GeForce 6 series video processor OFFICIAL THREAD

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Originally posted by: bpt8056
Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
My cpu usage hovers around 70. I said it was working, but I don't know if 70 qualifies it as such. My BFG GT is one of those green w/reference cooler ones.

Edit With a A64, so no hyperthreading. Incase people are too lazy to look at my rig.

If it was working, it should show significantly lower CPU load. 70% is still a bit high.
Yes, but it does start to point at cache size helping since Bartons and 512kb A64s like mine have higher usage. More 1mb cache A64 results are in order now :D
 

bigbangtech

Senior member
Mar 9, 2003
280
0
0
Just tried the liquid trailer again, this time with 66.81, no GPU heat increase, still about 100% cpu usage and frames dropping like mad. barton2500, 1.5gb ram, 6800gt@400/1100

ALSO: Using WinDVD playing back a DVD in windowed mode, the GPU temp goes up 6c and cpu is at 10%

With Hardware Acceleration off, GPU temp goes back down and cpu is 25%

So it looks like mpeg decoding is OK >I THINK<
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Bump for more AMD64 1mb cache and P4HT owners.
 

AyashiKaibutsu

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2004
9,306
4
81
It's good to see that extra 512k of cache paying off after it seeming like such a waste (newcastles weren't out when I got mine).
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Originally posted by: heyyoudvd
I'm getting about 74-93%.
System specs please :) Also, frames being dropped or smooth as silk playback?
 

rbV5

Lifer
Dec 10, 2000
12,632
0
0
Q] want to believe it just isn't enabled, but why is it working with the nV43 and not 40 or 45? It's also troubling that even the FX is more effective than either with the content You and I, among others, have been on about the PVP since june or july now, so I'm about out of patience if it's just a matter of enabling support [/quote]

Its hard to say whether the FX is more efficient since Hexus didn't qualify the benchmarks, they do show where the video decoding "should" be if the PVP was working. Its funny that ATI's Marketing FUD sheet Link shows the same Hexus charts, and adds X700XT with even less CPU required for the same processing (where ever they pulled that from) so, if thats anything but BS, the same hold true for ATI parts...current hardware it doesn't work(WMV decode acceleration isn't yet enabled in Catalyst drivers) while next Gen "shows" it working great..wtf?
 

Reckoner

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
10,851
1
81
Wow... that's pretty ridiculous. CPU Utilization ranged primarily in the 90-96% range, with a low of 80%-84% 2-3 times during the playback. Has anyone emailed NVidia about this?
 

fbrdphreak

Lifer
Apr 17, 2004
17,555
1
0
I e-mailed BFG as they are the only manufacturer I would bother asking, in terms of getting a response in the near future. You could e-mail nVidia directly, but I'd imagine you would be bounced around a lot since they technically don't provide support.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
I e-mailed BFG as well, and am awaiting a response.
Hey, maybe the Inq would run with this since it is potentially scandalous in nature? I'll shoot them an e-mail for shats&amp;giggles, can't hurt right?
 

bpt8056

Senior member
Jan 31, 2001
528
0
0
Maybe we should have Derek Wilson take a look into this as well. An article on the GeForce 6 series in regards to the PVP could catch nVidia's attention and actually do something about it.
 

Reckoner

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
10,851
1
81
Here's the response I received from BFG:


Paul,

The video card is not going to cut down your CPU utilization of a WMV
file playback. Play it 2 or 3 times so Media Player can cache the data. My
system is quite comparable to yours, as a matter of fact, Everest rates my
system almost exactly the same as the 64-bit 3200+, so it's safe to say that
our systems are quite the same.

Your GT card will work far better than other Gaming cards of lesser
series, and some from other manufacturers of the same exact type. This I
promise as we market &amp; advertise this card as a Gaming card.

If you're concerned about the CPU utilization, you really should contact
Microsoft, as they created the following:
A) The Operating System
B) The Media Player
C) The file format of the recorded multimedia file
D) The codec (coder/decoder).

The previous listed items have more to do with CPU utilization than the
graphics card. You could try to use another media player, if they can read
the codec or is compatible with WMV files. That's not a guarantee that it's
not going to spike the CPU. My suggestion would be to burn it onto a DVD,
effectively converting the file to a standardized codec, and try playing it
with another DVD program. Good luck.

Mark @ BFG


 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
14 say it works "perfectly" still no screens.. Lots of bullsh1tters in these forums IMO.
 

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
81
Mine was pretty much pegged at 100% the entire time with the 66.70 drivers.
 

billyjak

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,869
1
81
14 say it works "perfectly" still no screens.. Lots of bullsh1tters in these forums IMO.

