GeForce 6 series video processor OFFICIAL THREAD

[epking]

Originally posted by: Malichite
Just thought I should post this since I have seen severals posts claiming that the GFFX is performing better at the WMVHD videos than the 6800. Well I just upgraded tonight from a Gainward 5900 128M O/Ced to 475/950 to a BFG 6800 Ultra OC on a A64 3200+ (754 chip so it has 1M cache). Since this seemed such a hot topic and I didn't want my new video card to tank on playback of DiVX/DVD/WMVHDs. Using the 1080p version of "Step Into Liquid" both of my cards performed close to identical (e.g. both run in the 65-80% region) using the same driver 67.02. I understand this does nothing to show that the 6800 WMVHD hardware acceleration is working (actually the opposite), but this is at least one example that there is no decrease in playback performance between the 5900 and 6800 Ultra OC using 67.02 drivers.

Realistically I bought the card for the 3D performance and not the video playback, but at the same time I didn't want to get downgraded performance. Overall I am quite pleased with my new 6800 Ultra OC.

-Malichite

yeah, thanks for the info, I think this is almost certainly due to your A64 with 1M cache. In otherwords, it appears to be above the threshold so your cpu is able to handle the huge load that the 6800, passes the buck, so to speak, onto the CPU.
In my experience with the 9500/700series, and 9600/9800 series, and from what others are reporting about the FX's... these 6800's put a bigger burden on the cpu than any other modern dx9 level card, including inferior ones. Particularly in WMV playback. It seems that in .wmv and dmr9 mode, none of the pixelshader pipelines are utilized on the 6800 series only. That seems why there is a disproportionate load on the cpu with 6800's, and disproportionately poor performance with the 6800s. That is what is so frustrating about a $400 card.

also malichite, if you don't mind, since you have both cards and you just switched out, did you run the tests as normal or in vmr9 mode? Vmr9 mode forces hardware (or attempts to force it,) and this exposes the 6800's weakness in a number of ways. One can turn it on via windows mediaplayer /options, then make sure to uncheck overlay mode. then check use hardware accel, and high quality mode. Sorry if you already know all this. But if you haven't run it that way, if you don't mind please try that. I'm not sure if your A64 will handle it smoothly or not. Some have reported problems with as high as FX chips.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

December 20th eh? That would make a nice x-mas :gift: They could throw in a copy of the new DVD Decoder too *wink wink nudge nudge*

 

[Malichite]

also malichite, if you don't mind, since you have both cards and you just switched out, did you run the tests as normal or in vmr9 mode? Vmr9 mode forces hardware (or attempts to force it,) and this exposes the 6800's weakness in a number of ways. One can turn it on via windows mediaplayer /options, then make sure to uncheck overlay mode. then check use hardware accel, and high quality mode. Sorry if you already know all this. But if you haven't run it that way, if you don't mind please try that. I'm not sure if your A64 will handle it smoothly or not. Some have reported problems with as high as FX chips.

Actually no I was simply testing with the default settings, but I receive the same result on my 6800 Ultra if I mess with the overlay or completely disable video acceleration. So I am sure it is just my processor pulling me through. I am still happy as long as I am not really affected because it is actually nice to run some of the newest games with better AA and higher Aniso setting.

Hopefully this gets resolved and we are just experiencing some driver delay due to nVidia waiting for some magic date (i.e. just like the new 67.02's that appeared near the HL2 launch).

-Malichite

 

[imported_humey]

NVIDIA Forceware 70.90 XP/2000

http://www.station-drivers.com...nvidia%20forceware.htm

beta

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: humey
NVIDIA Forceware 70.90 XP/2000

http://www.station-drivers.com...nvidia%20forceware.htm

beta

Yup, beta. And no description at guru for what this driver is supposed to fix. Maybe I'm missing some fundemental aspect of the nVidia scene. But why not offer a thoroughly tested, WHQL certified driver, say, every other month instead of a "leaked" driver of dubious quality on a weekly basis?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Maybe I'm missing some fundemental aspect of the nVidia scene. But why not offer a thoroughly tested, WHQL certified driver, say, every other month instead of a "leaked" driver of dubious quality on a weekly basis?

