Got an ATI 9600 Pro

igalan · 07-10-2003, 04:11 AM

After a long thought, having read many reviews, comparisons and everything, I have replaced my CL GeForce 3 Ti200 for an ATI 9600 Pro 128 MB DDR

. Initially I wanted a GeForce FX5600 Ultra, but I saw that in most tests ATI beats this FX by a good margin, even an older GeForce 4 Ti4200 beats it easily! Too disappointing. So I got this ATI which was also much cheaper than any FX5600 Ultra.

So far so good

. It's much faster, no question about that. All the games that I've tried run faster and smoother. Unreal II Awakening is faster and the imaged is sharper. The card has also colored leds in the fan (not that I wanted this, my case doesn't have a window or anything

) . It comes with a DVI to VGA, so I can plug a second VGA, S-Video out, Black Hawk Down (full game), cables (S-video, composite)...

I got my first Geforce (the original model) back in 1999, and since them I used a GeForce 3 Ti200 and a GeForce 4 MX400 (for another computer that I have). They have been excellent 3d cards, and I liked nVidia's drivers. But until nVidia comes with a model than can beat this 9600 Pro for a similar price, I won't switch back. It's disappointing that a FX5600 Ultra can't even beat a GeForce 4 Ti4200! (Review at THG)

Now some questions. I don't have experience with ATI, I got used to tools like NVRefreshTool, RivaTuner, GTU... Now I need the same for ATI. The first thing is a refresh fix, is there any available for ATI? I don't want a program running in the background, I prefer something like NVRefreshTool that patches the files and you're done.

rastagard · 07-10-2003, 08:16 AM

I have run ATI cards exclusively since about 98. I'm not a gamer so I can't attest to that aspect of things. I use mine simply because they are one of the few manufacturers of TV cards.

I have the ATI A-I-W Radeon 8500. (I think that is the number)

I am not really familiar with the tool you are asking about, but my card has a full set of options and adjustments in the advanced settings button. (right click desktop>properties>settings>advanced>yadda,yadda,y adda, you know bout this) ATI also has an icon that resides in the systray and has a shortcut to all the setting, etc. but you must enable this via the forementined advanced button. It might take up some resources, but in XP I can't tell. ( in 98 there was a percent or two and I never ran it then)

I used to have a great deal of trouble with the drivers from ATI but lately they have seemed better, but, I still don't upgrade as long as I am not having problems.

Congratulations on yer new card. I hope it does well for ya!

BTW, I wish my card had an LED in the fan........

Polariz · 07-10-2003, 08:34 AM

I used to use this tool on my ti4200 before I started using the default one in the drivers, but I beleive its card independant so should work with your card:

Reforce fix tool

igalan · 07-10-2003, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Polariz
I used to use this tool on my ti4200 before I started using the default one in the drivers, but I beleive its card independant so should work with your card:
Reforce fix tool

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I will try tonight

.

igalan · 07-10-2003, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rastagard
I have the ATI A-I-W Radeon 8500. (I think that is the number)

When I built the Pc that I have in the living room, I wanted to get this card, but it was really really expensive. Instead I got a GeForce 4 MX440 with TV out (you can't compare them, but it does the job

). Anyway it was a little experiment to see what a computer with tv out can do (divx, dvd, mp3, cd, games...)

Quote:

I am not really familiar with the tool you are asking about, but my card has a full set of options and adjustments in the advanced settings button. (right click desktop>properties>settings>advanced>yadda,yadda,y adda, you know bout this)

I had to install the control panel to get those options (it's a separate file). I had not installed it, only the driver (I prefer not to install anything unless I need it). Now I have all those options. What I don't see is the detailed card information (clock speed, ram speed...)

Quote:

I used to have a great deal of trouble with the drivers from ATI but lately they have seemed better, but, I still don't upgrade as long as I am not having problems.

