Games looking choppy?

Spirited Away · 06-13-2007, 01:51 PM

Windows XP SP2
AMD Athlon 2700+ XP (2.16G GHz)
Radeon 9600 Pro (256MB)
1536MB (3x PC2700 512MB)
Motherboard: KM18G Pro

When you've uninstalled your graphic card drivers, have you ever browsed down a webpage and noticed how it looks? I have a similar issue showing only on games with my drivers installed.

I've noticed this mainly on 2D games. If I scroll and move the picture it doesn't look at all smooth, you can see faint lines appearing and slightly distorting the image. It does show this on 3D games, it just obviously isn't usually as visible as when you're playing 2D games.

- Tested both ATI and Omega drivers (need to check for the first versions that supported 1440x900 to check earlier versions)
- Turned 'Wait for Vertical Sync' on using CCC and Ati Tray Tools
- Put games in Win 95 compatibility mode and checked all other options
- Changed my desktop resolution to match the resolution of the game I'm playing
- Changed the colour quality setting to 16 bpp

I thought it was my DVD drive playing up until I saw the problem on the 3DMark2001 SE test...

Also, device manager seems think my AGP slot is a PCI slot (set to AGP/onboard in BIOS). I think this might be causing games to run worse than they should on my system, such as C&C: Generals suffering from slowdown on anything above 1024x768 on low settings. It could be somehow related to this problem...

Spirited Away · 06-16-2007, 09:14 AM

Here's a better description of my problem - Horizontal tearing. Does that make it easier for people to help me?

The above image (not my own) should help you understand what I'm seeing.

**pharoah** · 06-16-2007, 11:25 AM

if you have horizontal tearing.that is normally things are happening faster than your monitor can keep up with.do you have a lcd monitor?if so try vsync that will cap the frame rate to you monitors refresh rate.

Spirited Away · 06-16-2007, 11:31 AM

Monitor = Hanns.G HW191D (LCD, 1440x900, 60 or 75 refresh rate)

Already tried turning on 'Wait for Vertical Sync' in both CCC and Tray Tools, no luck.

I'm actually playing Warcraft 3 (not WoW!) as I'm typing this - The problem doesn't seem to be showing up. I would assume it's a 2D game only problem if not for the old 3D games in the 3DMark2001 SE benchmark test showing this.

I do recall managing to fix it on Baldur's Gate 2 (2D game) by ticking a 3D accelerator option the game lets you select in the graphics menu. Haven't seen a similar option in Tray Tools/CCC.

Oddly, The tearing shows up even during the old (Red alert 1 + 2, Tiberian Sun...) C&C intro movies. Don't think it happens at all on C&C: Generals.

**pharoah** · 06-16-2007, 11:50 AM

i looked up your monitor it has a 5ms response time so it shouldnt ghost,or have the problem you are having .i will look into it some more see what i can find.i have a feeling its driver related though.

Spirited Away · 06-16-2007, 12:05 PM

Don't think it's driver related.

Tested: Radeon 9600 Pro CD drivers (very old drivers)
ATI: 7.1 (current), 7.4 and 7.5
Omega Drivers: 7.1 and 7.4

I also use Driver Cleaner 1.5 after every uninstall.

I'm totally out of ideas.

Feel free to suggest as many remedies for this sort of thing as you can, I'll be happy to try anything.

ebackhus · 06-16-2007, 01:52 PM

Wow, did you actually SCREENCAP that tearing or just simulate it with PhotoShop? If it's real then it's not tearing as that's just an artifact caused by frame rates and refresh no syncing.

Spirited Away · 06-16-2007, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirited Away

[IMG]*http://www.macintouch.com/reviews/macpro/macpro_pics/tearing-halo-1.jpg*[/IMG]

The above image (not my own) should help you understand what I'm seeing.

I used google and browsed for horizontal tearing.

Whatever the problem is called, what can I do to fix it? My monitor only supports 60-75 hertz. Since my graphic card/monitor seems to have issues with 75 hertz over VGA and the DVI connection stops working from time to time, I usually use 60 hertz.

Still haven't been able to see this while playing Warcraft 3 at all. The only other non-ancient game I've used is C&C: Generals/Zero Hour; don't think it shows up on that either...

Spirited Away · 06-18-2007, 06:04 AM

This is very odd. I just played Morrowind or the first time (3D) and saw the problem - It stopped after turning on V-Sync (capped at 60 fps now).

