GF4 ti4600: How I got it working

[Guest]

Just want to share with you how I got my new ti4600 to work for me.I saw quite a few posts recently of people struggling with their setup for ti4600, so I decided to inform you of my findings.Maybe not all usefull stuff, but maybe some of it could be of help.Quite a long post, but let's go:After swapping my GF2 for a GF4 4600 I was disappointed at first.I didn't get the framerate improvement I expected and on top of that was faced with new issues with FS2K2 that I never had with the GF2.Biggest issue was the frequent lock-ups I experienced while changing scenery.What in fact I needed to do was re-install FS2K2, but I was reluctant (as many of you) because it takes about half a day to get the whole FS2K2 'matrix' up and running again.Re-installing all 3rd party and special settings, patches etc. is a checklist in it's own right :)So what I did at first was getting myself the latest drivers and install these to see what the effect is: null.Still low FR and lock-ups. Took a deep breath and proceeded with the fresh install.Oh Wonder!I know. Optimum graphic card setup's are very machine dependant, but this is the result after some tweaking and re-install on my XP Pro P4 2ghz:45-50 fps while flying at FL200 with an overcast in view (at 8000)18 to +25 fps in dense area's like Simflyers KATL, KDFW, KLAX, Lago's EHAM 2000 and London Airports maxed out. (esp. EGLL) :-sun1 I don't know if this is even the max. I someone has more than please tell me.Now what did I do? The full log:- Backed up 3rd party and critical files- Uninstalled FS2K2 using "Remove Software" in Win XP- Reboot- Checked the page files ("computer management"in XP utils to see if there's enough virtual memory available.- Defrag'ed the drive FS2K2 should reside on- Reboot- Uninstalled the 29.42 drivers (Det.destroyer didn't work on XP)- Reboot- Install 29.80- Reboot- Set screen specs in windows (res, color depth, as usual)- Installed FS2K2 and all 3rd party- Reboot- Got the Geforce Tweak Utility (GTU) & installed it (latest ver.)- in GTU D3D tab: MipMap detail (LOD) to +0.8- in GTU D3D tab: Level of Anisotropy: 32tap- in GTU Quit and exit. I left all other settings as they were.- Reboot- Checked BIOS (machine in AGPx4 mode! Verify with report in GTU)- In Windows: Display Properties - Settings - Advanced - Geforceti4600 - Other settings I set the AA to "allow other apps..."- Also verify "Bus type". Should be at "AGP", nothing else. If it is, check chipset drivers.- Reboot- Re-installed all 3rd party, reboots plenty.Ok, now time to fire up FS.These are my settings in "Display - Scenery":- All max, except:- Mesh 75%- Max vis. 100nm- Cloud dens. 75%.- Grnd.scen.shadows off.In "Display Aircraft"- All max.- Switch a/c shadows off.In "Display Hardware"- I did set my 21" monitor to 1280x1024x32.(I can go as high as 1600x1200x32 but it decreased FPS in my set-up.)- Traget Frame rate Unlimited- Lights 8- Rendering options all on.- Tri-linear filtering.Some remarks to above:AA is controlled by application. When I switch off AA in FS fps decreases. I expected otherwise, but hey, no complaints from me.Tri-linear instead of the default two-linear gives me +3fps.Anyway, AA in 1280x1024 isn't that much of a factor.Another thread in this forum talks about VSync on or off.Some experience increased fps when ON. I tried, but didn't see a noticable effect. You can try however what it does for you.(VSync can be found in GTU or in the NVidia desktop menu).Well, that's it. Hope there's something in here that can be of help.It worked for me. Below are my specs.Happy flying!Richter.EHAM - Amsterdam Airport SchipholFlying the B767 PIC, with pleasure ;)Sys Specs:==========================P4 2ghz // 512KWindows XP ProGeforce4 ti4600Driver version 29.80Dual monitors (1x 22", 1x19")SB Live!MS Sidewinder 3DFS2K with:GAP, London Airports, B767PIC, PSS747, FlightMax, FSAssist. SB Host, FSUIPC 2.87, WideFS, FSMeteo, FSNavigator, Simflyers KATL/KDFW/KLAX.FSScene and EuroMesh.

[macwino 14]

Richter,A very helpful post. Thanks so much for going to all the trouble to report your experience. I especially appreciate your clear explanation of all the settings you use. I've given them a try and they do nothing to eliminate the principal problem I've encountered with my system, which is virtually identical to yours.This problem is the slow loading of textures. (I hope that "textures" is the right term. I'm talking about the images such as the street grid, buildings, etc. in cities and terrain cover for mountainous areas.) This is especially evident at 5000 feet AGL or below. About the only add-on I use that you didn't list is the FS Landclass scenery, but my tests indicate that this isn't the source of the problem.Let me give you an example of what I mean by slow loading of textures. Assume you are flying over a city such as San Francisco after taking off from KSFO. The city texture detail as you come up over the city from the airport is as crisp and clear as can be for the bottom 1/2 to 1/4 of the screen. Above that, the city textures are blurry and remain that way until they move down to the lower 1/2 or 1/4 of the screen. The same thing occurs over the mountains, although it is easier to see in the city due to the greater variety of detail. There is no telling when the textures will crisp up. Sometimes it's by the time they reach the lower half of the screen, and sometimes it's not until the bottom inch. In most cases, they clear up by the time they reach the lower 1/4 of the screen.If you or anyone else has experienced this problem and has a suggested fix I would greatly appreciate learning about it. I understand that in real life distant objects are not as clear as nearby ones, however I think one shouldn't have to be almost on top of the terrain before it crisps up, as is sometimes the case. Macwino

[Guest]