I installed Catalyst 3.5, and no problems or anything

. Of course, before installing the ATI I uninstalled the nVidia driver and used the standard VGA (I have done this many times before, when upgrading to newer Detonators).

Quote:

BTW, I wish my card had an LED in the fan........

With the lights off you can see red and blue light coming from inside the case around the ventilation holes

. But that's all. I guess it's a modders video card

Polariz · 07-11-2003, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I will try tonight.

No probs mate - did it work though? I'm curious.

igalan · 07-11-2003, 10:04 AM

Yes, I have the desktop at 85 MHz and DirectX games run at 85MHz

. I haven't tested OpenGL yet, which is usually the main problem with refresh rates.

07-10-2003, 04:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
igalan PCTT Articles Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Barcelona, SPAIN Posts: 1,018	Got an ATI 9600 Pro After a long thought, having read many reviews, comparisons and everything, I have replaced my CL GeForce 3 Ti200 for an ATI 9600 Pro 128 MB DDR . Initially I wanted a GeForce FX5600 Ultra, but I saw that in most tests ATI beats this FX by a good margin, even an older GeForce 4 Ti4200 beats it easily! Too disappointing. So I got this ATI which was also much cheaper than any FX5600 Ultra. So far so good . It's much faster, no question about that. All the games that I've tried run faster and smoother. Unreal II Awakening is faster and the imaged is sharper. The card has also colored leds in the fan (not that I wanted this, my case doesn't have a window or anything ) . It comes with a DVI to VGA, so I can plug a second VGA, S-Video out, Black Hawk Down (full game), cables (S-video, composite)... I got my first Geforce (the original model) back in 1999, and since them I used a GeForce 3 Ti200 and a GeForce 4 MX400 (for another computer that I have). They have been excellent 3d cards, and I liked nVidia's drivers. But until nVidia comes with a model than can beat this 9600 Pro for a similar price, I won't switch back. It's disappointing that a FX5600 Ultra can't even beat a GeForce 4 Ti4200! (Review at THG) Now some questions. I don't have experience with ATI, I got used to tools like NVRefreshTool, RivaTuner, GTU... Now I need the same for ATI. The first thing is a refresh fix, is there any available for ATI? I don't want a program running in the background, I prefer something like NVRefreshTool that patches the files and you're done.

07-10-2003, 08:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
Polariz Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 79	I used to use this tool on my ti4200 before I started using the default one in the drivers, but I beleive its card independant so should work with your card: Reforce fix tool __________________ AMD Athlon64 3500+ CPU, Socket 939/Newcastle/CBAXC Week 3604 @ 2423MHz Shuttle SN95G v1.3 /nForce3 2x 512mb TwinMOS PC3200 128bit Geforce 6800 128mb AGP8x 240GB Hard Disks Sony DVDRW DL

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07-10-2003, 08:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
rastagard Humble Idiot Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 2,271	I have run ATI cards exclusively since about 98. I'm not a gamer so I can't attest to that aspect of things. I use mine simply because they are one of the few manufacturers of TV cards. I have the ATI A-I-W Radeon 8500. (I think that is the number) I am not really familiar with the tool you are asking about, but my card has a full set of options and adjustments in the advanced settings button. (right click desktop>properties>settings>advanced>yadda,yadda,y adda, you know bout this) ATI also has an icon that resides in the systray and has a shortcut to all the setting, etc. but you must enable this via the forementined advanced button. It might take up some resources, but in XP I can't tell. ( in 98 there was a percent or two and I never ran it then) I used to have a great deal of trouble with the drivers from ATI but lately they have seemed better, but, I still don't upgrade as long as I am not having problems. Congratulations on yer new card. I hope it does well for ya! BTW, I wish my card had an LED in the fan........

07-11-2003, 10:04 AM	#7 (permalink)
igalan PCTT Articles Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Barcelona, SPAIN Posts: 1,018	Yes, I have the desktop at 85 MHz and DirectX games run at 85MHz . I haven't tested OpenGL yet, which is usually the main problem with refresh rates.