Difference between revisions of "Graphics Cards/es"

From Second Life Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Subpage ready without translation)
 
m (Sync with main page (without translation))
 
(One intermediate revision by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Multi-lang}}
{{Help/es
|Parent=Graphics Cards
|BugFixes=*
}}


{{Alert Box|Esta página está pendiente de ser traducida al español.<br>
{{Alert Box|Esta página está pendiente de ser traducida al español.<br>
Line 7: Line 10:
[[Category:Articles for Spanish translation]]
[[Category:Articles for Spanish translation]]


This page is for detailing compatibility issues that certain graphics cards have with Second Life. Note that officially, we only support what's listed on our [http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php System Requirements]. However, we understand some Residents want to run SL on unsupported configurations — your results may vary, but hopefully sharing info will give you a better idea of what to expect.
This page is for detailing compatibility issues that certain graphics cards have with Second Life. '''Officially, Linden Lab only supports what's listed on our [http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php System Requirements & Recommendations].''' However, we understand some Residents want to run SL on unsupported configurations — your results may vary, but this info will give you a better idea of what to expect.
 
== Buying graphics cards ==
A great graphics card may not be as expensive as you think! Be a savvy shopper and check deals sites & stores like:
 
=== US-centric ===
* '''[http://dealspl.us/ DealsPlus]'''
* '''[http://forums.slickdeals.net/forumdisplay.php?f=9 SlickDeals forums]'''
* '''[http://www.newegg.com/ NewEgg]'''
* '''[http://amazon.com/ Amazon.com]'''
 
=== UK ===
* '''[http://dabs.com/ Dabs.com]'''
* '''[http://oyyy.co.uk/ Oyyy.co.uk]'''
^ Also check out '''[http://www.quidco.com Quidco]''' for cashback. Also:
 
=== Comparison-shopping tools ===
* '''[http://www.shopzilla.com/ Shopzilla]'''
* '''[http://www.pricegrabber.com/ PriceGrabber]'''
* '''[http://www.google.com/products Google Product Search]'''
 
Add your fave deals sites around the world (only ones you've actually used and have favorable experiences with) to this list.
 
While there are too many possibilities to describe succinctly, '''it's generally true that as time goes on, progressively powerful technology gets cheaper'''. For instance, as of 2008-10-30, GeForce 8800GTs which can run Second Life's graphics at Ultra (the highest) can be found for under US$100 after mail-in rebate. And many capable mid-range cards, like are US$50 or under.
 
=== More buying tips ===
* Yes, card numbering can be confusing — reading hands-on reviews at [http://www.tomshardware.com Tom's Hardware] can help clarify which give the best "bang for the buck", like their "'''[http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Best-Graphics-Card,2033.html Best Graphics Cards For The Money: October 2008]'''" article.
 
* With '''Nvidia cards, the ''second'' number in their model number is usually more important than the first''' (e.g., you're better off with a 7800 than an 8400). As such, you can usually find bargains amongst older generation high-end cards, which will outperform newer generation budget cards while being comparably priced or cheaper. Never buy an Nvidia card with a second digit lower than "6" if you intend to run heavy 3D applications (which SL clearly is), unless you have no choice.
 
* To learn more about graphics card generations, see Wikipedia's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_ATI_graphics_processing_units ATI] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Nvidia_graphics_processing_units Nvidia] tables.
 
* Your graphics card should be part of a '''well-balanced system'''. It won't do you much good to have a top-of-the-line card if you have a lacking power supply or small amount of RAM.


== Drivers ==
== Drivers ==
We ''highly'' recommend updating to the newest stable versions:
'''We ''highly'' recommend updating to the newest stable versions:'''


* [http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp Download Nvidia drivers]
* [http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp Download Nvidia drivers]
* [http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html Download ATI drivers]
* [http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html Download ATI drivers]


[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=001 More info.]
[http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=3884 More info.]


Ideally, we want SL to run and not crash on any graphics card that supports OpenGL Version 1.2 or later. Realistically, we can only support the latest version of drivers right now.
Ideally, we want SL to run and not crash on any graphics card that supports OpenGL Version 1.2 or later. Realistically, we can only support the latest version of drivers right now.


== Help resources ==
== Driver issues ==
* '''[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/ Knowledge Base]''' - Repository of support articles you can search. For example, "[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/search.php?query=graphics&submit=Go graphics]". Some relevant articles include:
Sometimes you may get an error message upon starting Second Life that claims your drivers are out-of-date or unsupported. First, download the latest drivers for your graphics card and install them. If you've recently done so and have the latest drivers, uninstall them completely, then reinstall.
** [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=003 What is a graphics card? Will mine work with Second Life?]
 
