Virtu MVP doesn't work in i-mode! Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH

[pingrale]

Hello everyone!

i'm in a bit of a trouble here, been struggling for 15 hours to fix it and i think my head's going to explode, googled myself to dust

the setup:
Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH
EVGA 660Ti
Apple Thunderbolt Display connected to mobo

latest nvidia drivers
latest intel drivers (inf and video)
latest virtu
windows 8 x64 clean install

BIOS:
display init first is set to IGFX
intel graphics enabled

the problem:
Virtu says that everything's fine, all green and enabled

but when i open the game, it just opens with intel graphics only (no virtu logo and poor performance)

the research:
hooked up an old VGA monitor to discrete graphic card, booted to windows, launched "the game" and virtu works! so it's a problem with i-mode, not with d-mode

next, i hooked up the same monitor to mobo's VGA out, Virtu still doesn't work. So it's not a thunderbolt issue

maybe that's the Steam issue, but unfortunately i don't have any non-steam games right now. i added steam.exe and GameOverlayUI.exe to virtu and checked the i-mode for all of them (by the way, what's the "H" checkbox?) but it didn't help

so again: MVP enabled, all green. but games run with internal graphics only. no errors, no glitches, no blackouts or freezes. dGPU just doesn't join the party.

Please help!

P.S.: i have a pretty slow internet right now, can you advice some 100% virtu supported free game that doesn't weight much?

 

[pingrale]

during the googling found only this thread with symptoms similar to mine
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721791
but he's got different mobo and virtu doesn't work even in d-mode in his case.

btw, my bios version is f11

also tried drivers downloaded from gigabyte support site, with their's version of Virtu
also tried downloading nvidia drivers that are older than latest virtu.

 

[blackened23]

The problem is virtu.

Virtu is a complete mess that will continually cause system crashes due to being incompatible with many games. The only fix is to uninstall it.

I know it sounds nice on paper - but let me assure you, virtu MVP is junk. In no circumstance should one use it.

 

[pingrale]

as far as i googled, most of the virtu complaints similar to mine got solved one way or another. But many of those people a) got error messages and crashes b) played with bios/vertu/driver settings and got it to work
my problem, on the other hand, can't be found on the internets - that's why i'm suspecting that i have a faulty mobo
i just want to be sure, before i will visit the service center and try to explain what's the fault is

 

[pingrale]

new question - is there any other way besides virtu's solution to output discrete gpu through integrated thunderbolt? even without merging the iGPU and dGPU, i just need the TB output.

i suppose there's no other way on Gigabyte's lineup.

Asus had a thunderboltEX expansion card, but i cannot find them on market in my country.

I stumbled upon this article http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thunderbolt-performance-z77a-gd80,3205-3.html
Asrock's loop-back solution seem interesting. Anyone had any experience with this motherboard? is it comparable by quality and overclocking capabilities with my gigabyte mobo?

 

[blackened23]

You're literally wasting your time on a feature that won't work the majority of the time.

Your motherboard isn't faulty. MVP is junk. Period.

 

[pingrale]

yeah, it seems so..

basically, i'm left with ASRock's solution, but again not sure if it will work too. spending another $200 - scary.

found this thread today: http://www.tonymacx86.com/86-asus-t...t-motherboard-doesn-t-pass-certification.html
it seems intel just doesn't approve thunderbolt's output from discrete gpu, that's why there's so few mobos that support it.

ASRock doesn't show the DisplayPort Input on photos of official product page, and manual has only one mention of it in the spec sheet, with a comment that this port is for "test only"
gonna call my local seller tomorrow and ask if they could take a look on a mobo to check for that port.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

MVP is junk. It doesn't make the experience better in even 1% of cases. It is a marketing gimmick.

 

[pingrale]

should've made some more research before buying this setup

MVP is so advertised by manufacturers, i thought it must work well if everyone is using it as "The Feature" on their boxes, spec sheets and so on

 

[Ampersand38]

Non-MVP Virtu might be marginally useful for Intel QuickSync video transcoding hardware acceleration, if you do any of that.

 

[pingrale]

Non-MVP Virtu might be marginally useful for Intel QuickSync video transcoding hardware acceleration, if you do any of that.

i thought about testing non-MVP virtus, but downloads of them doesn't list W8 as supported OS. I don't use QuickSync, i just need to reroute discrete graphics through thunderbolt, becauce of apple's display "design" (they just could't add optional DisplayPort input, didn't they? >.<)

 

[pingrale]

made a call today to my local seller about Asrock mobo. they took a look at it and found that there are no DisplayPort input.

So there is no solution to hook up dGPU to TB display on the market today.

gonna try to sell my PC now and forget it as a bad dream.

 

[pingrale]

BTW, last question - is Virtu software only, or there's some specific chip on mobo that the software work with?

