±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 577
Total: 577
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Home
03: Community Forums
04: Home
05: Community Forums
06: Member Screenshots
07: Member Screenshots
08: Member Screenshots
09: Home
10: Home
11: Community Forums
12: Member Screenshots
13: Home
14: Photo Gallery
15: Community Forums
16: Community Forums
17: Community Forums
18: Home
19: Community Forums
20: News Archive
21: Home
22: Community Forums
23: Home
24: Member Screenshots
25: Community Forums
26: Photo Gallery
27: Member Screenshots
28: Member Screenshots
29: News
30: Home
31: Community Forums
32: Home
33: Home
34: Home
35: Home
36: Community Forums
37: Home
38: Downloads
39: Community Forums
40: Home
41: Home
42: Home
43: Community Forums
44: Community Forums
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Home
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Photo Gallery
52: Home
53: Community Forums
54: Home
55: Home
56: Member Screenshots
57: Community Forums
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Home
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Home
66: Home
67: Home
68: Member Screenshots
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Home
72: Home
73: Home
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Home
77: Photo Gallery
78: Home
79: Community Forums
80: Home
81: Home
82: Home
83: Photo Gallery
84: Downloads
85: Member Screenshots
86: Community Forums
87: Home
88: Home
89: Home
90: Home
91: Photo Gallery
92: Community Forums
93: Home
94: Home
95: Home
96: Home
97: Home
98: Home
99: Home
100: Home
101: Statistics
102: Home
103: Home
104: Home
105: Home
106: Community Forums
107: Member Screenshots
108: Downloads
109: Photo Gallery
110: Home
111: Home
112: Home
113: Community Forums
114: News
115: News Archive
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Member Screenshots
119: Downloads
120: Community Forums
121: Photo Gallery
122: News
123: Community Forums
124: Photo Gallery
125: Home
126: Home
127: Community Forums
128: Home
129: News Archive
130: Member Screenshots
131: News Archive
132: Community Forums
133: Home
134: Home
135: Home
136: Home
137: Community Forums
138: Community Forums
139: Member Screenshots
140: Community Forums
141: Home
142: Home
143: Home
144: Photo Gallery
145: Home
146: Community Forums
147: Home
148: Home
149: Photo Gallery
150: Home
151: Home
152: Member Screenshots
153: Home
154: Photo Gallery
155: Home
156: Photo Gallery
157: Home
158: Home
159: Community Forums
160: Community Forums
161: Home
162: Community Forums
163: Community Forums
164: News Archive
165: Community Forums
166: Member Screenshots
167: Downloads
168: Community Forums
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Home
172: Member Screenshots
173: News Archive
174: Community Forums
175: Downloads
176: Community Forums
177: News Archive
178: Community Forums
179: Home
180: Home
181: Community Forums
182: Community Forums
183: Member Screenshots
184: Community Forums
185: Downloads
186: Community Forums
187: Community Forums
188: Home
189: Member Screenshots
190: Home
191: Home
192: Home
193: Home
194: Home
195: Downloads
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Home
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Home
202: Home
203: Home
204: Home
205: Home
206: Home
207: Community Forums
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Home
213: Downloads
214: Community Forums
215: Home
216: Home
217: Member Screenshots
218: Home
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Home
222: Community Forums
223: Downloads
224: Home
225: Home
226: Member Screenshots
227: Home
228: Home
229: Community Forums
230: Photo Gallery
231: Community Forums
232: Home
233: Photo Gallery
234: Downloads
235: News Archive
236: Downloads
237: Community Forums
238: Home
239: Community Forums
240: News Archive
241: Home
242: Home
243: Community Forums
244: Home
245: Home
246: Home
247: Home
248: Home
249: Home
250: Home
251: Community Forums
252: Community Forums
253: Community Forums
254: Member Screenshots
255: Home
256: Home
257: Member Screenshots
258: Home
259: Home
260: Member Screenshots
261: Home
262: Home
263: Community Forums
264: Home
265: Home
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Your Account
269: Home
270: Home
271: Home
272: Downloads
273: Home
274: Member Screenshots
275: Home
276: Community Forums
277: Community Forums
278: Community Forums
279: Home
280: Community Forums
281: Home
282: Member Screenshots
283: Home
284: Home
285: Member Screenshots
286: Community Forums
287: Community Forums
288: Community Forums
289: Treasury
290: Community Forums
291: Home
292: Community Forums
