Geforce4 MX 440 anti-aliasing

[volsung1]

   I just purchased a 64Mb DDR, Geforce4 MX 440 video card and was testing different configurations in AH. I found that it runs great at 1024x768 resolution with AA running. However, when I set AA to 4x the graphics and text buffer look slightly blurred. When I set it to 2x it looks very nice, but could be better. Anyone care to take a stab at why? should I allow MIP mapping? Here is my system setup.

IWill MB:  KK266plus-R
Socket 462, 1.0 Gig Athlon CPU.
448 Mb RAM
e-Geforce4 MX440, 64Mb DDR, AGP 4x/2x
Sylvania F-74 Monitor (refresh freq. 85Mhz)
Latest Nvidia driver downloaded this weekend
O/S is Win2k Professional, SP-2.

Internet Connection is 728 Kbps DSL.

Oh, and BTW is it safe, and/or worthwhile, to overclock this card?

[Lephturn]

I'll go with the nVidia STILL not knowing how to do FSAA worth a damn.  The full-tilt GF4's look better I believe.  Those MX cards are NOT a GF4 in reality, and they don't have the improved FSAA schemes that the GF4 has.

In short... the FSAA scheme used by the GF2 line sucks.  And although it says "GeForce 4 MX", it's really a souped up GeForce 2.

We can only hope that nVidia's next release they finally use some of 3DFX's tech.  The Voodoo 5's FSAA is still the best one I've seen hands down.  If nVidia ever builds in that scheme and puts their serious horsepower behind it, it will rock.

[Kubwak]

i'm planning to get a new system soon and i need to settle this point asap.  i dont have that much money so i can not afford the real gf4 cards.

can you guys recommend a decent cheap card, something just a notch higher than the gf4 mx 440

my advanced gratitude


Kubwak

[bloom25]

Get a GeForce 4 4200 when they are actually available.  They are supposed to retail at $179 for the 64 MB version.  That's the same price as some of the MX 460s, which are no where near in performance.

[volsung1]

Actually, the MX 440 is performing very nicely for a $79 video card. The cheapest Geforce3 you're likely to find is around $125 Like I said, I run it in 1024x768 resolution with MIP mapping enabled and Anti-Aliasing running at 2x. My frame rates are excellent (never below 40, even in the thickest fight) and the graphics themselves are very good. I was just trying to squeeze a bit more out of it. Here are the specs on all 3 direct from the Nvidia web site.


GeForce2 TI:
   Graphics Core: 256 bit
   Memory interface: 128 bit DDR
   Pixels per Second(fill rate): 1 Billion
   Memory Bandwidth: 6.4 GB/sec
   Triangles per Second: 31 Million
   RAM: 64Mb DDR

Geforce4 MX 440:
   Graphics Core: 256 Bit
   Memory interface: 128 bit DDR
   Texels per second(Fill rate): 1.1 Billion
   Triangles per second: 34 Million
   Memory Bandwidth: 6.4 GB/sec
  RAM: 64Mb DDR

GeForce3 TI 200:
   Graphics Core: 256 Bit
   Memory interface: 128 Bit DDR
   Fill Rate: 2.8 Billion AA Samples/sec.
   Opertions per second: 700 Billion
   Memory Bandwidth: 6.4 GB/sec
   RAM: 64 Mb DDR
   
Pricing per ZDnet:

Geforce2 TI:  $124
GeForce3 TI 200: $128
GeForce4 MX 440: $103 ( I paid 79.95 at "PC Club")

I gotta admit the GeForce3 TI 200 Looks like the best over-all deal.

[weazel]

I run mine at 1024x768 32 bit with 4XS FSAA and it looks superb.

I also had the fuzzy text problem but after I tweaked with RivaTuner the problem disappeared.

I bought the Apollo "Bloody Monster" for $81.00 off Pricewatch and have it overclocked to 325/475   without any problem and excellent FPS in AH, usually around 39 FPS on the runway and mid 60's in flight.

[volsung1]

Weazel, YOU DA MAN!! The RivaTuner tweaks fixed the problem and I'm getting GREAT performance! WhooooooooHooooooo!!  

[weazel]

I'll go with the nVidia STILL not knowing how to do FSAA worth a damn.  The full-tilt GF4's look better I believe.  Those MX cards are NOT a GF4 in reality, and they don't have the improved FSAA schemes that the GF4 has.

In short... the FSAA scheme used by the GF2 line sucks.  And although it says "GeForce 4 MX", it's really a souped up GeForce 2.

From Anandtech:

NVIDIA did make the GeForce4 MX very powerful at running present day titles. While the core still only features two pixel pipelines with the ability of applying two textures per pipeline (thus offering half the theoretical fill rate of an equivalently clocked GeForce4), it does feature the Lightning Memory Architecture II from its elder brother as well as a few other features.

The GeForce4 MX's memory controller isn't directly borrowed from the GeForce4, the only change that was made was that there are only two independent memory controllers that make up the LMA II on the GeForce4 MX. So instead of having 4 x 32-bit load-balanced memory controllers, the GeForce4 MX only has 2 x 64-bit load balanced memory controllers.

The rest of the GeForce4 MX is virtually identical to that of the GeForce4; it features the same Accuview AA engine, the same nView support, and the same improved Visibility Subsystem. The only remaining difference is that the GeForce4 MX features dual integrated TMDS transmitters for dual DVI output of resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 per monitor.

Glad ya got it lined out volsung1.  

[Lephturn]

Hmmm, I guess I'm wrong, thanks for the info.

Next to my V5, their FSAA still isn't up to speed though.

What RivaTuner options did you mess with to fix up this problem?  I'm considering this card as a temporary measure until I can get a better one in the fall.

[SKurj]

i think the fuzzy text is related to bilinear/trilinear filtering... not 100% sure tho


SKurj

[volsung1]

I just did the core and RAM Overclocks 325/475 as Weazel suggested, then selected the 4xS Anti-aliasing from my advanced display setup. I played for over an hour last night and the card was only slightly warm to the touch afterward.

Just a note for anyone that's interested:  I found a GeForce3 TI 200 128 Mb DDR card for $156 at http://www.enuinc.com

   I'm pretty adept at finding el-cheapo solutions to my computing needs.  I have a home network with 5 P/C's of varying builds to maintain. My wife has a machine that is exactly like mine, so I must buy 2 of anything I install on mine. It helps keep the peace. LOL!  

[Bcnu]

Bargain card:

Gainward GF3Ti200 64mb $124 + 7 shipping at Newegg (or 149 + 7 shipping for 128Mb).

OR

wait a week and see what happens to prices when Matrox announces their new part.

[weazel]

"What RivaTuner options did you mess with to fix up this problem?

RivaTuner "High Quality" preset and 4XS FSAA with Detonator 27.30 and the O/C numbers I posted above.

Tonight I tested at 1152x864 using Quincunx FSAA and it looks *almost* as good as 4XS FSAA with less FPS hit in heavy smoke or cloud cover.