CATALYST maker

Driverheaven provides a monthly poll to let you (the user) vote on how much you like each CATALYST release.

I beg you to take a few seconds out each month and have your voice heard in the polls. After you download the drivers try them out for a few days or even a few weeks, then come back to the DH polls and vote (once for the driver alone and once for the CATALYST CONTROL CENTER alone)

That information helps me and the rest of the CATALYST gang here at ATI make things better.

I wll summarize below the voting each month so you can go back and see how well a particular CATALYST release was regarded by the community.


Thanks guys

RATINGS for driver only (not including the control center): 10 being the best and 1 being the lowest

CATALYST 5.1 RATING 7.9
CATALYST 5.2 RATING 8.6
CATALYST 5.3 RATING 8.2
CATALYST 5.4 RATING 8.2
CATALYST 5.5 RATING 8.9
CATALYST 5.6 RATING 9.2 <-------- HIGHEST RATED DRIVER OF THE YEAR
CATALYST 5.7 RATING 9.1


RATINGS for CATALYST CONTROL CENTER only (not including the driver): 10 being the best and 1 being the lowest

CATALYST 5.1 RATING 6.2
CATALYST 5.2 RATING 7.9
CATALYST 5.3 RATING 7.2
CATALYST 5.4 RATING 6.8
CATALYST 5.5 RATING 9.1 <-------- HIGHEST RATED CCC OF THE YEAR
CATALYST 5.6 RATING 7.8
CATALYST 5.7 RATING 8.2

swatX

yes i definately seen an improvement in Cat 5.6 but as always there is something about CCC that makes me *shudders*

keep up the good work catalyst team!

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Ev!L-aLphA

awesome stuff

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4/21/08

Kombatant

It was probably you who missed it bro Here: Rate Catalyst 5.2 (CCC only)

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Mr cairo

CCC is a real no no for me as well , dont forget the poll that was posted recently showed that nearly 50% of peeps preferred the Classic Cotrol panel over the CCC

me being one of them

the drivers though appear to be going from strength to strength so big thumbs up there

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CATALYST maker

thank you sir
updated with the appropriate data

CATALYST maker

thanks!

hey why is it a no no? maybe i can address your issues with it

Ferret_Style

The biggest complaint by most on CCC is 2 fold... the size of the foot print when running. is the major one.

The second for me is the flash effect when the computer boots up and CCC is initilizing. I have a fast system but seems to stall it for a split second. It is more of any annoyance then a deturance.

But to be honest i am running CCC right now.

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"You might be Eaten by a Grue" MC Frontalot!

Canon20d

how will 5.7 change all this seems like a lot of people like them

udkjack

If anyone wants to know how Cat 5.7 measures up so far (July 23, 2005, 08:04 PM):

Driver: 8.7
CCC: 8.2

Mr cairo

as with others the footprint when running , also when i actually open the CCC its a lot slower to open and close than the classic control panel after making some changes in the CCC it can somtimes take 10 seconds after pressing apply for the CCC to to be ready to use again and then as much as 5 seconds to close the app

the classic control panel is practically instant in both respects

this will no doubt raise PC configuration questions and the " your pc is obviously at fault or to slow ETC " ( trust me its not check my sig )comments as usual but all i can say is i know how to configure a pc for optimal performance its only the CCC that acts this way all other apps and games respond the way i expect them too

and then theres personal niggles

1. i dont like the vid of the car driving along the road id like to disable it

2. i dont like the universal d3d and OpenGl setting i prefer the seperate control panels and option

3 i prefer simplicity and ease of use and TBH the CCC is a little to fiidley it has the feel of " lets do it this way because it will LOOK cool"

but i will say that when the option for the classic control panel is removed i will use the CCC and in 6 months i probably will have forgotten my biases

TBH as long as the drivers continue to perform the way they do i will adapt to the CCC

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Spyre

You can disable the car theres a little X above the pause button
You can use a profile to launch the very few OGL games and thus have different settings if you need them

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OmegaRED

I believe the ratings have more to do with expectations being met than overall quality since each driver gets more and more hyped before release but clearly the drivers are getting better ...CCC is another matter.

The D3D/OGL in one tab sucks and mystifies me why its like this when all other drivers have separate tabs.

What cairo said about the "cool look" is what CCC is all about, why do we need a flashy gui? CCC to me is comparable to Norton Antivirus in that it gets slower and flashier but has the exact functionality of a plain version which uses less resources.

You'll get my feedback when im dealing with a laggy comp once Im forced to use the CCC. In the meantime I'll keep using the CP drivers and wait for some BF2 optimizations

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Mr cairo

and it restarts every time i relauch the CCC i would like it permenantly off

that means that i have to open the CCC to change my profile whenever i want to play diffrent Ogl or D3D games , with the classic panel i just launch and play

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Bicka

How can the 5.6 drivers be the best rated driver?

