Extremely poor performace with my ATI Radeon AIW 8500 DV!!! Update: Fixed with an RMA!!!!

[Ryan]

Instead of having to repost my story again, a link of it can be found at http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33682369

I honestly don't know what's wrong with my computer - I think I have tried everything. If anyone has any suggestion, let me know

5/16 Edit: Alright, I just did a reformat on my system with a fresh installation of the new 3.4 drivers. I do finally see the Smart Gart tab in Advanced Display Settings, yet the AGP speed is set to 0x with fastwrite off. When I move the slider over to 1x, 2x, or 4x, I can never get the setting to take. After a reboot my agp speed still shows up as 0x. Why would this be happening?!?!?!?!?

6/6 Edit: Yay!@ I got my new card back today from ATI's RMA service and no problems. No luck on getting a better card, though. I got the same model back

 

[sodcha0s]

I know that someone mentioned it, but make sure your bios settings are correct. AGP apeture size should be 128MB for that card. I have that same card in one of my systems, and it performs very well for me. But there is a possibility that the card is defective too. Try it in another system if possible.

 

[bluemax]

Can you define "extremely poor performance"? The 8500DV is clocked about as low as the "LELE" but it's still decent....

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: sodcha0s
I know that someone mentioned it, but make sure your bios settings are correct. AGP apeture size should be 128MB for that card. I have that same card in one of my systems, and it performs very well for me. But there is a possibility that the card is defective too. Try it in another system if possible.

Yes, I have made sure that the ampeture is set to 128mb. Hmm, I guess I could try it another system to see if I still get the poor performance.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: bluemax
Can you define "extremely poor performance"? The 8500DV is clocked about as low as the "LELE" but it's still decent....

Well, my score in 3dMark2001 is 1913 (I know it's not a good benchmark, but even my old Raseon VE from 2001 could score at least 4k) , and when playing videos and games, the playback is choppy. Hell, even when I switch between different browser windows, I can see the screen being redrawn.

I know that the DV version is clocked slower, but this is nuts.

 

[Narse]

It sounds like SMARTGart is not turned on on your system

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: Narse77
It sounds like SMARTGart is not turned on on your system

What's taht?

 

[faye]

i have the agp set to 2x and the fast write: off.

do i have to set it on? i've tried but after i rebooted, it's back to off again.

 

[rbV5]

Is there a reason you're not installing the control panel? it gives you access to the advanced features. Do you know what your FSAA and AF settings are? You are using Cat 3.2, Latest WDM's and MMC? DX9? What is the clock/memory speeds?

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: rbV5
Is there a reason you're not installing the control panel? it gives you access to the advanced features. Do you know what your FSAA and AF settings are? You are using Cat 3.2, Latest WDM's and MMC? DX9? What is the clock/memory speeds?

I have recently installed the control panel, with the latest drivers (until the 3.4s come out), the latest WMD, 8.1 MMC, and DX9. My memory speeds are set the the stock speeds, as the TV tuner will crash my system if I attempt to clock any higher.

Also, I don't have any advanced video controls in the Bios besides the AGP apeture setting, and my default video card (AGP or PCI). Hmm, how can I access more options for the card?

Hmm, I'm thinking I'm going to try one more reformat and see if I can get everything working.

 

[bluemax]

Don't forget it's definately still under warranty... you can always RMA it if it still refuses to cooperate. You might even get lucky and get a 9000AIW as a replacement! (With the all new, much improved TV tuner stuff.)

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: bluemax
Don't forget it's definately still under warranty... you can always RMA it if it still refuses to cooperate. You might even get lucky and get a 9000AIW as a replacement! (With the all new, much improved TV tuner stuff.)

All new much improverd?! What's the difference?

Anyway, I'm going to try and give ATI a call today to see if I can get it RMAed.

 

[bluemax]

What's improved??? Oh man... get Trogdor-d-burninator to tell you all.
In short, the 8500DV's digital TV tuner sucked and was never used again. The newest AIW cards now have a 12-bit tuner and new software that has much, much better quality.

Makes me want one.

 

[Torg0999]

8500 sucks with detonator 3.2, try 3.1. When i upgraded to 3.2 from 3.1 I expirienced all the problems you describe. After going back to 3.1 The performance tripled.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: bluemax
What's improved??? Oh man... get Trogdor-d-burninator to tell you all. In short, the 8500DV's digital TV tuner sucked and was never used again. The newest AIW cards now have a 12-bit tuner and new software that has much, much better quality. Makes me want one.

I love the digital Tuner, MUCH better quality over my old Hauppauge card, but I do have the newest version of all of their software (MMC 8.1, etc - I bought the CD from ATI). I just really love how fast the channel changes I tought that they ditched the Digital Tuner because it was just too big of a heat source, often hotter than the GPU.

 

[rbV5]

The newest AIW cards now have a 12-bit tuner

The newest AIW cards have the same phillips tuner as the original AIW Radeon.

 

[bluemax]

The newest AIW VE, AIW 9000, and AIW 9800 all use that TV tuner?? We gotta' get confirmation....

 

[rbV5]

We gotta' get confirmation....

You're probably confusing the 12bit ADC's used on the Theater 200 chip, which replaces the 9 bit ADC's on Rage Theater, which are responsible for the VIVO features. Seperate from the actual tuner component, which is a Phillips analog tuner.

 

[Computergasm]

There's AIW 8500 DV and AIW 8500. The DV version has more problems thant the non DV version from what I've read.

 

[Ryan]

Alright, I just did a reformat on my system with a fresh installation of the new 3.4 drivers. I do finally see the Smart Gart tab in Advanced Display Settings, yet the AGP speed is set to 0x with fastwrite off. When I move the slider over to 1x, 2x, or 4x, I can never get the setting to take. After a reboot my agp speed still shows up as 0x. Why would this be happening?!?!?!?!?

 

[rbV5]

Why would this be happening?!?!?!?!?

Are you using the latest AGP driver for your MoBo?

 

[faye]

happens to me too.

no matter anything changed in the page. (agp speed, or fastwrite on or off)

after reboot, the setting back to before

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: rbV5

Why would this be happening?!?!?!?!?

Are you using the latest AGP driver for your MoBo?

Yep, all the latest drivers for everything. I doesn't really matter though, because an ATI tech advised me to have it RMA'ed, and I've already submitted the necessary information to ATI, I'm just waiting for them to give me confirmation on the RMA (If I qualify for an RMA, etc).

 

[leolaw]

What can I say,

LOL

 

[Ryan]

Yay!@ I got my new card back today and no problems. To luck on getting a better card, though. I got the same one back