Radeon 8500LE Tweaking Guides/Tips etc?

[gtd2000]

I just received my Sapphire R8500LE 64MB from Newegg today, this will be my foray in the the world of Ati since 1998...:Q

The card that I have received has the following markings on the RAM chips:

SAMSUNG 232
K4D64163HF-TC40
U9FE02DD

No idea what these markings mean at all, in a performance sense anyway, however, the card is supposed to be clocked at 250Mhz.

Any of you veteran Radeon tweakers have any good advice for squeezing the maximum performance out of this card?

 

[CurtCold]

HERE

is the place to look to tweak that card. Get Rage3dTweak, and clock that card to 275/275. Should run fine there.

Uninstall your current video card, and registry entries, then reboot. Don't install windows drivers, install the 3.1 Cats, then install the Cntl Panel from ATI. Reboot. Enjoy!

 

[dlaw]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but why do you buy the 64MB version rather than the 128MB one? It is only $16 more...

I ask this since I bought a 128MB version from newegg last night, but then they told me today it is back orderred...so I am thinking if I should get the 64MB, or should I wait for the 128MB to come back in stock.

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: dlaw
Sorry to hijack the thread, but why do you buy the 64MB version rather than the 128MB one? It is only $16 more...

Actually - I had read that the 128MB cards were running slower then the 64MB cards I think? Also at this point in time there si no real life need for a 128MB for my use AFAIK.

If I was going to spend the extra on the 128MB I'd actually have just gone for a GF4 4200 - this card was just a cheap entry in the world of ATi - so far it seems like a nice card - I just installed it over my old GF2 Pro drivers etc - as I'm doing a full rebuild next week. Works very nicely indeed - even at full resolution on SoFII

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: CurtCold[/bUninstall your current video card, and registry entries, then reboot. Don't install windows drivers, install the 3.1 Cats, then install the Cntl Panel from ATI. Reboot. Enjoy!

Yep - I'll take your advice on the drivers - have already downloaded the Cats for my rebuild next week

 

[Blooz1]

That's interesting...I got the same card from NewEgg last week, and mine's got Hyundai 5.5Ns mem chips! The stock settings were 250/183, but I've got it OC'd to 275/200 using Powerstrip.

I had some problems with the install, but everything's straightened out now. I was initially a little diappointed with the 2D performance (I'm spoiled...the last card was a Matrox Millennium), but with tweaking it has improved. Game performance has been greatly improved!

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: Blooz1
That's interesting...I got the same card from NewEgg last week, and mine's got Hyundai 5.5Ns mem chips! The stock settings were 250/183, but I've got it OC'd to 275/200 using Powerstrip.

How did you tell from the RAM chip markings what the speed is?

e.g.
SAMSUNG 232
K4D64163HF-TC40
U9FE02DD

 

[gtd2000]

Forgot to mention that DVD playback does indeed seem to be better, (unless I am dreaming) it would appear to be a sharper resolution now.

I've only tested the card out using SoF II and I'm pretty happy with the performance so far

 

[Blooz1]

gtd, you can tell by the last digits at the end of the second number you listed: "K4D64163HF-TC40", the "40" = 4Ns chips....You got a good one!

Mine ends in "55"!

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: Blooz1
....You got a good one!

Mine ends in "55"!

Well so far even at stock clocks (whatever that is?) it seems pretty decent indeed so far

You said you had some problems with the install? Mine was easier to setup than most of my Nvidia cards to be honest (using the default drivers on the Sapphire CD)...and that is not normally too difficult with the exception of an Asus TNT that I used to own...it was a very frustrating driver set up that always asked for the Asus driver disk (even when using downloaded drivers) - then telling me over and over that there were no drivers for my hardware on that disk....the only way you could install the card was by skipping files....:|

Mind you this was a direct install over my GF2 drivers - which could be like my trial run of Win XP over my Win ME installation - which was great - but Win XP on it's own (fresh format) was not what I had expected. I'm going back to Win ME next week actually - I know most people will think I am mad

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: Blooz1
The stock settings were 250/183, but I've got it OC'd to 275/200 using Powerstrip.

Well I downloaded the tweaker from Rage3D and overclocked to 300/240 last night and it seemed fine - no artifacts anyway.

I tried going to 300/280 and the PC locked up (no artifacts!) - will try increasing slowly over the next week or so to see just how I can go with the card though

 

[trackxyj]

One question, why is everyone talking about $88 128mb 8500 LE on newegg, instead of $92.6 128mb crucial? It is http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.asp?imodule=CTV8500LE128A6

Today I finally placed order for everything after the $54 crucial 512 pc2100.

Athlon XP 2100 retail $102
8RDA+ $112
Foxconn PC-132 Case $45
Floppy $8, all from newegg.

