My card works just fine at all lower res except that when I go to 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution, I get much darker smokier colors everywhere .....so I am stuck on 1280 x 1024.Now I have a Dell 8100 with a 250W PS so I am going to check for voltage drops when I go from my present resolution back up to max 1600 x 1200....but I hear on the Dell Forum that this should not be a problem for my system since ATI recommends 300W for a 9800, and Dell's 250W is actually much higher.I have a [email protected], 512MB of RDRAM, a MAXTOR 80G HD, and all I have in my system is the above plus a disk drive and a CD ROM drive.It's hard to believe that higher resolutions would draw enough current increase to draw down the supply voltages but I await more expert opinion.:-violin

The other thing to check and which has a dramatic effect on performance is your frame rate setting. The way the software is written means that attaining the frame rate setting is given priority over other tasks by the CPU/graphics card. Since most people cant tell the difference between 20 fps and 60 fps it is a waste of computing power to lock higher than 20 or so. To do so uses up resources which could better be used for re-drawing autogen, clouds etc. especially in mid or low power systems. So its a paradox - if you reduce the frame rate lock you can actually improve smoothness and overall performance in some set ups.

You're Dell 250watt PS is fine. They're better than most 400watt PS'. What monitor do you have? I always make sure I buy monitors recommended to run at 1600x1200x32 and that run at least 85hz in that resolution.

Regarding framerates....I agree that over 30 or so is invisible, at least to me, but this color problem I have applies to my entire system, and is not related to FS9.I have a Dell 19 inch monitor that can,and has,in fact run @ 1600 x 1200. I am going to check the voltages anyway, 'cause it's all I can think of doing, and it's possible the PS is going bad.I'm trying to keep this system usable until 64 bit AMD microprocessors come along.A pipe dream, I know.

Well, voltages were Ok so I turned in my card, installed the new one and the problem's STILL THERE.I contacted ATI and will post whatever they find or say.

John,What refresh rate are you running?? I ask this because there is a huge brightness difference w some montiors depending on your refresh rate. If the monitor can pull it try running at at least 85Hz refresh rate. You may see a huge brightness difference.Bobby

I took a look and I am at 85HZ now at 1280 x 1024...I am happy to say I like the card and I am getting some reasonable (20+) framerates....but if the box says 1600 x 1200 @ 85Hz and I have a vanilla Dell setup, I want to know what the problem is. Well, based on your wise suggestion, I went and set it to 1600 x 1200 again and I discover my Dell monitor auto-switches down from 85Hz at 1280 x 1024 to 75 Hz when at 1600 x 1200. Brightness control doesn't get me back to reasonable color.So it may not be my card, after all. I appreciate the suggestion very much.Back to the Dell Forum.

It turns out there are two outputs on a 9800. One is for a CRT and the other one is for (I think) the new plasma screens.RADEON supplies a socket adapter so you can drive your CRT with the plasma output socket.I tried this and the CRT finally works at 1600 x 1200 out of the plasma adapter but not out of the CRT adapter so RADEON says exchange it.Thing is, I've already exchanged it for one that previously had the exact same problem with the CRT socket?So what's the probability I picked up two cards with exactly the same problem with the CRT socket...(no decent color from the CRT socket at 1600x1200)? I suspect a design weakness, myself. BTW, a 19 inch screen running 1600 x 1200 with the screen colors set up properly puts out a very very impressive picture.

Just out of curiosity you said you were using the stock power supply from dell which was 250 watts? If thats the case thats your problem right there you need a min of a 3oo watt power supply, the card requiers extra voltage. If what I read from your posts about the power supply being that low I would change it to something with at least 350 watts, always better to have more than less.Tunlrat1

Second that. A display that's dimming is due to insufficient DC supply to the card. Actually it states that in the 9800 documentation on the Catalyst CD.Joe

No, I'm sure it is not the power supply because I checked the voltages directly on the card when running at 1600x1200, and the card NOW works perfectly at 1600x1200, aslong as you use the DVI output with the DVI to CRT converter plug to do so. Using the CRT output directly is where the problem lies. DELL power supplies are, by reputation, VERY conservatively rated, and I only have a HD and a sound card on my board, as well as a CDROM and a diskette drive....pretty much barebones.......Now, I have actually got the card to produce 1800 x 1400 on my desktop for a short while,while running FS9 in a window, and the image actually extended beyond the screen....pushing the mouse dursor to the edge of the screen would scroll the picture in that direction.Haven't been able to reproduce it again, though...if and when I do I will post it...thanks to you both for the input...