Low FPS with Vertical Sync

[kmifflin]

I'd just upgraded to a new amd hd7970 card. Overall I'm very happy with the results.
The current show I'm working on consist of 7 layers at 4864x1080. I'm getting some pretty different results when adjust the vertical sync options.

Always Off = 70fps content tears with fast left to right movement
Off, unless application specifies = 20fps with a constant tear across the centre
On, unless application specifies = 20fps with a constant tear across the centre
Always On = 70fps content tears with fast left to right movement

These results don't exactly what I would have expected.

THought?

[kmifflin]

I guess what I don't understand is that if my refresh rate on my monitors is 60 Hz then when I enable wait for vertical refresh should I see the frame rate drop from 60fps and hold there? Should that decrease the GPU usage?

But instead my GPU usage is go from 65% used with V-sync disabled to 97% when its enabled and Resolume only outputs 20fps and there is still tearing happening?

[edwin]

That sounds really odd. Especially the last situation when 'Always on' is chosen.
I recommend using: Off, unless application specifies).
How many displays have you got connected? And are those displays connected to the same card or multiple cards?
And what version of Windows are you using?

[kmifflin]

This weeks event requires 4 displays, all connected to the same graphics card hd 7970-dc2-3gd5
1 - 1920x1080@60 (DVI) FOH
1 - 1920x1080@60 Stage Right Projector
1 - 1024x768@60 Stage
1 - 1920x1080@60 Stage Left Projector

The system is running Windows 7 64bit no service packs or updates.

If I use I Off, unless application specifies then I only get 20fps and still have some tearing, and a GPU at 97%

I would have expected with any option that uses vertical sync for the fps to lock in at the monitor refresh rate (60fps), and that the gpu usage would drop?

[gregsully]

I'm also having tearing issues.. My show this week has three spanned outputs 1360x768@60 = (4080x768).

I'm using an Amd 5870 to a matrox Triplehead Digital. It tears much like kmifflin is talking about.. Not found a solution yet to stop tearing..

I have a second machine with a Nvidea 580... all same output config also to a matrox.. no tearing.. Its something with ATI..

[gregsully]

Hmmm.. I may have solved this in short order

http://vjforums.com/showthread.php?t=32669

I changed my theme to an aero theme "architecture" and then back to windows 7 (with black background) seems to solve it.. Honestly, this seems too weird a solution to feel like the problem is solved.. but currently I have no tearing.. I will update if I find anything else or ig it changes..

[It didn't work initially, but I left settings under ATI to "Wait for Vertical refresh" = Always On and OpenGL Settings = Tripple Buffering]

[kmifflin]

Well I have some testing to do but it does seem simply moving away from the Aero Themes solves the problem. I've tried this just on a single monitor where as my last show was with 3 projectors and 1 FOH screen.

[kmifflin]

So today I way able to get some testing done and I'm still having the same 20fps cap. When using 3 outputs in the Advanced Output. If I only enable 1 output in Advanced then I hover around 60fps, if enable a second output then I hover around 30fps, and when I enable the last output I hover around 20fps. As soon as I disable wait for vertical sync I rocket up to 75fps across all 3 screens but I get tearing.

[kmifflin]

Today I was setup a composition for the next tour I going on. The composition is 3840x720 and with wait for vertical sync I am still capped at 20fps.