Texture shimmering/aliasing problem on high end GPU's?

Nova6

Junior Member
Aug 6, 2006
6
0
0
About a month ago, I began seeing some texture shimmering/aliasing while gaming on my Sapphire X1900 XTX. I guess I didn't see it before because I wasn't really paying attention. Anyways, it's been really bugging me as of late. I've tried turning on HQ AF and forcing 16x Aniso, and while it does get rid of some shimmering, it definitely doesn't get rid of it all. Enabling Adaptive AA doesn't do a whole lot of good either (although it does make alpha textures look somewhat sharper, like it's supposed to do), plus turning it on causes a very distracting colored line to appear at the top and left of the screen in several games.

I don't see this shimmering/aliasing on ground textures or on large surfaces like flat building walls, but it's very noticeable on character models, weapon models, tree leaves, blades of grass, fences, window sills, stairways, rooftops and the like. I also see it on large bodies of water.

I recently had the chance to try out a 7900GTX and I had the exact same problem except that the shimmering on ground textures was considerably worse than with the X1900 XTX. I don't recall ever seeing anything like this back on my old 6600GT, which I've unfortunately sold to a friend. It never occured to me that much more powerful high end video cards would have worse IQ!

For my Radeon X1900 XTX, I've tested the Catalyst 6.6, 6.7 and 6.8 drivers with ATI Tray Tools and CCC (not both at the same time), and for the 7900GTX which I don't have anymore, I used the 91.31 drivers and the Nvidia classic control panel. The games I've tried are Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, Half-Life 2, Titan Quest, Serious Sam 2 and Oblivion. All of them show this shimmering effect.

Does anybody else see this? Could it be a driver issue or was I just sold bad cards? Could it be a motherboard issue (I have an Intel D915PCY, BIOS are up to date)? Am I just crazy and hallucinating things? Either way, this is a big turnoff for me. I wish I could provide videos of the problem, but I don't really know how to.

Thanks!
 

Gstanfor

Banned
Oct 19, 1999
3,307
0
0
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...
 

sisq0kidd

Lifer
Apr 27, 2004
17,043
1
81
Originally posted by: Gstanfor
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...

I think it's more of, "I know we shimmer, but you shimmer more!"
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
9,031
36
91
Does anybody else see this?

Yes, I saw plenty of this with my X1900XTX in WoW. Both the 7900GTX and the XTX shimmer in WoW. That being said, the XTX has much nicer AF in HL2 and Oblivion, while I tend to prefer the GTX's AA overall. The bottom line is basically that both the cards are really nice, but neither is perfect.
 

Munky

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2005
9,372
0
76
If you use Ati Tray Tools, you can try somemore tweaks, such as forcing full-trilinear filtering, and LOD adjustments, as well as disabling catalyst AI. I've noticed in some cases my x1900xt will shimmer, but I've only seen it happen in FEAR. I get no shimmering in other games, like Oblivion. WoW os one game that's notorious for shimmering in any video card.
 

Ulfhednar

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2006
1,031
0
0
Originally posted by: sisq0kidd
Originally posted by: Gstanfor
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...
I think it's more of, "I know we shimmer, but you shimmer more!"
Quoted for truth. Bloody Nvidiots just cannot accept that shimmering is much worse on their beloved hardware.
 

Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,171
13
81
Originally posted by: Gstanfor
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...

Originally posted by: Nova6
I recently had the chance to try out a 7900GTX and I had the exact same problem except that the shimmering on ground textures was considerably worse than with the X1900 XTX.


Greg, could you please shut up now? Really.

Nobody said ATI cards don't shimmer, just that they don't do it to the extent that Nvidia cards do.


Nova6 - As nitromullet said, some games just shimmer more than others. As you've already witnessed for yourself, ATI cards don't seem to shimmer as badly as Nvidia cards but you'll still notice it in certain games.
 

Wreckage

Banned
Jul 1, 2005
5,529
0
0
Originally posted by: sisq0kidd
Originally posted by: Gstanfor
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...

I think it's more of, "I know we shimmer, but you shimmer more!"

No, there are seveal in complete denial about this problem on ATI hardware.
 