 

[SiHawk]

I have an ASROCK mobo with an A10 5800K and it came with that same VIRTU MVP Software and I was very excited to get it up and working after I then purchased a discrete/separate Graphics Card.....I have wasted HOURS since then experimenting, with Lucid OFF/ON, just the performance settings off and on, Integrated or Discrete etc........to make a long story shorter,,,,,,I recently for the 2nd and LAST time just uninstalled that "dream" software...........I think it is like a reviewer said of it with all of his tests that to get those figures they tout as proving BIG improvements using V. MVP - they actually play with the figures you could say - it's smoke and mirror and all BS.

 

[SolMiester]

wow, I ve had no issues with MVP on ASRock Z77pro4-M, 610 and HD4000. However no thnuderbolt....maybe thats the issue!

 

[santilmo]

I was excited with Virtu feature as well before... but when I actually tried it, I didn't really find any reason to use it.

Two main reasons why I think Virtu might be useful... but later I realize that it has little to no effect or benefit at all. At least from a desktop user's perspective.

1.) Power Savings -->> Maybe... but based on my experience, I didn't find any benefit. Why? Idle power draw didn't change since of course my discrete GPU is still plugged in to the PCIe power connectors I guess so there is still some sort of "idle" power draw. I mode or D mode didn't make any difference.

2.) Ability to use iGPU and Discrete GPU at the same time. -->> Well, for what? Maybe for Intel QS transcoding but still I didn't find any benefit in using it based on my experience as raw processor power is a little bit faster than QS... I could have done something wrong but heck no I will not spend my time finding answers to that, ain't worth it.

IMO, "switchable graphics" should literally mean "switch" - "able". If it was only done in such a way that there really is a physical switch to turn off the discrete GPU then re-route the signal to the iGPU without any system stability issues then that would be more significant in terms of reason number 1. I wouldn't mind if there will be flicker or something but hey, I guess this concept may just be too damned complicated to implement..

Afterall, discrete GPU are getting so power efficient nowadays that idle power is almost down to minimum levels.

 

[pingrale]

wow, I ve had no issues with MVP on ASRock Z77pro4-M, 610 and HD4000. However no thnuderbolt....maybe thats the issue!

as i've mentioned in first post, i've tried mobo's vga output, so it's not a thunderbolt's fault.

 

[pingrale]

I was excited with Virtu feature as well before... but when I actually tried it, I didn't really find any reason to use it.

Two main reasons why I think Virtu might be useful... but later I realize that it has little to no effect or benefit at all. At least from a desktop user's perspective.

1.) Power Savings -->> Maybe... but based on my experience, I didn't find any benefit. Why? Idle power draw didn't change since of course my discrete GPU is still plugged in to the PCIe power connectors I guess so there is still some sort of "idle" power draw. I mode or D mode didn't make any difference.

2.) Ability to use iGPU and Discrete GPU at the same time. -->> Well, for what? Maybe for Intel QS transcoding but still I didn't find any benefit in using it based on my experience as raw processor power is a little bit faster than QS... I could have done something wrong but heck no I will not spend my time finding answers to that, ain't worth it.

IMO, "switchable graphics" should literally mean "switch" - "able". If it was only done in such a way that there really is a physical switch to turn off the discrete GPU then re-route the signal to the iGPU without any system stability issues then that would be more significant in terms of reason number 1. I wouldn't mind if there will be flicker or something but hey, I guess this concept may just be too damned complicated to implement..

Afterall, discrete GPU are getting so power efficient nowadays that idle power is almost down to minimum levels.

again, i don't care about power saving or performance boost. the only reason i need to use MVP is that there a no discrete graphic cards with thunderbolt output on the market, so i can use only the integrated one to connect the PC to my screen via thunderbolt.

 

[daveybrat]

You're literally wasting your time on a feature that won't work the majority of the time.

Your motherboard isn't faulty. MVP is junk. Period.

Ding ding ding, you couldn't be more right!

I just installed it yesterday on a new pc with an ASROCK Z77 motherboard with a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate.

It was already crashing and giving error messages after the first reboot on a 'clean' installation. What a joke, removed the MVP software and it's working perfectly.

 

[blackened23]

as i've mentioned in first post, i've tried mobo's vga output, so it's not a thunderbolt's fault.

You might as well get a mac, why on earth would get you get a thunderbolt display? What a huge mistake. With all the choices out there like the Dell u2713H, u2713HM, etc, you paid 1000$ for a thunderbolt display that hardly works on PCs. Yet you can get a 30 inch u3011 for the same price? Help me understand this.

It is hardly a quality display as well. Only an 8 bit panel while the u2713H / u3011 are both 10 bit panels for photo and video editing.

You just locked yourself in to never having a discrete GPU. Ever. And most PC thunderbolt ports don't even support thunderbolt display, guess you got lucky there. But still no discrete GPU. You can't even use adapters (to DP or DVI) to use the thunderbolt display, the absolute only way it will work is with a thunderbolt port.

 

[pingrale]

You might as well get a mac, why on earth would get you get a thunderbolt display? What a huge mistake. With all the choices out there like the Dell u2713H, u2713HM, etc, you paid 1000$ for a thunderbolt display that hardly works on PCs. Yet you can get a 30 inch u3011 for the same price? Help me understand this.

