Latest version of SereneScreen v2.0.4 poor performance

04-24-2003, 05:20 PM

Have a 667 mhz G4 powerbook with an external cinema display attached. The application with v.2.0 when playing the application worked great. As a screensaver I couldn't disable multiple monitors. Saw the fix for the new download here and downloaded that. The checkbox for "use multiple displays" now works, so I can have the screen effect on only one monitor. However, the performance is terrible now. I can't even get the application to run well. This is odd because the straight v2.0 version worked great. I even have all the fish off except for one and the frame rate is terrible. Maybe do a permissions fix?

Any ideas?

04-24-2003, 05:23 PM

Sorry forgot to mention that I have everything current according to Apple on updates: OSX 10.2.5. Have an ATI Radeon with 16MB. Also have a gig of RAM installed. How very odd....

JimO'Connor · 04-24-2003, 05:28 PM

Do you still have MA 2.0.1 around? How does it run with 10.2.5?

What is the fps for 2.0.4? You can see this by pressing the 's' key (for 'show fps').

There aren't any changes in the graphics code. The changes are 1) allow CD users to upgrade 2) fix a pixel that trailed on one of the fish 3) fix the multiple monitors problem.

Try "Economize Video Memory" in the settings panel.

04-26-2003, 10:36 PM

OK well the economize video memory did the trick! Thanks. So what exactly does that do? With this checked I get just a little under 30fps with all the fish swimming around, including the starfish. I did turn off the shimmer effect though. Thanks a bunch, I appreciate the help.

JimO'Connor · 04-26-2003, 10:50 PM

It turns off the z-buffer, which allows us to get the hardware video acceleration which otherwise we might not get because of low video ram conditions.

Michael Babin · 04-27-2003, 11:36 AM

Other system settings that can affect the amount of video memory available (and thus the performance of MA) are the screen resolution (1024x768 vs. 1600x1200) and the number of colors displayed (thousands vs. millions). Obviously, the lower the resolution and number of colors displayed, the lower the video memory used by the system (and the lower the needs for MA).

Did you possibly change your display settings between use of MA 2.0.1 and 2.0.4? That might explain the change in performance. If you still have MA 2.0.1, I would be curious to know if you in fact see such a difference in performance between the two versions when running them consecutively on the same system. As Jim said, the graphics code didn't change between the two versions so I would be at a loss to explain such a difference in performance (although I've learned through experience that my inability at a given moment to understand or reproduce a problem does NOT mean that there isn't one

).

04-24-2003, 05:20 PM	#1
Unregistered Guest Posts: n/a	Latest version of SereneScreen v2.0.4 poor performance Have a 667 mhz G4 powerbook with an external cinema display attached. The application with v.2.0 when playing the application worked great. As a screensaver I couldn't disable multiple monitors. Saw the fix for the new download here and downloaded that. The checkbox for "use multiple displays" now works, so I can have the screen effect on only one monitor. However, the performance is terrible now. I can't even get the application to run well. This is odd because the straight v2.0 version worked great. I even have all the fish off except for one and the frame rate is terrible. Maybe do a permissions fix? Any ideas?

04-24-2003, 05:23 PM	#2
Unregistered Guest Posts: n/a	Forgot... Sorry forgot to mention that I have everything current according to Apple on updates: OSX 10.2.5. Have an ATI Radeon with 16MB. Also have a gig of RAM installed. How very odd....

04-24-2003, 05:28 PM	#3
JimO'Connor Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kenai, Alaska Posts: 678	Do you still have MA 2.0.1 around? How does it run with 10.2.5? What is the fps for 2.0.4? You can see this by pressing the 's' key (for 'show fps'). There aren't any changes in the graphics code. The changes are 1) allow CD users to upgrade 2) fix a pixel that trailed on one of the fish 3) fix the multiple monitors problem. Try "Economize Video Memory" in the settings panel. Jim O'Connor Order N Development

04-26-2003, 10:50 PM	#5
JimO'Connor Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kenai, Alaska Posts: 678	It turns off the z-buffer, which allows us to get the hardware video acceleration which otherwise we might not get because of low video ram conditions. Jim O'Connor Order N Development

04-26-2003, 10:36 PM	#4
Unregistered Guest Posts: n/a	OK well the economize video memory did the trick! Thanks. So what exactly does that do? With this checked I get just a little under 30fps with all the fish swimming around, including the starfish. I did turn off the shimmer effect though. Thanks a bunch, I appreciate the help.

04-27-2003, 11:36 AM	#6
Michael Babin Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rowlett, Texas Posts: 199	Other system settings that can affect the amount of video memory available (and thus the performance of MA) are the screen resolution (1024x768 vs. 1600x1200) and the number of colors displayed (thousands vs. millions). Obviously, the lower the resolution and number of colors displayed, the lower the video memory used by the system (and the lower the needs for MA). Did you possibly change your display settings between use of MA 2.0.1 and 2.0.4? That might explain the change in performance. If you still have MA 2.0.1, I would be curious to know if you in fact see such a difference in performance between the two versions when running them consecutively on the same system. As Jim said, the graphics code didn't change between the two versions so I would be at a loss to explain such a difference in performance (although I've learned through experience that my inability at a given moment to understand or reproduce a problem does NOT mean that there isn't one ).