293: Home
294: Downloads
295: Your Account
296: Community Forums
297: Community Forums
298: Home
299: Home
300: Home
301: Community Forums
302: Home
303: Home
304: Home
305: Community Forums
306: Photo Gallery
307: Home
308: Community Forums
309: Community Forums
310: Community Forums
311: Photo Gallery
312: Home
313: Home
314: Home
315: Home
316: Community Forums
317: Home
318: Photo Gallery
319: Community Forums
320: Home
321: Member Screenshots
322: Member Screenshots
323: Community Forums
324: Home
325: Home
326: Home
327: Home
328: Photo Gallery
329: Home
330: Member Screenshots
331: Member Screenshots
332: Community Forums
333: Home
334: Home
335: News Archive
336: Downloads
337: Home
338: News Archive
339: Treasury
340: Home
341: Home
342: Downloads
343: Member Screenshots
344: Member Screenshots
345: Community Forums
346: Member Screenshots
347: Community Forums
348: Home
349: Community Forums
350: Member Screenshots
351: Home
352: Community Forums
353: Community Forums
354: News Archive
355: Community Forums
356: Community Forums
357: Community Forums
358: Member Screenshots
359: Home
360: Community Forums
361: Member Screenshots
362: Home
363: Community Forums
364: Downloads
365: Statistics
366: Member Screenshots
367: Home
368: Community Forums
369: Community Forums
370: Home
371: Home
372: Home
373: Photo Gallery
374: Home
375: Community Forums
376: Home
377: Home
378: Community Forums
379: Home
380: Community Forums
381: Home
382: Home
383: Photo Gallery
384: Photo Gallery
385: Home
386: News
387: Home
388: News Archive
389: Home
390: Member Screenshots
391: Home
392: Downloads
393: Community Forums
394: Member Screenshots
395: Member Screenshots
396: Community Forums
397: Home
398: Community Forums
399: Community Forums
400: Home
401: Community Forums
402: News Archive
403: Community Forums
404: Community Forums
405: Member Screenshots
406: Home
407: Home
408: Community Forums
409: Statistics
410: Home
411: Member Screenshots
412: Home
413: Community Forums
414: Community Forums
415: Member Screenshots
416: Community Forums
417: Member Screenshots
418: Community Forums
419: Home
420: Home
421: Community Forums
422: Member Screenshots
423: Home
424: Community Forums
425: Home
426: Community Forums
427: Member Screenshots
428: Member Screenshots
429: Member Screenshots
430: Downloads
431: Community Forums
432: Home
433: Community Forums
434: Community Forums
435: Home
436: Home
437: Community Forums
438: Home
439: Community Forums
440: Community Forums
441: Member Screenshots
442: Home
443: Community Forums
444: Home
445: Home
446: Community Forums
447: Home
448: Home
449: Home
450: Home
451: Community Forums
452: Home
453: Home
454: Community Forums
455: Member Screenshots
456: Photo Gallery
457: Member Screenshots
458: Home
459: Downloads
460: Home
461: Home
462: Home
463: Community Forums
464: Community Forums
465: Home
466: Home
467: Member Screenshots
468: Member Screenshots
469: Home
470: Home
471: Community Forums
472: News Archive
473: Member Screenshots
474: Community Forums
475: Home
476: Home
477: Home
478: Community Forums
479: Home
480: Community Forums
481: Home
482: Home
483: Home
484: Community Forums
485: Home
486: Community Forums
487: Photo Gallery
488: Community Forums
489: Home
490: Photo Gallery
491: Home
492: Community Forums
493: Community Forums
494: Home
495: Home
496: Home
497: Home
498: Community Forums
499: Home
500: Community Forums
501: Home
502: Community Forums
503: Community Forums
504: Home
505: Community Forums
506: Community Forums
507: Community Forums
508: Community Forums
509: Home
510: Downloads
511: Community Forums
512: Home
513: Community Forums
514: Community Forums
515: Community Forums
516: Community Forums
517: Community Forums
518: Community Forums
519: News Archive
520: Home
521: Downloads
522: Home
523: Home
524: Home
525: News Archive
526: Community Forums
527: Community Forums
528: Home
529: Home
530: Community Forums
531: Home
532: Member Screenshots
533: Home
534: Home
535: Home
536: Home
537: Member Screenshots
538: Home
539: Home
540: Community Forums
541: Home
542: Downloads
543: Statistics
544: Downloads
545: Community Forums
546: Home
547: Home
548: Community Forums
549: Home
550: Downloads
551: Home
552: Home
553: Home
554: Home
555: Home
556: Home
557: Community Forums
558: Home
559: Community Forums
560: News Archive
561: Community Forums
562: Downloads
563: Community Forums
564: Community Forums
565: Photo Gallery
566: Community Forums
567: Community Forums
568: Community Forums
569: Community Forums
570: Community Forums
571: Community Forums
572: Home
573: Community Forums
574: Community Forums
575: Community Forums
576: Home
577: Home