It is hardly a quality display as well. Only an 8 bit panel while the u2713H / u3011 are both 10 bit panels for photo and video editing.

You just locked yourself in to never having a discrete GPU. Ever. And most PC thunderbolt ports don't even support thunderbolt display, guess you got lucky there. But still no discrete GPU. You can't even use adapters (to DP or DVI) to use the thunderbolt display, the absolute only way it will work is with a thunderbolt port.

my main setup is a Macbook Air connected to TB display. i don't plan to change this because i love the way that all my desktop peripherals are connected to display (external audio, wacom, hard drive) wich is transferring all this via single cable AND charging the macbook. PC has been built because of one thing i can't do on Air - play games. and i made a final decision after hearing about MVP with all it's marketing and positive feedback i've seen by slightly surfing the web. it seems future is not as close as i thought.

 

[pingrale]

i disagree that there will NEVER be a way to use discrete graphic with thunderbolt. simply because there are new Mac Pro's coming out and it wouldn't be Apple if there will be no discrete gpu with thunderbolt on them (btw it seems that this "dGPU-TB complication" is one of the reasons MacPro's are still outdated)
looking at the fate of asus's and asrock's loop-back solutions, it's hard to believe that intel is just not letting manufacturers use their interface with non-intel gpus for financial reasons, it just sound stupid - limiting such already limited and unpopular interface, when you have to advertise it with features and flexibility as much as you can.

 

[pingrale]

yet maybe that's apple who doesn't want people to use their TB Displays with powerful gaming PCs, i dunno. "wanna play games on our brilliant display? buy a macbook pro for 3000$!"

They probably have some levers and buttons of control regarding thunderbolt technology... anyway that's more believable than intel bitching around

 

[blackened23]

Thunderbolt wasn't designed specifically for displays, and it will not be used on discrete GPUs because - displayport is better. Displayport has more bandwidth (more than double the bandwidth of thundebolt) and has several features specifically for displays which thunderbolt cannot emulate. With 4k resolution screens, nearly all PC monitors will switch to displayport since DVI-DL does not have adequate bandwidth unless you use 2 connectors, but DP does.

Further, VESA is the governing body for displayport and they meet annually IIRC to update the specification and improve it. This really isn't the case with TB because DP is already better and not designed for displays. The only reason apple uses thunderbolt for their flagship display was to lock users in to their ecosystem. Nothing more, nothing less. Again - TB was not designed for displays. It was designed as more of a high speed USB interface and indeed it is way better than USB 3.0. Thunderbolt also costs a ton of money - aib makers will not add 50$ to their costs simply to add thunderbolt ports when:

1) it is inferior to displayport with less bandwidth
2) displayport and DVI-DL costs pennies versus 50$+ for thunderbolt.

You dont need thunderbolt for your mac. The thunderbolt port on your mac can also be used as mini displayport - so you can hook a mini DP monitor to your mac but you cannot hook a TB monitor up to a regular displayport. The smart choice would be getting the 27" LED Cinema display (uses mini displayport ) or getting a dell U2713HM or 2713H (can also use mini displayport). All of these displays will work on your macbook - but i'm not sure if this affects the daisy chaining of TB peripherals. If you hold on to the thunderbolt display you won't be able to game very well on your brand new PC.

 

[pingrale]

Thunderbolt wasn't designed specifically for displays, and it will not be used on discrete GPUs because - displayport is better. Displayport has more bandwidth (more than double the bandwidth of thundebolt) and has several features specifically for displays which thunderbolt cannot emulate. With 4k resolution screens, nearly all PC monitors will switch to displayport since DVI-DL does not have adequate bandwidth unless you use 2 connectors, but DP does.

Further, VESA is the governing body for displayport and they meet annually IIRC to update the specification and improve it. This really isn't the case with TB because DP is already better and not designed for displays. The only reason apple uses thunderbolt for their flagship display was to lock users in to their ecosystem. Nothing more, nothing less. Again - TB was not designed for displays. It was designed as more of a high speed USB interface and indeed it is way better than USB 3.0. Thunderbolt also costs a ton of money - aib makers will not add 50$ to their costs simply to add thunderbolt ports when:

1) it is inferior to displayport with less bandwidth
2) displayport and DVI-DL costs pennies versus 50$+ for thunderbolt.

You dont need thunderbolt for your mac. The thunderbolt port on your mac can also be used as mini displayport - so you can hook a mini DP monitor to your mac but you cannot hook a TB monitor up to a regular displayport. The smart choice would be getting the 27" LED Cinema display (uses mini displayport ) or getting a dell U2713HM or 2713H (can also use mini displayport). All of these displays will work on your macbook - but i'm not sure if this affects the daisy chaining of TB peripherals. If you hold on to the thunderbolt display you won't be able to game very well on your brand new PC.

thanks, interesting info!
but isn't there a DisplayPort signal inside thunderbolt?