GPL: Voodoo2 SLI Problem

I just installed a 2nd Voodoo2 card into my system in hopes of running GPL at higher detail and resolution. However, I find that when I have the "disable SLI" box unchecked in my Voodoo2 properties (meaning that SLI is enabled), my frame rate drops about 20%! At 800x600 with most details on and detail bias in the middle, I get a frame rate of around 35-36 when SLI is disabled and only 30-32 when SLI is enabled. This is at at Monza during training mode (only one car on the track). My system is a Celeron 300A, o/ced to 450 with 256M RAM. I do have a lot of crap loaded upon startup (virus program, unintsaller, ZipMagic, etc), but all things being equal, shouldn't my frame rate be HIGHER when SLI is enabled? I was hoping to run it smoothly at 1024x768! Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. -- << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >>

Uncheck VSYNC in your Voodoo properties. Andre On Fri, 10 Dec 1999 16:49:21 -0500, BRH <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>I just installed a 2nd Voodoo2 card into my system in hopes of running >GPL at higher detail and resolution. However, I find that when I have >the "disable SLI" box unchecked in my Voodoo2 properties (meaning that >SLI is enabled), my frame rate drops about 20%! At 800x600 with most >details on and detail bias in the middle, I get a frame rate of around >35-36 when SLI is disabled and only 30-32 when SLI is enabled. > >This is at at Monza during training mode (only one car on the track). >My system is a Celeron 300A, o/ced to 450 with 256M RAM. I do have a >lot of crap loaded upon startup (virus program, unintsaller, ZipMagic, >etc), but all things being equal, shouldn't my frame rate be HIGHER when >SLI is enabled? I was hoping to run it smoothly at 1024x768! > >Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

Uncheck VSYNC in your Voodoo properties. Andre

Thanks for your suggestion, but I don't even have an option regarding VSync in my Voodoo properties. Could it be called something else? In any event, I don't have ANY options at all checked in Advanced settings. Any other thoughts? Andre Warringa wrote:

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> Uncheck VSYNC in your Voodoo properties. > > Andre > > On Fri, 10 Dec 1999 16:49:21 -0500, BRH <[email hidden]> > wrote: > > >I just installed a 2nd Voodoo2 card into my system in hopes of running > >GPL at higher detail and resolution. However, I find that when I have > >the "disable SLI" box unchecked in my Voodoo2 properties (meaning that > >SLI is enabled), my frame rate drops about 20%! At 800x600 with most > >details on and detail bias in the middle, I get a frame rate of around > >35-36 when SLI is disabled and only 30-32 when SLI is enabled. > > > >This is at at Monza during training mode (only one car on the track). > >My system is a Celeron 300A, o/ced to 450 with 256M RAM. I do have a > >lot of crap loaded upon startup (virus program, unintsaller, ZipMagic, > >etc), but all things being equal, shouldn't my frame rate be HIGHER when > >SLI is enabled? I was hoping to run it smoothly at 1024x768! > > > >Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

-- << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >>

brh did you not get the zip I sent you BRH <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I searched www.3dfx.com for this reference control panel that you mention,but

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> couldn't find it. Do you have a specific filename and website where I can > download this from? > > Thanks. > > Luis Soto wrote: > > > I believe you can get a "reference" control panel for your Voodoo 2s

from > > the 3dfx website. I know it definetly adds the ability to switch V-syncon

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> > and off. > > > > Best of luck, > > L.S. > > -- > << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >> > >

I believe you can get a "reference" control panel for your Voodoo 2s from the 3dfx website. I know it definetly adds the ability to switch V-sync on and off. Best of luck, L.S.

I have a celery 300a OC to 450 as well with Voodoo 2's in SLI, highest resolution, anti-aliasing off, 36fps pegged entire way around Monza [email hidden] wrote:

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> In article <[email hidden]>, > [email hidden] wrote: > > I just installed a 2nd Voodoo2 card into my system in hopes of running > > GPL at higher detail and resolution. However, I find that when I have > > the "disable SLI" box unchecked in my Voodoo2 properties (meaning that > > SLI is enabled), my frame rate drops about 20%! At 800x600 with most > > details on and detail bias in the middle, I get a frame rate of around > > 35-36 when SLI is disabled and only 30-32 when SLI is enabled. > > > > This is at at Monza during training mode (only one car on the track). > > My system is a Celeron 300A, o/ced to 450 with 256M RAM. I do have a > > lot of crap loaded upon startup (virus program, unintsaller, ZipMagic, > > etc), but all things being equal, shouldn't my frame rate be HIGHER > when > > SLI is enabled? I was hoping to run it smoothly at 1024x768! > > > > Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. > > GPL is *very* compute intensive. I think that with a Cel 450 you only > just have enough compute power to get to 36fps. By going to SLI mode you > are adding the overhead of the CPU having to talk to 2 video cards and > thus the frame rate is dropping as you have no free horsepower. > > My experience (P3-450 + Voodoo2) is that in trainign mode I get 36fps so > long as I keep to the "most" and not "all" setting. For racing against > AI fps drops alarmingly ... however OC-ing to around 550-600MHz sorts > that out! > > Tbus I fear you may be out of luck + I recall reading that SLI doean't > help GPL as much as some other games. > > I vaguely thought about going SLI ... but am now debating on either (i) > getting a voodoo3, (ii) waiting for voodoo4 or (iii) waiting till > voodoo4 is out and get a cheap voodoo3. One problem though - while > voodoo2 works fine when PU OC-ed to 600 (PCI bus still 33) I'm not > certain how well the V3 AGP iface OCs. > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] wrote:

