Topic: windows 7 - unwanted frameskip

[AtTheGates]

disabled aero, didn't do anything. the nightmare continues =(

[CaptainCPS]

Hi there AtTheGates,  I have Win7 (x64)  and I experience the strange frameskip in windowed mode as well, I always disable Auto Frameskip so its supposed to run at 60fps. The problem seems to be with high resolutions, normally I use 1680 x 1050 [32bit][60hz] and I could notice the issue, but when I lowered the desktop resolution a bit just to see what happened, the frame skipping went away, and if its there is not noticed. At least this is a temporary workaround until the real problem can be identified under Win7

Another thing you could try if the problem persist is using the DirectX9 Experimental Blitter and see if this show improvements.

SeeYaa!

[Barry Harris]

Hmm, it still works fine for me and my desktop resolution is 1920x1080. I usually use the D3D 7 blitter.

[CaptainCPS]

Hmm, it still works fine for me and my desktop resolution is 1920x1080. I usually use the D3D 7 blitter.

Nice you're using 1080p! ^^ I would be using 1080p too but my LCD monitor supports up to 1680 x 1050 only

Maybe it has something to do with our video cards, I currently have an ATI Radeon HD 4650 (1gb), right now Im trying some configuration in the ATI catalyst panel and checking for updates as well 

SeeYaa!
 

[CaptainCPS]

I kept checking my system configuration (DirectX / Video drivers / etc) and after playing with the blitters I noticed that what happens its not Frameskipping, I concluded that Triple Buffer and Vsync doesn't work in windowed mode, except Vsync that does work in windowed mode if using the experimental DX9 blitter.

SeeYaa!
 

[Barry Harris]

I'm using a 4670 so very similar. Looking to change to a 5670 when the price falls a bit (probably when nVidia gets there arses in gear!).

[manliodp]

I kept checking my system configuration (DirectX / Video drivers / etc) and after playing with the blitters I noticed that what happens its not Frameskipping, I concluded that Triple Buffer and Vsync doesn't work in windowed mode, except Vsync that does work in windowed mode if using the experimental DX9 blitter.

SeeYaa!
 

Hi,
same problem here, vsync doesn't work correctly both windowed and fullscreen (iMac c2d 2.66GHz, ATI2600Pro).
Also a friend of mine has the same problem with nvidia graphics (9400).
I think the problem is FBA related because MAME vsync does work correctly.

Anyway thank you for this great emulator!

[CaptainCPS]

I'm using a 4670 so very similar. Looking to change to a 5670 when the price falls a bit (probably when nVidia gets there arses in gear!).

Man that video card that you're planning to buy is incredible I verified the specs and its badass (now I want that one too LOL)

Btw, I found out how to force Triple Buffering (DirectX 9) running in windowed mode using a tool I found online called D3DOverrider, so atm using this tool and the Experimental DirectX9 blitter we can have VSync + Triple Buffering while on windowed mode

Of course there must be a way to implement the Triple Buffer in the Experimental blitter code so we don't have to use the D3DOverrider tool, but that will require doing some extra research

I attached the D3DOverrider tool (doesn't need installation)

SeeYaa!
 

[Barry Harris]

Man that video card that you're planning to buy is incredible I verified the specs and its badass (now I want that one too LOL)

Btw, I found out how to force Triple Buffering (DirectX 9) running in windowed mode using a tool I found online called D3DOverrider, so atm using this tool and the Experimental DirectX9 blitter we can have VSync + Triple Buffering while on windowed mode

Of course there must be a way to implement the Triple Buffer in the Experimental blitter code so we don't have to use the D3DOverrider tool, but that will require doing some extra research

I attached the D3DOverrider tool (doesn't need installation)

SeeYaa!
 

It's either that or a 5750 or 5770 if the price of the 5670 doesn't start falling soon. The value seems to be in the 57xx range at the moment but in a few months I expect that to change towards the 5670. The 4670 was always the value card and had low power requirements.

[AtTheGates]

hey everyone,

been a while since i posted.

i just did some testing with and without aero theme, street fighter IV windowed.
with aero theme = frameskip every couple of seconds (at really odd and slow intervals), most visible during camera movements
without aero = no problems.

i will now test FBA and see if i can feel any improvement.
edit: just tested FBA, both windowed and fullscreen, with and without vsynch and triple buffering. no improvement at all =(
edit2: by the way, i experience this the strongest when playing jojo's bizarre adventure (CPSIII). third strike looks fine though. weird.
thx for all the tips so far.

[CaptainCPS]

hey everyone,

been a while since i posted.

i just did some testing with and without aero theme, street fighter IV windowed.
with aero theme = frameskip every couple of seconds (at really odd and slow intervals), most visible during camera movements
without aero = no problems.

i will now test FBA and see if i can feel any improvement.
edit: just tested FBA, both windowed and fullscreen, with and without vsynch and triple buffering. no improvement at all =(
edit2: by the way, i experience this the strongest when playing jojo's bizarre adventure (CPSIII). third strike looks fine though. weird.
thx for all the tips so far.

