Quadro FX1700

[karmoh]

Hi All,
Is anybody using or used Solid Edge with the Quadro FX1700 Card.
I have a new computer, to which I added the above card.

But I seem to have refresh and speed problems. Usually its modified dimensions being left behind (not cleared) or tool tips staying present. Rendering works smoothly initially, but then gradually deteriorates.

I'm using the up to date driver for XP, but sometimes it's not always the answer.
I would be grateful if someone could shed some light on the best possible setup for this card.

Cheers

 

[HDS]

did you set it for solid edge in the driver?

what build of SE?

 

[karmoh]

Hi HDS,

Yes, I uninstalled the latest driver and I downloaded the Quadro driver from GTAC site. Set all that I know of including the solid Edge 3D app setting. Although this has been left at default, but I still get the refresh and speed problems, with modified dimensions being left behind.

I run SE V20 SP15. On dual screens

The new computer is an Intel core i7 cpu920 @ 2.67ghz with 3GB of ram.
Everything is super fast and runs really well, including SE, but I get the issues outlined above.
I elected to run XP pro as my SE is 32bit version, maybe this is the problem.


Thanks

 

[PatCouture]

Hi Karmoh

I'm running a similar setup to yours. I'm on XP pro SP3. Dual screens and a Quadro 1700 on driver 178.13 (I don't know if it's the latest) And I must say that I have the same issues as you. I would be interested to know the solution to prevent this. It's not that big of a deal but it gets annoying from time to time.

Usually a reboot help a lot.

Patrick

 

[karmoh]

Hi Patrick,

My current Driver is 178.26 for the quadro range. I've also tried the following
186.18
169.96

90% of the time everything is very smooth, but when in a workflow, you know the zone. All of a sudden changed dimensions (red) hang around and I have to either do multiply refreshes or close SE and re-boot, becomes as you rightly say Pat annoying.

I was beginning to suspect my new computer architecture as I was advised that it was built for a Vista 64bit system and hasn't been tried and tested for XP 32bit, although this shouldn't really be a problem, but hey I'm a designer not a geek. And to be perfectly honest the computer geeks these days are two a penny and becoming like car mechanics you just cannot trust 'em to give you an honest diagnosis, without the extras

I’m not sure about the 64bit route with Solid Edge and Vista (don't particularly like Vista), would I have to pay for a new version?

Maybe Window7 may help

 

[beachcomber]

What graphics settings have you got in SE ?
Go to Tools > Options > View and then try different settings in Application Display.
Usually the Automatic Selection option is OK, but sometimes you can get round problems by trying the other options.
How much graphics memory is on th FX1700?
Have you tried with only one screen ?

bc.
2.4GHz Core2 Quad, 4GB RAM,
Quadro FX4600.

 

[Gemnoc]

You know, I use a plain games card at home (GeForce 8600GTS 256MB), and I occasionally have the same refresh problems.

Honestly, since the Quadro series uses the GeForce chips, I wonder if those Quadro cards are really worth it. When you compare the specs, you pay more than two times for a Quadro than a GeForce for basically the same chip. I've read somewhere that it's possible to "flash" a GeForce so it thinks it's a Quadro, so you can install the Quadro drivers.

Anyway, sorry for butting in...

 

[karmoh]

Hi Beachcomber,
I have it set to automatic for now but have tried advanced, but haven’t a clue what the settings mean.
FX1700 has 512mb.
Yes one and two makes no difference.

it’s like there is a cache and it doesn't flush on a regular basis and builds to the point where you have to re-boot to clean up.
Refresh window works at clearing the screen of red lines and dimensions, but a reboot required for rendering.

As an analogy, it's the opposite of a car that get better the longer it runs, but SE and the FX get worse.

I wasn’t clear on my request, would I have to pay for a new version, I meant 64bit SE, or is it not worth it?

Gemnoc, you’re not wrong, $1200 nz for the FX1700 and to consider I replaced a GeForce 1gig (don’t remember the version) that was ½ the price believing I was doing the right thing.

I used to use a piece of software called coolbit’s, that opened up the FX cards to all sorts of tweaks, but I’m reluctant to use it on my new box as things can go south easily.

Cheers

 

[beachcomber]

My home machine has an FX4600 (768MB), but I never seem to have had any problems there.
At work it's an FX3500 (256MB), driver version 6.14.11.6265
and there are no problems here, apart from it's a bit slow for the models we have.
If you haven't already, I would try getting the last driver from NVidia that is Windows certitified.

bc.
2.4GHz Core2 Quad, 4GB RAM,
Quadro FX4600.

 

[beachcomber]

Just looked ant NVidia web site and it shows version 186.18, which you have already tried.

bc.
2.4GHz Core2 Quad, 4GB RAM,
Quadro FX4600.

 

[cadman1964]

Karmoh
I know when we first got our dual screen's we had simliar problems. We run Quadro FX 3450/4000 SDI cards. I ended up downloading a old driver from 2005 and it seam to fix the problem. Driver Details - Driver Date: 11/4/2005 Driver Version: 8.1.6.7 Driver Memory: 256 MB

Solid Edge V20

 

[Gemnoc]

Just to follow up on what I wrote about flashing a GeForce to make it believe it's a Quadro. I just found where I read it (here on Wikipedia):

Many of these cards use the same chipset as the game- and action-oriented GeForce video cards by NVIDIA. Those cards that are identical to the desktop cards can be software modified to identify themselves as the equivalent Quadro cards and this allows optimized drivers intended for the Quadro cards to be installed on the system.[1] While this will not offer anywhere near the performance of the equivalent Quadro card,[citation needed] it can improve performance in certain applications, but may require MAXtreme for the speed improvements.

The performance difference comes in the firmware controlling the card. Given the importance of speed in a game, a system used for gaming can shut down textures, shading, or rendering after only approximating a final output—in order to keep the overall frame rate high. The algorithms on a CAD-oriented card tend rather to complete all rendering operations, even if that introduces delays or variations in the timing.

I'm posting this since I don't want to mislead anyone. It is clear to me now than even if the Quadro line uses the same chips as the GeForce line, they are not the same.

Still, to my untrained eye, my GF8600GTS 256MB seems to have a similar performance to the Quadro FX380 256MB I used to have at the office (though our assemblies have never been very large), and they share the same graphic glitches that karmoh is having.