P3D 5.3 Hotfix 2 released

[SteveW 1,792]

3 minutes ago, joepoway said:

Hi Steve,

I'm currently running:

[JobScheduler]
AffinityMask=65535
P3DCoreAffinityMask=16383
MainThreadScheduler=0
RenderThreadScheduler=2
FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=4

 

That's not good, during the flight I have main task on LP0 and a scenery gatherer on LP1 (take a look in Task Manager graphs, LP view, and not activity on both LPs of core zero whci is what you are trying to avoid) and stutter. The AMs you are using completely misses the major point of avoiding sharing the main cores with scenery gathering. Corrallng other apps away from those main cores is perfect.

Assuming 8 core HT enabled 16LPs I would go to:

[JobScheduler]
AffinityMask=65493
P3DCoreAffinityMask=65493
MainThreadScheduler=0
RenderThreadScheduler=1
FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=2
 

07,06,05,04,03,02,01,00=core number
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=AffinityMask = 65493
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65493
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01=MainThreadScheduler = 0
00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00=RenderThreadScheduler = 2
00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00=FrameWorkerThreadScheduler = 4
 

See the bold zeros, that prevents unwanted activity on the sister LPs of the main tasks - this is critical to good performance.

[SteveW 1,792]

...you have to be in flight so that the sim is gathering scenery. When the sim is at rest the scenery gatherers are also at rest.

[joepoway 241]

20 minutes ago, SteveW said:

See the bold zeros, that prevents unwanted activity on the sister LPs of the main tasks - this is critical to good performance.

Hi Steve,

I do run test flights and I have and do fully understand the point you are making and how LP's are masked or not and all the order sequencing from your previous posts and our discussions.

Perhaps because I haven't monitored the graphs, which I do know how to do I am missing what you are seeing. I have been monitoring the load numbers real-time and logging highs, lows and averages with HWiNFO64. I will monitor the Task Manager Graphs as you suggest. Ironically even doing it the way I have been without masking those LP's the sim is running better and smoother then I have ever seen it.

Again thanks and know that I do understand and appreciate your point and perhaps my data gathering source during experiments has been flawed and/or limited 😒.

Joe 

Edited January 28, 2022 by joepoway

[joepoway 241]

13 minutes ago, SteveW said:

Assuming 8 core HT enabled 16LPs I would go to:

[JobScheduler]
AffinityMask=65493
P3DCoreAffinityMask=65493
MainThreadScheduler=0
RenderThreadScheduler=1
FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=2
 

07,06,05,04,03,02,01,00=core number
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=AffinityMask = 65493
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65493
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01=MainThreadScheduler = 0
00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00=RenderThreadScheduler = 2
00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00=FrameWorkerThreadScheduler = 4
 

I think you meant:

07,06,05,04,03,02,01,00=core number
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=AffinityMask = 65493
11,11,11,11,11,01,01,01=P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65493
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01=MainThreadScheduler = 0
00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00=RenderThreadScheduler = 1
00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00=FrameWorkerThreadScheduler = 2
 

since LP1, 3 and 5 are masked off obviously a cut and paste typo I presume

Joe

[Afterburner 374]

58 minutes ago, joepoway said:

Also since I take advantage of my 30Hz TV with Unlimited/Vsync on in sim and 30 fps cap with NCP, LP0 (and LP 1 ) are no where near 100% neither are LP2 or LP4 however my LP4 the FrameWorker seems most tasked. 

Why do you cap the fps to 30 with NCP in addition to running unlimited/Vsync on a 30 Hz TV?  The latter already does the trick of delivering smooth 30 fps with a core0 load that adjusts to the complexity of the situation. Further limiting with NCP is not needed (or counterproductive in the worst case).

[Alexx Pilot 23]

2 hours ago, SteveW said:

Can you try setting your monitor refresh rate to its lowest Hz? Then in P3D set VSYNC=ON and Unlocked on the slider in P3D Display Settings. That should always be be very smooth. If not maybe there is something else going on other than monitor issues.