Ulfhednar

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2006
1,031
0
0
Originally posted by: Wreckage
No, there are seveal in complete denial about this problem on ATI hardware.
And a much bigger number of Nvidiots who say it's not a problem at all.
 

Madellga

Senior member
Sep 9, 2004
713
0
0
I see this also, I have a 7950GX2 and a X1900XT and both shimmer. Welcome to the group.

I have the same opinion as Nitro, WoW was the worst offender for me. I don't play it anymore, now Guild Wars is the offender. I do prefer at the end the Nvidia card for the Transparency AA, it is much better than ATI's.

ATI improved a lot on CAT 6.6, as LOD optimization is OFF on HQ settings.

There is one thing you didn't try on your ATI, it is to turn AI OFF.

Use HQ settings, HQ AF and AI OFF. That should eliminate 90% of the shimmering.

On the Nvidia side, set HQ, LOD CLAMP and Transparency Antialiasing to Multi or Super.
 

Madellga

Senior member
Sep 9, 2004
713
0
0
Originally posted by: Ulfhednar
Originally posted by: sisq0kidd
Originally posted by: Gstanfor
It's nice to see someone document what the fanatics on this forum would never admit to - especially when they are busy accusing the opposition of suffering the same problem...
I think it's more of, "I know we shimmer, but you shimmer more!"
Quoted for truth. Bloody Nvidiots just cannot accept that shimmering is much worse on their beloved hardware.

Hm, I'm not a fan, but you are wrong on this one. Peharps due to the "lower" AF quality, when both are properly set shimmering is less visible on the Nvidia cards.

I do agree that at default settings, shimmering looks worse on Nvidia side.

 

Nova6

Junior Member
Aug 6, 2006
6
0
0
Thanks for the help, I guess I don't have a choice but to accept it. Besides, I can't really complain about the performance. I'll try turning Cat AI off, hopefully it'll help.

I hope Nvidia and ATI fix these issues in their next cores. IMO they both have a lot of work to do.

I'd take screenshots but the shimmering only occurs in motion, they wouldn't show anything.
 

Nightmare225

Golden Member
May 20, 2006
1,661
0
0
Originally posted by: gersson
There's shimmering but it's much worser on Nvidia cards. Fact.
[/quote]

I honestly hope G80 improves the general IQ of NVIDIA's cards, so that the ATI fanboys would STFU.
 

Ackmed

Diamond Member
Oct 1, 2003
8,478
524
126
Originally posted by: Wreckage
Originally posted by: gersson
There's shimmering but it's much worser on Nvidia cards. Opinion.

Fixed.

Nope, its a fact. I can show you several reviews that say NV shimmers worse than ATi. And provide videos to back it up.

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/ati...ge_quality_showdown_august06/page5.asp

What do you have to support that NV doesnt shimmer worse than ATi? Besides the fact that you dont have an ATi card to game on, to make such a comment.

Originally posted by: Nightmare225
Originally posted by: gersson
There's shimmering but it's much worser on Nvidia cards. Fact.

I honestly hope G80 improves the general IQ of NVIDIA's cards, so that the ATI fanboys would STFU.
[/quote]


So now you're a fanboy if you make a factual statement?
 

Ackmed

Diamond Member
Oct 1, 2003
8,478
524
126
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Originally posted by: Ackmed

So now you're a fanboy if you make a factual statement?

you're a fanboy if thats all you post in every single thread


If what is all I post in every thread? I didnt make this topic. I simply refuted some ignorance.

NV shimmers worse than ATi. ATi still shimmers. Thats the bottom line, and its time to get over it.

btw, name calling isnt a smart thing to do.
 

Ulfhednar

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2006
1,031
0
0
Originally posted by: Madellga
Hm, I'm not a fan, but you are wrong on this one.
I'm also an ATI and Nvidia user, and I say I'm not wrong at all.

I only use HQ settings on my hardware and the shimmering is far worse on the Nvidia cards.
 

TanisHalfElven

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,520
0
76
i have never seen any shimmering on the x800gt. i can't imagine why these utlra high end next gen would casue shimmering.
anyway OP Its a commonly discussed thing here. for nvidai you chage driver setting to HQ. i am not sure about ati (never heard ati shimmering before this thread) but you can try messing with the options in CCC
 
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