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SLI Mode
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
SLI Mode // Archive: Tech Forum
Post by EyeInStein // Apr 1, 2007, 9:51am
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EyeInStein
Total Posts: 38
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Maybe it is a setting I'm missing.. but when I try to run TS7(.11) in SLI, I get the top half the screen acting and rendering normally and the bottom half just sitting there... not to mention the residual effects I see all over the screen. I've searched the forums for SLI posts, but SLI is only 3 letters... and Scalable Link Interface provides nothing.
Anyway, is it a setting I am missing or does TS 7 just not support SLI. When I take the computer out of SLI mode, TS does fine.
If it is not supported in TS7, will it be supported in TS7.5 ? |
Post by Jack Edwards // Apr 1, 2007, 1:52pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Eye, you may be the first person to run TS in SLI ;)
You should probably contact tech support directly.
I can't remember the e-mail address off the top my head, but I'm guessing it's:
support@caligari.com
I'm planning to go SLI in a few months so I'd definitely be interested in hearing your results.
-Jack. |
Post by weaveribm // Apr 2, 2007, 1:25am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Try both SFR and AFR modes Eye
SFR usually works best for problem applications
You can use nHancer to tweak the application's settings or you can set a Profile from the NV panel. You probably know this but for info
I'll try it tonight see if it works for me and let you know
The only-one-half-screen thing is usually down to drivers but SLI running is usually transparent to an application. I have SLI toggled on as default but I haven't used the SLI-mode indicators to show which mode I'm in when running TS7.11
When I take the computer out of SLI mode, TS does fine
In that case I'd leave things as is there's no advantage running TS under SLI and the NV panel's FSAA/AF will conflict with the TS FSAA/AF settings
If an application has native FSAA/AF etc, do not set these (for TS) from the NV panel... the NV panel is for forcing FSAA/AF etc if an application does not support these filters. Very important that bit.
You can set up an individual Profile for TS and toggle off FSAA and AF etc, use the 'Application Controls This Setting' setting for those settings when you create the Profile
If Grandmothers and Eggs apply don't shoot the messenger :)
Peter |
Post by TomG // Apr 2, 2007, 1:29am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hmm, not heard of anyone using SLI before, so not aware of the results of running tS7 using it. I am not entirely sure why tS would behave any differently from any other 3D application (including games) in this case, since the SLI hardware is meant to be invisible really, everything should just work the same.
Anyone else running tS7 with SLI?
For those thinking about going SLI, on a personal note (not a Caligari statement), I am not convinced of the benefits of SLI - for instance it has problems with dual monitor set ups, and the performance benefit always seems to be less than just getting a more powerful card. Unless you are running an 8800, where there would be no faster card and getting two 8800s would be the only way to go faster, it seems that the best performance benefit is "Sell you old single card, and add a new single card that is faster than the old"
Note that SLI does kind of tie you in financially, while "saving money" in getting more power by spending less (though the argument is selling your old card offsets that), you are then stuck if ever you decide to move up a notch to a new model of card, since you have to throw away TWO of the old card (as you can't mix cards that are not identical).
I had the choice in building my machine to have an SLI set up, as I have an SLI board... a single 8800 was a better answer though.
Each to their own of course, but I am not 100% convinced myself on the benefits of SLI (well, without dual monitors, it's no good at all anyway for me...)
I would be interested to know how people find SLI for them though :)
HTH!
Tom |
Post by EyeInStein // Apr 2, 2007, 2:12am
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EyeInStein
Total Posts: 38
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I cannot find the SFR / AFR mode toggle. I looked in both the new control panel and the classic one. This wouldn't happen to be an Intel feature, would it ?
I bought this system when the FX60 first appeared (quite awhile now), hoping to not have to upgrade anytime soon. I was convinced it would help with my games' frame rates.
I hate to know I wasted my money Tom...lol, but I'm sure future buyers will appreciate your sound advice. I've looked at them, but I don't think the HUGE 8800 would fit in my case. |
Post by weaveribm // Apr 2, 2007, 3:23am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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I cannot find the SFR / AFR mode toggle. I looked in both the new control panel and the classic one. This wouldn't happen to be an Intel feature, would it ?
No it's not an Intel feature Eye
Look in the NV panel for the function's name, something like 'SLI Indicators' probably on the menu bar. What drivers are you using btw
I bought this system when the FX60 first appeared (quite awhile now), hoping to not have to upgrade anytime soon. I was convinced it would help with my games' frame rates.
I fly 1946 the WW2 combat flight-sim and in there is a framerate counter so I know SLI is doing lots for framerate. But only at high resolutions and high FSAA/Anistropic filtering settings of course. Running lower resolutions means less of a framerate boost on running SLI but why would you
There's also another way to use SLI and that's the x8- or x16FSAASLI mode. No split frames or alternate frames just one big gorgeous smooth-textured landscape/terrain
I hate to know I wasted my money Tom...lol, but I'm sure future buyers will appreciate your sound advice. I've looked at them, but I don't think the HUGE 8800 would fit in my case.
