Best Graphics Card for me

[Christian]

Hi Trolly

If your pc is running stable you don't need a new PSU. If your graphics card doesn't get enough power your pc will crash whenever you run graphics heavy programs (eg FS). A better PSU won't give you better performance - unless you haven't connected your 6600GT to the PSU. If you haven't, your card will run in a slower mode.

Switching PSU is pretty painless. Old one out, new one in - that's it. Probaby one day Windows licenses will refuse to run because you switched PSU and besides demand a hard drive format, but luckily we aren't there yet

Cheers,
Christian

[brownbox]

good to see you got it sorted Trolly

Im guessing on your setup, youll probably wont about a 400w psu. Let this place help
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

[ardypilot]

Anyway, feel free to test the card some and you can make a decision next week after you've had a chance to put it through its paces

Well, so far, this is what I have noticed:

Bad stuff:
Scenery in distance is blurred, really noticably. The textures I am talking about are about 25nm from my aircraft's position. This never used to happen with my 5600 setup. <- (main concern)

FSNAV takes agggges to start up. Every view change I make (left, right, up, down, zoom in/out), the whole world airport, vor and mountain data reloads. Again, never happened with the 5600 with same drivers.

When changing to spot view, the aircraft's textures take a couple of seconds to load before the appear on the blank white/grey external model.

When panning around in spot view, the terrain flickers with white/blue empty squares.

Black screen flickering when changing postion/ time and date/ weather/ aircraft in select a flight menu, and on the loading screen.

Good stuff:
Increased, smoother FPS.

So, anyone know how to solve my problemos? I guess I really need to buy a whole new system, but $$$ don't allow at the moment. Also, was it nessecery for me to rebuild my entire FS9.cfg when installing the new GFX card? I still have my old one backed up...

[ardypilot]

BUMP!

I emailed FSNAV, and they told me to try the '78.01' drivers from nvidia. I cleaned my new drivers out with drivercleaner, installed the 78.01 ones but it made no difference...

Help me please someone!

[Bingobob]

You still running a 300W PSU? Thats you first problem you really should have minimum of 400W or better. More power easier it runs it helps to get a good name power supply as well. Your local friendly PC shop should be able to help.

Try the Nvidia Detonator 71.84, last I heard that was the most stable driver for the 6600GT cards. Should know I got it in this system and it works.

But your power supply is not strong enough.

[ardypilot]

But your power supply is not strong enough.

Oh ok, so you are sure that getting a 400w PSU would soulve the problems I listed?

Thanks for the 71.84 info- I'll go get that now

[Bingobob]

Yes!

Assuming you get a good brand and not a el cheapo from Dickie Smiths. Even then you may occasional encounter a warning on startup that Nvidia has detected low power supply to graphics card and features have been switched off. Nothing to worry about for some reason it only happens on cold days

Seriously aim for bigger than 400W if possible, like I said more Power

[Bingobob]

After thought

How old is your PSU? The more use it gets the more it will have degraded.

[ardypilot]

Is this the driver you were referring to Bingo?
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_71.84.html

Also, my PSU is pretty old. Came with my PC when I bought it almost two and a bit years ago. Is this PSU decent, or would you call this one an el cheapo: http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?item=PSUATR0500

[HardCorePawn]

Trolly,

I doubt that getting a better PSU will cure your blurries and texture loadings issues. A new PSU should fix the Internal Power Errors, you mentioned in your other thread.

The blurries and Texture issues are going to be driver and, more likely IMHO, due to bus speed related (ie. the fact that you are running an 8x AGP card in a 4x AGP slot.)

Obviously the only way to fix that is to get a new mobo... but if you're going to do that, I would recommend MOBO+CPU+RAM+Vid.

Looks like my 6600GT is going to be a no-go... I'm sorry that it didnt work out

[ardypilot]

Thanks for the advice HCP- Even if getting a new PSU did solve the blurries, I can't really be bothered splashing out $170+ just for the sake of 4 or 5 extra FPS. I guess I will just sake my money for a new PC sometime in the future.

due to bus speed related (ie. the fact that you are running an 8x AGP card in a 4x AGP slot.