Free massive beta-testing Just peruse the boards around the net and see what the feedback on them is and what bugs users post up.

Anywho I'll wait for the 20th and see if that rumor proves accurate.

 

[imported_humey]

With the release of the 70.90 drivers we can tell you that NVIDIA seems to have added support for the NV34 (6200Core) chip and another new NV44 chip. I guess we can expect some new cards coming up really soon....


Im still going to install it with new leaked beta nforce mobo drivers and see what transpires, prob nothing

 

[bpt8056]

Originally posted by: Ice27181
On http://www.computerbase.de/new...ruevideo-treiber_2012/
ther is a report (it's in german ) that nVidia will release a "PureVideo-enabled driver" on December 20th.
I don't know where they have that information from or what exactly this driver will be, but it's the first time I read anything concerning a video driver on an official news site!
Does anybody know something more about that?

Thanks! I updated the first thread with that piece of info.

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Maybe I'm missing some fundemental aspect of the nVidia scene. But why not offer a thoroughly tested, WHQL certified driver, say, every other month instead of a "leaked" driver of dubious quality on a weekly basis?

Free massive beta-testing Just peruse the boards around the net and see what the feedback on them is and what bugs users post up.

Anywho I'll wait for the 20th and see if that rumor proves accurate.

Ah, so the idea is to use my precious gaming rig as a crash dummy? :Q

It the 20th now, huh? Okay then!

 

[y0bailey]

good news on the 20th....i will be very happy if its true.

on a side note the newest leaked beta drivers 70.90 seem to be helping me out a little on step-into-liquid, but i'm too lazy to go into BIOS and turn HT off right now, so i may just be losing my mind

 

[Genx87]

I never really got an explanation on my Step into Liquid would top my CPU out while other HD movies with similar bit rates would be around 50% CPU.

 

[redDragon128]

Originally posted by: HardWarrior

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Maybe I'm missing some fundemental aspect of the nVidia scene. But why not offer a thoroughly tested, WHQL certified driver, say, every other month instead of a "leaked" driver of dubious quality on a weekly basis?

Free massive beta-testing Just peruse the boards around the net and see what the feedback on them is and what bugs users post up.

Anywho I'll wait for the 20th and see if that rumor proves accurate.

Ah, so the idea is to use my prescious gaming rig as a crash dummy? :Q

It the 20th now, huh? Okay then!

well, all I can say is I'll believe it when I see it .

 

[epking]

Originally posted by: Genx87
I never really got an explanation on my Step into Liquid would top my CPU out while other HD movies with similar bit rates would be around 50% CPU.

stepintoliquid and alexander are actually true 1920x1080P (as in progressive) This is extremely hard on just your cpu with no assistance from the Video card. It appears that every other dx9 level card, more or less, except for the 6800s, is able to offload some of the strain onto the hardware. Since the VPP is broken on the 6800s, it sends a disproportionate burden onto the CPU compared with other cards, older inferior cards in fact.

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: epking

Originally posted by: Genx87
I never really got an explanation on my Step into Liquid would top my CPU out while other HD movies with similar bit rates would be around 50% CPU.

stepintoliquid and alexander are actually true 1920x1080P (as in progressive) This is extremely hard on just your cpu with no assistance from the Video card. It appears that every other dx9 level card, more or less, except for the 6800s, is able to offload some of the strain onto the hardware. Since the VPP is broken on the 6800s, it sends a disproportionate burden onto the CPU compared with other cards, older inferior cards in fact.

what older cards can do hardware WMV decode?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Ice27181
On http://www.computerbase.de/new...ruevideo-treiber_2012/
ther is a report (it's in german ) that nVidia will release a "PureVideo-enabled driver" on December 20th.
I don't know where they have that information from or what exactly this driver will be, but it's the first time I read anything concerning a video driver on an official news site!
Does anybody know something more about that?

Well, that will certainly be interesting to look at, once it is released. Btw, I recently found out, that "PureVideo", is listed as some sort of Matrox Parhelia feature. I wonder if NVidia realized that when they picked the name? I'm guessing not.
link, scroll down a ways
The other interesting thing is whether or not video-decoding performance will likewise improve for GFFX 5700/5900-series cards. Especially since those cards don't even have a 'PVP' in them. So if they accelerate too... well, you know what that would indicate relative to the 6800 AGP's PVP functionality, right?

