I just had my high end ATI card burn up on me an needed to finish some work I was doing before tomorrow morning. So there is a local computer reseller here and the best card that he had was a NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450. It cost about a 90 dollars and I grabbed it out of necessity and could use a bit of help.I've never owned an NVIDIA card before and this appears to be a run of the mill one. After I finished my work, I tried FS9 and boy is it horribly aliased and ugly. For the fun of it, (and because I'm going to end up keeping it as a spare), I'd like to give this card a run for it's money and see just how well a lower end card can do with FS9. So any help on how to properly set it up would be very kind of you and very well received.So please advise and thanks!!!MarkHere are the system specs...[Display]Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP, 32-bit (Service Pack 2)DirectX version: 9.0 GPU processor: GeForce GTS 450Driver version: 259.22CUDA Cores: 192 Core clock: 810 MHz Shader clock: 1620 MHzMemory clock: 1804 MHz (3608 MHz data rate) Memory interface: 128-bit Memory: 1024 MBMemory type: GDDR5Video BIOS version: 70.06.0F.00.05IRQ: 16Bus: PCI Express x16 Gen2[Components]nvCplUIR.dll 3.3.560.09 NVIDIA Control PanelnvCplUI.exe 3.3.560.09 NVIDIA Control PanelnvWSSR.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Workstation ServernvWSS.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Workstation ServernvViTvSR.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Video ServernvViTvS.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Video ServernvMoblSR.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Mobile ServernvMoblS.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Mobile ServernvDispSR.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Display ServerNVMCTRAY.DLL 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Media Center LibraryNVOGLNT.DLL 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Compatible OpenGL ICDnvDispS.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Display ServerNVCPL.DLL 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 259.22 NV4_MINI.SYS 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Miniport Driver, Version 259.22 NV4_DISP.DLL 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 259.22 PhysX 09.10.0224 NVIDIA PhysXNVCUDA.DLL 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA CUDA 3.1.1 drivernvGameSR.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA 3D Settings ServernvGameS.dll 6.14.12.5922 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server

It's really not that low-end, it's just not high-end. It's a proper mid-range card. Should run FS9 with just about anything you can throw at it. First thing's first: delete your fs9.cfg file if you have done so already. Second, open the sim and start cranking up those graphical settings. Next, try creating an application profile in the nvidia graphics control panel and enabling anti-aliasing.

Thanks Max! I did already delete my FS9.cfg and FS9 rebuilt it. I then put back all of the FS9.cfg tweeks and gave the NVIDIA control panel a profile for FS9. Now everything looks a lot better with a couple of exceptions. I'm getting a good amount of shimmer from buildings and ground textures. I'm also experiencing jagged edges on most objects that have a straight edge. What is the best way/setting to combat that because it has a tendency to catch the eye and hold it.Also, I've seen many people talk about NHancer and could that prove useful with this card? By the way, thanks for the quick response...I do appreciate it :)MarkThis is what I'm currently running in the NVIDIA control panel...Anisotropic Filtering : 4xAnti-Aliasing Gamma Correction : OnAnti-Aliasing Mode : Enhance the application settingAnti-Aliasing Setting : 8xAnti-Aliasing Transparency : (4x Supersample)CUDA-GPUs : AllExtension Limit : OffMaximum Pre-Rendered Frames : 8Mixed Display/mixed GPU acceleration : Single display performance modeTexture filtering - Anisotropic sample optimization : Off (Greyed out and cannot be set by me)Texture filtering - Negative LOD Bias : ClampedTexture filtering - Quality : High QualityTexture filtering - Trilinear optimization : Off (Cannot be set by me for the application)Threaded optimization : OnTriple buffering : OnTexture filtering - Anisotropic filter optimization : Off (Cannot be set by me for the application)Vertical sync : Use the 3D application setting

There is a bug in NV's current drivers whereby Anisotropic filtering optimizations (read: lowered image quality for increased performance) are always being applied. This should be fixed in an upcoming driver. This is likely why you are experiencing shimmering. As for the jagged edges, sounds like AA isn't being applied either. What settings do you have for AA in the graphics control panel?

There is a bug in NV's current drivers whereby Anisotropic filtering optimizations (read: lowered image quality for increased performance) are always being applied. This should be fixed in an upcoming driver. This is likely why you are experiencing shimmering. As for the jagged edges, sounds like AA isn't being applied either. What settings do you have for AA in the graphics control panel?

In FS9, AA is not checked. In the NVIDIA control panel's global settings , I had AA set to off. I've gone ahead and matched the NVIDIA control panel global settings to what I've selected for the FS9 application profile and see if that makes a difference.Mark

Are you using the "enhance application settings" option or "override"?

