DX10 & Bufferpools

[RJC68 823]

Hi All,

 

I recently purchased the commercial DX10 fixer and decided to try the switch again using the latest "How to" guide. I am simply astounded at the difference this time. Talk about amazing ! 

 

My sim has a whole new lease of life. One question every aircraft is super smooth, 737NGX, Airbus X but I had some issues with my PMDG 777. Wasn't quite as good with some stuttering, it is very small but there. I played around with a few things but the best overall result was removing buffer pools completely from my config. It is almost the perfect sim apart from the 777

 

Usepools=0 didn't really work even though I have a fairly powerful system. My question is can someone recommend a good combination of pool size & reject threshold for me to try. I have never used these together so do not know where to start.

 

Overall I am 99% there but would love to get the smoothness in the 777 that I see in everything else. That would be my nirvana

 

i5 3570K OC to 4.7 Stable (Watercooled)

Asus P8Z77-VPro

8GB Kingston HyperX

Asus GTX 660 TI

250GB Kingston SSD as primary (FSX is on this drive)

2TB WD 7200 RPM as secondary

 

FTX Global

ActiveSky Next

 

Thanks in advance

 

Richard

[Paul J 349]

Hi Richard: Yes - I wouldn't expect UsePools=0 to work with a 4.7-gig proc and a (slowish) 660Ti - a 770 or 780 would be a far better choice, and would make a world of difference.

 

So - compromise with UsePools=1 and a RejectThreshold.

 

First - leave the Poolsize at 8388608 (8MB and default), so it doesn't need to be entered: Other sizes can be tried if/when no change is seen after going through all the RT numbers below (though BMB is already pretty large)

5242880 5MB, 8388608 8MB, 10485760 10MB, 20971520 20M

 

Then select the first RT at a pretty small number - 128000  128KB

 

Set up your test flight, save it, and then fly it five or six circuits with that number, then go up one, to 256KB (262144), and so on - 512KB, - 1MB,  until something changes in smoothness, stability, spiking, framerate, or framerate average. If there is no change - then move the PoolSize up to 10485760 (10MB) and see which way it goes, and then run through the RT numbers again at this new PoolSize. Also - remember -  increasing the poolsize to 10MB may be ther wrong way, too - you could find that lowering the poolsize may yield a resulting change more quickly.

RejectThreshold=128000 (125KB), 262144 (256KB), 390144 (381KB), 524288 (512KB), 786432 (768KB), 1048576 (1MB)   

 

Hope this helps. You should find a sweet spot by following the above.

 

All the Best, Richard,

 

pj

[RJC68 823]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for the great response. I thought that when I built my system around a year ago the 660TI was a decent enough card. I have done much reading lately and I realized it isn't quite as good as I first thought. I was pretty sure it was the bottleneck being fed by the i5 at 4.7

 

Don't get me wrong I am very happy with the way DX10 has performed. The NGX is absolutely superb even in heavy weather and I know many people would love to be in this position right now. Like I said I am so close to reaching my nirvana it's turned into a quest lol. Maybe I'll donate my 660TI to my son

 

Can I just ask that the whole section should look like this :

 

[bUFFERPOOLS]

Usepools=1

Poolsize=

RejectThresold=

 

Obviously I would have values for the poolsize & rejectThreshold

 

Thanks again

 

Richard

[Paul J 349]

Correct, but you don't need the Poolsize in there until you change that to a size which is different to the default size.

 

...and be aware of any spelling errors - (in case you missed it - it's "RejectThreshold="  with an "h" in the middle).

 

In think in most cases where the proc and gpu are fairly close to each other in terms of performance, the poolsize would be the default, (or smaller)  with a small RT - this creating lots of dedicated buffers - the lower the RT number the more objects get their own buffer, and theoretically, if low enough, ending up by having the same effect as reducing the threshold to zero, (i.e. UsePools=0) with every object getting its own dedicated vertex buffer.