Yes and that HUGE 8800 probably gets around the same framerates in games as I get with my more modest SLI rig
If you think your SLI rig is a waste of money then someone's been feeding you disinformation mate. No names, pack drill :)
Peter |
Post by TomG // Apr 2, 2007, 5:23am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Definitely not a waste of money, you will definitely see improvements over a single card.
The aim of SLI is mostly where you already own one card, say a 6600. Now you can upgrade to a 7600, but that is $130, or you can just buy another 6000 and use it as SLI for $80. So the concept is that SLI lets you upgrade your system for less.
On the other hand, the single 7600 may well outperform the twin 6600s, and you could sell your old card for $40, and so only pay $90 for the 7600 - only $10 more than an SLI solution.
And of course eventually you will need to upgrade the card - at that point a single 7600 will no longer give you enough of a performance increase, so you'll be left buying two of those, or having to go for a bigger single card to make the jump.
I was very excited about SLI, and was going to go that route with twin 7600s, til I did research on it. The lack of support on dual monitor set ups was an issue since I love dual monitors. And also it turned out I would be spending $260 for the two cards, or $320 for an 8800 which would well outperform even the dual 7600s.
There is no doubt that SLI gives you extra power, so there is no doubt your money is not wasted. It is worth reading up about, and seeing user comments, for new people making the decision, and I'm just letting everyone know what I uncovered in my research for my personal needs. Everyone else's mileage will vary. Naturalyl SLI is a great solution where your budget just won't stretch to a new single card that will make a performance increase that is worthwhile from your existing card, and just adding a new copy of your existing card will be much more affordable.
HTH!
Tom |
Post by weaveribm // Apr 2, 2007, 5:44am
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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That's it Tom
Just needs "You will definitely see improvements over a single card at high resolutions and high FSAA/AF settings' in there a few times as a standard disclaimer. SLI does nothing much for standard (S)VGA screens apart from the newer very high FSAA modes. Minimum 1600x1200 here since V2 SLI the precursor
Plus those of us with 7xxx cards will be up for the latest GeForce hardware out soonish, we already had the power to skip the HUGE 8800 that some people bought rather precipitately in view of the new GPUs power. The 9900 or summat. Or AMDs version if it ever makes it this year. Signs are good. Ish.
Two friends of mine inherited my last SLI rig and two more will inherit the one I run currently. It's not all about money you know <runs away> :)
Peter |
Post by EyeInStein // Apr 2, 2007, 11:10am
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EyeInStein
Total Posts: 38
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Resolved. :)
Look in the NV panel for the function's name, something like 'SLI Indicators' probably on the menu bar. What drivers are you using btw
OK alternate frame rendering or split frame rendering... found in Manage 3d Settings -> SLI performance mode. I left that at nVidia recommended. (changes were made..just not here ) I am using 93.71, the lastest on the nVidia site. I used to use forceware beta in my more daring days, but stability is my motto these days :) .
There's also another way to use SLI and that's the x8- or x16FSAASLI mode. No split frames or alternate frames just one big gorgeous smooth-textured landscape/terrain
I could not find any references to x16FSAASLI specifically. I did find SLI16x on Antialiasing settings and a 16x on Anistropic Filtering. I chose these two.
Lastly, since I like the 'comfort' of accepting defaults these days, and have not opened the 3d Settings since the OC'ing days, I found a setting here that for some reason defaulted to a wrong value. Hardware acceleration had defaulted the Multiple display performance mode. I changed this value to Single display performance mode, since I only have a single monitor.
I saved these settings, exited and started trueSpace 7. No problems, it worked fine. I went ahead and tried tS6.6, just for kicks.. and it also did fine.
Not sure which of the 3 settings fixed it - turning them off or changing them back individually won't reproduce the problem.
Thank you for the help. I guess I thought that the defaults would be fine. I had contacted support and within hours, I had two emails trying to help resolve the problem. I must say, this is probably the most supported software I have ever seen for a product I purchased on the net. Kudos and thank you again. |
Post by weaveribm // Apr 2, 2007, 1:10pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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Here you go Eyes yes I can confirm that TS7.11 does run SLI mode fine (quick test only though and on my rig YMMV) in SFR mode. I set up Global Profiles for SFR to be speedy in the expected Player window under D3D but I would normally set up a Profile for TS7.11 in Create New Profile. The green horizontal line is the SFR mode indicator
Thanks mate I didn't have SLI activated on my XP partition :)
Peter
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/TS7.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o63/Mington/SettingSLI.jpg |
Post by weaveribm // Apr 2, 2007, 1:14pm
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weaveribm
Total Posts: 592
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I could not find any references to x16FSAASLI specifically. I did find SLI16x on Antialiasing settings
x16FSAASLI is your SLI16x although SLI16x is meaningless as a descriptor. My times sixteen Full Scene (was Screen when it was all fields through here) Anti-Aliasing SLI is a more correct description I fancy :)
Peter |
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