** [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=023 Intel Extreme graphics issues]
== Drivers on Mac OS X ==
** [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=300 Invisible avatar? Try these things!] 
It's often assumed that Mac OS X does not use graphics card drivers, and it's certainly true that separate graphics card "updates" and "drivers" cannot be downloaded for the Mac.  
** [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=405 Why is my avatar yellow/green/some other loud color/horribly deformed?] - Basically, go to Edit menu > Preferences > Graphics Detail tab and uncheck "Avatar Vertex Program". Generally, updating your drivers fixes this.
** [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=019 Errors that mention GDI Generic]


* '''[https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Issue_tracker Public Issue Tracker]''' - We use this to help us identify bugs to be fixed. Search for terms like the model of your graphics card (e.g., "X1600" or "GeForce") or related keywords (e.g., "invisible AND avatar"). You can also report a new issue and discuss it with fellow Residents.
''However'', OS X certainly does use graphics card drivers, but incorporates them into the OS itself. With the Mac, Apple integrates the hardware and software more closely than with Windows. The advantage: problems arise only rarely. The disadvantage: Macs are generally much less upgradeable with respect to their graphics capabilities.


* '''[http://blog.secondlife.com/ Official Linden Blog]''' - You can [http://blog.secondlife.com/?s=graphics search] this too. Of recent particular interest is:
Does this mean that any problems that emerge cannot be resolved? Not quite: on the occasions when a graphics driver has to be updated for Mac, it will be incorporated into the next [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1338 Software Update] release for the OS itself. So if you keep yourself up-to-date with these, then driver upgrades will take care of themselves.
** [http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/03/28/1140-known-issues-drivers-vbo-ati-x300x600-notebooks-and-other-woes/ 1.14.0 Known Issues: Drivers, VBO, ATI X300/X600 notebooks, and other woes]


* '''[http://forums.secondlife.com/forumdisplay.php?f=296 Technical Talk forums]''' - The forums are [http://forums.secondlife.com/search.php? searchable]. Lindens don't really check here.
== Related resources ==
* '''[http://secondlife.com/kb Knowledge Base]''' - Search for words like "graphics". Relevant articles include:
** '''[http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=3886 What is a graphics card? Will mine work with Second Life? How do I tell which one I have?]'''
** '''[http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=3906 I'm experiencing issues with Intel Extreme graphics]'''
** '''[http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=4782 Typical Frame Rate Performance by Graphics Card/GPU]'''


You can also contact our [http://secondlife.com/community/support.php Support]. Remember that specific details, and [https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/QA solid reproductions] when there are bugs, help us help you.
* '''[[Issue_tracker|Public Issue Tracker]]''' - We use this to help us identify bugs to be fixed. Search for terms like the model of your graphics card (e.g., "X1600" or "GeForce") or related keywords (e.g., "invisible AND avatar"). You can also report a new issue and discuss it with fellow Residents.


== Personal experiences ==
* '''[http://forums.secondlife.com/forumdisplay.php?f=296 Technical Talk forums]''' - The forums are [http://forums.secondlife.com/search.php? searchable]. This is Resident-to-Resident help; Lindens don't actively check here.
If you're having problems with a specific graphics card, please share your details on [[Talk:Graphics Cards]].


You can also contact our [http://secondlife.com/support Support]. Remember that specific details, and [[Bug_Reporting_101|solid reproductions]] when there are bugs help us help you.


== Known Driver Status ==
== Personal experiences ==
{| border="1"
If you're having problems with a specific graphics card and/or driver version, '''[[Talk:Graphics Cards|please share your details here]]'''.
|- style="background:#ffdead;"
|OS||Hardware||Driver Version||Status||Workaround||Related Bug
|-
|Win XP||Nvidia GO series||77.24, 6/20/2005||Crashes after a few minutes||Upgrade Drivers to 84.63, 7/5/2006 or turn of Vertex Buffer Objects||
|-
|Win XP||Nvidia GO series||84.63, 7/5/2006||Works great||||
|-
| ||||||||||
|-
|Win XP||Nvidia Desktop cards||91.47, 9/14/2006||Fullbright objects will flicker rainbow colors||Upgrade Drivers to 93.71, http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_93.71.html||
|-
|Win XP||Nvidia Desktop cards||93.71, 11/2/2006||Works great||||
|-
|Win XP||Nvidia Desktop cards||169.21, 1/28/2008||Works great with latest version of WindLight r78760||||
|-
| ||||||||||
|-
|Win XP||ATI||Catalyst(R) 7.4||Works great||||
|-
|Win XP||ATI||Catalyst(R) 7.6||Issue with dual monitors||Upgraded from 7.4 to 7.6.  I had dual monitors setup with DVI being the primary.  SL client would not load.  Workaround is to make VGA monitor primary, then SL will load on DVI monitor.||
|-
|Win XP||ATI||Catalyst(R) 8.1||With WindLight r78760 works relatively well except avatar hardware skinning is turned off for higher end Radeon 2xxx and 3xxx cards.  8.2 will address the issue and we will be able to turn avatar skinning back on||||
|-
| ||||||||||
|-
|Vista||Nvidia||driver bundled with vista||Fullbright objects will flicker rainbow colors||Does updating the driver fix this? http://www.nvidia.com/object/winvista_x86_158.18.html||
|-
|Vista||Nvidia||97.42||Works great||||
|-
|Vista||Nvidia||158.18, 5/2/2007||unknown||||
|-
|Vista||Nvidia||162.22, 7/27/2007||Unsupported Hardware/Old Drivers error||||
|-
|Vista||Nvidia Desktop cards||169.21, 1/28/2008||Works great with latest version of WindLight r78760||||
|-
| ||||||||||
|-
|Vista||ATI||Catalyst(R) 7.4||Works great||||
|-
|Vista||ATI||Catalyst(R) 8.1||With WindLight r78760 works relatively well except avatar hardware skinning is turned off for higher end Radeon 2xxx and 3xxx cards.  8.2 will address the issue and we will be able to turn avatar skinning back on||||
|-
|Linux Ubuntu 7.10||Nvidia 7300 GT 512 MB RAM||Nvidia proprietary driver from Ubuntu Multiverse repository||Works apparently great||||
|}