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> I just installed a 2nd Voodoo2 card into my system in hopes of running > GPL at higher detail and resolution. However, I find that when I have > the "disable SLI" box unchecked in my Voodoo2 properties (meaning that > SLI is enabled), my frame rate drops about 20%! At 800x600 with most > details on and detail bias in the middle, I get a frame rate of around > 35-36 when SLI is disabled and only 30-32 when SLI is enabled. > > This is at at Monza during training mode (only one car on the track). > My system is a Celeron 300A, o/ced to 450 with 256M RAM. I do have a > lot of crap loaded upon startup (virus program, unintsaller, ZipMagic, > etc), but all things being equal, shouldn't my frame rate be HIGHER

when > SLI is enabled? I was hoping to run it smoothly at 1024x768! > > Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. GPL is *very* compute intensive. I think that with a Cel 450 you only just have enough compute power to get to 36fps. By going to SLI mode you are adding the overhead of the CPU having to talk to 2 video cards and thus the frame rate is dropping as you have no free horsepower. My experience (P3-450 + Voodoo2) is that in trainign mode I get 36fps so long as I keep to the "most" and not "all" setting. For racing against AI fps drops alarmingly ... however OC-ing to around 550-600MHz sorts that out! Tbus I fear you may be out of luck + I recall reading that SLI doean't help GPL as much as some other games. I vaguely thought about going SLI ... but am now debating on either (i) getting a voodoo3, (ii) waiting for voodoo4 or (iii) waiting till voodoo4 is out and get a cheap voodoo3. One problem though - while voodoo2 works fine when PU OC-ed to 600 (PCI bus still 33) I'm not certain how well the V3 AGP iface OCs. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

I believe the name of the option is driver depenent, but in my advanced settings I must check 'don't sync buffer swaps to monitor refresh rates'. Andre On Sat, 11 Dec 1999 18:19:33 -0500, BRH <[email hidden]> wrote: >Thanks for your suggestion, but I don't even have an option regarding VSync >in my Voodoo properties. Could it be called something else? > >In any event, I don't have ANY options at all checked in Advanced settings. > >Any other thoughts?

I searched www.3dfx.com for this reference control panel that you mention, but couldn't find it. Do you have a specific filename and website where I can download this from? Thanks. Luis Soto wrote: > I believe you can get a "reference" control panel for your Voodoo 2s from > the 3dfx website. I know it definetly adds the ability to switch V-sync on > and off. > > Best of luck, > L.S. -- << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >>

it's part of the reference drivers. I dont' believe you can just download a control panel, you get it as part of the driver package. -- Kenny L. #14 Generic Chevy PRC Member Wall Scrapers Racing Team "BRH" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I searched www.3dfx.com for this reference control panel that you mention, but > couldn't find it. Do you have a specific filename and website where I can > download this from? > > Thanks. > > Luis Soto wrote: > > > I believe you can get a "reference" control panel for your Voodoo 2s from > > the 3dfx website. I know it definetly adds the ability to switch V-sync on > > and off. > > > > Best of luck, > > L.S. > > -- > << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >> > >

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] wrote: > I have a celery 300a OC to 450 as well with Voodoo 2's in SLI, highest > resolution, anti-aliasing off, 36fps pegged entire way around Monza Is that in training or full race mode - in training I get 36fps at Monza with P3-450 and single V2 (@ 800x600) but in race mode with other cars around I don't until I OC to around P3-550. Also, I think its a bit marginal if I have all objects displayed - but OK with "many". Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

Didn't get any zipfile, but I did solve my problem. When someone mentioned the V2 Reference Control Panel, it jogged my memory. It turns out that I downloaded it months ago, but never installed it. Well, I found it, installed it, checked the box about "Don't sync buffer swaps to monitor refresh rates" and the problem was solved! Now, I'm getting framerates of 33-36 at 1024x768 (except at the very start of a race, of course). Quite a difference! Thanks to all for all the help! R A Wright wrote:

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> brh did you not get the zip I sent you > BRH <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I searched www.3dfx.com for this reference control panel that you mention, > but > > couldn't find it. Do you have a specific filename and website where I can > > download this from? > > > > Thanks. > > > > Luis Soto wrote: > > > > > I believe you can get a "reference" control panel for your Voodoo 2s > from > > > the 3dfx website. I know it definetly adds the ability to switch V-sync > on > > > and off. > > > > > > Best of luck, > > > L.S. > > > > -- > > << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >> > > > >

-- << Remove the "XTRA"s from the address in order to reply. >>

did you install the drivers for BOTH cards? Lio

I have a PII 450 (not Cel) with Voodoo II SLI and I have a constant 36fps in all races, with 20 cars. I don't have this with only a single Voodoo II card. The problem of a drop in frames with SLI is a well-known problem. I had it too, untill someone told me to disable VSYNC. It worked perfect, my fps increased noticable. I don't know why some people do and some people don't have this option in the advanced Voodoo settings. I guesss it is driver dependant. I have installed the newest Diamond Monster II drivers. Andre