Solving the issue of image tearing...Vsync at 60hz good enough? Alternate methods?

[Apocalypse23]

Just wondering how many of you folks game with Vsync enabled. Given that most PC monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate (60fps), sure having Vsync enabled does solve the tearing issues, but the Fps is still very limited. I don't have the budget to afford an expensive 120Hz set so I was wondering how everyone is managing with the image tearing issues and gaming at the same time. 60fps surely is very limited, and the tearing really gets annoying during intense games sometimes without Vsync enabled...

Are there any recommendations on image settings to get the max fps from your card and monitor without any tearing?

Thanks.

 

[Skurge]

I have the same problem. If i turn on Vsync the tearing goes away, but the FPS plummet to 30fps in a scene that would otherwise be 50fps

triple buffering is suppose to fix that but I dont know where to enable it.

 

[Apocalypse23]

I mean these high end video cards are worthless if they can't solve the tearing issues, I think we may need faster monitors rather to actually benefit from smooth and crisp 100-200 fps gameplay....The way I see it, we either stick to 60fps or 120fps, you would think that in all these years, they would improve on monitor and LCD technology.

 

[blanketyblank]

There's a triple buffering option in CCC for openGL. Not sure if that will work though. It's under 3D, ALL, at the bottom.

 

[Tempered81]

triple buffer fvor opengl games. but for directx you just have to get the highest fps you can. I use vsync for everything (except competitive online play).

 

[Ben90]

I believe your problem lies not in Vsync;and, instead stems from your unwillingness to purchase a monitor with a higher refresh rate. In the OP it sounds like you believe turning Vsync off allows your monitor to reach a higher refresh rate, which it does not. The only possible way for Vsync to lower your frame rate would be if it dropped below your refresh rate. You can deter this by lowering settings in game, however you are still going to be capped by the maximum refresh rate.

If it really bothers you that much but don't want to spend the money on a 120hz LCD, you can always check Ebay or Craigslist for a decent CRT. They have models topping 300hz.

 

[evolucion8]

To enable Triple Buffering with DirectX, you need D3DOverrider which comes with the latest Rivatuner, it really works, there's some scenarios where it may not allow the game to start like in STALKER COP.

 

[Apocalypse23]

I believe your problem lies not in Vsync;and, instead stems from your unwillingness to purchase a monitor with a higher refresh rate. In the OP it sounds like you believe turning Vsync off allows your monitor to reach a higher refresh rate, which it does not. The only possible way for Vsync to lower your frame rate would be if it dropped below your refresh rate. You can deter this by lowering settings in game, however you are still going to be capped by the maximum refresh rate.

If it really bothers you that much but don't want to spend the money on a 120hz LCD, you can always check Ebay or Craigslist for a decent CRT. They have models topping 300hz.

Can you recommend me some good 120HZ PC LCD monitors? Something that isn't too costly at the same time? I know already that having Vsync off will not increase my real monitor fps, the monitor will give me 60fps as it is a 60hz monitor, what I dislike is the 100+ fps being sent from the video card to the monitor and then having to see image tearing on the screen.

 

[JAG87]

Vsync does not affect your fps at all, the only drawback is input lag. The triple buffering problem is also over hyped, I have never seen any game chop my fps in half with the only exception of Assassins Creed in DX10. All other games implement triple buffering, D3DOverrider is not needed.

I always play with vsync enabled, and I always cap the game fps to 59 to eliminate input lag. I couldn't imagine playing without vsync, I can't stand tearing.

 

[theevilsharpie]

Are there any recommendations on image settings to get the max fps from your card and monitor without any tearing

If you have a 60hz monitor, it will not be able to display more than 60fps regardless of how many fps the video card sends it.

Unless you're benchmarking, I can't think of any reason not to use vsync. If you feel that your video card is "wasted," you can always increase the detail level.

 

[evolucion8]

Vsync does not affect your fps at all, the only drawback is input lag. The triple buffering problem is also over hyped, I have never seen any game chop my fps in half with the only exception of Assassins Creed in DX10. All other games implement triple buffering, D3DOverrider is not needed.

I always play with vsync enabled, and I always cap the game fps to 59 to eliminate input lag. I couldn't imagine playing without vsync, I can't stand tearing.

Triple Buffering isn't exposed in the DX API, it must be exposed with a driver tweak and a backdoor, that's why most games todays doesn't offer a triple buffering option.

 

[Phil1977]

There are 2 tools I use to enable triple buffering in D3D Games...

Riva tuner comes with D3DOverider. This works for ATI and Nvidia cards.

And ATI Tray Tools comes with a profile manager, where for each gaming profile you can also enable triple buffering...

Rivatuner is a bit more convinient, but the setting is global and not on a per game basis.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Both CCC and the nV control panel come with triple buffer forcing... I would recommend playing with both vsync and triple buffering. Can you really see a difference between 60-120fps?

 

[blanketyblank]

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=928593
Here's a good article on vsync. The problem with vsync isn't really the monitor refresh rate is too low. The problem is really the monitor refresh rate is too high and your fps are below it.

Then again 120 hz monitors do help a little in that you now have 40hz as an option which isn't available for 60hz monitors.

 

[evolucion8]

Both CCC and the nV control panel come with triple buffer forcing... I would recommend playing with both vsync and triple buffering. Can you really see a difference between 60-120fps?

But triple buffering option in CCC is for OpenGL only, the same goes with nVidia.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Rivatuner has d3d overrider -- works like a charm. Adds a little lag, though

 

[BFG10K]

Vsync does not affect your fps at all,

Sure it does; it caps the maximum framerate to your refresh rate, and it also sometimes reduces your current framerate to a division of your refresh rate.

 

[blanketyblank]

Are there any LCDs that let you freely adjust your refresh rate let's say between 48 and 60?
I think something like that would be ideal especially for movies. I know that's what 120 hz sets are for, but I'd actually prefer being able to set different rates depending on how low the fps can get.