 

[epking]

what older cards can do hardware WMV decode?

assistance from the Video card

key phrase here. the dx9 cards assist in VMr9 mode, the pixel pipelines help with video. With the 6800, everything is offloaded to the CPU. This is why people with 6800;s in their machines experience a slideshow when viewing for example .wmv with vmr9, whereas, 1 day prior with their other lesser graphics card the video played it fine.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: mcveigh

Originally posted by: epking

Originally posted by: Genx87
I never really got an explanation on my Step into Liquid would top my CPU out while other HD movies with similar bit rates would be around 50% CPU.

stepintoliquid and alexander are actually true 1920x1080P (as in progressive) This is extremely hard on just your cpu with no assistance from the Video card. It appears that every other dx9 level card, more or less, except for the 6800s, is able to offload some of the strain onto the hardware. Since the VPP is broken on the 6800s, it sends a disproportionate burden onto the CPU compared with other cards, older inferior cards in fact.

what older cards can do hardware WMV decode?

Obviously thier FX5950 could since I was seeing 50-75% with it, now with 6800GT seeing 95-100% CPU and missed frames first run.

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: redDragon128
well, all I can say is I'll believe it when I see it .

Work with me, RD! I'm trying to be POSITIVE! TBH, I'll be amazed if NV pulls it off after all this time.

 

[Genx87]

Ok cool, but I thought the Radeon cards offloaded? My AIW 9600 Pro tops out at 100% CPU and drops frames like mad in Step into Liquid.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

N/M found one done in late October.

 

[Zebo]

linkin just when I started encoding I did'nt even know what it was till you told me about it DP. Now I'm "backing up" everything.

 

[Chippy99]

Originally posted by: redDragon128
However, we do know that the 6800 video processing engine is turned off in the current drivers, for whatever reason.

I would think the "reason" is because if they try to pass any of the decoding to the GPU, the whole thing falls over with its legs in the air? So they had to disable it.

The way I read it is that the video decoding hardware is partially broken. Possibly completely broken, but I dounbt that, since HD Mpeg2's seem to work OK and nVidia are hinting at a fix, which would be hard to do if the hardware was truly borked!

But assuming part of the video decoding hardware is borked, you can imagine what would happen if the driver attempted to pass some work to the GPU: You'd get video corruption perhaps, crashes perhaps, blue screens etc. I can well imagine that this is what nVidia saw for themselves when they tested the silicon first coming off the production line. So they thought, "Oh dear" (paraphrased ;-). And they then disabled the hardware decoding in the driver, hoping no-one would notice for a while. This is my guess.

They have probably been beavering away in the background trying to figure out how to rescue this enormous screw up. So they are (allegedly) soon going to release a driver that will make things better. Well they are probably trying to write a more specific piece of code that can be selective in what tasks it offloads to the GPU. i.e. only get the GPU to do the bits for which the video hardware is actually working OK, and keep the CPU doing the stuff for which the hardware is borked.

That would explain this "not getting as much acceleration as we would have liked" cheesy language. What that can be translated as meaning is "the hardware is stuffed, and we haven't yet figured out what sort of acceleration we're going to get when we write a driver that uses the bits that *do* work".

Pure speculation on my part all this. But heck, its what I think.

Chip

 

[Zebo]

You guys might want to try driver 66.70

With 66.70 I only loose 10 frames in STEP

with 66.93 (official) I lost over 300!!!

With 70.90 similar

Give it a shot and see.

All still use 100% CPU unlike the prev generation FX's

 

[CU]

When I was running my old 8500 I only dropped about 3-5 fps, but now with my 6800nu I drop everything but 3-5 fps. Hurray for progress. My games run alot faster now though.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: CU
When I was running my old 8500 I only dropped about 3-5 fps, but now with my 6800nu I drop everything but 3-5 fps. Hurray for progress. My games run alot faster now though.

An older P4@2.4ghz on a single channel board doesn't get the job done eh? Do you have fastwrites enabled?