Catalyst 10.1 Offers Proper "Intermediate Resolutions"

[skipclarke]

Okay, so I was beta testing some drivers for ATI and came across the fact that 5040x1050 had replaced 3840x1024 in my resolution options (my native desktop resolution is 5760x1200). The beta was from the 10.1 branch, but I hadn't seen anything about it here. Knowing that such a feature would have made headline news, I fired off an email to my contact in the driver department asking when it would be featured in a release driver. This was his response.

"Yes, we changed the algorithm that the driver uses to select the intermediate resolution. The results are better now in the sense that the intermediate resolution aspect ratios are consistent. For example 3840x1024 is based on three screens with a 5:4 aspect ratio, while the 5040x1050 is based on three 16:10 widescreens.

Basically, if you have widescreen displays, the intermediate resolution should always be based on three widescreens, so things don’t get stretched."

He went on to say that the feature should be in the 10.1 release drivers, and was glad we were excited about the feature. I hadn't dealt with the 10.1 release drivers. One, I have been testing the 5600, 5500 and 5400 boards and that required beta drivers. Two, I was running fine and stable on the 9.11 drivers, and there were lots of complaints being lodged here for 9.12 and 10.1, so I never moved up at release time.

So, I grabbed my spare Win7 OS drive and loaded the 10.1 release drivers (still beta testing the others on my main drive) and found this:





I will be asking what the intermediate resolutions would be for 2560x1600 and 1920x1080 panels. Will post that when I know. I will also be posting an update to my ATI 5870 review.

[Sideeffect]

Yes thats really good news. I get 3840 x 800 as the 2nd option for 1680 x 1050 22" monitors using 8.70 RC2 which are newer than 10.1.

I hope they change that to 4320 x 900. Maybe the fix was added to 10.1 but not the beta 10.2 though :?.

[skipclarke]

Your previous option would have been 3840x1024.

[Downtown1]

What does this mean exactly, versions older than 10.1 didn't have these resolutions?

[skipclarke]

What does this mean exactly, versions older than 10.1 didn't have these resolutions?

That is correct. Older versions you only had your native resolutions and then 3840x1024. So if some game ran like crap (or was unplayable) at 7560x1200 on your 3x24" setup, you couldn't play it in Eyefinity. My review of the 5870 goes into some pretty good detail on this.

[doublejj0305]

I'm also using portrait with a native of 3600x1920. I notice when I go into desktop properties under mode:
it states 3x1 @ 640x3600 @60Hz. I noticed in your screen shots that your reads correctly and mine does not. There are certain games that won't even load from steam showing "display or fullscreen" errors. After looking at this I believe this is probably why. Any idea how to change it? (using 10.1 hotfix)

Here is a screen shot of what I'm talking about.


http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v5k3y-6eYsQ/S3LW1slSmDI/AAAAAAAAAjo/X-y2wMgF19I/s800/ATI.PNG

[skipclarke]

Sorry, I don't have any experience with landscape. Hope to play with it at some time in the near future. You do now have 3150x1680 as your intermediate resolution. This one fix made that a usable and proper aspect option, rather than just 3840x1024 or maybe 3072x1280.

[ViciousXUSMC]

I assume this means you get a full screen effect on all 3 screens with proper eyefinity, I tried the not so proper resolution we had before because crysis was not playable at 5760x1200 and what happened was on all 3 screens was the smaller new resolution centered rather than being rendered full screen, this is with my monitors set to aspect scaling too. It made playing at anything other than native resolution quite impossible.

I have to update to these drivers and try it when i get a chance though, finally mabye crysis surround. (Why do we still hold crysis to such a high rank its not even that great of a game lol)

[KryptoNyte]

Ibrin, what's the purpose behind the (grouped) 2400x600 resolution even showing up in your current scenario. That aspect ratio is not in line with 5760x1200 - wouldn't eveything become scewed?

[skipclarke]

I assume this means you get a full screen effect on all 3 screens with proper eyefinity, I tried the not so proper resolution we had before because crysis was not playable at 5760x1200

You are exactly correct, and that is a prime example of why this was needed.

Ibrin, what's the purpose behind the (grouped) 2400x600 resolution even showing up in your current scenario. That aspect ratio is not in line with 5760x1200 - wouldn't eveything become scewed?

It's meant as a "safe mode" in case you screw something up and need to make adjustments or reload the driver.

[suiken_2mieu]

hahaha this is excellent, I was wondering how I was supposed to get good frame rates at 5760x2160 (I'm working on getting a 3x2 setup). I'm sure 3840x1440 will be sweet enough. Plus I might be able to get 3D working with the lower resolution (it need to render the frame twice to do this.)

[suiken_2mieu]

so does anyone one the intermediate resolution for 1080 panels?

[DefDan]

so does anyone one the intermediate resolution for 1080 panels?

i pray to the lord they support 720p...

[iThinman]

I believe that 4320*900 was the intermediate option available when I had 10.1 installed with my 1920*1080 monitors.

[suiken_2mieu]

I believe that 4320*900 was the intermediate option available when I had 10.1 installed with my 1920*1080 monitors.

wtf, that's a 3x16:10 resolution. :doh

4800x900 would be much better

[iThinman]

I'd have to double check, but I do remember it looking 'off'. :(

[iThinman]

yeah, my bad, 4800*900 it is...

[boxrick]

Can we mix landscape and portrait modes yet ? ( ie dell 3007 in landscape with 2 20" monitors in portrait" )

[suiken_2mieu]

Can we mix landscape and portrait modes yet ? ( ie dell 3007 in landscape with 2 20" monitors in portrait" )

No. This is on the backburner for a while.

[Sideeffect]

If anyone else is using 22" eyefinity 1680 x 1050 x3 and would like to see 4320 x 900 as the intermediate resolution instead of the current 3840 x 800 please ask on the Catalyst Crew Feedback Program http://www.amd.com/us/CatalystCrewSurvey if enough people request this they might change it.

This is what I sent

Code: Select all

In 10.1 and above the eyefinity resolutions were adjusted so that the aspect ratio is maintained.

   

   24" 1920 x 1200 monitors received 5040 x 1050 as an intermediate resolution based on the next step down 1680 x 1050 which is good.

   

   I have 22" eyefinity though and we received 3840 x 800 as our intermediate resolution which is two steps down.  Can this be changed to 4320 x 900 which would be based on 1440 x 900 which is the next step down.

   

   Although 3840 x 800 maintains the aspect ratio you lose a lot of resolution 4320 x 900 would be much nicer and it still maintains the aspect ratio.