Folks:
I'm using g-force as an itunes visualizer, and I'd like some suggestions for a video card that will allow completely smooth operation at a resolution 1920x1200- that won't break the bank. I have currently have a radeon HD 3650 and it mostly does fine- better if I lower the resolution- but especially complex scenes or transitions lower the frame rate. I'm running Vista 64 on a quad-core processor with 8gb of ram, so compute power is not my issue. The video card is a weak link- I purchased it before buying g-force.
I don't have a bunch of ding-dong software running, so g-force gets almost all of my processor. I'm not gaming on this machine, so I'd rather keep the price in the sub $200 range. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
thanks- dd
Suggested video card for G-force
Moderators: BTT, andy55, b.dwall, juxtiphi
Hard to imagine your 3650 really being a bottleneck, but I have a Sapphire fanless 3850 (100% silent, but sizable) and I love it. I'm not a gamer either... just HD video, two monitors running at high resolution (24" 16x9 LCD at 1920x1200 and 21" 4:3 CRT at 1280x960), etc. My machine is dual-core 3.0Ghz, 4GB, WinXP Pro. I also have an ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI card, for watching/capturing TV, which works seamlessly with the 3850 under Catalyst drivers and Catalyst Media Center (TV app).
Retails for around $240, but you can get it here for an unbelievable $74 (assuming it's really in stock as claimed)!! Fan versions of the card are theoretically cheaper (and smaller) than the fanless version from Sapphire, if you don't insist on 100% silent. But this price is too amazing to pass up.
Fanless product 100226U (fan product 100226L)
memory 512MB 256-bit DDR3 vs. your 256MB 128-bit DDR2
clock 668mhz vs. your 600mhz
memory clock 1.656ghz vs. your 500mhz
chipset ATI 3850 vs. your 3650
TV output HDMI vs. your DVI
both have 400mhz RAMDAC
both support 2560x1600 resolution
both support two monitors
Again, the card is sizable but fits fine in my case (uses PCIe 2.0 x16 slot).
Retails for around $240, but you can get it here for an unbelievable $74 (assuming it's really in stock as claimed)!! Fan versions of the card are theoretically cheaper (and smaller) than the fanless version from Sapphire, if you don't insist on 100% silent. But this price is too amazing to pass up.
Fanless product 100226U (fan product 100226L)
memory 512MB 256-bit DDR3 vs. your 256MB 128-bit DDR2
clock 668mhz vs. your 600mhz
memory clock 1.656ghz vs. your 500mhz
chipset ATI 3850 vs. your 3650
TV output HDMI vs. your DVI
both have 400mhz RAMDAC
both support 2560x1600 resolution
both support two monitors
Again, the card is sizable but fits fine in my case (uses PCIe 2.0 x16 slot).
high rez graphics
Anyone know if there is a program that displays different patterns, graphics, images when you play a music track?
I need to get certain patterns for bass, mid-tone, high pitch instruments.
If nothing else I'd settle for any program that plays some sort of graphics like an VU-bar you see in Window player.... but with different patterns.
My use for this to slpice in to a music-video some graphics as they play.
I also need this in hi-rez like 1400X1080 or 1280X720 if nothing else.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Check out some of the music videos: www.myspace.com/karbon45
One particular video shows an example is http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... D=47871845
If the link don't work, the title is: Pitch Black, Music video put into US history
Thanks
I need to get certain patterns for bass, mid-tone, high pitch instruments.
If nothing else I'd settle for any program that plays some sort of graphics like an VU-bar you see in Window player.... but with different patterns.
My use for this to slpice in to a music-video some graphics as they play.
I also need this in hi-rez like 1400X1080 or 1280X720 if nothing else.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Check out some of the music videos: www.myspace.com/karbon45
One particular video shows an example is http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... D=47871845
If the link don't work, the title is: Pitch Black, Music video put into US history
Thanks
Might Not Be Your Card
I can run g-force at that resolution dual 2.33GHz with 2GB of RAM. I don't see how your video card is the problem as I have a Quadro NVS 110M. It can barely run Half-Life 2 at smooth frame rates. Have you tried running g-force on other applications like winamp? I'm wondering if it is some kind of software driver issue rather than hardware. Has fast is each core of your quadcore?