I know for a fact they cause random VPU crashes with games like WoW and GTA San Andreas, from my own experience, friends and also people on this very forum.

If anything I suggest to just avoid this driver and to stay with the 5.4 (Omegas preferably)
I've not given the 5.7's much of a chance due to dire performance in WoW but from a post on this forum I have to assume they also cause VPU problems.


Still its great to here from an ATI rep everyonce in a while, keep up the great work, really appreciate all the effort put in to your cards.

Spyre

Stays off for me, never had a problem with it. You can also delete the preview.exe from \program files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE folder since you for whatever wierd reason cant disable it.

No you can launch a profile from either a keyboard shortcut, or from the CCC trayicon menu and you can even set it to launch the game after you start the profile

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Mr cairo

thats intresting to know TBH ...... few more weeks and ill probably try it again ... may even take the time to get to understand it a bit better

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cswiger

Well, the Cat drivers are getting better over time. :-) 5.6 worked pretty well for most software/games and gave a very noticable improvement to performance, more so than we'd seen in the previous 5.x updates.

I can't speak about WoW, but I've gotten no VPU recovery issues with GTA: SA under 5.7. And GTA: SA does much better in 5.7 than in 5.6 or earlier. At the very least, you can have anisotropic filtering enabled and have that help rather than turning various textures into a flashy moire effect.

I think Rockstar didn't bother to Q/A their product very much, aside from the ESRB furor, obviously someone wasn't testing it enough on ATI cards (the alpha transparency thing around trees and fences is pretty ugly), several missions you have to either skip the intro cutscene, and it's pretty easy to CTD it in a reproducable fashion. Also, the plane controls completely suck: if you require one hand on ASDW, one hand on the arrow keys, and one hand on the mouse, then you've exceeded the number of hands that people have available to use.

On the gripping hand, the Moties would be pleased.

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The_Neon_Cowboy

Also helps if you actually run CCC guys, it grows on you can't get used to it
If you not running it now can you?

reminds me of that guy....there are least one guy that I've ran into the past that spent
30-50 posts trashing CCCon multiple forums. Voting negatively, etc. You want to know
something? The guy has never even installed it and according to him he never will because
to him .net is the root of all evil or something LOL.

Others simply don't like it and don't want to budge from the classic control panel.

Some peoples use more or less then others but acording to the survey I did with cat 5.6
5.6 CCC user survey: The Results

It actually has a pretty small foot print if you don't focus on "Virtual Memory"
useage wich really has little impact on performance. True it only focused on
what could be considerd as every day system usage with CCC installed but
with out the control panel being opened...As it would be abnormal to set all
day or game with CCC open.

.Net 2.0 will bring improvements I'm sure if MS would just get on the ball!

Hyped??? by whom? please link to the direct ATI sources,
stuff from "theinquier" and forum conjecture desn't count...
fact tha many budged from ther 4.12 favorite and loaded
and kept 5.7 is proof postive of improvements...

Actually CCC has features and advantages over the classic control panel plus
you don't have to make it flashy if you dont want choose "system skin" and set
your theme to windows classic. Skining and the 3d previews and nice and helpfull
to have especally with the magority computer users who are novices at best. True
not everyone needs it but they can't think about "just you" or the much smaller
percent of experince or expert users but the entire range of users. They key thing
is with CCC the many possabilities are yet to come so much more that can be done
with CCC that you could never do wit the classic CP. Plus .net has it magor advatages
to ATI and to us.

I've been using CCC for a very long time I've never gotten laggyness etc...
In fact after hearing such complaints in the past I benchmarked a system with
out .net with the old CP, with .net, with .net and CCC and the performance
difference was virtually non existent. True all system are diffrent but still is
to the contrary to the claims I've seeing since ccc was released...Also CCC
has also improved vastly since then... Yes CCC does have an effect of startup
time and it does use more resources then the classic cp that a given...

I'd argue the anti virus part but that would lead us offtopic but I will say
the smaller foot print antivirus and firewall is not as good as the norton one
less protection, less features, false positives, less security as was argued
before...

I'm waiting for EA and DICE to rool out the 1.03 patch with will be they
way they should of released the game in the 1st place. Thier release since
demo has been below par...the game isn't very graphically demanding but
does use a massive amount of ram and virtual memory many times more
then hl2 or doom 3 with less them impressive IQ. It would help if they used
dynamic loading instead of precacheing absolutely everything from sounds to
geometry. So that you need a good 2 gigs of ram just becouse they felt like
coding it that way. With 1.5GB of ram the game at most used 850 MB of ram
and 850 MBof page file and that was just with the demo. Most games precache
some the intensive stuff and then dynamically load things as needed. One of
those games that would force you to needlessly upgrade your system. Nothing
short of them majorly patching will do to much good. which they already announced
the upcoming 1.03 patch will bring performance enhancements as well as over 150
fixs.