On the other hand, unlike the NX6600, this card lets me choose for it to be 4x compatable:

If it is ok with you, I will continue to test it for a few more days with some more research and different drivers. PM me if you need to

Cheers mate.

[Christian]

Hi Trolly

Firstly check if your video card is connected to the PSU. The 6600 needs external power.

Secondly, if you rebuilt your FS9.cfg make sure you change the terrain texture settings. Not sure on top of my head what good settings are, but Justin Tyme from fsgenesis has published some good values - google it. The default FS9.cfg has really blurry textures - looks awful.

Another thing you can try is adjusting the AGP settings in the bios. That may help with the texture loading issue.

Cheers,
Christian

[Jimmy]

On the other hand, unlike the NX6600, this card lets me choose for it to be 4x compatable:

Its most likely thats just an option with the software your useing there, it may not actuly be supported by your card itself See its got the PCI-e option there too, so somethign made for a wide range of cards.

kepp trying, youl get there in the end
James

[ardypilot]

Firstly check if your video card is connected to the PSU. The 6600 needs external power.

Yep, it definitly is.

but Justin Tyme from fsgenesis has published some good values - google it.

Thanks. I had a good search but found nothing- got a link?

Try is adjusting the AGP settings in the bios.

Instructions please?

Also, if anyone is using ZoneAlarm Pro 7.0, do you know how to stop the pop ups that come up when it checks for the latest updates? When I'm running a full screen program such as FS, it minimizes to the desktop when it happens.

Cheers.

[Christian]

these are my settings:

[DISPLAY]
UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=25
TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=100
TextureMaxLoad=10
[TERRAIN]
TERRAIN_ERROR_FACTOR=100.000000
TERRAIN_MIN_DEM_AREA=10.000000
TERRAIN_MAX_DEM_AREA=100.000000
TERRAIN_MAX_VERTEX_LEVEL=21
TERRAIN_TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=8
TERRAIN_AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5
TERRAIN_USE_GRADIENT_MAP=1
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_TEXTURES=1
TERRAIN_DEFAULT_RADIUS=9.500000
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_RADIUS=4.500000
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_LEVELS=3

Not sure if they are the best, but definitely better than default.

The AGP settings are a bit fidgety and may not change anything. There is only one setting, name depends on BIOS but should be obvious, something like 'AGP bandwidth' and then you can set different MB values. Try values between 64MB and 256MB and see if that makes a difference.

Christian

[ardypilot]

Hi again Christian,
I coped that terrain and display section into my cfg file, but didn't notice a difference.

I then went into my BIOS and found a setting called "Graphics Apature Size" and changed it from 128mb to 256mb, but again, did not notice a difference in FS. I'm wondering if it should still be 128mb as both this card, and the last one I had, had 128mb onboard memory.

Its most likely thats just an option with the software your useing there, it may not actuly be supported by your card itself

I also found an option to use AGP 1X, 2X or 4X, and it was on 4x, so I guess my mobo supports it?

[Christian]

Looks like you can run AGP 4x

Try reducing Graphics Apature Size. Maybe try setting it to 0 first and see if that makes a difference. If that doesn't do anything it's beyond my wisdom.

[Bingobob]

I am cautious on advising you further due to my own business commitments

Ideally a AGP 8x capable motherboard would get the best effect out of the A6600 GPX and almost certainly as I stated elesewhere the PSU should be more meaty than the 300w hairdryer motor you have installed.

What your trying to do is put 91 octane fuel in a car designed for 98 and expecting it to perform well on hills

My ultimate advice to you is build a new system otherwise you will be just throwing money away. If it aint broke dont fix it.

[ardypilot]

Thanks for all the help guys, but I couldn't get Jared's 6600 to work any better in my system any better, so I gave it back to him today.

I now have my old 5600 back in place, and the distant clarity really does make a big difference for me when simming. I guess "I didnt know what I got 'till it gone". Next time I think about upgrading, it will be a whole new system!

[Zöltuger]

Next time I think about upgrading, it will be a whole new system!

*cough* FSX *cough*