I thought G-Force primarily used the CPU instead of the GPU. I think Whitecap is more GPU focues at that actually has crappy frames on my notebook but excellent frame rates on my desktop which has a crappy CPU and a good GPU.
Might also be a 64-bit issue too. I really think drivers somewhere are what is holding you back. Not your card.
I thought G-Force primarily used the CPU instead of the GPU. I think Whitecap is more GPU focues at that actually has crappy frames on my notebook but excellent frame rates on my desktop which has a crappy CPU and a good GPU.
Might also be a 64-bit issue too. I really think drivers somewhere are what is holding you back. Not your card.
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devandavis
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:43 pm
After playing around further, I'm thinking the video card isn't the issue after all. When watching the performance monitor, Itunes by itself will use 1-2% of the processor, and this jumps to 25% (one entire core) when g-force is running. The ATI gpu monitor will show a 7-8% utilization. When running whitecap, the gpu utilization goes way up (50% or more).
It's really not much of an issue- picky more than anything. It looks good and is 95% smooth. 64-bit Vista isn't officially supported, so I can't really complain.
I have a win xp VM hanging around somewhere on a harddrive- maybe I'll see how it works in a hosted 32-bit XP environment. That won't be a final solution, but it may be an interesting test.
It's really not much of an issue- picky more than anything. It looks good and is 95% smooth. 64-bit Vista isn't officially supported, so I can't really complain.
I have a win xp VM hanging around somewhere on a harddrive- maybe I'll see how it works in a hosted 32-bit XP environment. That won't be a final solution, but it may be an interesting test.
I just wanted to say I bought a Phenom II 940 OC to 3.4GHz (which was really really easy to do) and displays G-Force at 1080p (covering the entire screen) at the high teens to mid twenties. Which is much smoother then my 4000+ which would display at low teens at that resolution.
It really would be nice to get multi-core support. I could get 60+fps easy if I could use all four cores. If I ever win the lottery, I'm coming back here and making them an offer they can't refuse to add multi-core support.
It really would be nice to get multi-core support. I could get 60+fps easy if I could use all four cores. If I ever win the lottery, I'm coming back here and making them an offer they can't refuse to add multi-core support.
Its mostly cpu dependant. I'm currently running 1080p, and when in full screen it slows down to a crawl between transitions and on some visualizations. I have an i7 at 3.6Ghz and CPU utilization is at 85%+ on one core in full screen. The other cores don't even get touched. My GPU setup? 4870 Tri-Fire'd. Viewing GPU utilization is practically nil.
Now this can all be due to the fact that I was on Vista 64, and now Windows 7 64. On Vista 32bit I had an E8500 at 4.0 Ghz and a single 4870 and on 1080p it was much smoother, but again only 1 core was utilized.
Hey sound spectrum, can your subscribers get some real support and create a 64 bit, multi-core, with effective use of GPU acceleration update in your software? I'd even pay a separate sub for it.
Now this can all be due to the fact that I was on Vista 64, and now Windows 7 64. On Vista 32bit I had an E8500 at 4.0 Ghz and a single 4870 and on 1080p it was much smoother, but again only 1 core was utilized.
Hey sound spectrum, can your subscribers get some real support and create a 64 bit, multi-core, with effective use of GPU acceleration update in your software? I'd even pay a separate sub for it.
