X1900 issues, black crosshatching for shadows

Sydd · Jun 30, 2006, 12:56 PM

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/892...umetric1ds.jpg
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Spec:

Motherboard Brand/Model: ASUS A8R32-MVP DELUXE

Graphics card: 3D Connect X1900 ATI Radeon ***Crossfire Edition***
Display Drivers Version = 8.263-060607a-033678C-ATI
Display 2D Version = 6.14.10.6618
Display D3D Version = 0.0.0.0
Open GL Version = 6.14.10.5885
Control Panel Version = 0.0.0.0

CPU Type = AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3700+
CPU Speed = 2205 MHz

System RAM Amount = 2048 MB

Windows XP Pro 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2
DirectX Version 09.00.0904

Hardware Acceleration = FULL

HDD: Maxtor 250gb 16mb L2 cache

If you find anything out or have had the same problem and solved it, either post a reply here or e-mail me :-

Sydd_nicrsan@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading

sora3 · Jul 1, 2006, 04:36 AM

Hmmm, it seems that the graphics might be damaged by heat. Check the HSF and see if the thermal paste is making contact with the core...

~~hackerx~~ · Jul 1, 2006, 05:38 AM

check temps of ur card.See if they are staying between 75-90C while gaming(i.e under load)
If its stays within that range,ur card isn't overheating.
If doesn't then get a new HSF.
And check ur PSU too.

renhoek · Jul 1, 2006, 05:04 PM

I have the same thing in 3Dmark2005.. But I never really thought that was a problem.

..and oh.. i hover around 65-72C so no overheating

Tipstaff · Jul 1, 2006, 06:55 PM

If you haven't already, the first thing I would do is try a different set of drivers, especially if you are using the set that came with the card when you bought it.

NGO Optimized 1.6.4 (Catalyst 6.4) drivers from HERE (highly recommend these ones).

Radeon Omega Drivers 3.8.252 (Catalyst 6.5) from HERE.

Or the official ATI Catalyst 6.6 drivers off their website (also available on DH's download site HERE).

CJLMTLCA · Jul 1, 2006, 09:40 PM

I ran 3DM05 after i saw this, and i have the same thing on my X800. Never noticed it before. My temp was ~50C...

CJL

Sydd · Jul 2, 2006, 02:38 PM

Hi again thanks for the many suggestions.

This is my second X1900 card (Connect 3D), i have had the same problem with the first card(HIS Excalibur), The HIS card when i spoke to ATI via E-mail was deemed Faulty due to this shadow problem, i get a replacement from the ever helpful people at www.Overclockers.co.uk yet i see the same problem. im surprised some of you that have the problem did not notice it, i see it alot for example F.E.A.R. on door handles and on walls yet the player shadows are perfect, i dont understand what causes the problem some shadows have it and some dont, maybe it is a surface plane issue.
Oh and when i had the HIS card i tried everything to make it better which includes all the various drivers that are available. im using CCC 6.6 because ATI were sure it would solve the problem.
Most recently i asked them if it was something that i need to do in settings etc, but they must have miss-understood because they told me to revert my settings to defualt and see if that fixes it. (but they were on defualt and always have been)

If anyone finds anything out please let me know i'll appreciate any feed back.

Thanks

Sydd.

Sydd · Jul 2, 2006, 02:39 PM

And as for Temperatures, i have 2 fans directly pointing at the GPU as well as 3 other fans, temps are very cool, shame about the noise though

Tipstaff · Jul 2, 2006, 04:00 PM

I don't think it's a tempreature issue. If it were the issue wouldn't be localized like that. It would infact be all over the screen. Also, since this is a 2nd completely different card, and the fact that others are "noticing" it too on different hardware would certainly suggest it's driver related.

Something that dawned on me to try before you go reinstalling drivers would be to first try turning off Catalyst A.I. within the Catalyst Control Panel just to see if this helps. Also, if you have changed that setting to Advanced I highly recommend you set it to Standard.

Other than that all I can suggest right now is to do a clean uninstall which includes using Driver Cleaner (just remember not to use the ATI IGP listing) of your video drivers, and try a different set, even an older one if need be such as the Catalyst 5.13 set ( even try the ones without the Catalyst Control Center).

MiDri · Jul 2, 2006, 05:50 PM

I have this too in BF2... just noticed it... *sigh*

[edit]

Trying to figure out what is causing this, because when I run an ATI tech demo (Ruby's stuff) The shadows look fine. However, in BF2 and in 3dMark I notice the crosshatching effect instead of a clean even fadeout.

[update]

Does not do this on all shadows in the scene, for example shadows from troops in 3dMark05 during the space battle have shadows that do not fade and do not have the crosshatch, however terrain shadows almost all have it.

Also I do not trust 3dMark05's fps indicator anymore, I have few programs monitoring my fps and 3dMark05 showed 63 whilst everything else said 55.

[update]

Seems to be somthing to do with with the R5XX cores, though it did slightly apear in the R4XX cores too. Here is a link with some side by sides of the X1800, X850, and Geforce 7800. The weirdest thing I have found in my search for topics related to this is that no one is talking about it... Many people do not seem to notice.

[update]

The problem is not as pronounced in 3dMark06, the shadows isntead of crosshatched become more noisy. The noise look actully looks really good to me and might be how it suposed to look, I am not sure.

[update]

Here is an example of shadows working nicly and not working in the same scene, I am not 100% sure that the one that looks nice is real time, however.

kn00tcn · Jul 2, 2006, 11:16 PM

it's the FIRST thing i noticed in 3dmark05 for my x800 (& the psu stutters)

but the rest looks weird...

midri you mentioned BF2, isnt that an nvidia'ized game? heh

as mentioned, cat AI should be off.. & also have everything up on quality

MiDri · Jul 2, 2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kn00tcn

it's the FIRST thing i noticed in 3dmark05 for my x800 (& the psu stutters)

but the rest looks weird...

midri you mentioned BF2, isnt that an nvidia'ized game? heh

as mentioned, cat AI should be off.. & also have everything up on quality

My test are with everything off, everything on, one thing on one thing off, etc.

Nothing fixed it.

kn00tcn · Jul 3, 2006, 12:06 AM

no clue then... have the rage3d people seen the issue?

MiDri · Jul 3, 2006, 06:02 AM

From what I have been reading this could have to do with features that are only supported by nVidia cards called DST and PCF.

ATI cards do not support DST and PCF, which is what many new games use to get their softshadow effect. It is a proprietary nVidia hardware feature that allows for softshadows to be renderd with little performance hit. [Source]

[Update]

Some info about this effect in bf2 on rage3d. [Source]

Sydd · Jul 3, 2006, 11:48 AM

Does this mean that however much we try new and different drivers it can not be fixed untill ATI dip into there pockets?

*no wonder they have been giving me the run around all this time

What do we do now? It looks like if you want decent shadows ATI isnt for you, that cant be good for buisness.