rec.autos.simulators

I recently acquired a PC-Chips M748LMRT motherboard with the on-board
SIS-620 video chip.  I cannot get Win95 OSR2, DirectX 7.0, N3 and this
motherboard to make nice together.  N3 runs until I'm about 1/2 way
down the pit lane and then suddenly I'm staring at just grass and the
horizon for a split second and I'm crashed back to the desktop.

I also have GPL 1.2 and added the OpenGL patch.  It bombs with an
exception error when I launch it with the OpenGL driver selected.  I
dug up an OpenGL->DirectX bridge dll, and it didn't crash, but the
thread just went into thumb-twiddle mode until I ended the task.

So, I NEED a 3dfx accelerator card!  But, I cannot for the life of me
tell if the on-board video can be disabled, or, if I got the piggyback
accellerator, the on-board can be plumbed through the Voodoo board.
I've got _one_ entire PCI slot to play with and I'd be thrilled with
ANY 3dfx acceleration at this point.

Anybody with anecdotal experience with this type of motherboard and an
added Voodoo card, I'd be grateful if you could pass the info on to
me.

I'll try to track a reply on this NG, but, man, this place is BUSY!
<g>  A reply to both here and my email acct would be appreciated.

I've got GPL dumbed down to "show trees" just to top 15 FPS with a
400e Celeron and 64megs of ram.  (I'd turn off the trees, but I'd give
up my brakepoint markers for Monza...)  All in all it's a pretty
unrealistic sim with all the graphic features turned off and damned
near impossible to drive with them turned on.

Help!

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack
That's Racing! Motorsports
Pompano Beach, FL

a voodoo2 as an add-on card has to work (because it is an add-on card
;-). for a voodoo3 as a replacement for your onboard graphics, you have
to check your motherboard manual if you can disable the onboard via BIOS
or jumpers.

Lio

I am running Win98, DX 6.1 and using the latest reference drivers and N3
rocks. Don't try the V3 because I couldn't find a way to disable the
on-board video and the V3 is a replacement video board where the V2 is an
add-on (2D graphics = SiS, 3D = V2).

Nice racing,

Brian

I remember having an integrated motherboard a few years ago. There were
dip switches on the back of the board which let me turn my graphics off.
Alternatively you may want to look in the BIOS there bound to be an
option in there somewhere.

I would advise you to get a Voodoo3 or above as these boards are
integrated 2D/3D so will speed up both your graphics while only taking up
one slot.

Alternatively buy a real motherboard!

Feeling somewhat hopeful with the morning light...  <g>

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack
That's Racing! Motorsports
Pompano Beach, FL

So I simply plug the monitor into the V3 socket and it works fine.  Worht a
try if you can find a place that will let you return the V3 if this doesn't
work.  Of course, it's Win98 that allows this--not Win95.  SO this option
may be of no value to you.

DK

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--
Bill Jones    e-mail addresses:


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Brian

Popped that puppy in with no hassles, followed the directions in the
little book and WE BE ROCKIN', MOMMA!!!   About 30 FPS in GPL with
everything turned on except the Arms and the mirror stuff. (cars
only).  

Everything looks fantastic and the realism is awesome.  Heck, knocked
three seconds off my best lap at Monza in the F1 Lotus without trying.
Actually seemed slower than before!  Nice to have all the visual cues
and be keeping up with what is happening instead of being a tick
behind.

Thanks to all for your advice!  Now, to justify that 17" monitor to
the wife before she gets her new living room sofa... <g>

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack
That's Racing! Motorsports
Pompano Beach, FL

I have a P2/333 V2 12mb and get 36fps about 99% of the time by setting my
mirrors to refresh every 3 frames and turning other non-essential grahics
off.

If you want the 3 files for doing this email me (from one of the links in
the signature):

1. glide2x.dll - Interfaces with GPL to fix Banshee problem, but gives
Voodoo cards a mirror refresh fix.
2. glide.ini - Allows you to control the mirror settings
3. glide2z.dll - Put in your windows directory so you can run the 2.43
version of glide for GPL only.  The glide2x.dll was edited to look for a
different file, namely, glide2z.dll.

Jason.