i think its more of a memory issue you have there as im using a phenom 9950be quad core @3Ghz my graphics is hd3870x2 and my os is win7 x64 utimate. back to the memory issue. i only have 2gb but i get frame rates between 95-105. my memory is running at 960 mhz @cl5 if your using low branded memory like ocz gold ect then this could be your issue because everything els in your computer is equal or better than mine and i have the most basic hardrive u can get another thing u can try is tirning off cpu throttling in ya bios. otherwise Known as speed step. if u a novice.... no prob
just go to power management then advanced and put boath ya minimum and maximum cpu speeds to 100% then u should be getting at least 55+ fps
if no good then download newer drivers >>> ati.amd.com <<<
im using about a 3rd of 2 cores or 17 percent across all cores if its only using 1 core then try task manage set affinity all cores. Mine is on all by default but i put it on 2 when i convert dvd's ect
just go to power management then advanced and put boath ya minimum and maximum cpu speeds to 100% then u should be getting at least 55+ fps
if no good then download newer drivers >>> ati.amd.com <<<
im using about a 3rd of 2 cores or 17 percent across all cores if its only using 1 core then try task manage set affinity all cores. Mine is on all by default but i put it on 2 when i convert dvd's ect
I just added my X-Fi card back into my machine and noticed it smoothed fps greatly, though still some stuttering between transitions. CPU spiked 100% during transitions.
Corsair Dominator DDR3 7-7-7-21 @ 1440 or 8-8-8-24 @ 1600. I have speed step disabled, and CPU OC'd to 3.6Ghz with cl7. Had 3.2 with the cl8. I don't see memory making that big of a difference whether on the Phenom or the Nehalem. I was going to mention the low L2 cache but you have that as well.
Hmm, I won't totally dismiss low cas. When I had my E8500@4.0Ghz + 4870x2 it played smoothly at 1080p, but it was also an older verision, different os, WMP 11. I ran 4 cas with similiar clocks as yours. Affinity is set for all cores. I'm running G-Force thru Windows Media Player 12, but only 1 core gets used. I think thats where my problems lies. I've reinstalled with the same results. Maybe its WMP? Going to try Winamp.
Memory Interface--Tri-Channel And DDR3-1600
Scaling Summary: DDR3 Memory On Core 2, Core i7, And Phenom II
Corsair Dominator DDR3 7-7-7-21 @ 1440 or 8-8-8-24 @ 1600. I have speed step disabled, and CPU OC'd to 3.6Ghz with cl7. Had 3.2 with the cl8. I don't see memory making that big of a difference whether on the Phenom or the Nehalem. I was going to mention the low L2 cache but you have that as well.
Hmm, I won't totally dismiss low cas. When I had my E8500@4.0Ghz + 4870x2 it played smoothly at 1080p, but it was also an older verision, different os, WMP 11. I ran 4 cas with similiar clocks as yours. Affinity is set for all cores. I'm running G-Force thru Windows Media Player 12, but only 1 core gets used. I think thats where my problems lies. I've reinstalled with the same results. Maybe its WMP? Going to try Winamp.
Memory Interface--Tri-Channel And DDR3-1600
Scaling Summary: DDR3 Memory On Core 2, Core i7, And Phenom II
Fixed. (Mostly) Thanks Jason. I've messed around with proc affinity but never set it specifically to 2, and you gave me that idea.
Seems on quad core cpus in Windows 7 x64 or possibly other os's, you must set affinity to 2 cores to distribute the load properly. Any more forces it to 1 core. Tested both on WMP and Winamp. Winamp is faster. I have sound processing enabled on WMP.
Doing this and changing the slider a bit for a faster frame rate has smoothed it out. Transitions are still noticeable. Now my complaint is screen tearing.
What is the command to show fps? Also, what does changing the desired frame rate slider do to image quailty and effects?
Seems on quad core cpus in Windows 7 x64 or possibly other os's, you must set affinity to 2 cores to distribute the load properly. Any more forces it to 1 core. Tested both on WMP and Winamp. Winamp is faster. I have sound processing enabled on WMP.
Doing this and changing the slider a bit for a faster frame rate has smoothed it out. Transitions are still noticeable. Now my complaint is screen tearing.
What is the command to show fps? Also, what does changing the desired frame rate slider do to image quailty and effects?
Unspok3n wrote:
What is the command to show fps? Also, what does changing the desired frame rate slider do to image quailty and effects?
if you want to see what frame rate GF is running at hit the R key and it will be displayed in the top left corner.
as for the sliders the top slider increases frame rate and the bottom increases how much GF reacts to the music.
if increasing the frame rate slows GF down then its a matter of how you have things set to work in your comp.