 

All the Best,

 

pj

[Jetblst 23]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for the great response. I thought that when I built my system around a year ago the 660TI was a decent enough card. I have done much reading lately and I realized it isn't quite as good as I first thought. I was pretty sure it was the bottleneck being fed by the i5 at 4.7

 

Don't get me wrong I am very happy with the way DX10 has performed. The NGX is absolutely superb even in heavy weather and I know many people would love to be in this position right now. Like I said I am so close to reaching my nirvana it's turned into a quest lol. Maybe I'll donate my 660TI to my son

 

Can I just ask that the whole section should look like this :

 

[bUFFERPOOLS]

Usepools=1

Poolsize=

RejectThresold=

 

Obviously I would have values for the poolsize & rejectThreshold

 

Thanks again

 

Richard

 

 

LOL!   Me Too.  I am getting close to that too.

[rsperge 182]

just curious, Paul, I have a 3770k 4.2ghz, and a 780 gtx 3gig, in your expertise opinion, would you use Poolzie=0 or PoolSize=1 and then of course a number with rejecthreshold,  It seems to me when I use either one, both are very close.

[dgraham1284 92]

just curious, Paul, I have a 3770k 4.2ghz, and a 780 gtx 3gig, in your expertise opinion, would you use Poolzie=0 or PoolSize=1 and then of course a number with rejecthreshold,  It seems to me when I use either one, both are very close.

I'm not Paul, but I have a similar setup just a 4770K I use BP=0. Runs great. 

[rsperge 182]

thanks, I get so confused with this tweek, appreciate it.

[Paul J 349]

 I get so confused with this tweek,

 

:lol:  Tell me about it! That 580 is a very good gpu, and will run UsePools=0 with that proc. all the way to 4.7 - 4.8 gig.

 

The 780 will manage all the data we can throw at it, so let it manage the buffer creation and management - by using the "UsePools=0" and let FSX work on the rest. It will easily create hundreds of small dedicated buffers, thus giving FSX breathing time to do more. 

 

When using a beast like the 780 or the Titan - one will only need to look at UsePools=1 (and an RT) when the processor begins to get past the 5.0 gig mark - and maybe even higher. I've pushed into 5.1 gig, but have backed off, being nice and stable at 5.

 

All the Best,

 

pj

[Jetblst 23]

Tell me about it! That 580 is a very good gpu, and will run UsePools=0 with that proc. all the way to 4.7 - 4.8 gig.

 

The 780 will manage all the data we can throw at it, so let it manage the buffer creation and management - by using the "UsePools=0" and let FSX work on the rest. It will easily create hundreds of small dedicated buffers, thus giving FSX breathing time to do more. 

 

When using a beast like the 780 or the Titan - one will only need to look at UsePools=1 (and an RT) when the processor begins to get past the 5.0 gig mark - and maybe even higher. I've pushed into 5.1 gig, but have backed off, being nice and stable at 5.

 

All the Best,

 

 

 

Well I think I am almost there on my rig too Paul.  I too am getting the swing of this.  Yes.  Time consuming.

 

Ok

 

My rig is on the left, but to make it easier.  She's showing age, but like a fine gal she is experienced!  HAHA

 

AMD Phenom II BLACK  OC to 4.0

 

I started at the base per your post above and have worked my way to here...

 

[bUFFERPOOLS]

UsePools=1

PoolSize=5242880

RejectThreshold=524288

 

Things are really doing well.  I am smooth at about 18 avg fps in the terminal area and at High Altitude cruise I average 28-30 locked in of course at 33.  Of course all or any other parameters the same.

 

Having said that.  My question is, with as old as my system is will continuing on experimenting to higher pools and RTs give me more results, or would you say I am nearing the law of diminishing returns?  (I don't speak Intellese just yet.  Next build).

[Paul J 349]

:lol:    Time consuming......