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Need Horsepower !! :: Archived
A forum for Microsoft's Flight Simulator X
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  FSX

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
401RCAF_Sly
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 12, 2005
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:43 pm
Post subject: Need Horsepower !!

Testing CFX

With all sliders set to minimal managed to hold a fixed 20fps most of time... CPU usage was at 100 % continuosly also used about 600 meg of page file

Set all sliders to max (includin terrain etc )... 16 fps at ground level and locked at 20 fps around 2000ft Alt... CPU usage still at 100 %

So think hard before you drop serious bucks on a Graphics card its CPU horesepower you need

Test Rig Athlon 64 FX53 clocked @ 2600 + 6800 ultra + 1 gig RAM

This may vary if you are parked up at a very scenery intensive airport when the GPU has lots of rendering to do..more testing req.

Sly
Back to top
View user's profile
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7019
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:32 am
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

Thanks Sly! Did you try the things suggested in This POST?

Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
401RCAF_Sly
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 12, 2005
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:05 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

Yep Jerry

I can get it looking good and flyin fine, But just wanted to know which side of the equation ( CPU / GPU ) was having a throttling effect.

It was late when finished but should have mentioned tests were with Capt, Sim C130 @ Lyneham Airbase.. gonna rerun at stock Aircraft and extreme types of location eg.. empty air strip, Heathrow etc


post em soon

sly
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:41 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

What's interesting is that although FSX is not a multiithreaded app, you can force it to (at leat appear to) load balance between the two CPU's on a dual-core or HT system. At least on my P4HT which shows CPU0 and CPU1.

With it running, pop up Task Manager, find the FSX process, right click and set the affinity. de-elect CPU0, leaving CPU1 enabled, select OK, then right click and set the affinity again, and re-enable CPU0.

Check your CPU performance graph and you should see a split between both CPU's instead of CPU0 cranking out at max and CPU1 being mostly idle.

However.....is there an actual performance gain? So far it doesn't seem like it. Could be just a placebo effect.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
401RCAF_Sly
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 12, 2005
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:40 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

MMM tried same sort of test using stock plane and unlimited frames... pulling 35 frames plus..... so it does seem that AC model complexity has a significant effect.

Some interesting stuff over at AVsim forums topic #364105

Seems like one possability is that FSX uses any spare CPU capacityy to fetch , place and render scenery ahead, therefore will always use 100% of cpu? which leads us to the possabilty of upgrading you Graphics card and getting worse visuals ( no preloaded scenery etc so fuzzy ) but more frames?

Only slider that has any real effect on frames is Autogen, Even running 1600 x 1200 AF and AA seems to have litttle effect..... so the GPU seems to handle anything the CPU can throw at it..

So I stick by the thought that processor power is the key not graphic cards

If I get time gonna swap GPU cards and check differences.. would be interesting to see how 6800 U, 5900, TI4600 and Ti 4400 compare on same set up.


Sly
Back to top
View user's profile
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:35 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

I have FS X running on my new computer now

AMD Athlon 64 4800 dualcore 939 Socket
1 Gigabyte RAM DDR
1 6600GT Graphics Card
Windows XP 64 Professional
Thermaltake fan for CPU
www.thermaltake.com/pr...114-01.asp

www.thermaltake.com/pr..._index.asp

around 16 FPS but can be as low as 5 FPS at Seattle Airport, I tried overclocking the processor and brought it up to 2800 megahertz from the stock 2400 of the 4800 939 but it did not make much difference to frame rates, though it seemed to load somewhat quicker, so I reset the chip back to the standard non overclocked values. It looks to me as if this programme's performance once you have a fairly decent but far from the top of the range processor for example AMD Athlon 64 3200 754 with 1.5 Gigabyte RAM and 6800GS 512 Megabyte GPU which I have in my older machine and I am also running FS X on, is determined by the GPU ie Graphics card, in that the 4800 is only running at just over fifty percent capacity in even the most difficult visuals. With this in mind, I would go for SLI or Crossfire with best graphics cards you can afford as suits your choice and a base model dual core processor eg lowend of the Conroe and AMD Athlon 64 ranges and if you allready have a machine I would give consideration to upgrading your graphics card[s] on your existing rig rather than purchaseing a new processor / motherboard.

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer
Back to top
View user's profile
Kitform
Bar Maid

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 22, 2005
Posts: 2011
Location: Cleveland. UK.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:31 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

Well,

Not having a lot of time to play/experiment with FSX I can't comment fully but initial observations suggest SLI or Crossfire may not be the answer.