Latest revision as of 02:12, 4 November 2008

Esta página está pendiente de ser traducida al español.

Al no estar reflejada en la página del Proyecto de Traducción del wiki, es importante que si usted empieza a traducirla lo indique aquí para evitar que otro usuario realice un trabajo baldío:


Una vez traducida la página, por favor, borre este texto.

This page is for detailing compatibility issues that certain graphics cards have with Second Life. Officially, Linden Lab only supports what's listed on our System Requirements & Recommendations. However, we understand some Residents want to run SL on unsupported configurations — your results may vary, but this info will give you a better idea of what to expect.

Buying graphics cards

A great graphics card may not be as expensive as you think! Be a savvy shopper and check deals sites & stores like:

US-centric

UK

^ Also check out Quidco for cashback. Also:

Comparison-shopping tools

Add your fave deals sites around the world (only ones you've actually used and have favorable experiences with) to this list.

While there are too many possibilities to describe succinctly, it's generally true that as time goes on, progressively powerful technology gets cheaper. For instance, as of 2008-10-30, GeForce 8800GTs which can run Second Life's graphics at Ultra (the highest) can be found for under US$100 after mail-in rebate. And many capable mid-range cards, like are US$50 or under.

More buying tips

  • With Nvidia cards, the second number in their model number is usually more important than the first (e.g., you're better off with a 7800 than an 8400). As such, you can usually find bargains amongst older generation high-end cards, which will outperform newer generation budget cards while being comparably priced or cheaper. Never buy an Nvidia card with a second digit lower than "6" if you intend to run heavy 3D applications (which SL clearly is), unless you have no choice.
  • To learn more about graphics card generations, see Wikipedia's ATI and Nvidia tables.
  • Your graphics card should be part of a well-balanced system. It won't do you much good to have a top-of-the-line card if you have a lacking power supply or small amount of RAM.

Drivers

We highly recommend updating to the newest stable versions:

More info.

Ideally, we want SL to run and not crash on any graphics card that supports OpenGL Version 1.2 or later. Realistically, we can only support the latest version of drivers right now.

Driver issues

Sometimes you may get an error message upon starting Second Life that claims your drivers are out-of-date or unsupported. First, download the latest drivers for your graphics card and install them. If you've recently done so and have the latest drivers, uninstall them completely, then reinstall.

Drivers on Mac OS X

It's often assumed that Mac OS X does not use graphics card drivers, and it's certainly true that separate graphics card "updates" and "drivers" cannot be downloaded for the Mac.

However, OS X certainly does use graphics card drivers, but incorporates them into the OS itself. With the Mac, Apple integrates the hardware and software more closely than with Windows. The advantage: problems arise only rarely. The disadvantage: Macs are generally much less upgradeable with respect to their graphics capabilities.

Does this mean that any problems that emerge cannot be resolved? Not quite: on the occasions when a graphics driver has to be updated for Mac, it will be incorporated into the next Software Update release for the OS itself. So if you keep yourself up-to-date with these, then driver upgrades will take care of themselves.

Related resources

  • Public Issue Tracker - We use this to help us identify bugs to be fixed. Search for terms like the model of your graphics card (e.g., "X1600" or "GeForce") or related keywords (e.g., "invisible AND avatar"). You can also report a new issue and discuss it with fellow Residents.

You can also contact our Support. Remember that specific details, and solid reproductions when there are bugs help us help you.

Personal experiences

If you're having problems with a specific graphics card and/or driver version, please share your details here.