ATi Catalyst™ 6.8

[no-X]

Download

Prý přelomový driver... výrazný nárůst výkonu v OpenGL, a pak u karet 256MB v D3D...

Our metronomic friends in red have made their monthly driver update available over at www.ati.com.

Citing improvements in shader compiler and transform engine optimizations for OpenGL, and memory manager optimizations for Direct3D, the release notes trumpet, amongst others:

• Quake 4 (v1.2 or higher) performance improves as much as 18%
• Chronicles of Riddick performance improves as much as 20%. Average improvements of 5-10% are commonly seen.
• Prey performance improves as much as 16%.
• 3DMark06 performance improves as much as 22% on the Radeon X1000 Series of products in single card configurations with 256MB of graphics memory at 1280x1024 and anti-aliasing enabled. The largest gains are found on the ATI Radeon X1800 Series and Radeon X1900 Series of products.
• Call of Duty 2 performance improves as much as 30% on single Radeon X550 cards or higher with 256MB of video memory at 1280x1024 and anti-aliasing enabled. The largest gains are found on the ATI Radeon X1800 Series and Radeon X1900 Series of products.

This new driver release also introduces a unified Linux driver installer which automatically installs the appropriate driver on the IA32 and the X86_64 platforms. This news should please ATI card owners in the Linux community, showing ATI's growing interest in the Linux platform.

Performance Improvement

As with most Catalyst® releases, performance has increased in various situations.

Improved shader compiler and transform engine optimizations have led to many significant performance gains in OpenGL applications across the entire Radeon® X1000 series of products. These include:

* Doom 3 performance improves as much as 6.5%
* Quake 4 (v1.2 or higher) performance improves as much as 18%
* Chronicles of Riddick performance improves as much as 20%. Average improvements of 5-10% are commonly seen
* Prey performance improves as much as 16%

Optimizations made to ATI's graphics memory manager have led to significant gains in DirectX applications that make heavy use of graphics memory on 256MB ATI graphics cards:

* 3DMark06 performance improves as much as 22% on single ATI Radeon® X1000 series cards with 256MB of graphics memory at 1280x1024 and higher when anti-aliasing is enabled. The largest gains are found on the ATI Radeon® X1800 series and ATI Radeon® X1900 series of products
* Call of Duty 2 performance improves as much as 30% on single ATI Radeon® X550 cards or higher with 256MB of video memory at 1280x1024 and higher when anti-aliasing enabled. The largest gains are found on the ATI Radeon® X1800 series and ATI Radeon® X1900 series of products

Issues Resolved in Catalyst® Software Suite 6.8

The following section provides a summary of the issues that are resolved in the latest release of Catalyst®. These include:

* Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth: Playing the game under Windows XP SP2 using an ATI Radeon® X800 series product no longer results in intermittent display corruption being noticed. Further details can be found in topic number 737-21458
* Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones: Setting the 3D slider to Optimal Quality in Catalyst® Control Center->Advanced View->3D->Standard Settings aspect no longer results in corruption being noticed in the water when playing the game under the Windows MCE operating system with an ATI Radeon® X19x0 series product installed. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22975
* QQ Fantasy: Playing the online game under Windows XP with an ATI Radeon® X1600 or X1300 no longer results in the an error message being displayed and the mouse pointer control becoming erratic. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22985
* Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: Corruption is no longer noticed during the playing the opening cinematic when AA is enabled at 8x. This issue was known to occur under the Windows XP operating system when using an ATI Radeon® X8x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22983
* The LG P42SX DVI-D display device no longer fails to display an image when connected to an ATI Radeon® 9000, ATI Radeon® 9200, or an ATI Radeon® 9250. Further details can be found in topic number 737-21456
* Playing a DVD for an extended period of time when using the Windows Media Player on a system containing an ATI Xpress™ 11x0 series of product no longer results in the operating system failing to respond. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22801
* Playing a DVD using WinDVD on a system containing either an ATI Radeon® X1600 or X1300 product no longer results in corruption being noticed when changing the display resolution to either 1900x1200 or 1280x720. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22805
* Hot Plugging an HDMI TV to the DVI port of an ATI Radeon® X19x0 series no longer results in the HDMI detection message box failing to appear under the Windows Media Center Edition operating system. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22809
* Playing back a media file using Windows Media Player 11 on a system containing an ATI Radeon® X1600 or X1300 series of products no longer results in missing colors and or macroblock corruption being noticed. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22810
* Selecting same as source video option in the Japanese version of the Catalyst® Control Center no longer results in the selection failing to be applied when using an ATI Radeon® X1800 series product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22813
* Playing an MPEG2 video clip on a system running Windows XP and containing an ATI Radeon® X1x00 product no longer results in corruption being noticed during the playback of the MPEG2 file. Further details can be found in topic number 737-22814
* Selecting Restore Factory Defaults settings within the Catalyst® Control Center now restores the Notebook Panel Properties to scale image full panel size when using an ATI Xpress 200 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22995
* Catalyst® Control Center->Advanced Mode: Changing the UMA Frame Buffer under the Windows XP operating system when using an ATI Xpress 200 series no longer results in a dialog box informing the user to restart the system in order for the changes to take effect, and once the user clicks OK, the system does not restart. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22997
* Catalyst® Control Center: The translation for Use Centered Timings is now correct within the Catalyst® Control Center when setting the language to Simplified Chinese under all supported operating systems when using an ATI Radeon® X1600 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22998
* Catalyst® Control Center: The tool tip translation for Corruption is now correct when setting the language to Simplified Chinese under all supported operating systems when using and ATI Radeon® X1600 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22999
* Catalyst® Control Center: Right clicking on the Catalyst® Control Center within the system tray and navigating the 3D Setting->Anti-Aliasing no longer results in the sub menu translation for Application managed being incorrect when setting the language to Simplified Chinese under all supported operating systems when using an ATI Radeon® X1600 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-23002
* Catalyst® Control Center: De-selecting Custom View no longer results in the Custom View remaining active when closing and re-opening the Custom View window. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-23003
* Catalyst® Control Center: The Arrow keys for rotation are no longer displayed incorrectly in Hotkey Manager when using an ATI Radeon® X700 series. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-23004
* Catalyst® Control Center: Attempting to set the display resolution to either 720p, 1080p or 1080i no longer results in the Catalyst® Control Center failing to respond when using an ATI Radeon® X19x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-23005
* Video lag is no longer noticed when playing a DVD using WinDVD 5.0 under the Windows XP operating system and an ATI Radeon® X11x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22971
* Catalyst® Control Center: The TV Image Quality-Composite/S-Video Sharpness menu is no longer missing after switching the connection between Composite and S-Video. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22973
* Catalyst® Control Center: Connecting an CRT along with an HDTV display and enabling clone mode no longer results in the desktop image reverting back to landscape mode when attempting to rotate the display by 90 or 270 degrees. This issue was known to occur under the Windows MCE operating system when using an ATI Xpress 200 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22974
* Corruption is no longer noticed within the Catalyst® Control Center after a VPU Recover event under the Windows XP operating system when using an ATI Radeon® X1800 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number737-22976
* Catalyst® Control Center->OverDrive: Changing the value of VPU or Vmem clock to less than 7M no longer results in the value changing back to the default setting. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22977
* Catalyst® Control Center: Installing a secondary display adapter in a system running Windows MCE (Japanese version) no longer results in display properties providing inaccurate translation for the secondary display device. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22978
* The Windows XP operating system no longer fails to respond when attempting to resume from standby mode when using an ATI Radeon® X19x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22979
* Installing an ATI Radeon® X1900 CrossFire master edition graphics card and ATI Radeon® X1900 series secondary product on a system using a Dell 2405FPW and enabling CrossFire no longer results in the display device losing a signal or the 3D application or game exiting back to the desktop. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22664
* Various translation issues in the Catalyst® Control Center for Windows XP MCE (Japanese version) are now resolved. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22980
* The secondary display device longer becomes disabled when resuming from standby mode under the Windows XP operating system when using and ATI Radeon® X8x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22981
* Catalyst® Control Center: The Add button found in the CV Properties aspect page is no longer greyed out when attempting to add customized modes. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22982
* The GPU no longer hangs and the display device no longer displays a corrupt image when a VPU is triggered on systems containing either an ATI Radeon® X1300 or X800 series or products. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22987
* The Windows XP operating system no longer shuts down at negative temperatures when using an ATI Radeon® X19x0 series product. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22988
* Connecting a CRT and a TV to an ATI Radeon® X19x0 product no longer results in the TV displaying corruption or lose of signal when resuming from hibernation mode. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22992
* Catalyst® Control Center: Making adjustments to the Monitor Properties aspect page and applying the change no longer results in the default position failing to be applied when attempting to restore factory defaults. Further details on this resolved issue can be found in topic number 737-22993