Instant? right clicking your desktop, properties, settings tab, advanced, takes time as well.
Think also how often are people really in there most people set it and forget it.

Thing is your idea of a optimally configured PC and mine surely differ. Along with
1 billion other guys idea's. We can't all be wrong nor can we all be right. It differs
from system to system and how its used but there are some things that are universal.

Just like I menioned the the 5.6/5.7 discussion thread one guys idea of a "optimally
configured PC " was to set his page file to 64MB, less then just windows would
normally use leaveing virtually no room for anything to be paged out. So when
he loads CCC it must run completely from memory and can't drop alot of itself to
virtual memory as many applications do. So I say the guys system is far
from optimal for just about any task. So his so called "optimally configured PC "
made for a far from optimal CCC experiance. (he probably has many other things
that don't run as well as they could either)

other things that effect are completely dependent on your configuration,
knowledge, and experience. Configuration includes all the software you ever
use or load. keeping you system clean up to date and so forth... I find it odd
that across 4 very different pc's and now probably ranging in 100's of installs
that my results seem to be a favorable experience when so many are displeased.

Maybe it because I format and reinstall at the minimum once every 3 months
on my systems...My parents systems last much longer as they don't use their
PC anywere near the levels that I do (i'm in the top 1%).

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westsidebud

if it aint broke why fix it ?

After hearing that the cp will be discontinued
i will be giving serious thought to switching to nvidia for my next upgrade.

And really all the long winded rants don't amount to anything..
if the vast majority of people want the cp then who
has the right to take it away from them and shove the CCC down their throats ?

Ignoring your customers wants and needs is poor business.

And even though i am a fan of the .net framework
and program myself with c# i still understand why people
do not want a gun to their head to use it.

Replacing the CP with the CCC is foolish mistake.
And it is obvious why, well atleast it is to me.
It seems to me from that poll about how much ram you have
most of you have 1 gig or higher.. not me. (hint hint)

And i swear [color=gold]The_Neon_Cowboy[/color] you are on some
kind of affiliate program for ATI's CCC and the .net framework or something.
I find it shocking how much time you pound everyone here
with the .Net / CCC sermon.

The way i see it .Net is really cool but it is not ready yet.
Serious can anyone name me any paid program or driver program
that is currently beeing replaced by a .net version ?
I know i have an awesome idea ! Convert the src to
Norton Internet Security to C# LOL

Mr cairo

like i said its more a dislike of the program i just dont prefer the CCC to the classic control panel ... but when the time comes and i am forced to use it i will .................. but not through choice

but again when you consider that the poll showed nearly 50% of users prefer the classic panel its mind blowing that ati would say well now we are going to force you all to use the CCC

surley another poll in a few months to see if the figures for people using the CCC continue to rise would be prudent and when votes show that only about 20% of people prefer the classic panel then consider the change

like i said i will use the CCC not because i want to but because i am being made to ( take into account i dont tend to use modified drivers i prefer the ATI official releases )

the poll clearly showed that users prefer the classic panel so why not be inovative and listen to the majority and continue to provide both options the classic and the CCC if the improvments to the CCC continue then more and more customers will switch ( OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL ) to the CCC

poll again in a few months and then decide wouldnt it be nicer to see your customers taking up the CCC on their own free choice

customers hate to be forced into change they like to think they have some say

i can see the merit of the CCC but like a majority of your users im just not ready for it yet




i agree with all that M8 like you say optimal for me is probably diffrent to optimal for you ..... lets just say that i am knowledgable enough to build and configure well running gaming rigs and setting virtual memory to 64mb isnt somthing i would consider ........................................... alongg with deleting the prefetch

and yup my sytems are streamlined clean and up to date virus and adaware free etc

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The_Neon_Cowboy

If we used the same logic else were we would even have electricity or
running water in our homes. Litte lone anything newer then a tandy computer.
It's called advacement and it comes weather we truely want or need it...

Sorry to hear that but you might wait untill nvidia releases thier .net
CP and see what thier going to do. At least CCC has had a lot of public
feedback and changed and improved emmensly since the early days.
such a decoicion shouldn't be based on just 1 thing your unhappy with.
or becouse they won't do what you want.

Just like the group of guys saying their going to buy nvidia cards if ATI don't
add a "digital vibrance" feature . (Wich on NV cards is something that done
partially if not all in the hardware) So may not be something can just be done
via the drivers with out the correspnading and supporting hardware.