If you look at my info, I stated it does work perfectly with HT enabled and does not work with HT disabled.
I could care less if you beleive me or not, I don't have to take a screen shot to prove this as I've been here awhile longer than most people in these forums.
 

bigbangtech

Senior member
Mar 9, 2003
280
0
0
Originally posted by: billyjak

If you look at my info, I stated it does work perfectly with HT enabled and does not work with HT disabled.

If it "works" with HT enabled(meaning low cpu utilization), that means HT is helping the decoding, not the NVidia video processor.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Originally posted by: bigbangtech
Originally posted by: billyjak

If you look at my info, I stated it does work perfectly with HT enabled and does not work with HT disabled.

If it "works" with HT enabled(meaning low cpu utilization), that means HT is helping the decoding, not the NVidia video processor.
Yes, but I'm fairly certain he voted before the poll was changed to reflect HT as a factor :) Some of those other votes came before the poll change as well. The rest of those votes however are either A. bullshat B. Floridians who simply have no clue how to vote :p My system runs it flawlessly but only due to clockspeed, and some AMD and P4 users are probably voting wrong because they aren't counting the high CPU usage as a problem, just reporting playback results ;)

The BFG response is unenlightening and fairly generic. It has been shown that the PVP helps decoding with the nV43 so the nV40&amp;45 have either a software or hardware issue that has yet to be resolved, and that's what our collective agenda should be now, to seek a resolution via any avenue that is open to us :light:
 

fbrdphreak

Lifer
Apr 17, 2004
17,555
1
0
I'm still waiting for a response from BFG, so I'm hoping he is looking into in more depth. I have re-pasted the initial response below:
"I will look into this and get back to you once I can get more info on this
subject
Thanks again and if you have any other questions please email us back or
call or live support at 8662343499

Mike G
BFG email"
 

Atif

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 2001
2,423
11
81
Hey Everybody,

I happened to have stumbled across this thread around the time it was posted. I had a meeting with nVidia last night, and thankfully I remembered this thread.

I asked nVidia about the Video Processor (particularly why it was [as many users have been reporting here] that it doesn't seem to do its job) and I was told that the Video Processor IS definitely there in silicone, and it functions, HOWEVER, it has not been enabled in drivers for the Windows XP environment. The Video Processor is effectively used in Windows Media Center PCs with special Microsoft-approved drivers.

I was told that it is possible that the Video Processor will be enabled in a future driver for Windows XP, however at the moment, it is available for the Media Center market. If anybody with a Media Center PC equipped with a 6800-series card would like to chime in with CPU usage numbers, it may be of benefit to us all.

Until Longhorn comes out or Microsoft really decides to start pushing their WMV HD standard, I was told that there is a possibility that an official driver enabling the Video Processor in XP might not be immediately released.

My Own Note: If one is to take a look here at the features page for the Video Processor, one can quickly see that there is absolutely no mention of the Processor being available to XP users, and unfortunately, those who purchased the 6800 series cards assuming support would be available by default obviously (not to be rude here) thought wrong.

Still, if somebody is daring enough, perhaps one could try using the Media Center drivers in XP and see what hapepns? ;)

Peace

 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
31,702
31,584
146
Atif,

Thank you for the info :beer:

Now concerning this remark
If one is to take a look here at the features page for the Video Processor, one can quickly see that there is absolutely no mention of the Processor being available to XP users, and unfortunately, those who purchased the 6800 series cards assuming support would be available by default obviously (not to be rude here) thought wrong.
No offense taken, but is it that we thought wrong, or that nV failed to make it clear in no uncertain terms that this feature they have been promoting on the 6800 series is basically useless to the people who bought the cards? Honestly wtf?!? Why even put it on the 6800 series which are targeted at gamers if it's for the HTPC set??? :confused: Also, why does it work on nV43 in XP and not 40&amp;45? This sounds more and more like a cover-up given the response they provided you with. Not a good reply from nV, not good at all....

To follow up, while it never mentions XP it specifically states that it should be available to XP users in the last sentence
With all of these features and full video processor programmability, the NVIDIA GeForce 6 Series GPUs create a foundation for current and future video device support and flexible viewing options, and have the ability to host a wide variety of sophisticated video applications to suit every consumers needs.
every consumer is an all encompassing statement which clearly includes XP users. This is a serious hedge if nV truly said that, and I hope to hell this doesn't go unchallenged by Anand, Kyle, and the other site owners!
 

Atif

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 2001
2,423
11
81
Hey,

I was just surfing around and noticed this review from way back in April from X-bit labs

X-Bit 6800 Series Overview, Video Processor

And they experienced the same thing I saw last night that reminded me to ask them about the Video Processor (that is, 60% CPU usage on average, according to Windows Task Manager) while playing WMV HD content in XP.

Also, DAPUNISHER, I'm sorry if that part came off as nVidia talking, I was just pointing out for us to see (hindsight 20/20) that nVidia never technically did say that this feature would be enabled for XP. Again, that's NOT nVidia talking, that's just the cynic in me.

Peace