[Masster]

CATALYST 6.8 Beta with 'Chuck' patch

This special driver is provided to enable additional functionality for Oblivion. Specifically this driver will:

1. Permit High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDR) concurrently with Anti-Aliasing (AA) on RADEON X1000 series graphic boards

2. AFR mode for CrossFire (2 GPU’s)

Note: You will need to enable HDR and disable AA in Oblivion while enabling AA within the Catalyst Control Center. This package does not include Catalyst Control Center.

Download

btw. zatim to na nejaky zazracny driver nevypada, viz. test na neoseeker

[no-X]

Bohužel je to test na houby, protože

1. změny v D3D se týkají karet s 256MB paměti při min. 1280*1024 + AA a oni testovali na 512MB kartě a diví se, že se nic neděje

2. nějvětší nárůst v OpenGL má být v Riddicku a Prey a tyhle hry v testu jaksi ani nevyzkoušeli

doufám, že se objeví ještě nějaký test, který připraví nějaká kompetentnější osoba, která alespoň umí číst...

The D3D gains are specific to 256MB boards. The changes that have been applied in the release have already been applied for boards with lower memory configs in prior releases (I'll let you o the research ), the threshold has just been moved up a notch to 256MB boards. It should only really be noticed in high memory utilisation scenarios, which means that there are fewer cases that will really stress a 256MB board - high res HDR and probably AA are going to be prime candidates.

The OpenGL changes should be a little more generic.

[Masster]

No ale stejne, rozdil v CoD 2 je minimalni, v Quake je narust jen v nastaveni bez AA/AF a vzhledem k tomu, ze Prey bezi na mod. doom/quake enginu, tak se da predpokladat ten samy trend.

[no-X]

Samozřejmě, že je rozdíl v COD2 minimální - protože to testovali na 512MB kartě a optimalizace se týkají jen 256MB karet. Je to totéž, co ATi udělala pár měsíců po vydání X850 pro 128MB karty - teď pouze totéž povolili i pro 256MB verze. Takže je víc než logický, že 128MB i 512MB karty budou bez rozdílu, když se jich to vůbec netýká.

Ad D3 engine - proč je X1900XT v Doom3 o 15% rychlejší než X1800XT, zatímco v Quake IV jsou na to obě stejně, když jde přeci o tentýž engine?

[Masster]

Ne, u Prey, CoD2 a Chronicles of Riddick neni o 256MB kartach ani zminka.

The D3D gains are specific to 256MB boards.

The OpenGL changes should be a little more generic.

[no-X]

Ne, u Prey, CoD2 a Chronicles of Riddick neni o 256MB kartach ani zminka.

Ano 256MB se netýká OpenGL, jen D3D, ale já mluvím o COD2:

Call of Duty 2 performance improves as much as 30% on single Radeon X550 cards or higher with 256MB of video memory at 1280x1024 and anti-aliasing enabled. The largest gains are found on the ATI Radeon X1800 Series and Radeon X1900 Series of products.