Hi may i ask how i do this?- In Windows: Display Properties - Settings - Advanced - Geforceti4600 - Other settings I set the AA to "allow other apps..."and how come my level of anisotropy only goes 16 and 64?Happy Flying-Anthony

[macwino 14]

Anthony,You can get 32 if you move the slider by clicking on it and moving it. If you just click to the left or right of it it often goes from 16 right to 64.For your other question, you go to the Control Panels, Open Display, click on Settings, click on Advanced, click on GeForce 4600, and then click on Additional Properties. I hope this helps.Macwino

[Guest]

ok got the 32 set and the other thing checked but on the gtu system under chip set enable use agp4x is not checked should i check that?Happy Flying-Anthony

[Guest PaulL01]

Richter,I'm sorry you had to go through all that, one thing that should have avoided the FS2k2 re-install is that right after installing the card go to FS2k2's settings/display/hardware menu and check/highlight the box/window that shows the new card and click OK. That should have been that. Doh!!!>>Some remarks to above: >>AA is controlled by application. When I switch off AA in FS >fps decreases. I expected otherwise, but hey, no complaints >from me. >Tri-linear instead of the default two-linear gives me +3fps. >Anyway, AA in 1280x1024 isn't that much of a factor. And when you checked this you checked it in full screen mode?You definitely have something out of whack here, under no circumstances will enabling AA or a higher aniso improve FPS no matter even if you have next years hardware :), quiet the opposite is the result, so I don

[Guest]

Hey Paul,I did select the new card, but the problem was persistent.That's why I got worried in the first place ;)And on the AA, i'm not kidding you.In full screen set AA on and UP go the fps.Is not the first anomoly encountered. Same goes for VSync.Maybe you can help me here:If I set the card to 6x AA (using the desktop NVidia menu) and set it *off* in FS2K, will FS2K override?Same vice versa?I experimented a little, but it seems FS2K2 is overriding.Not really sure however....R.

[Guest]

I Have an AMD Athlon XP 1600+ with 256mb RAM and a Nvidia GeForce 2MX400, so not a high end setup nowadays. I have no other progs running in the background tray (no internet connection, no virusscan, NOTHING!) and I get some around 25-30 fps in dense scenery areas with ALL sliders maxed out (KSFO, KLAX)! At high enroute with full clouds I even get around 50+ fps.I not even use all these tweaks thingy tools. I just run a clean and stable setup!So even lower end systems can get you great performance.Mario :-)

[Guest]

Of course I run FS at 1280*1024 with full 4x Anti AliasingMario

[Guest PaulL01]

R, ? >If I set the card to 6x AA (using the desktop NVidia menu) >and set it *off* in FS2K, will FS2K override? >Same vice versa? Do you mean 4sx AA? It actually says 6x? What version of XP are you running?Anyway, if you want to use these other settings in FS you have to check the box "manually select AA mode" in the display drivers menu and this will force these settings in FS when in full screen mode, otherwise yes, FS will override.

[Guest]

Hi!Ok, I'm beginnning to see the light.In another thread someone pointed me to the ultimate question:"What kind of memory do you use?"Apparantly (sigh) a +10,000 3DMark can be reached *if* you have DDR or RDRAM.......I use SDRAM.So now I hope you are *not* using SDRAM... :)As for the AA: Yes, it actually says "6x (D3D only)".Other choices are off,2x,CQ AA,4x.Cheers,Richter.

[Guest]

Dear Richter:I read your post with considerable interest as I've just recently upgraded from a GF2 to a GF4 Ti4200 and was not overwhelmed with the improvements.Since I had not loaded a lot of enhancements, I said "What the heck -I'll try a FS2K2 reload and see what happens."Imagine my surprise when I got the same magnitude of frame rate improvements as you! I've never seen this tip posted before. It must be that FS2K2, once installed, hangs on to video parameters that don't get overwritten with a hardware upgrade. Not a very clean code design, but the FS reload really made a difference.Thanks for the post!PS: I've got 1 Gig of 400 MHZ DDR RAM, so it seems to be a phenomena with how FS2K2 interfaces with the video hardware.

[Guest]

Glad to see you had the same sort of results as I had.However, I'm still not happy, but I've found a cause for that now and it is in the memory type.Was just thinking about a re-install of XP to see what that brings...What we all do for a few lousy fps...It's worse than the money we spend on it :)Cheers!R.

[Guest]

Richter:With all due respect my friend. I feel compelled to dispel this quick little bit of "urban ledged".1. You should not have this problem. If you do, there is a core issue going on in your system that is beyond the addition of the video card. This is not to say that hardware does not cause problems, but Nvidia is well established, and has a track record. I have a 4600. I use the product in my professional life. I have probably 4 to 5 different versions of Nvidia. But we also have ATI. Nvidia rocks. Fact.2. In my opinion, with a 21" monitor, you should be running MAX resolution (1600 X 1024 at least) and zero AA and normal filter. Guess you could manually set this up to get max Tri-linear. AA should only be used to compensate. With a 21" monitor, you don

[Guest]

BT,Appreciate your words. However, I don't see any Urban Legend here.I never blamed any component, untill yesterday when someone pointed me to the memory.It's just the way it is:- 1600x1024x32 gives me -5 fps in full screen.- 2 linear gives me another drop of 2-3Indeed, something in the core is offset, that's now obvious.All leads towards the memory, as said.I see plenty 4600 users having great results. It's not the card, nor the driver. I know now.I was able to cranck it up a little with some tweaks, which gaveme a few fps extra. Meigs is now "steady" on 30fps.....when flying the DF Piper it drops (mid air) to 7fps (!)Something is *very* wrong :)Cheers.R>