I'm now using override. You know, it does seem that AA is not working or it's a really watered down version of it. I know the difference since I'm used to ATI's top of the line card. Is that something which is a known issue with the current drivers too or is it that I have a card which maybe questionable in it's manufacture?One thing I have noted however, that the NVIDIA card does hold 30fps at even the most complicated airports. Hey Max, what would you nominally set the parameters to?Mark

I'm now using override. You know, it does seem that AA is not working or it's a really watered down version of it. I know the difference since I'm used to ATI's top of the line card. Is that something which is a known issue with the current drivers too or is it that I have a card which maybe questionable in it's manufacture?One thing I have noted however, that the NVIDIA card does hold 30fps at even the most complicated airports. Hey Max, what would you nominally set the parameters to?Mark

No known issues with AA, but you may need to use a 3rd party application in order to force AA properly. Unfortunately the old standby app Nhancer does not work with the latest drivers so you'll have to use the SLI Profile Tool.

Here's something which I've noticed as well. With my motherboard, (Gigabyte H55M-S2V), came a set of drivers which communicate with the motherboard. I didn't install them as I thought they were simply informational and didn't think it was important that I constantly monitor the health of my motherboard.Well, in the XP32 device manager, there is a entry in the "Other Devices" node which has a yellow question mark over it. I know you know that means that no driver is loaded for that piece of hardware but the exposed hardware is called the "PCI Simple Communications Controller". When I first looked at it I thought that it was simply a reporting feature of the motherboard but could it be why the NVIDIA AA is not working?I have a tendency to take a minimalist approach when loading drivers into my system but maybe it's one that needs to be there...I don't know.Mark

No known issues with AA, but you may need to use a 3rd party application in order to force AA properly. Unfortunately the old standby app Nhancer does not work with the latest drivers so you'll have to use the SLI Profile Tool.

Where did you get that from? I tried to find it on the NVIDIA site but without any luck. I need to find out which parameter is which in order to use the tool...need some documentation to read through in other words...Mark

That should've been a direct download link, does it not work for you? You can also get it here.

It worked all right and thanks for that! I didn't know that there was an NVIDIA sub-culture floating around. I found a program named NVIDIA Inspector 1.94 and discovered that AA is not enabled in my driver. At least that's the way it seems. I have no idea how to create a profile for FS9 with it or how to interpret the output of the Geforce SLI Profile Tool.I mean, which parameter(s) do I change in order to get AA working with my driver/card combination? Another question is why would NVIDIA release a card that doesn't have AA enabled? Do they plan on releasing another driver/profile that will? It appears that I'm just beginning to understand my situation here!!! Do you have a FS9 profile that you could lend to me which would enable AA on my system using the Geforce SLI Profile Tool by any chance Mr. Max :)MarkEdit : I just found the profile...it's listed under "MS Flight Simulator 2004"

Where did you get that from? I tried to find it on the NVIDIA site but without any luck. I need to find out which parameter is which in order to use the tool...need some documentation to read through in other words...Mark

Suggest using nvidia inspector. Really simple and comprehensive.Instructions:http://www.simforums.com/forums/fsx-and-nhancer-settings-for-new-drivers-updated_topic36586.html

Suggest using nvidia inspector. Really simple and comprehensive.Instructions:http://www.simforums.com/forums/fsx-and-nhancer-settings-for-new-drivers-updated_topic36586.html

Yep...thanks for that. I did finally discover that while nVidia provides support for it's cards, it appears that core people provide support at, (well how should we say it), a more comprehensive and detailed level? I did find the nVidia Inspector 1.94 app and have been using it to tweak my settings. Is there a latter version by any chance?Anyway, at this time I would like to ask if there is anyone out there that has an NVIDIA GeForce GTS-450 and has already determined the best profile for FS9 using a flat panel monitor. There are quite a few parameters and if you calculate the permutations of values that appear to make a difference, they have to number in the hundreds or maybe even the thousands. So a good starting point would be much appreciated. When I do find the best settings for my system and flat panel, I will post them here for the historical record...(got that one from Galaxy Quest). So chime in if you can help and thank you very much for the people that have already...TechguyMaxC thank you !!!Mark

Yep...thanks for that. I did finally discover that while nVidia provides support for it's cards, it appears that core people provide support at, (well how should we say it), a more comprehensive and detailed level? I did find the nVidia Inspector 1.94 app and have been using it to tweak my settings. Is there a latter version by any chance?Anyway, at this time I would like to ask if there is anyone out there that has an NVIDIA GeForce GTS-450 and has already determined the best profile for FS9 using a flat panel monitor. There are quite a few parameters and if you calculate the permutations of values that appear to make a difference, they have to number in the hundreds or maybe even the thousands. So a good starting point would be much appreciated. When I do find the best settings for my system and flat panel, I will post them here for the historical record...(got that one from Galaxy Quest). So chime in if you can help and thank you very much for the people that have already...TechguyMaxC thank you !!!Mark

Go with Nick's settings and you'll be fine. 1.94 is the current release.