A pokud jde o OpenGL:

X1800XT 256MB @ default

Cat 6.7
Prey - 62,2 FPS

Cat 6.8
Prey - 69,3 FPS

1280x1024, Max detaily, 4xAA, 8xAF

Tzn. 11,5% nárůst v 1280x1024.

[no-X]

Takže bych to shrnul - podle toho, co jsem našel na fórech:

- nárůst v OpenGL se potvrzuje, podle některých se ani tolik nezvyšuje průměrný framerate, jako spíš celková plynulost
- je pozorován pokles výkonu cca 1-2% v 3DMarku05
- ve 3DMarku 06 se naopak projevuje mírný nárůst

rozdíly v D3D u 256MB karet (tedy to nejpodstatnější) zatím nikdo nepotvrdil ani nevyvrátil, prostě to nikdo neotestoval

[Heady]

- je pozorován pokles výkonu cca 1-2% v 3DMarku05

Mohu potvrdit, na sve karte X850XT-PT jsem zaznamenal pokles o presne 1,09% oproti predeslym vysledkum.

[no-X]

Excelent drivers:

X1800XT (12x10+2xAA&16xAF)

D3-> from 97 to 107 fps (UltraQuality)
Prey -> from 43 to 54 fps! (exec UltraQuality.cfg)

Opteron 175 /w 2 GB DDR-500

tzn. D3 +10%, Prey +25%

[Masster]

ATI Catalyst 6.8 Performance Analysis

A clear winner! It is also one of first this year to give us any real gain in performance. Up until now most of the drivers have been nothing more then bug fixes, and as good as that is we always like some speed increase every now and again.

Tweaktown

[Spajdr]

no .. zase takový zázrak to není )
Nikde netestují jestli se neprojevuje rozdíl i v crossfire módech, samotnému se mi to testovat nechce

[no-X]

ATI Catalyst 6.8 Performance Analysis



Tweaktown

Stále tam mají linky na špatný grafy Tady jsou správný (aspoň Q4)

[sid]

verze s CP
ftp://files.ngohq.com/ati/ATI%20Cata...0with%20CP.exe

[Sharker]

Je to pekne ale naprd Pokial ich rivatuner atitraytools a atitool nerozpozna dobreho oc sa clovek nedocka. Preto stale pouzivam Omega 6.3.

[no-X]

Nový ATi Tool jsi nezkoušel?

[no-X]

Další test (bohužel také neměli 256MB verzi X1800XT nebo X1900GT)

EliteBastards

Nárůsty naměřili trošku nižší než jinde, ale ve všech OpenGL hrách šel výkon podle jejich výsledků alespoň o 5% nahoru, v Prey pak až o 16%.

[Spajdr]

přidány i dvě OpenGL extension
GL_ARB_texture_float
GL_ARB_texture_rectangle

praktické využití nevím jestli v něčem je )

[no-X]

Někde už jsem je viděl, ale spíš by bodlo, kdyby se nám k nim vyjádřil nějaký programátor

[dzupo]

Po instalacii ATi Catalyst™ 6.8 mi zacala padat hra Day of defeat - Source (a to nie som jediny), takze navrat k verzii 6.7 a vsetko je ok.

[seTti]

Po nainstalovani verze 6.8 se mi prestal skubat DarkStar One, takze asi k necemu budou.

[Geeker]

verze s CP
ftp://files.ngohq.com/ati/ATI%20Cata...0with%20CP.exe

Nevite nekdo jak tam dostat Overclocking zalozku. Overdrive tusim

[Kulda]

Nevite nekdo jak tam dostat Overclocking zalozku. Overdrive tusim

nejsem si úplně jistej ale overdrive je jen u verzí XT...

[steelman]

Mozno blba otazka ale kde v tom control panely nastavit pri akom rozliseni sa ma pouzit aka frekvencia monitora?

[daggy]

Mozno blba otazka ale kde v tom control panely nastavit pri akom rozliseni sa ma pouzit aka frekvencia monitora?

Skus na to pouzit Ati Tray Tools, ja to uz hodne dlho pouzivam na nastavenie obnovovacich frekvencii.