Got SK-7, and 2X YS tech adjustable 80mm from SVC, in case I want to oc later...

Got the 80gb 8mb from officedepot.

And now I am thinking about video card since i got a bunch of dvd, cdrw etc. I got voodoo 4 and mx440, but i'll trash that. Rumor got it that the $99 ti4200 64mb @ crxxusa was 128mb version, but it is out of stock within 100 miles radius. So any other video I should consider under $100?

Why no one has mentioned crucial before? are they famous for fanatically good memory, but infamous for outrageously bad video card?

 

[JSSheridan]

<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.asp?imodule=CTV8500LE128A6
">Link to the Crucial Card.</a>

The problem with the Crucial 8500 is that it is using 6ns memory, which will likely not hit 200MHz. There are cards for the same price with better memory on them, making the Crucial a poor investment. Peace.

 

[blindtothagame]

i have the ati 8500le 128mb
why i could only o/c mines to:337.50core/261 memory
is this correct?????????/

 

[JSSheridan]

blindtothagame, there are known to be some card like that around. It's unfortunate that you one of the bad ones. Sorry. Peace.

 

[m1ke101]

Originally posted by: Blooz1
gtd, you can tell by the last digits at the end of the second number you listed: "K4D64163HF-TC40", the "40" = 4Ns chips....You got a good one! Mine ends in "55"!

yikes where in the world did you buy that card? I've heard about oems putting some really crappy memory on 8500's but I didn't think it was really true.

 

[Blooz1]

I got this card from NewEgg. It's a replacement for a card which was DOA upon receipt, wouldn't work at all. So, I'm sure this one was also an RMA! I've done some tweaking with Powerstrip, it's up to 275/220. So far, it's ok for most of the things I do (websurfing, Photoshop, light gaming). My G400 wasn't cutting it for games, but was wonderful
for everyday use! It will have a new home in another system later this year.

 

[trackxyj]

ah, ye! I also noticed the 6ns in crucial card yesterday. The last time I give serious consideration to mem speed is to choose between 60ns and 70ns back in early 90. However, I did read the post when they talk about OC to 3.6ns, haha, that is why I dumped crucial, and grabbed one 128mb version from newegg.

Too bad newegg shipped my case & mobo 3pm yesterday, now I'll have a system on monday, waiting for video card.

By the way, I read a post on flashing 8500LE bios with 8500? any reference articles on that plz?

 

[trackxyj]

I guess lots and lots of us have called in and ask newegg about the spec of 128mb version 8500LE, so now it is stated clearly in bold font: the default memory is 250/200. If you still get a 55, yell faul and kick it back to newegg.

Originally posted by: Blooz1
I got this card from NewEgg. .

 

[Blooz1]

I went through a lot of trouble setting this card up, and, after "tweaks", works ok for what I want right now. It scores 8481 on 3D Mark, kinda "middle of the road". It's going to be replaced later this year anyways!

 

[gtd2000]

Well after a weekend in Colorado skiing I'm back

I have the setting at the max allowable memory clock using the tweaker (2XX?) - I assume that I am required to update the BIOS to allow for higher overclocking of the memory?

I can get the core up around 3XX but I assume the higher memory clock is more beneficial?

 

[Blooz1]

I did some research yesterday, and found a complete model listing for the 8500LE at the Sapphire site:

8500LE

They make 17 different models of this card in between the 64 and 128Mb flavors!

They are broken down by video standard supported:

64MB

NTSC 3

PAL 7

NTSCL 1

128Mb

NTSC 1

PAL 7

I noticed that some have 1 RAMDAC, and some have 2. Anyone know what difference this would make? Clock + memory speeds are only given for about half of the models, and all clocks are shown at 250. There's one 64Mb shown with memory speed of 275 (M/N 1024-2149-70-SA), so if you can find that particular card, you'll have a good one!

I'll bet NewEgg has a "mixed bag" of these cards, and is just shipping by 64/128!

 

[gtd2000]

Well what a frigging disaster these Ati drivers are eh??? :|

What was a great running card as an upgrade to nvidia drivers is a bloody nightmare on a fresh install in Win ME

According to the driver info I have a 128MB card for some reason also???

My Model # is 1024-2149-4B-SA - this is not listed at the link you gave before - wonder how I can check on the actual RAM - it does say 64MB on the sticker anyway.

I can't even play SoF or any 3D Game now without either crashing or serious artifacts all over the place - this is at default speeds. No tweaks at all in use.

 

[Blooz1]

The model of my card is 1024-2149-2B-SA. The only other 4B I can find <U>is</U> a 128Mb card! If that's what the driver's telling you, I bet that's what it is! I can't believe NewEgg is so cavalier about these cards!

So, you switched OS, and now it's not running right? Same drivers?

 

[lizard345]