EUREKA! I made 5 tests and I think I've found what is causing my issue!
Turning OFF volumetric clouds (But keeping EA ON) causes my stutters. Please note I'm not using any external clouds like REX for the test.

- Test 1: (as suggested ) Monitor at minimal freq. set to 60 Hz + P3D Vsync ON + Volumetric Clouds ON = Smooth (But at 60Hz I feel the pc is generally less smooth during normal use like moving mouse and scrolling web pages).
- Test 2: Monitor 60 Hz + Vsync OFF + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Still smooth, maybe a little bit less.
- Test 3: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync ON + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Smooth
- Test 4: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync OFF + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Smooth, but little bit less. 
- Test 5: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync ON + EA ON + Volumetric Clouds OFF = STUTTERS. Settings here: https://imgur.com/cxsoMwj

I will test more (especially the fact 60Hz usually makes my whole pc less smooth). 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Alexx Pilot

[MammyJammy 124]

1 hour ago, Alexx Pilot said:

- Test 1: (as suggested ) Monitor at minimal freq. set to 60 Hz + P3D Vsync ON + Volumetric Clouds ON = Smooth (But at 60Hz I feel the pc is generally less smooth during normal use like moving mouse and scrolling web pages).

If you feel your PC and usage of P3D can sustain 60 fps (Vsync at 60Hz), you can have the best of both worlds by leaving your monitor at 120Hz yet force the VSync for P3D only to 60Hz.  Here's how:

1. Right-Click on an empty space on your desktop and choose "Nvidia Control Panel"
2. Under "3D Settings" menu, choose "Manage 3D Settings"
3. On the tabs at the right, click on "Program Settings"
4. Select "Prepar3D.exe" from the program list.
5. Scroll down in the box settings box and set "Vertical Sync" to "Adaptive (half refresh rate)". For your 120Hz monitor, this will set the vertical sync rate to 60Hz
6. Click Apply

 

In P3D, set VSync to ON with triple buffering and set the frame limiter to UNLOCKED.

 

[shermank 166]

At the risk of confusing the issue, but this setting works fine for me. If you do not like mammy's suggestion

in NCP, set VSYNC as he/she suggested

Look for Monitor refresh rate and set to the native resolution for your screen

In P3D, set VSync to OFF

Set refresh rate to whatever is 1/2 your monitor. In my case. My monitor can reach 75mhz. In P3D I set the refresh rate to 37..

works great for me, stutters, no blurring, smooth performance…hope it helps you.

sherm

 

[Afterburner 374]

1 hour ago, Alexx Pilot said:

- Test 1: (as suggested ) Monitor at minimal freq. set to 60 Hz + P3D Vsync ON + Volumetric Clouds ON = Smooth (But at 60Hz I feel the pc is generally less smooth during normal use like moving mouse and scrolling web pages).
- Test 2: Monitor 60 Hz + Vsync OFF + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Still smooth, maybe a little bit less.
- Test 3: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync ON + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Smooth
- Test 4: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync OFF + EA ON + Vol. Clouds ON = Smooth, but little bit less. 
- Test 5: Monitor 120 Hz + Vsync ON + EA ON + Volumetric Clouds OFF = STUTTERS. Settings here: https://imgur.com/cxsoMwj

Optimal smoothness can only be achieved if the screen refresh rate is a multiple integer of a constant, sufficiently high FPS. If you do not limit the frame rate, the simulator will achieve the highest possible FPS, but since that FPS will be fluctuating, it will not be in sync with your monitor refresh rate and the motion will therefore not be smooth. If you activate Vsync, the fps and refresh rate will only be synced if the simulator can achieve fps that is higher than the refresh rate, which in your case is hard to achieve if you set the monitor to 120 Hz. If you encounter a complex situation (aircraft and scenery), the FPS will drop below 120, and the smoothness will be gone. If you can achieve a constant 40 FPS, that is considered good!  (I would limit the FPS to that number, since your screen refresh rate is 3 times as high and thus a multiple integer).