Why does the problem persist after V-Sync is on with the Command and Conquer games?

06-13-2007, 01:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Spirited Away Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Games looking choppy? Windows XP SP2 AMD Athlon 2700+ XP (2.16G GHz) Radeon 9600 Pro (256MB) 1536MB (3x PC2700 512MB) Motherboard: KM18G Pro When you've uninstalled your graphic card drivers, have you ever browsed down a webpage and noticed how it looks? I have a similar issue showing only on games with my drivers installed. I've noticed this mainly on 2D games. If I scroll and move the picture it doesn't look at all smooth, you can see faint lines appearing and slightly distorting the image. It does show this on 3D games, it just obviously isn't usually as visible as when you're playing 2D games. - Tested both ATI and Omega drivers (need to check for the first versions that supported 1440x900 to check earlier versions) - Turned 'Wait for Vertical Sync' on using CCC and Ati Tray Tools - Put games in Win 95 compatibility mode and checked all other options - Changed my desktop resolution to match the resolution of the game I'm playing - Changed the colour quality setting to 16 bpp I thought it was my DVD drive playing up until I saw the problem on the 3DMark2001 SE test... Also, device manager seems think my AGP slot is a PCI slot (set to AGP/onboard in BIOS). I think this might be causing games to run worse than they should on my system, such as C&C: Generals suffering from slowdown on anything above 1024x768 on low settings. It could be somehow related to this problem...

06-16-2007, 09:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Spirited Away Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: Games looking choppy? Here's a better description of my problem - Horizontal tearing. Does that make it easier for people to help me? The above image (not my own) should help you understand what I'm seeing. Last edited by Spirited Away; 06-16-2007 at 09:25 AM.

06-16-2007, 11:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
pharoah TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,188 OS: vista business edition My System	Re: Games looking choppy? if you have horizontal tearing.that is normally things are happening faster than your monitor can keep up with.do you have a lcd monitor?if so try vsync that will cap the frame rate to you monitors refresh rate. __________________ Follow These Steps First Power Supply Selection Posting System Specs Oblivion Tweak Guide Video Drivers& Information TSF folding at home team 85015

06-16-2007, 11:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Spirited Away Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: Games looking choppy? Monitor = Hanns.G HW191D (LCD, 1440x900, 60 or 75 refresh rate) Already tried turning on 'Wait for Vertical Sync' in both CCC and Tray Tools, no luck. I'm actually playing Warcraft 3 (not WoW!) as I'm typing this - The problem doesn't seem to be showing up. I would assume it's a 2D game only problem if not for the old 3D games in the 3DMark2001 SE benchmark test showing this. I do recall managing to fix it on Baldur's Gate 2 (2D game) by ticking a 3D accelerator option the game lets you select in the graphics menu. Haven't seen a similar option in Tray Tools/CCC. Oddly, The tearing shows up even during the old (Red alert 1 + 2, Tiberian Sun...) C&C intro movies. Don't think it happens at all on C&C: Generals.

06-16-2007, 11:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
pharoah TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,188 OS: vista business edition My System	Re: Games looking choppy? i looked up your monitor it has a 5ms response time so it shouldnt ghost,or have the problem you are having .i will look into it some more see what i can find.i have a feeling its driver related though. __________________ Follow These Steps First Power Supply Selection Posting System Specs Oblivion Tweak Guide Video Drivers& Information TSF folding at home team 85015

06-16-2007, 12:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Spirited Away Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: Games looking choppy? Don't think it's driver related. Tested: Radeon 9600 Pro CD drivers (very old drivers) ATI: 7.1 (current), 7.4 and 7.5 Omega Drivers: 7.1 and 7.4 I also use Driver Cleaner 1.5 after every uninstall. I'm totally out of ideas. Feel free to suggest as many remedies for this sort of thing as you can, I'll be happy to try anything. Last edited by Spirited Away; 06-16-2007 at 12:06 PM.

06-16-2007, 01:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,262 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: Games looking choppy? Wow, did you actually SCREENCAP that tearing or just simulate it with PhotoShop? If it's real then it's not tearing as that's just an artifact caused by frame rates and refresh no syncing. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

06-18-2007, 06:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
Spirited Away Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: Games looking choppy? This is very odd. I just played Morrowind or the first time (3D) and saw the problem - It stopped after turning on V-Sync (capped at 60 fps now). Why does the problem persist after V-Sync is on with the Command and Conquer games?