Hi there

Try Running D3DOverrider and check that the global option is like this...



then minimize D3dOverrider (dont click the X button) and launch FB Alpha and use this option



You should notice the difference now in windowed mode using any kind of desktop theme

SeeYaa!
 

[Huggybaby]

I use D3D Overrider too.

If D3DO already forces triple buffering and VSync, do those options need to be enabled in FBA as well? Wouldn't there be a conflict or slowdown with both doing the same thing?

[CaptainCPS]

I use D3D Overrider too.

If D3DO already forces triple buffering and VSync, do those options need to be enabled in FBA as well? Wouldn't there be a conflict or slowdown with both doing the same thing?

D3DOverrider force DirectX to use Triple Buffer / Vsync, but FB Alpha just send the instruction to DirectX and expect it to to use Triple Buffer / Vsync. FB Alpha doesn't have a code implemented to force DirectX. I will keep looking for information about this matter in my free time, and if there is something that can be done to force DirectX in FBA I will try to check it out 

SeeYaa!
 

[AtTheGates]

hi everyone,

thanks a lot for all the help so far.

v-synch and triple buffering aren't really related to my problem, since fba works just fine without those under XP (i also don't want to activate them because im playing frame-critical games).

a friend suggested that i run frametimes with FRAPS for win7 and xp and post them here. quite a discrepancy, and odd numbers under win7:

Frame, Time (ms)
    1,     0.000
    2,    10.525
    3,    20.285
    4,    41.775
    5,    63.307
    6,    73.029
    7,    90.623
    8,   112.093
    9,   121.850
   10,   143.350
   11,   164.837
   12,   174.583
   13,   184.403
   14,   203.903
   15,   213.662
   16,   235.144
   17,   256.650
   18,   266.559
   19,   283.967
   20,   305.451

XP:
Frame, Time (ms)
    1,     0.000
    2,    13.685
    3,    29.309
    4,    44.944
    5,    76.390
    6,    78.678
    7,    91.829
    8,   123.087
    9,   138.709
   10,   154.298
   11,   169.928
   12,   185.579
   13,   201.169
   14,   216.812
   15,   232.422
   16,   248.055
   17,   263.678
   18,   279.327
   19,   294.929
   20,   326.180


hope that helps.

cheers,
ATG

[CaptainCPS]

hi everyone,

thanks a lot for all the help so far.

v-synch and triple buffering aren't really related to my problem, since fba works just fine without those under XP (i also don't want to activate them because im playing frame-critical games).

a friend suggested that i run frametimes with FRAPS for win7 and xp and post them here. quite a discrepancy, and odd numbers under win7:

Frame, Time (ms)
    1,     0.000
    2,    10.525
    3,    20.285
    4,    41.775
    5,    63.307
    6,    73.029
    7,    90.623
    8,   112.093
    9,   121.850
   10,   143.350
   11,   164.837
   12,   174.583
   13,   184.403
   14,   203.903
   15,   213.662
   16,   235.144
   17,   256.650
   18,   266.559
   19,   283.967
   20,   305.451

XP:
Frame, Time (ms)
    1,     0.000
    2,    13.685
    3,    29.309
    4,    44.944
    5,    76.390
    6,    78.678
    7,    91.829
    8,   123.087
    9,   138.709
   10,   154.298
   11,   169.928
   12,   185.579
   13,   201.169
   14,   216.812
   15,   232.422
   16,   248.055
   17,   263.678
   18,   279.327
   19,   294.929
   20,   326.180


hope that helps.

cheers,
ATG

I did a very specific research on the issue and since I have Win7 / x64 I was having the same issues you mention about frameskip or to be more precise vertical synch, I implemented a very effective method for doing Vsync while in Windowed mode that doesn't compromise FBA speed at all, what it does is increase of displayed frames to a 100% by waiting for all of the vertical scanlines to be dispayed, so no 'flickering' is noticed when the Vsync option is active. I have to make clear that Triple Buffer / Page Flipping is specifically made for fullscreen so you will not need to activate it to see results in next FBA release, in fact you will never see results of Triple Buffer in widowed mode on any FBA version, only fullscreen.

Btw, you can't say Vsync isn't related to your problem until you test next version and see if Vsync does any difference. After FBA next version is released, if you still have issues with the new Vsync option then obviously your problem will prove to be PC specific, since I have Win7 as you and even have an Intel x64 Dual Core CPU, and after I implemented the new Vsync method to all blitters I could notice a big increase of precision of frame displaying, its not even a 80% increase, I say its a 100% accurate frame display since it wait for each vertical scanline to be drawn on screen to proceed with next frame and so on.

SeeYaa!