Great news for HD5000 & UP! Low-Res modes available now

[Rochabian]

Hi !

After a lot of search and the help of ToastyX, author of CRU Utility, there is a way to use HD5000 & UP low res modes

With the new "Radeon Crimson driver ", AMD allows adding custom resolutions like for the FirePro

( Settings are under Diplay> Additionnal Settings )

There you can add detailed resolution ( i don't know exactly how many for now)

But there is limit we can't go below 640x480

ToastyX has made a new version of his "Ati Pixel Clock Patcher" to remove this limit, here it is

http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-AMD-ATI-Pixel-Clock-Patcher

After patching, we can add custom detailed resolutions below 640x480

ToastyX said it is just an API limitation and you can unpatch the driver after adding the custom resolutions.

I don't know if it can be used for CRT Emudriver but it's a great news as i can run MAME games pixel perfect with a radeon R9 290X now!!!

[Calamity]

Hi Rochabian,

Thanks a lot for posting this. I'll have a look at ToastyX's method and keep an eye on it.

Indeed I have the 5xxx and higher models working with low resolutions here for some months already, using the ADL api over patched drivers to remove the limitation, so I guess it's the same thing he's done. However, there're extra modifications that need to be done to allow dynamic modelines in the way that GroovyMAME uses them. ADL allows dynamic modelines but it's very slow in practice to be usable with stock drivers and GroovyMAME, so some patches are required. Besides, you need to remove the limitation of 10 custom modes.

Currently I'm in the process of adapting VMMaker, Arcade OSD and GroovyMAME to use these new methods, which is taking some work.

[R-Typer]

Yaaaay!!!!! Thats great Calamity!!!

[Rochabian]

Ok for your explanation.

Nice to see you've done good work on improving CRT Emudriver too

I didn't know it was limited to 10 custom resolutions with Crimson Driver

Another approach suggested by ToastyX is working with EDID. He says ATI Driver can support 4 EDID extension blocks and with this method we can put 22 custom resolutions (but not dynamic) . He's working on a new CRU Utility version wich support this 4 extension blocks in the future....

I know you prefer dynamic table (me too) so it's surely better to use driver level method.

I'll ask ToastyX about the 10 custom mode limitation

Thanks

[Calamity]

The 10 custom mode limitation requires a very simple patch. I don't know whether it's a general issue or only happens in the version I'm using. Anyway I prefer to use a shorter mode table and super resolutions, because long mode tables still make the system slow.

The patch to allow dynamic modes is a bit trickier.

I'm also using EDID emulation in order to trigger monitor detection (arcade monitors are usually not detected at all), rather than using it for custom modes.

Dynamic modelines are a must for MAME, unless you intend to run just a few titles/systems and you carefully select the refresh rates you want to create.

These news put more preasure on me 

[u-man]

indeed great news.... hope you will crack that last hurdle Calamity 

[Rochabian]

@Calamity

ToastyX has updated his patch Ati Pixel Clock Patcher as he has found the 10 custom mode limit and removed it

He has tried to add more than 50 modes with success.

For now i didn't have tried myself to see if low resolutions are scaled or not

I'll try it tommorow.

Thanks

[Rochabian]

Perhaps i've been too enjoyed about AMD Pixel Clock Patcher

Yes it will remove the below 640x480 limit
Yes it will remove the more than 10 custom modes limit

But the resolutions you add are scaled

The driver seems to check what is the most near resoltuion in EDID and scale the custom mode on it

For example with a generic monitor, my desktop is 1024*768 (present in EDID), so when i've made 256x240 custom mode, i only have a 256x240 visible screen on my 1024x768 default desktop. So it's scaled..........

@Calamity : Are you aware about this scaling problem with resolutions not present in EDID (i'ts the same problem with Winmodeline )

Thanks

[dapsaille]

Hi,

 does it mean thay, maybee, if it works, if some work is done, if we had time, if .. blablabla, the integrated gpu of a8 5600 for exemple may work with calamity drivers ?

 I really want to use a mini itx case with the lowest hardware as possible in my mamecab,
 the amd apu seems to be the best for this purpose but .. no 15khz support for them ..

thanks 

[Calamity]

Hi Rochabian,

I can confirm that I get proper non-scaled modes here, at least with the HD 5450 and HD 6450 I'm testing with. I haven't tested anything newer however.

[xga]

Hi Rochabian,

I can confirm that I get proper non-scaled modes here, at least with the HD 5450 and HD 6450 I'm testing with. I haven't tested anything newer however.

Sounds very exciting, Calamity.  Do you have a rough idea when you might release this update?

[keropi]

Is this update coming soon-ish or is it better to source a HD4000 series radeon for the time being?
I've got a couple of 5450s waiting here  but nothing 4xxx and earlier....

[sean_sk]

Is this update coming soon-ish or is it better to source a HD4000 series radeon for the time being?
I've got a couple of 5450s waiting here  but nothing 4xxx and earlier....

If you've already got a couple of 5450's I'd say wait. Even if it's still a few months away I'd save yourself some money and stick with what you got, rather than buying another card, unless you get one free of course.