DX10, 1/2 refresh not working?

[Luis Hernandez 564]

I've tried making the 1/2 refresh rate work in my laptop, but somehow, it's not working. The monitor only works at 60Hz. I've set 1/2 Refresh Rate in Nvidia Inspector, and set full screen and FPS unlimited in FSX Steam.

The full laptop specs are in my signature, but I'll sumarize: ASUS TUF FX504GD laptop, i5-8300H CPU, GTX 1050 GPU, Windows 10 Home, FSX-SE running in DX10 (with the Fixer installed).

If I understood correctly, this 1/2 refresh rate setting will limit my frames to 30. However, in the lightly loaded scenario I'm using (on purpose), I'm seeing over 180 FPS at least. I was expecting to see no more than 30 FPS, and the same smoothness I had in my old FS9 laptop with FPS locked at 30. Switching between borderless windowed mode and fullscreen I see no difference in behavior. In fact, the only way I know I'm in fullscreen is seeing the option ticked in the menu. I'm not sure what do I have wrong, if my settings in NI, my settings in the Fixer, FSX, or my understanding of this tweak. Can you confirm me, please?

Edited December 3, 2019 by Luis Hernandez

[Reader 2,009]

The refresh rate and frame rate are two different things.

The function you want is Vsync but it will only limit the frame rate to the refresh rate of your screen, in your case, 60.

If I were you, I would just use the in-game frame rate limiter.

[Luis Hernandez 564]

On 12/3/2019 at 4:13 PM, Reader said:

The function you want is Vsync but it will only limit the frame rate to the refresh rate of your screen, in your case, 60.

That does neither work 😰 I mean, I set Vsync Force ON in NI, FPS unlimited, and instead of getting around 60 FPS; I'm getting over 100. Definitely there's something wrong, but I can't find what may be the issue.

[Jim Young 2,356]

I have NI v2.3.0.2 and have unlimited frames and these are my settings for FSX:

Vertical Sync - 1/2 Refresh Rate (I really do not see any issues with this setting but now, I'm now going to use the 3D application settings based on the fact the 1/2 Refresh Rate setting is only for systems where the FPS is limited to 30.  My FSX is set to unlimited) .  The 1/2 Refresh setting with limit on FPS to 30 is also in the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide.  The guide and NickN's guide on FSX settings have these settings but those settings were for hardware back in 2017 and a lot of new tech (CPU/Video Cards) has been released since then. 

Vertical Sync Smooth AFR behavior - Off

Vertical Sync Tear Control - Standard

I see no anomalies and it works well in for me (Use the 3D application setting).  I think everyone has to test the various settings based on the systems they own and use for FSX.

 

 

[Luis Hernandez 564]

Thanks, Jim. I guess I'll start setup from scratch using the AVSIM Guide (I had already set up Windows following NickN's bible). Two questions:

1) Do you use DX10?
2) Do you use fullscreen or windowed mode?

[SteveW 1,792]

Always start with setting NVidia Control Panel 3D settings to Default/Apply. Then also set the profile for FSX to Default/Apply the same way. Then make the adjustment to half refresh on the FSX profile, leave the system setting at defaults..

When you set fullscreen, you are using the ALT+ENTER key combination?

When using windowed mode or fullscreen expanded window the sim will show hundreds of fps since it has no control on VSync for the desktop and runs unlimited. So we use ALT+ENTER to move FSX between exclusive mode and window mode.

On the other hand P3D has a VSync=On setting to do that in windowed mode, FSX has not. But then P3D is only ever in desktop windows.

[Jim Young 2,356]

8 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

1) Do you use DX10?
2) Do you use fullscreen or windowed mode?

I definitely use DX10 Preview as it fixes many anomalies in FSX that Microsoft failed to find before the ACES Team was released by Microsoft.  I mostly fly in Windowed mode as I have had issues in full screen.  For instance, if I use full screen and close fsx in full screen, it will not start up.  Described in the AVSIM CTD Guide -

FSUI.DLL–This module will not allow FSX/FSX-SE or P3D to load past the setup screen. Happens suddenly. Using multiple monitors. Was the sim closed in Full Screen Mode? Check the config and make sure the following setting is set in the [Main] section: Maximized=2.

[Luis Hernandez 564]

Thanks, Jim. I see you have the same setup as I do (DX10, windowed). I still can't make 1/2 refresh or standard Vsync work. However, I discovered I was adding maybe too much AA for my GPU. As soon as I moved it down to 2X+2XSGSS (not bad for a 15.6" screen at 1920x1080), I was getting a smoothness similar to what I had in my previous laptop with FS9. At least, with your confirmation, I know there's something wrong in my setup, that is not enabling Vsync...

[Rogen 1,086]

Tried using RTSS (Riva Tuner Statistics Server) ?

[Luis Hernandez 564]

19 hours ago, Rogen said:

Tried using RTSS (Riva Tuner Statistics Server) ?

If I understood correctly, it's another external framerate limiter, such as the one in NI (but allows live adjustment). Now I'm doubting myself: is Vsync just a framerate limiting method or is it something else involved (as I thought it to be)?

[Rogen 1,086]

On 12/9/2019 at 5:20 AM, Luis Hernandez said:

If I understood correctly, it's another external framerate limiter, such as the one in NI (but allows live adjustment). Now I'm doubting myself: is Vsync just a framerate limiting method or is it something else involved (as I thought it to be)?

Yeah it has the ability to limit the frame rate directly, also has the ability to limit the frame rate via vsync and half vsync and thus is ideal for a 60 Hz monitor to vsync @ half for 30 fps.

There's quite a few posts in the P3D forum regarding RTSS and it's use, suffic to say it will work for FSX-SE as I've used it myself.

Here is a P3D vid showing RTSS in action, just use it in the same manor for FSX-SE. Check the fps counter in the bottom right corner, when it locks @ 30 fps RTSS is in use.

Cheers

 Check the

[Luis Hernandez 564]

Wow, this is something new for me. I've just installed it and finished a long trip that made me get less than 10 FPS at approach. Today, framerate was stable at 29-30, and finally I found the smoothness I wanted! Thank you all!!! Any recommended settings for FSX and NI using RTSS and DX10?

[Rogen 1,086]

Not really...

I assume you're running Steve's DX10 Fixer?

If not, getting Steve's DX10 Fixer would be my next recommendation.

Cheers

[Luis Hernandez 564]

17 hours ago, Rogen said:

I assume you're running Steve's DX10 Fixer?

Of course! My CPU runs cooler in DX10 and the Fixer lets me take care of all the old models I still want to fly.

[TurboKen 221]

From my understanding/memory the 1/2 refresh setting will ONLY work in a true full screen, which is why it does not work in P3D V4+ and why it has not worked for you in a windowed mode. Also you should have your frame rate limiter in sim set to 30 for best results when using the 1/2 refresh tweak. This is the setup I used and had VERY smooth frame rate.

I would LOVE to see a true full screen brought back to P3D for this very reason.

You wont have this problem as your laptop is most definitely 60hz but for anyone following along if you use the 1/2 refresh tweak with your monitor and its 120 or 144hz instead of 60, you will need to limit frame rate to 1/2 of your monitor.