GPU usage

darrell montgomery

How can you find out if SSDR is able to use the graphic card or is using the cpu for the graphics displayed. I notice a box on the bottom of the start tab under (radio setup window) that has GPU Capability

Walt - KZ1F

I am not sure I understand your question. Strictly speaking SSDR doesn't do GPU, Microsoft WPF does. What does your GPU Capability: have just to it's right? Does it show something to the effect of "Maximum Graphics Acceleration"?

Walt -kz1f

darrell montgomery

Sorry for the confusion, and yes it does say"Maximum Graphics Acceleration" I understand that SSDR/WIN will use CPU cycles if the computer does not have enough GPU on board to use. I think this computer is just fine but wanted to see if the on board GPU is enough or should I consider buying a graphic card.

Walt - KZ1F

Some people are real into the bestest fastest anything, car, computer, wife, gf, clothing etc. If you're happy with the results you see, don't worry about it. Some people are running SSDR on business class processors with error correcting memory and 3D gaming video cards. It's not necessary unless you are seriously into bragging rights.  If you want to take an already expensive radio and make it even more expensive, buy a $20,000 business class machine to run it on. FRS wasn't designed to require that class of machine.

KY6LA_Howard

Not totally true.. while the CPU requirements for SSDR are not that severe
It does need a fast video card to be able to display the information

Somewhere in this community is a listing of the GPU performance requirements - I believe Al NN4ZZ compiled the numbers.


https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/graphics-cards-for-ssdr-again

Walt - KZ1F

From Microsoft's MSDN site:

Have a look at this section of the SDK for details on WPF's graphics tiers and a list of some of the more popular cards that fall under those tiers. To find out what tier your specific graphics card is really quick, write a WPF app that does the following: 

Code Snippet
public Window1()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    this.Title = (RenderCapability.Tier >> 16).ToString();
}

In order to do that you'd need the Windows SDK, know how to write graphical programs and be sufficiently interested in what Windows thinks of your hardware. Again, if you're happy with the performance, don't sweat it.

For those really interested:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms742196.aspx

I think this issue has, historically, been way overblown.

Walt - kz1f

Walt - KZ1F

Which part of "if you are happy with the performance, don't sweat it" are you arguing over Howard?

KY6LA_Howard

Not arguing about that... just giving a link to where he could find out more about graphics performance ratings requirements..if he wishes to follow up in more detail...

BTW... I was totally happy with my 7 Series BMW until I got blown away at a stop light by a Tesla... Now I want one of those...

So one may be happy with one's performance until you see how much better something faster can be...

Walt - KZ1F

And some people have the time and interest and money to have the best of everything. Did I tell you about the exSVP where I work who's Tesla ran out of battery in a blizzard last winter? Require and want are two completely different things.

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Darrell
Here is the thread Howard KY6LA referred to about the passmark numbers I compiled from a number of folks.  You can get a trial version of the passmark software to run on your PC to see where you machine ranks.  You can also look up graphics cards and other hardware to see how they rank, etc

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/graphics-cards-for-ssdr-again

The threshold numbers below are based on what other have reported and indicate the 3 important passmark metrics.   Many folks have PCs that far exceed these number.  Keep in mind that over time as more features are added to the SSDR software or the software becomes more efficient, the numbers may change up or down.  

These are the suggested minimum metrics based on radio model.  


BTW, there is also a 3D graphics score but it does not relate to the SSDR software performance and is more for gaming.  So don't be concerned about that metric (at least for now unless FRS add 3D video)  Feel free to contact me directly if you would like any additional information. 

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

darrell montgomery

Thanks for all the input. however I would like to know if the "GPU Capability:"Maximum Graphics Acceleration" at the bottom of the radio setup window startup tab means I have plenty of GPU for SSDR?

also everyone have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

KY6LA_Howard

Walt

No Blizzards in Southern California...plus I am allergic to temperatures below 60F

XYL's Need... Guy's Want...

Tim - W4TME

There is no need to go to all that trouble.  We do it for you in SmartSDR and show you the capabilities.  Darrell's video card is a tier 2 card.

Tim - W4TME

Darrell - what it means is that your card meets the minimum requirements for SmartSDR to try and use the video card for all rendering processes.  It does not indicate in any way if the graphics card has enough on-board resource to do it well or not.  That is determined by how well your graphics card rates on the Passmark tests (or other graphics benchmarks).  I recommend you refer to this HelpDesk article for info on graphics cards http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118528-What-is-important-in-choosing-a-Video-Grap...

Kevin J. Mahoney

I used a motherboard hosted graphics card with a somewhat marginal computer. It worked fine except sometime is got choppy. I then went to an i5 chip and a GeoForce 760 card and it works great but I am sure it is largely overkill 

Walt - KZ1F

I think we should take a poll to determine what we all think Darrell should buy, because clearly his comment at the outset of "I think this computer is just fine" doesn't seem to work for this thread.

:-)

darrell montgomery

All right Tim I ran the PT and the puter I7-4970K @4.00Ghz W/ onboard Intel HD 4600 scored a 2208. looks good for now

Thanks again
Darrell/k5wid
IRLP 7657

Luis del MOlino

Tim:
I want to coment you that I have observed a very astonighing behaviour of the sound  with DAX v.1.3.8.126 in a computer with AMD 2x CPUs at 3,25 GB connected with Router a at 100 Mbps with what seems to be an slow graphic card NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430,

DAX produces an audio distorted (broken at quick intervals) working in Windows 7 pro 32 bits. I am listening to DAX with the Audio Repeater program included by Mutzichenko (the father of VAC cables).
 
This distorsion is lower or sometimes dissapears when you minimizes SmartSDR and DAX.
The distorsion dissapears  always when you lower the DAX audio, moving  the cursor to the left of any channel (using channel 1) and you reduce audio level. At the same time, the computer CPU ussage is very low, marking only about 10%.

When you increase DAX volume moving the cursor to the right, the distorsion reappears and increases (broken audio is more evident and quick) and the CPU use increases at the same time until almost 45-55%.

Why DAX volume is related to CPU (Not GPU) use??? I cannot understand whyt.
A digital sound has always the same number of bits or perhaps is a problem of compression algorithm? Did you know the answer?

73 Luis EA3OG

SteveM

Luis,

You should have started a new thread to report your issue. Someone would have responded quicker.

What you have reported is a known issue. You may assume it will be fixed in the soon-to-be-released SSDR ver 1.4. See https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/dax-stuttering-since-1-3-8-ssdr-install?topic-reply...

DrTeeth

SSDR runs just fine at full FPS on my laptop's integrated Intel HD 3000 card with not a stutter in site.

Walt - KZ1F

As Steve already said below, it is a known issue and is not related to this same problem report. Tim please close this issue, if you so desire.