 

17 minutes ago, MammyJammy said:

1. Right-Click on an empty space on your desktop and choose "Nvidia Control Panel"
2. Under "3D Settings" menu, choose "Manage 3D Settings"
3. On the tabs at the right, click on "Program Settings"
4. Select "Prepar3D.exe" from the program list.
5. Scroll down in the box settings box and set "Vertical Sync" to "Adaptive (half refresh rate)". For your 120Hz monitor, this will set the vertical sync rate to 60Hz
6. Click Apply

I thought that this trick would only work with games that use an exclusive fullscreen mode. P3D doesn't use exclusive fullscreen (even if you activate "full screen" in the menu), which surprises me that this setting works. Are you sure?  Have you tested it?

[Afterburner 374]

4 minutes ago, shermank said:

My monitor can reach 75mhz.

Can you tell which monitor can reach 75 Mhz?  😆

[shermank 166]

Huh?…

 

[Afterburner 374]

1 minute ago, shermank said:

Huh?…

 

Mhz = One million Hertz.

75 Mhz = 75,000,000 Hz

I bet you meant just 75 Hz...

[shermank 166]

Oops..🤢😵‍💫🤭. 
thanks for catching that…🥸

I got through Math on charm, not talents…

graduated college with a fine arts degree…the only one I could get which did not require math..

not only that, but I passed high school chemistry because our teacher was dating my cousin. They later married and I got to call him by his first name…he was a really nice guy..

Edited January 28, 2022 by shermank

[MammyJammy 124]

9 minutes ago, Afterburner said:

I thought that this trick would only work with games that use an exclusive fullscreen mode. P3D doesn't use exclusive fullscreen (even if you activate "full screen" in the menu), which surprises me that this setting works. Are you sure?  Have you tested it?

It has been my current config for a year +.

My old 1080Ti card would work by forcing my Dell monitor which runs at 60Hz down to 30Hz.  It was the best for smooth frames I have found to-date.  My new 3000-series GPU doesn't like running while connected via DisplayPort to a monitor set at a non-supported refresh rate, so the Adaptive is what I have been using.  It keeps the frames pretty darn steady at 30 fps in my case.

[Alexx Pilot 23]

1 hour ago, MammyJammy said:

If you feel your PC and usage of P3D can sustain 60 fps (Vsync at 60Hz), you can have the best of both worlds by leaving your monitor at 120Hz yet force the VSync for P3D only to 60Hz.  Here's how:

1. Right-Click on an empty space on your desktop and choose "Nvidia Control Panel"
2. Under "3D Settings" menu, choose "Manage 3D Settings"
3. On the tabs at the right, click on "Program Settings"
4. Select "Prepar3D.exe" from the program list.
5. Scroll down in the box settings box and set "Vertical Sync" to "Adaptive (half refresh rate)". For your 120Hz monitor, this will set the vertical sync rate to 60Hz
6. Click Apply

In P3D, set VSync to ON with triple buffering and set the frame limiter to UNLOCKED.

 

That's interesting! I'll try that!

57 minutes ago, shermank said:

At the risk of confusing the issue, but this setting works fine for me. If you do not like mammy's suggestion

in NCP, set VSYNC as he/she suggested

Look for Monitor refresh rate and set to the native resolution for your screen

In P3D, set VSync to OFF

Set refresh rate to whatever is 1/2 your monitor. In my case. My monitor can reach 75mhz. In P3D I set the refresh rate to 37..

works great for me, stutters, no blurring, smooth performance…hope it helps you.

sherm

 

Thank you very much! 

53 minutes ago, Afterburner said:

If you can achieve a constant 40 FPS, that is considered good!  (I would limit the FPS to that number, since your screen refresh rate is 3 times as high and thus a multiple integer).

Yes, 40FPS is my average in all conditions. I tried that and it's nice and smooth (I also tried locking 36 using 144Hz Monitor). The only thing is that I feel a sort of "ghosting" when limiting framerate from Nvidia CP, like a sort of artifact making movements a little bit slower than normal, it always did with P3D and that's why I always used unlimited.
Also, another thing is that locking for example at 40, the frames in-game still go sometimes above like 46-43 and back to 40. Is that normal?


Thank you all so much for your help 😄