 

It's up to you, Jet, but I think you won't be far off. 4 gig with a 450 - you will need fsx to do the work, as the gpu is not the most capable, having only a gig of memory, so UsePools=1 is correct, and a "biggish" RT looks right too. You might move the PoolSize around some more, but as you say - diminishing returns. I found TBM will play a part, too, so you could move that and then test bp again. 

 

Good work! I'm glad you've taken the time to read and understand it.

 

All the Best,

 

pj

[Jetblst 23]

Thanks Paul!

 

Well the payoff is well worth it.  I have not had this nice of ride with FSX ever.  To get this older machine and a not well paired  GPU to work this well is really a treat.

 

I also took a page from Nick.  As for me I stay in jets.  Mostly the private ones.  So they eye candy for me is a smooth ride and well performing bird.

 

I am running Eaglesoft CX 2.0 WS and getting these frames, but not without work over on the sliders too.  

 

Since that is set right, Bufferpools...  TBM etc is getting my rig to the sweet spot.  I'll see if I cant get a decent video uploaded when done.

 

[RJC68 823]

Well I certainly have some food for thought and seeing that my beloved better half is going away on Friday for a long weekend I will have lots ot time to play. Now the big question is do I try to reach my nirvana with my current video card or simply upgrade it Hmm decisions decisions !

 

One thing I have never tried is to overclock the 660TI I have been reading some good info about this and may well give it a try just for the hell of it. Afterall Asus were very kind to supply me with all the software to do this

 

As I had sid before I am very happy after venturing back in to the DX10 pond, in 90% of the time I would say I could match the quality and smoothness of these countless youtube videos that are out there. Even the ones that have been post edited to look smooth !!

 

Happy flying

 

Richard

[Paul J 349]

680 or 770/780....  Post #2. First two lines..

 

O/C'ing the 660Ti?.  nyaaah..  you may find BSoD's happening, and you sure as heck don't need the aggro. I don't often quote other techie's advice here, as mostlt we talk about DX10, and I'm not sure that there are too many FSX-ers out there who have as much experience as those in these two forums, but in thicase - we're safe, as Nick's hardware philosophy is completely in alignment with mine... so..

 

From Nick's "Bible":

RULE #2:
Do not purchase hardware with the thought that you will upgrade with better hardware in 6 months to a year.

If users buy with the thought that they can save money now and then upgrade in 6 months to a year, not only will they spend MORE than they ever would have if they had simply purchased the right components outright, but a user WILL sit there in a never ending state of frustration that grows and builds as they add more-and-more complex scenery and aircraft to their sim.

 

6. Overclocking: DO NOT overclock video cards! Buy them clocked from the factory.

 

#4 - Matching it Up: As I mentioned in the processor section above, when shopping for the video adapter the goal is to match the CPU ability and planned clock speed to the video card. This is not hard to do if ask yourself a simple question with respect to the selected CPU and desired CPU speed.

 

Nvidia cards come in 4 primary class versions; Their top-end card, the medium grade step-down from the top dog, their 3rd grade performance line, and, their exceptionally low budget cards.

 

Example: 1. GTX 780, 2. GTX770, 3. GTX 760 (could also be 760Ti), 4. GTX 750/740

 

NEVER purchase the 4th class of video card even for budget builds. If you are not building a 'low-budget' system NEVER buy the 3rd class of card. You will either purchase the top-class or the 2nd in line based on the CPU speed.

 

Here is the rule of thumb:

 

IF you intend to run 4.2GHz or higher, purchase the top-end card.

End quote!  Phew!

 

I hope this helps!  B)

 

All the Best,

 

pj

[RJC68 823]

LOL Thanks Paul,

 

I honestly thought at the time the GTX 660 TI was a fairly speedy card, it hasn't performed that bad to be honest like I said maybe I am caught up in the chase

 

I am going to play this weekend and see what I can tweak. My son would be more than happy to have my 660 donated to him so maybe I will just treat myself