My rig has the 7950GTX2 cards fitted and in either 'single' card mode (I say single even though it's a dual card) or in SLI mode, I get about the same frame rates. (40-60)

I won't say FSX doesn't like 'four' graphics cards as it runs quite nice but maybe a couple of 7900 in SLI mode may be better 'bang for bucks'
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:27 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

- Kitform
Well,

Not having a lot of time to play/experiment with FSX I can't comment fully but initial observations suggest SLI or Crossfire may not be the answer.

My rig has the 7950GTX2 cards fitted and in either 'single' card mode (I say single even though it's a dual card) or in SLI mode, I get about the same frame rates. (40-60)

I won't say FSX doesn't like 'four' graphics cards as it runs quite nice but maybe a couple of 7900 in SLI mode may be better 'bang for bucks'


Is it possible you are running in to the problem, that games need a specific Quad SLI profile and if they do not have it, they only use one of the four cards?

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer
Back to top
View user's profile
Kitform
Bar Maid

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 22, 2005
Posts: 2011
Location: Cleveland. UK.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:30 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

My initial tests seem to support this.

Would be nice to test a 7900 single against a 7950GX2 to see if the program takes advantage of the dual cards.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:40 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

One thing also I would have to say is that in the Athlon 64 4800 I am running it under Windows XP 64 Professional which is a 64 bit operating system, and I am just getting used to this operating system which is not usually used for gaming. I am going to take a look at the NVIDIA site with a view to install specialised drivers. Are you getting forty to sixty frames Kitform, that sounds pretty good for a start as best as I remember hollywood film runs at thirty something frames as once one is the thirty region the human eye does not sense stuttering. Cool

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer


Last edited by Adrian_Wainer on Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:52 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

Does anybody know if FS X is a 32 bit or 64 bit programme, I am not writeing this on my home computer but I think my machine which is runing the Windows XP 64 Professional assigned FS X this header

(x86)

which is reserved for 32 bit applications, which suggests to me that Microsoft is overplaying what Vista will do for FS X and did FS X really need Vista to exploit Dual Cores or did MS just decide that would be a nice way of forcing people to acquire Vista?

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer
Back to top
View user's profile
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:58 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

- Kitform
My initial tests seem to support this.

Would be nice to test a 7900 single against a 7950GX2 to see if the program takes advantage of the dual cards.


I am not well up on this stuff but I think what might be getting the good results for you is when you are running one of the single paired cards combi in SLI? that is if FS X does not suppport Quad Sli?

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer
Back to top
View user's profile
401RCAF_Sly
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 12, 2005
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:19 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

Hi Adrian

Your results seem exactly the opposite of those I found.. My single core CPU (FX53) is running at 100% regardless of settings. Is it possible that your load of 50% is the result of one core running at 100% and the second core at minimal? I believe that FSX only uses one core.

Easy way to check whether the fps are limited by CPU or GPU is wind up your screen res and see if it affects frames, a better way is perhaps increase graphic settings but certain sliders also have a definate loading increase on the CPU, most notably cloud draw distance and autogen..

Certainly on my rig all other sliders can be maxxed at virtually no cost of frames, loading time another story though Laughing

Sly
Back to top
View user's profile
Adrian_Wainer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jun 03, 2006
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:16 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

- 401RCAF_Sly
Hi Adrian

Is it possible that your load of 50% is the result of one core running at 100% and the second core at minimal? I believe that FSX only uses one core.


Yes you're right about FS X using only one core, a Microsoft person told me that FS X will not utilize multicore unless it is run in Vista. No, I do not believe that it is what it was saying i.e. giveing a combined figure for the two cores, since there are individual figures for the two cores.

Your FX53
www.xbitlabs.com/artic...x53_2.html

looks quite similar in a number of respects to my

Athlon 64 4800

www.xbitlabs.com/artic...-x2_4.html

just a guess but I would suggest a possability is that the five to ten percent that the second processor is dealing with might have a disproportionate effect when it is dealt with [ combined ] in a single processor situation.

Best Regards
Adrian Wainer



Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer
Back to top
View user's profile
401RCAF_Sly
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 12, 2005
Posts: 223

PostPosted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:21 pm
Post subject: Re: Need Horsepower !!

I hear what you're saying,

But everywhere I looked, Avsim etc the general consensus is that CPU the limiting factor. As per my initial findings and indeed as all MS flightsim series has been.

Good luck if yours is limited by the graphics card, But I will reiteratte my warning (to others) that if you shell out big bucks on a Vid card set up you probably will not see the returns you are expecting.

Sly

Anyone else's cpu running at less than 100%? (without silly screen resolutions like 2880x1840)
Back to top
View user's profile
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  FSX
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next

Archive Revive
Username:
This is an archived topic - your reply will not be appended here.
Instead, a new topic will be generated in the active forum.
The new topic will provide a reference link to this archived topic.