codec?
No matter which GV-Video Capture Card you use, its recording performance varies among
compression codecs. That is because each codec has a different compression speed and
size which are intended for different applications and purposes. However, remember the
general rule that use of better codec means increasing workload of CPU and the frame rate
may also be influenced.
Comparison 1:
MPEG-4, MPEG-4 (ASP), H.264 and H.264 V2 are four types of codec used by the
GV-System. The following is a comparison for these four codecs.
Codec MPEG-4 MPEG-4 (ASP) H.264 H.264 V2
Comparison
Compression High Default Lower Lowest
Speed
Compressed File Largest Large Small Smallest
Size 15% less than 30% less than 40% less than
MPEG-4 MPEG-4 MPEG-4
CPU Loading Low Medium Higher Highest
Based on different codec properties mentioned above, if you set the codec to be H.264 or
H.264 V2 for GV-Combo A Cards, the expected frame rate may not be achieved due to low
compression speed and high CPU loading but you will get much smaller file size than using
MPEG-4.
GeoVision Inc. 5 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

6. Comparison 2:
The following is another test result of file size and CPU usage with different codec
applications on GV-1480A. According to the rule that better codec means higher CPU usage
and smaller file size, H.264 V2 has the highest CPU usage (76% ~ 85%) and smallest file size
(197.1 MB) at Half D1 resolution.
GV-1480A MPEG-4 (ASP) MPEG-4 H.264 H.264 V2
File size 248.1 396 181.5 131.4
CIF
CPU usage 12%~15% 10% ~ 14% 14% ~ 17% 22% ~ 27%
File size 247.2 399 187.5 122.4
320 x 240
CPU usage 13% ~ 15% 12% ~ 14% 14% ~ 18% 25% ~ 30%
File size 351 498 231 192
VGA
CPU usage 16% ~ 18% 13% ~ 17% 25% ~ 30% 51% ~ 60%
File size 315 415.5 205.5 171.6
Half VGA
CPU usage 16% ~ 18% 14% ~ 16% 23% ~ 29% 65% ~ 77%
File size 384 543 258.6 219
D1
CPU usage 16% ~ 20% 14% ~ 17% 42% ~ 50% 63% ~ 68%
File size 355.5 481.5 240 197.1
Half D1
CPU usage 18% ~ 22% 14% ~ 18% 28% ~ 37% 76% ~ 85%
Note:
1. The test is run on P55 motherboard with the CPU of Core i7, 2.8 GHz. Other testing conditions
include using non-identical videos and GV-System V8.3.3.
2. The file size is based on 32-channel recordings for one minute; the unit is MB.
3. The testing results are for reference only, and cannot be used to infer the file size in a real recording
environment.
GeoVision Inc. 6 Revision Date: 3/19/2010

7. Conclusion
GV-Combo A Cards not only have better recording performance than GV-Combo Cards, but
also feature Turbo Mode. Because of higher frame rate, GV-Combo A Cards require more
powerful CPU capability or PC specifications. There is no exception for every video capture
card in higher CPU usage when you apply identical video images with high motion scenes
simultaneously or use better compression codec.
For the minimum system requirements of GV-Combo A Cards, please visit our website:
GV-1480A http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/product/GV-1480A.htm
GV-1240A http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/product/GV-1240A.htm
GV-1120A http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/product/GV-1120A.htm
GeoVision Inc. 7 Revision Date: 3/19/2010