The hardware and the drivers, community invovlement, what was the last
time you spoke with the nvidia driver team? thier beta testers? Thier "people"
or trying to help you. Thier all over these and many of the popular forums.

For example if you have problem and a beta tester or ati sees it thie going to
inqure and try to duplicate it and point you to the correct place to report things.
Come to think of it I've been on these forum since 2002 and i've never seen a
link to a driver feedback page for nvidia. Just looked don't see one either ...

Should all be a factor.... includeing the company it self.
But i'm not going to bore with a 20 page why I prefer ati over nvidia

If you regard me sorry about that it was as hard to trype it as it was for you to read it
I should of kept up better on this thread so to catch up I replied to many in one long post.


Welll actully I ran with 512 and CCC for a very long time that was in the
earlier versions too. Unless your running 256 MB then I'd hae to agree
but then with 256 your just running the reccomended for "just XP". Gamers
and so forth should have at lest 512 for the lightest of games and at lest 1 GB
for the more fequent or more intence games.

No But I've been invovled in testing the application and
I've used it for a very long time. It literally grows on you.

People are afraid and don't like change for better or for worse.
Thus many drag thier feet. Just like I refuse to call long horn vista
becouse I don't like the name... After a while I'll start useing it and
I get more used to seeing it...

Go back and load the oldest version of CCC and then remove it and install
the latest version the differeance is huge. Alot of people are cling to thier
1st impressions. As well as reading the compliants of others.

It has it advanatges for 1 some people will never be happy or will
complain no matter what is done. As you know of .net devoplement it
faster and easier to make changes. Things that may have took them
2-3 months thay can do in a single realease perioid. .Net has a great
potential an unlocks many a number of possabilties that are near
impossable with the old CP.

Weather everyone like it or not thier better off. You relise that ATI
never expected to drap the classic control panel along behind them
as long as they have. Droping to just CCC lets them conentrare on
CCC it self.

Tell me this if you test you program on 1 system does it mean it will
work on all systems and enviroments ok? No there will be problems
thats a given problems that can be resolved. See but as many as 50%
don't use CCC. You can't possably fix a bug before you know it's there
can you? So people not makeing the switch is actually slowing the
fixes and improvment!

Also belive it or not there are people that hate the classic control panel!!
and they don't use CCC or the clssic but 3rd party programs to chage thier
settings wich is a option to consider if you don't want to make the leap.

Another killer thing is people that have an resoulveable issue getting it to
run are told. Uninstall it and load the classic control panel, basically to not
even try. Still people useing old versions of .net or don't have it installed.
people that have alterd services to disabled that are required by .net or CCC.
Stuff like that that users simply need to iron out.

Actually the new Battlefield 2 game uses the new some sort of .net based
"DirectX for Managed Code"
BF2 install modifies DirectX9C any one else notice?
Microsoft has been plans for .net and they go off far into the horizon...

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Spyre

People seem to be forgetting that the old control panel will still work even if it is (or isnt) in the driver download. Theres nothing stopping people using the control panel from an older driver set. Effectively the old control panel code hasnt changed in over a year so any CP you install from the drivers is the same every month.

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g4bb3

5.7 hello !

ViRuS2k

Im guessing 5.7 will be added when 5.8 are released as to get acurate results.

beezee

My God people, relax a little and give it (CCC) a chance. It's still relatively new and is being revamped all the time. I applaud Mr. Makedon's and the ATI Catalyst teams effort to acctually come here to these posts and read them. It shows they do listen. Some say that nearly 50% of the community out there hate it....Well what about the other 50+% out there? Some say it's too slow to boot or that it flashes their screen for a split second...Damn you people remind me of "Veruca Salt" from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory..."I WANT IT AND I WANT IT NOW!" It's called change people roll with it. And by all means just relax!!!

Zardon

Well I hope everyone votes in the new threads to give an indication of the new CCC improvements. ATI use this information.

Ifixit

There are many apps for configuring mati graphics cards setting ATT CCC CP Radtweaker etc. The main thing is we ALL have a choice as to what we like to use for that purpose. Just because a few don't like CCC does not mean everyone does.

For that purpose i hope they keep on developing it and improving it so our choices are allways there.

DH and ATI ROCK

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CATALYST maker

Updated main post with CATALYST 5.7 ratings.

Leekay07

I don't like CCC ever since 4.9 its gone down hill. Now at least I can not run it without it causing my system to self distruct. I posted a thread on the matter.

The pause never was an issue for me I could live with it but as its not there no more (no CCC installed) all the better.

I know you guys have put a hell of alot of work into this baby but its really a utility thats not needed. Even for all the newbie pc users. Could you not have done a utility from the right mouse button on the desktop and had all the same shortcuts for AI and what have you on there?

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