Hi everyone,Just want to pick the brains of anyone with any experience of this card, or indeed graphics cards on the whole.I recieved a new Dell Dimension 8300 last week, complete with a 128MB ATI 9800 Pro. I installed FS2002, and found that despite very impressive framerates, there were some significant texture problems. When in spot view, or fly by, there is a lot of texture 'shimmering'. Usually around engine nacelles etc (POSKY 747), also landing gear struts etc (Captain Sim 727), and at night there tend to be huge black blocks all over the aircraft (POSKY 747). I DID have the most up to date drivers, until I read a recent post here saying that a new driver was released yesterday, so I'm in the process of downloading that, and will see if it resolves any of the problems.The other thing that mystifies me, is that in the FS2002 hardware settings, under DISPLAY/HARDWARE, in the 'fullscreen device' entry, there are two entries, they are as follows:-RADEON 9800 PRORADEON 9800 PRO (.DISPLAY1)Why is this? I checked the device manager in Windows, and sure enough, under 'display adapters' there are two entries, 'Radeon 9800 Pro', and then also 'Radeon 9800 Pro - Secondary'.The locations state that the first one is at 'PCI Bus 1,device 0,function 0'. And the 'secondary' is at 'PCI Bus 1,device0,function1'.Does anybody know why it is installed like this? Should my Radeon 9800 be appearing like this at all? FS2002 does work with either of these two card entries selected within the FS2002 settings, albeit with the texture issues occuring with both.Any help most appreciated guys!Kind regards,Al Summers.

Hi Al,I've just ordered a 9800 Pro to put in my homebuilt PC, so will be watching this space for replies. Maybe you could post when you try the new drivers out?That double entry in DM sure sounds strange. I've seen double entries in DM when in Safe Mode before (in Win 98) (I assume you have XP?). Have you contacted Dell yet? That sounds like a system specific issue in the way that the card is installed and/or recognized. I'm sorry I have no help for you, but thanks for posting this :)Bruce.

Chances are that is just the dual-head nature of the card... one entry for the digital-out port, the other for the analog port. I have seen this double entry on my setup with a 9800. Since most computers, if not all, have only one AGP slot, perhaps the card needs to emulate or otherwise trick the system into thinking the second virtual adaptor is PCI. I have *not* seen the shimmering you describe, or the blocks or bad textures. Everything is quite nice! My guess, anyway...-GregP4 3.06 HT / 512 MB RAM / Asus P4PE Mobo

You're suppose to have two entries. For two monitors. You have your normal display and a dvi display. As to the issue of trouble with FS2k2 graphics, try deleting the main FS2002 config file and start the sim again. If that don't work, ATI drivers say "if you're having issues", here's a newer version. I've never had any issues so I'm using older drivers that came with my CD when the 9700 Pro was first introduced last year. Run the sim at 1600x1200x32 res if your monitor supports it. Also, I recommend 4xAA & 16xAF with max textures and mipmaps in the card setup for the best picture quality.

Hi Al,Here's some info:http://forums.avsim.com/dcboard.php?az=sho...ing_type=searchI linked to your post on the FS forum, in another thread about the 9800 Pro. Bruce.

Thanks for all the info guys. As has been stated above, and according to the support guy on the Dell.co.uk forums, the two entries in the device manager is just the analogue and DVI outputs.As for the 'texture shimmer' problem...I installed the latest 3.6 drivers, and I have to say that I don't see much difference. Still blindingly fast, but still that strange lack of clarity to the textures when viewed from a distance. I'll try this idea of increasing the screen resolution, and see if it does any good.I am in no way disappointed by this card. It is very fast after all, although I would like to resolve this texture problem, or at least know that there won't be a similar problem in FS2004. But then someone in the other thread has said that the 9800 with FS2004 works fine.I'll try whats been suggested and see if it helps.Regards,Al.

Well, have just increased the resolution to the maximum that FS would allow me to. And sure enough, there is a great improvement. Still a TINY amount of shimmer on the edge of SOME textures, but nothing to write home about.Can't seem to find a 'setup' for the damn card though! The only ATI folder in my Program Files is empty! I'll have to get to the bottom of this in order to increase AA/AF etc...Regards,Al.

You'll find your card menu here: right click on desktop/click properties/settings/advanced/select d3d and make the suggested changes. Same with the OpenGl tab. I run with 4xAA & with 16x Performance AF with Textures and Mipmaps maxed; vsync on application preference and Truform Off. Use trilinear filtering in the ingame settings/Display and set your resolution manually in the main FS2002 cfg file (just scroll down till you see the appropriate line) if you don't have 1600x1200x32 available in the FS Display settings.

Hi Greg,What connector does the digital output have? I must find some way to run that digital output to my Sony flat screen, which has a special cable. I'm expecting my 9800 Pro any day now.Thanks,Bruce.

Hi Bigshot,I've tried using your 'directions' to get to the card menu, but I can't find the 'd3d' option. Under 'advanced' the tabs available are General, Adapter, Monitor, Troubleshoot, and Color Management?Can't find anything that may allow me to change the AA/AF settings.

Do you have the control panel for your card installed? I didn't see those tabs without the control panel installed.Den

That's so typical of Dell not to install the control panel. You'll have to see which drivers you have and then go get the right control panel and install it. Go over to www.rage3d.com and and ask the guys on the forum over there. They'll help you out. What you're seeing on your screen right now is the way the sim looks with Application Preference. Once you get the control panel installed, and turn on AA & AF, the sim graphics will blow you away.

I seem to recall that there was a downloadable control panel on the ATI website when I downloaded the drivers a couple of days ago, so will head over there and get hold of it.Thanks guys.Al.

>You'll find your card menu here: right click on>desktop/click properties/settings/advanced/select d3d and make>the suggested changes. Same with the OpenGl tab. I run with>4xAA & with 16x Performance AF with Textures and Mipmaps>maxed; vsync on application preference and Truform Off. Use>trilinear filtering in the ingame settings/Display and set>your resolution manually in the main FS2002 cfg file (just>scroll down till you see the appropriate line) if you don't>have 1600x1200x32 available in the FS Display settings.Why on earth would you recommend turning Truform off?Jerome

Well, downloaded the control panel, and installed it. Upped the settings to around what Bigshot suggested, and what a difference! I didn't max the screen res, but everything else is as recommeded. VERY impressive. Frame rates took a bit of a hit, but nothing substantial. They were up around 30 with the original texture shimmer problems, and now they are between 17 and 25 on average. But thats with these super SMOOOOOOTH visuals though! Impressive.Anyway, can't wait to see what FS004 will look like on my new system in a couple of weeks. Hopefully there won't be to much of a hit on performance.Cheers for all the help.Regards,Al.