Internal fps limiter: what have changed?

[David Roch 1,959]

Hi folks,
Using a 4K /30Hz wide monitor I used to set fps to unlimited together with EVGA Precision XOC to limit frames to 30.

Since v4.1, external frames limiters (I've tried with NI as well) do "work" (frames are limited) BUT unless I use P3D internal limiter, I get blurries which I never had before.

My GTX1080 (tried different drivers) as well as my rig are not faulty, I have deleted the shaders, recreated new cfg, changed graphic settings etc.. to no avail.
As a matter of fact, my V4.1 needs to be internally limited to refresh textures properly.
Any clue?

Thanks!

 

[sfgiants13 83]

I've had the issue you described ever since V3.  Limited FPS really helps with my texture loading as well.  Recently, I came across a post from Rob about a bios update and I did that and it seemed to help quite a bit with reducing blurries while running unlimited.  I'd run limited all the time but I get too much of a performance hit at larger airports so I have to run unlimited there.  For the record, external limiters have been hit or miss with me.  On V4 it looks like it works ok limiting the FPS whereas I couldn't get it to work with V3, but I will sometimes get stutters.  Unlimited I'll get FPS spikes and worse texture loading.  Limited is perfectly smooth if I can maintain my refresh rate and better texture loading.  But it's also a big performance hit.  Here's a link to the thread if you want to give anything in there a try

 

 

[David Roch 1,959]

Thank you for the link, very appreciated.
 

[GHarrall 494]

12 hours ago, David Roch said:

Hi folks,
Using a 4K /30Hz wide monitor I used to set fps to unlimited together with EVGA Precision XOC to limit frames to 30.

Since v4.1, external frames limiters (I've tried with NI as well) do "work" (frames are limited) BUT unless I use P3D internal limiter, I get blurries which I never had before.

My GTX1080 (tried different drivers) as well as my rig are not faulty, I have deleted the shaders, recreated new cfg, changed graphic settings etc.. to no avail.
As a matter of fact, my V4.1 needs to be internally limited to refresh textures properly.
Any clue?

Thanks!

 

Since it’s a 30hz monitor, why not just set vsync on and triple buffer on in p3d with frames set at unlimited?

the vsync will keep you at 30 fps anyway. 

As for the texture loading.....are you using an affinity mask?

[gboz 157]

15 hours ago, David Roch said:

As a matter of fact, my V4.1 needs to be internally limited to refresh textures properly.
Any clue?

Thanks!

 

So what exactly is the problem when you do internally limit?

gb.

 

 

[David Roch 1,959]

On 17/10/2017 at 4:06 AM, GHarrall said:

Since it’s a 30hz monitor, why not just set vsync on and triple buffer on in p3d with frames set at unlimited?

the vsync will keep you at 30 fps anyway. 

As for the texture loading.....are you using an affinity mask?

Sorry for the late reply, I was far from my PC.

No, no AM added since P3D v2 and I am happy with the results (HT off, solid 4.7Ghz OC on my 6700K + GTX1080).
I do have vsync on and triple buffer on and the frames are indeed limited to average 30.
BUT I get blurries after 5 minutes flying unless I manually limit fps internally and that's new for me.
Until now, EVGA Precision XOC was doing the job and the sim was smooth and crispy.

Now I have uninstall P3D v4.1 and reinstalled 4.0 and the problem persists so it is not linked to P3D but rather to my rig.
Latest changes were Asus Bios upgrade + Nvidia driver + minor Win10 updates.
Downgrading video drivers has no effect so I suspect the Bios to be the culprit (?).

On 17/10/2017 at 7:08 AM, gboz said:

So what exactly is the problem when you do internally limit?

gb.

 

 

Internal limiter is requiring much more CPU calculations and that causes stutters unless you decrease the graphic options values.

[downscc 1,327]

7 hours ago, David Roch said:

Internal limiter is requiring much more CPU calculations and that causes stutters unless you decrease the graphic options values.

I don't understand that.  Seems to me that each frame requires an equivalent amount of CPU effort regardless of frame rate, and limiting frame rate thus provides a larger time window for that work to get done.  I have perfect results with frame rate lock at 24 fps, 4K running at 60 Hz, no buffer or vsync and all sliders full right (except mesh resolution, one tick left of full right).

[David Roch 1,959]

Hi Dan,
Some FS gurus could better explain than me why do locked frames require more CPU.
What I have always noticed is that it does cause stutters and that Process Lasso is showing CPU peaks.

Having a 30 Hz monitor I was used to leave frames unlimited, Vsync+ buffer ON for months.
Today for whatever reason it causes blurries.
Single solution: disabling vsync and internally locking frames.
I am afraid I'll have to downgrade the mobo Bios because I run out of ideas...

 

[gboz 157]

On 10/25/2017 at 3:23 AM, David Roch said:

Having a 30 Hz monitor I was used to leave frames unlimited, Vsync+ buffer ON for months.
Today for whatever reason it causes blurries.
Single solution: disabling vsync and internally locking frames.
I am afraid I'll have to downgrade the mobo Bios because I run out of ideas...

 

Could you do us a favour and try 30Hz + Vsync ON + buffer ON (or OFF) + Frames locked at 35?
Any improvement in blurries and perhaps a drop in CPU use?

gb.

[David Roch 1,959]

Hi gb,

Well, frames locked at 35 was not successful but your suggestion DID help me, thanks! :-)
Actually, the best compromise I have fount with my 4K monitor is the following:

- Fps internally locked at 31 (smoother than 30)
- Vsync & Buffer both: ON
- No external fps limiter

The sim is now crispy and smooth, like it was few weeks ago without internal frames limitation.
Why?
I really don't understand.... but I am quite happy with the result.
BTW, both CPU and GPU work harder when internally locking frames but my system seems to handle it both when flying GA aircraft in Orbx environment and when flying heavies from big airports.
Switching saved settings is easy, so I use VFR/HEAVY according to my flight.