MA2.6 a bit "jerky" in Vista Ultimate 32-bit

Ex_Brit · 05-16-2007, 10:11 AM

As the header says I've noticed a bit if jerky behaviour from time to time using MA 2.6 in Vista Ultimate 32-bit.
I'm using an ATI Radeon X1650 Pro graphics card with the latest Catalyst/WDM 7.4 drivers. Screensaver set to 1280 X 1024 32bit.
Any hints to make it steadier?

Jim Sachs · 05-16-2007, 08:41 PM

This is always caused by other programs running in the background, and they are usually very hard to track down. The Aquarium runs at a very low proirity, so just about any other program can steal its clock cycles. Network and Internet software are the usual suspects, but it could be anything. Sometimes it's useful to bring up the Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DEL), and see what processes are running. Watch out for silent, secret automatic update software.

I'm looking into ways of allowing the user to bump up the proirity of MA3, locking out other programs during time-critical routines.

Ex_Brit · 05-17-2007, 05:36 AM

Thanks Jim. It does seem to be intermittent anyway. What does the "Limit Frame Rate" do?

Jav400 · 05-17-2007, 06:39 AM

Keeps your hardware from running flat out all the time.

Ex_Brit · 05-17-2007, 07:24 AM

Thanks.

feldon34 · 05-17-2007, 07:37 AM

LCD monitors can only display 60 frames per second. There is no point in the Aquarium generating hundreds of frames per second that aren't seen. So setting your FPS Limit to just a few FPS over what your video card is capable of will save your CPU and video card from heat.

05-16-2007, 10:11 AM	#1
Ex_Brit Geordie Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 114	MA2.6 a bit "jerky" in Vista Ultimate 32-bit As the header says I've noticed a bit if jerky behaviour from time to time using MA 2.6 in Vista Ultimate 32-bit. I'm using an ATI Radeon X1650 Pro graphics card with the latest Catalyst/WDM 7.4 drivers. Screensaver set to 1280 X 1024 32bit. Any hints to make it steadier? Peter Toronto, Canada Last edited by Ex_Brit; 05-16-2007 at 03:18 PM.

05-16-2007, 08:41 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	This is always caused by other programs running in the background, and they are usually very hard to track down. The Aquarium runs at a very low proirity, so just about any other program can steal its clock cycles. Network and Internet software are the usual suspects, but it could be anything. Sometimes it's useful to bring up the Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DEL), and see what processes are running. Watch out for silent, secret automatic update software. I'm looking into ways of allowing the user to bump up the proirity of MA3, locking out other programs during time-critical routines. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

05-17-2007, 05:36 AM	#3
Ex_Brit Geordie Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 114	Thanks Jim. It does seem to be intermittent anyway. What does the "Limit Frame Rate" do? Peter Toronto, Canada

05-17-2007, 06:39 AM	#4
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Keeps your hardware from running flat out all the time. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

05-17-2007, 07:24 AM	#5
Ex_Brit Geordie Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 114	Thanks. Peter Toronto, Canada

05-17-2007, 07:37 AM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	LCD monitors can only display 60 frames per second. There is no point in the Aquarium generating hundreds of frames per second that aren't seen. So setting your FPS Limit to just a few FPS over what your video card is capable of will save your CPU and video card from heat. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman