3850 AGP OC'ing/Vmods/experiences/suggestions/where to buy

[Harlock]

I had to repeat the test to grab also the details and ...........

Same config.

x11 Multiplier

294Mhz FSB

His 3850Agp @824/1035

12349 points!!!! New Record

[65tweet]

Hello all. Well an update on my 3850 and hopefully a bit of help here. My 3850 died and I had to RMA it. my replacement came and I installed the 8.9 hotfix drivers at the same time. The good news is everything is working great. The open GL issues I had are gone and everything seems to work super :rockout:. No lockups with overclocking utilities anymore and I'm free to now experiment. With stock cooling and voltage my top clocks are 810/900 @ 74 degrees. I have no doubt with a voltage bump to 3870 specs things would move up but there's not much point considering my CPU.

One thing that is different about the new sapphire cards is the BIOS. All the 2D/3D clocks are the same, there are no "modes" that change. I don't think my clocks ever changed with my old card anyway but I had no reliable way to tell.

Now for a bit of help or maybe clarification. It's my understanding that 3800 series cards take the load from the CPU for hidef video. I was hoping to convert this rig into a HTPC, but this doesn't seem to be possible. HIDEF video uses about 65% CPU and 0-1% GPU. Playback is very choppy and unwatchable. Shouldn't the GPU take considerably more load? Is this a problem with having an AGP card? Or is there something I need to download? I have the latest CCC and have messed with AVIVO settings among others but there is no change at all. I think even if my CPU holds me back there still should be more work being done by the GPU. I'm Getting the GPU utilization #'s from CCC and GPU Z, the CPU #'s from the task manager.

edit:
I'm also using XP do I need vista to get "full" functionality? If so then I don't think I'll be fixing this problem.

[InnocentCriminal]

What software are you using for your HD stuff? To quote the AMD website...

Unified Video Decoder – View and manipulate the latest Blu-ray and HD DVD content with a dedicated hardware video decoder that leaves your CPU free to perform other tasks.

Well, we know that isn't working, hopefully it's not an AGP issue but a software based one. You could always try the 8.10 beta (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=72655) - might help.

[65tweet]

I've tried 6-7 programs for video playback and decoding but none of them make any difference. Is it because I am playing a file rather that a blue-ray or HD disk? The sapphire websiete also says this:

HDCP support for playback of protected content requires connection to a HDCP capable display
and
Blu-ray/HD DVD playback requires Blu-ray/HD-DVD drive and playback software.

I tried a 1080P TV but had to use a normal monitor cable due to lack of a HDMI port on the card. It still shouldn't matter because I'm not playing protected content though. This seems like just a software problem but nothing utilizes the GPU:banghead:. At this time I'm not willing to buy a blue-ray drive just to troubleshoot...

[65tweet]

After more research I think I know what the problem is...

AVIVO does not offer any actual decoding software, it only allows decoder developers to utilize the DXVA API.

DXVA 2.0 allows video capturing and processing operations to be hardware accelerated, but DXVA 2.0 is available only on Windows Vista.

I plan on doing more research but I don't think I will have any luck. I cant get a SATA driver for my mobo or RAID card that works in vista and I can't see myself buying an IDE drive to install vista so I can try and play hidef video.

On the other hand I do have an old 5200RPM 15Gb IDE drive laying around...maybe this weekend I'll try vista again :rolleyes:

Edit: was bored and decided to try Vista to see what happens. I now know that vista requires 15.5Gb of free disk space to install :slap: soooo close maybe it just wasn't meant to be....Grr:banghead:

[InnocentCriminal]

>.<

Sorry to hear that dude, you could always install vLite and make a streamlined version of Vista removing all the crap and bloat allowing you to use your 15GB HDD.

[Harlock]

I'm able to install 8.8 WDM driver but not 8.9 WDM, somebody got my same problem? The error is "There is no compatible Hardware"

[65tweet]

Are you using the hotfix drivers? I get the same if I use the regular drivers.
Link: http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=31625

@innocent: Will using Vista lite get rid of the 15.5 GB warning that is preventing me from installing it? If so I'll read up and give it a shot.

[InnocentCriminal]

@innocent: Will using Vista lite get rid of the 15.5 GB warning that is preventing me from installing it? If so I'll read up and give it a shot.

Yeah man, what you do is end up making 'your own version' of Vista. So, in your case you could remove all the bs programs and services are installed by default. If you really set yourself to it you could always make one the manual way and really bring the belly of the beast down.

[65tweet]

Cool I'll look into it here soon. I just about exhausted my options finding a workaround in XP for hardware acceleration. Plus it's getting old quick...soo many options/software combos, but no luck with any of them.

VISTA...can't avoid it forever I guess.

[Harlock]

@65tweet

Are you using the hotfix drivers? I get the same if I use the regular drivers.
Link: http://support.ati.com/ics/support/d...estionID=31625

Yes, the link that you have posted is just for drivers and ccc. wdm is in a separate package

[Harlock]

Hey guys, new records!!!!

12449 points in 3Dmarks2006

[65tweet]

Ok so I have Vista installed and am deaing with all the associated crap. I still dont have hardware acceleration but this doesnt supprise hearing that since the 8.6 hotfix release something has been broken in this respect. So my delema now is where can I download the 8.5 VISTA hotfix drivers?
I can find the regular 8.5's and 8.6 hotfix all over the place but all I run into for 8.5 hotfix is dead ends or links to 8.9:mad: Sombody please help me here.

I've been running vista fo almost 4 hours now and I feel like ripping out the harddrive:banghead:. Next for the tweeks...

[InnocentCriminal]

I can send you the 8.5's if you like. ^^ Also have the 8.4's.

[65tweet]

I decided to look one last time before taking you up on your offer and found a couple of downloads. Weird... Thanks anyways.

I'm really hoping to get acceleration working on this card but it seems that most people with AGP have the same problem.

[InnocentCriminal]

Not a problem, shout me if you need me.

[Torzi]

Heya... been lurking around this post since I got a 3850 back in August (and it still don't work right ;) ), but I'm much better off with the info I've found here. Thought I'd attempt to give a little back.

With regards to DXVA... you just need a decoder that supports it. To my knowledge, there are only 2 at the moment:

1) Cyberlink's PowerDVD Codecs, which actually are absolute junk, especially since they expect you to pay a lot for them, and they don't even work right (vids play smooth, but still at 100% CPU).

2) Or Media Player Classic - HomeCinema edition. This is what I use, and it definitely has some quirks, but it works well as long as your video is encoded to conform to DXVA (which a LOT of H264 content packed in MKVs on the net are not, but people are getting better about this lately). I haven't had any problems at all with VC-1 content.

Get it here:
http://tibrium.neuf.fr/DXVASupport.html
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=170561

Set it up in Playback-->Output to use VMR9 (renderless) in XP, or EVR in Vista with .NET 3.0+ Installed. Set Surface to 3D surfaces, and resizer to Bicubic A=1.00. Under Internal Filters, make sure everything is checked (you want to use the built in splitters/codecs ONLY!). If you have ffdshow or any other third-party codecs set to auto-load, you'll need to either disable them or lower their merit (with something like RadLight filter manager)

You can confirm DXVA is working by right clicking on the video once it's playing, and under Filters, you should see "MPC Video Decoder". Select it, and on the first property page you see it'll say whether DXVA is active or not. Or...just look at your CPU use. I run an old Athlon XP Mobile, but it still doesn't go above 5-10% CPU when it's active. (Otherwise, HD content is completely unplayable for me)

There's a newer version of the player packed with CCCP (google), but they disable the hardware decoders by default for some odd reason.

Hope that helps...

[eidairaman1]

i remember being able to use .MOV in WMP10 with the proper codec, was it QT Alternative? or was it QT Lite?

[Torzi]

MOV is just the container (like MKV, AVI, etc). You just need a filter that can split the internal streams and port them to the proper codecs. There are a bunch available, and you can set it through your DirectShow filters to split/play them through any media player by default, but it can get confusing. Media Player Classic will also handle MOV files internally though, so you don't have to mess with the codec setup.

A good example of this are the apple MOV files on this site for HD trailers (which are also DXVA compliant, and a good source for testing your codecs/HD playback)(besides just being cool to watch)
http://www.hd-trailers.net/

The quicktime clips have 1 video stream of MP4/H264 (which will be accelerated w/ the right codec), and 1 AAC audio track.

[Thrash2k8]

113-AB43300-104 RV670 GDDR3_16MX32 256BIT 512MB 669E/829M

This bios seems to have the Hash strings from 3870 upto 4870x2 bioses
not sure if this has been posted before but here they are Original and Modded version

300-700 - 650-800 - 700-900 clocks set

works a treat although im not sure if the fan settings are correct so maybe play with them a bit for what suits you.

[DTV DRAGON]

iam thinking of trying the modded bios posted above on my sapphire hd3850agp card as iam haveing some probs just wondering if winflas 2012 is the best for me to use and is there a big risk in my scewing up my card if i try this? Ive searched for some simple steps on how to do this , and couldnt realy find anythig so if one of you experts can chime in I would be very greatful before i try to do this, As well my new psu will be here today so iam hopeing that it will help with my freezing probs, even screen savers will freeze my system as well most games, was never like this from new and had excellent 3dmark scores but for past month cant get through any bench's or run a screen saver , so i was told that maybe my psu was getting weks and that was my prob, we will find out for sure today but if not i want to try this new modded bios or any other suggestions you may have . feel bad my daughter cannot even play her sims2 anymore! but like i said when i first go tthe card it worked mint for months up until the past month or so thanx Dragon

[DTV DRAGON]

well installed new psu and still same prob, freezes up even with a graphic intense screen saver, i tried to run lightsmark benchmark utility and it made it through it for about 8 seconds then froze but the music kept on playing, Do you guys think that maybe it is my sound card that is conflicting somehow, , the psu was a real waist of money seeing that it didnt help squat any other suggestion that you guys may have for me, ive even tried just installing the ati driver alone and not the ccc utility and that was the same. Ive ran out of things that i know to try Iam hopeing someone might have an answer, funny thing was it worked excellent when i purchased it thanx everyone Dragon

[DTV DRAGON]

update.... i went into ccc and changed the agp from 8x to 4x and ran my lightmark2008 again and all went perfect without a hicup, even got a higher score than what I used to when the card was new, I dont know twhat this means so maybe someone ccan tell me whats up thanx Dragon

[eidairaman1]

different latencies, with the 8X bus you have a slightly higher latency due to the wider bus, but overall the 8x bus can handle way more data per cycle.

[DTV DRAGON]

so why does the card only run on 4x now? when it was new for about 6-7 months i had it on 8x and theree was no probs, so what would cause this? is there anything I can do to get it to run back at 8x again like before? Dragon

[InnocentCriminal]

Have you set the card to run at 8x in your motherboard BIOS and not through CCC?

[DTV DRAGON]

yes it had always been set to 8x in bios this just started to happen about 1 month ago I cant see why

[DTV DRAGON]

actuall had a look in bios now and there wasnt any place to change from 8x to 4x etc.. but it runs perfect in 4x for kicks this morning i set it back to 8x and ran a lightmark bench and made it through for about 8 seconds then froze but it back to 4x and ran through with good score ,iam now going to try and run a 3dmark05 later to see if i can get through that and what type of score i get I guess being stable at 4x is ok but i want my 8x back like it used to be wonder what happened for this to only run in 4x wierd Dragon

[DTV DRAGON]

one question iam i better off getting a connector that goes from my 6 pin pci e to a 8 pin pcie connector that would work on my hd3850 card? or just use the supplied two- 4 pin connector to 8 pin pcie connector? wich would supply more power
as an update its running excellent with 8.6 catalyst drivers and agp 4x. my top 3dmark05 score is 10100 wich was evern higher than what it used to be when it ran on 8x so i see no decrease in performance whatsoever please chime in you experts thanx Dragon

[InnocentCriminal]

Even though the 3850 is fine with only a 6pin connector, I've always used the 8pin.