On Wednesday 02 January 2008 5:34:34 pm LeeE wrote: > On Wednesday 02 January 2008 22:57, Fred Larson wrote: > > On Wednesday 02 January 2008 3:21:14 pm Hal V. Engel wrote: > > > On Wednesday 02 January 2008 11:44:57 Fred Larson wrote: > > > > On Wednesday 02 January 2008 12:46:24 pm Curtis Olson wrote: > > > > > On Jan 2, 2008 12:32 PM, Fred Larson <> wrote: > > > > > > I put this question to the "General Help" forum, and they > > > > > > suggested that I ask > > > > > > the users list. > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm getting frame rates of around 5-8 when flying the > > > > > > default C172P in the default 800x600 window. I've done > > > > > > some experimenting with rendering options, > > > > > > color depth, etc. without much effect. I tried > > > > > > full-screen game mode, which > > > > > > decreased my frame rate. > > > > > > > > > > > > Machine: Dell GX270 > > > > > > CPU: P4 2.8 GHz > > > > > > Memory: 512 Mb > > > > > > Video: Intel 82865G integrated > > > > > > Monitor: Acer 1680x1050 LCD > > > > > > OS: Kubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) > > > > > > > > > > > > Do you think this hardware is inadequate to get a better > > > > > > frame rate, or do I > > > > > > have a config problem somewhere? Any suggestions? > > > > > > > > > > Let me start out by saying that I am biased towards nvidia > > > > > graphics hardware becuase it generally works very well and > > > > > is very trouble free under linux (your mileage may vary a > > > > > bit and I'm sure there are counter stories, but generally I > > > > > feel that nvidia is the best performing and best supported > > > > > option right now for linux users.) > > > > > > > > > > I can say fairly confidently that if you installed a $100 > > > > > nvidia card or better, and installed the nvidia linux > > > > > drivers, you will see about a 10x frame rate increase. > > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > Curt. > > > > > > > > Thanks, Curt. I'm considering that. There may be a few > > > > hurdles to getting a new card in this box, such as: > > > > 1. getting the budget allocation from the finance committee > > > > (i.e., my wife) 2. if there's enough space in the box (I > > > > haven't opened the case on this thing -- I understand they > > > > can be tight) > > > > 3. if the case has enough cooling for a new video card > > > > 4. if the PSU can handle it. > > > > > > > > I can probably finagle #1 if the rest aren't a problem. But > > > > I thought I'd see if someone might be able to help me > > > > determine if the i865 is actually doing all it can, and if > > > > not, how I might be able to fix my config. > > > > > > It looks to me like you are getting about what would be > > > expected from the Intel chip set you are using. The Intel > > > video chip sets are well supported in Linux but are comparable > > > performance wise to the very low end of the Nvidia and AMD/ATI > > > GPU lines (IE. the chips that are designed for motherboard > > > integration). Even a modest Nvidia card like a 6600LE will > > > outperform the Intel and other motherboard video chips by a > > > significant margin (3 to 5 times as fast) and these can be had > > > for significantly under $100. Pricewatch.com has a 6600LE > > > board listed for $29.99 and a 7600GS for $78.99 or an 8600gt > > > for $99.75 including shipping. In addition these GPUs have > > > relatively modest power/heat requirements on the order of 20 to > > > 35 watts peak (5 to 10 watts idle) and should not have > > > power/heat issues even in a system with a low end power supply > > > and cooling. The 6600LE class of GPUs is about as low as I > > > would consider for use with FG and I would be inclined to get > > > the most powerful GPU that would fit my budget and the PSU and > > > cooling limits of my PC. > > > > > > You will probably be very happy with how FG performs with the > > > 7600/8600 classes of cards. I run a 7950GTX with a 3200x1200 > > > display area (two 1600x1200 displays) and with everything set > > > for max display quality I get 35 to 75 FPS (I have Sync to > > > Vblank on so it will never go higher than 75). This card > > > replaced a 6600LE which would do about 10 to 20 FPS at this > > > same resolution IF I used lower quality settings in the driver > > > and in FG. This frame rate is the bare minimum for a usable > > > sim. But at more normal resolutions like 1024x768 or 1280x1024 > > > you would get much higher frame rates. The 6600LE was an > > > upgrade from a 6150 based card which is comparable to or > > > perhaps slightly faster than your video chip set and the best > > > it could do at this resolution was 1 to 5 FPS which is not > > > useable at all. > > > > > > I more or less agree with Curt about the quality of the Nvidia > > > linux drivers. They are currently the best and the quality of > > > the OpenGL support is very good even if there are still some > > > issues in other areas with these drivers. However AMD/ATI have > > > stepped up the quality of their Linux support since AMD > > > acquired ATI. Their drivers have been improving at a > > > significant rate lately and it looks like they are close to > > > closing the gap. In addition AMD is actively supporting, both > > > with previously unavailable documentation and financially, an > > > effort to create open source 3D drivers for their GPUs. So far > > > those who are working on this effort are saying that AMD is > > > exceeding their expectations by a large margin. Nvidia has so > > > far refused to work with any open source effort to create 3D > > > drivers. Perhaps in 6 months to a year the momentum will have > > > shifted to AMD/ATI. But we will have to wait to find out and in > > > the mean time nvidia is probably the best option. > > > > > > Hal > > > > Hal, That's some good info. Thanks a lot! I'll start budget > > negotiations. > > You'll need to open your case to find what slots you have available. > For new vid cards you'll need a free PCI-E slot. As this is a P4 > system it may only have an AGP slot, and as it's a Dell with > integrated graphics it may not even have that. > > You'd better check before you order a new vid card. > > LeeE >
Good call. I'm not a hardware expert, but it appears there's one AGP slot and two PCI (no E) slots. So what options might I have? -- Fred 8v) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: Microsoft Defy all challenges. Microsoft(R) Visual Studio 2005. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/vse0120000070mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ Flightgear-users mailing list Flightgear-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-users
