Problem: FPS fixed to 64, 32, 21

I have new PC Intel I7 with ATI RADEON 5850, Win7 64 bit.

vvvv runs on a fixed 64 fps with patch containing Timing node only. When I try to lower Maximum foreground fps with Mainloop node fps jumps in steps. Something like: 64 than 32 than 21, 16 etc.

I am puzzled.

It might have to do something with CPU stepping but I can not figure it out. Windows Power scheme CPU settings are set to full. I even tried to turn of OS control over CPU stepping in BIOS.

I came to this conclusion when I tried the same thing on Core2Duo again with maxed CPU settings. When CPU is not under pressure Timing node shows 64 fps. If I for example start some program in background, fps jumps to 120+. I have never noticed that before because patches usually tend to keep CPU busy. But with I7 it is not easy to take off from 64 fps.

Hmmmm

Can anybody confirm anything similar?

I have tried many things. Even clean installs of win 7 64 bit and XP pro on different machines. I am getting the same results.

Can somebody PLEASE try this?

Just fire up vvvv, create timing node and read the fps output. Default should be 120 fps. Try to create mainloop node and play with foreground fps. What do you get?

I always get 64 fps at first until CPU is busy enough either with vvvv or anything else in the background. All my PCs are Intel based.

uffff. I should have moved this to Bugs forum, right?

Actually +1 for me, got pretty much the same on my laptop (i’m sure on my old one it was different, as i used to increase mainloop to have 200 fps for quick midi feedback).

I tried with an older beta too (19.1), and got the same result.

I’ll check back with some other boxes, they all have vvvv installed on it surprisingly :)

Will post more results asap.

This is worrying, I’m just about to buy a new system, with an i7, is it the i7 or the 64bit thats the issue?

I have a pc running vista 64bit, with an itel i7 920 @2.67Ghz and a geforce gtx 275.

following your instructions i too can confirm this problem.

“vvvv runs on a fixed 64 fps with patch containing Timing node only. When I try to lower Maximum foreground fps with Mainloop node fps jumps in steps. Something like: 64 than 32 than 21, 16 etc.”

“When CPU is not under pressure Timing node shows 64 fps. If I for example start some program in background, fps jumps to 120+.”

This is exactly what is happening for me too…

Have you set the Mainloop Node to “Raw” or “Filtered”?
Does the setting make any difference?

You could use CPU-Z to see what happens speed-stepping-wise.

got some different results

TOSHIBA Satellite Pro A300
Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU T9300 @ 2.50GHz
XP pro 32 bit (5.1, Build 2600) with DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

doesn’t seem to have this problem. I killed much of the background processes just to make sure.

on the other hand:

TOSHIBA Satellite A200
Intel® Core™2 CPU T5300 @ 1.73GHz
XP pro 32 bit (5.1, Build 2600) with DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

has the problem.

“Raw” or “Filtered” Time Mode doesn’t affect this.

not happening on my Core2quad Q9650 3.00Ghz XP-32bit

Toshiba Qosmio here, dual core (not i7) 2.26Ghz, windows xp pro sp3 and directx9.0c

confirmed and seems we can fix it…

I can confirm this issue on a PC with an Pentium Dual-core E5300 2.6mhz. This thread needs moving to bugs.

Any idea when fix may be released or a method of avoiding it?

no idea when the release will be. but if you ever have the problem that the function:

sleep(1);

takes way too long, you can use the following functions to modify the windows timer resolution:

timeBeginPeriod(1);

//do some stuff with windows timing

timeEndPeriod(1);

see this link:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd757624%28VS.85%29.aspx

it seems that the timers of some new motherboards are set to something like 15ms. this seems to save performace and power because there are less switches between applications.

quick fix till next release >>> have this software, Set Windows Timer Resolution running in the background.

Run it on a system where we get expected 120 fps and the current Resolution will be around 1ms, run it on a system where we get 60 and your current resolution will be around 15ms.

sweeeeet.

could you add this to Software Tool Links ?

good thinking kalle. done.

beta>22 has a hidden pin on MainLoop (VVVV) called Increase Timing Precision. for now default is “disabled”…