Graphics corruption

[xenic]

I still have graphics corruption problems on my X1000. PPaint leaves random color trails when I move the pointer and the Dopus4 Config window has small blue rectangles in the checkmark gadgets. I recently downloaded and installed OS4 barsnpipes from OS4Depot. When the program opens it does display a screenmode requester but I selected the default 640x480 8 bit screen. There is massive corruption in the the main GUI; especially the gadgets. At that point I realized that my worst graphics corruption occurs with 8 bit screens. Some older programs, like SuperJam, don't have screenmode requesters so are always corrupted on 8 bit screens. This graphics corruption does not occur on my SAM Flex with Radeon 9250.

Is this graphics corruption a driver problem or hardware issue? I would appreciate it if someone could download "barsnpipes" from OS4Depot, open the program in a 640x480 8 bit screenmode and report if there is graphics corruption. If it's not a driver problem then I will try buying another Radeon 5450 to solve the problem. If it's a driver problem then I will try to find another Radeon 9250 since that works fine in my SAM.

[LyleHaze]

From the BarsnPIpes Quick Start guide:

On the first run, BarsnPipes will complain about a missing
Prefs file, and then ask you to choose a screenmode. PLEASE
choose an ARGB mode for best results.

Once the main screen opens, go to the Preferences/Environment
menu and select "Save". (this will get rid of the screenmode
requester for the future)

LyleHaze

[zzd10h]

Strange,
I had the same problems than you with a 5450 but they were resolved with a driver update months ago.

http://forum.hyperion-entertainment.biz ... 450#p19549

Nevertheless, I use now a 6670, and I have to say that it's really really better than the 5450

[trevordick]

Do you mean the graphics corruption in on the HD5450? If it is it sounds like you have not updated to the latest RadeonHD drivers that are available through AmiUpdate for registered users.

Trevor

[xenic]

@LyleHaze
I read your recommendation and only used barsnpipes as an example because others can easily download the program and test the result of running the program in an 8 bit mode. If I had somewhere to conveniently place screen grabs I would have used another program to demonstrate my problem. There is nothing wrong with OS4 barsnpipes. However, does your recommendation of an ARGB mode indicate that you also have graphics issues (corruption?) in non-ARGB modes?

[xenic]

Do you mean the graphics corruption in on the HD5450? If it is it sounds like you have not updated to the latest RadeonHD drivers that are available through AmiUpdate for registered users.
Trevor

Unfortunately, that's not the case. I installed the new RadeonHD drivers (v .55) that I downloaded from the A-EON Web site at the same time as zzd10h did. The new driver apparently solved his issues but not mine. Because I wanted to avoid scrapping away the glue that AmigaKit uses to keep components in place during shipment, I decided to wait and see if there would be a further driver update. Since there hasn't been another update, I decided to see if anyone else can reproduce the graphics corruption which is most apparent in 8 bit screenmodes. It doesn't appear that anyone has actually downloaded barsnpipes to perform an 8 bit screenmode test. For whatever reason, the corruption doesn't occur in most newer programs. Reaction and MUI programs don't seem to be affected. Only programs (mostly older) that use lower level Intuition and graphics library display functions seem to be corrupted in 8 bit screenmodes. The same programs work fine on my SAM Flex with Radeon 9250.

At this point, it looks like I will need to scrape off the AmigaKit glue and attempt a hardware solution. I prefer not to add another fan to my system so I will be shopping for a Radeon 9250 or 5450. I have noticed that not all Radeon 9250's are the same (possibly true of the 5450). I see AGP and PCI versions with 128MB or 256MB memory. Since the voltage type (3.3v or 5v) makes a difference on my SAM I'm wondering about that too. Can someone point out some specific requirements for Radeon 9250 or 5450 graphics cards. I would like to know things like:

PCI, PCIe or AGP?
3.3 volt or 5 volt?
Will all memory sizes work?
Any other details that might make a difference in how a graphics card will work on my X1000.

EDIT: I don't see a monitor driver for the Radeon 9250 in DEVS:Monitors. Can I just use the one from my SAM Flex?

[cha05e90]

Since there hasn't been another update, I decided to see if anyone else can reproduce the graphics corruption which is most apparent in 8 bit screenmodes. It doesn't appear that anyone has actually downloaded barsnpipes to perform an 8 bit screenmode test. For whatever reason, the corruption doesn't occur in most newer programs. Reaction and MUI programs don't seem to be affected. Only programs (mostly older) that use lower level Intuition and graphics library display functions seem to be corrupted in 8 bit screenmodes.

I can confirm this corruptions as well - prominently with PersonalPaint. I have the latest HD driver installed, my graphics card is a Sapphire RadeonHD 6570.

[LyleHaze]

@LyleHaze
I read your recommendation and only used barsnpipes as an example because others can easily download the program and test the result of running the program in an 8 bit mode. If I had somewhere to conveniently place screen grabs I would have used another program to demonstrate my problem. There is nothing wrong with OS4 barsnpipes. However, does your recommendation of an ARGB mode indicate that you also have graphics issues (corruption?) in non-ARGB modes?

Bars&Pipes was originally written using some clever non-standard techniques. It was not designed for an eight bit screen, it was designed for no more than an eight color screen (three bits deep).
They worked very hard to get maximum speed from a minimum of system resources. What they accomplished was quite good, both in appearance and function. Pop Up windows with scrolling selection lists, lots of
neat things that didn't come to the rest of the OS until later, and some that have never been duplicated. But it was done using functions and methods that are not system friendly. (primarily "inovatools", as I recall)

As the OS gains in capability (like adding support for better graphics), it comes at the expense of compatibility with any apps that did not follow an OS friendly path.

As I work on BarsnPipes now, I am faced with trying to forge a path that allows me to gradually replace those "tricky" GUI routines with more standard, OS friendly replacements. In some respects there is a LOT to be gained. I spent a good bit of time already trying to adapt the image loaders to use image.class. Once this is done, we will be able to "skin" the GUI in full color instead of the 4/8 color palette it was originally designed for. So far, I have been unable to mix the old and new systems with any success.

Getting back to your question, BarsnPipes graphics are not yet system friendly, but it is the fault of the code, not of the OS. Fortunately using higher graphics modes like ARGB seems to solve the problem well enough to allow the program to be useful as I work out the upgrade path.

The observation that SuperJam causes the same problems only reinforces my point. Superjam was also written by Blue Ribbon Bakery, and it was written using the exact same GUI toolkit as Bars&Pipes was.

I hope this has answered your question.
LyleHaze

[xenic]

@LyleHaze
Thanks for responding. I know some older programs use methods that are better avoided on OS4, but those programs work perfectly (as far as using 8 bit screenmodes) on my SAM with a Radeon 9250. I interpret that to mean that there is either a hardware problem (graphics cards) or a driver problem. I suppose my next step should be to pull the Radeon 9250 from my SAM and try it in my X1000. First I want to find out if there are any X1000 issues with voltages. I think the SAM can only use 3.3 volt cards but I'm not sure if the X1000 is dual voltage or only accepts certain cards also.

As you can see in cha05e90's post I'm not the only one with graphics issues. That would lead me to believe that it might still be a driver issue. Once I've determined that it's OK to use the Radeon 9250 from my SAM in the X1000, I'll try it and let everyone know if that solves my problems. If the 9250 works, I want to buy one before they completely disappear from availability.

[LyleHaze]

@LyleHaze
... I'm not the only one with graphics issues. That would lead me to believe that it might still be a driver issue. ...

Fair enough, but I'll suggest that you choose something other than BarsnPipes as a test case, for the reasons I mentioned above.

Have Fun!
LyleHaze