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Masanori

Member

Registered: 2009-07-23

Posts: 7

Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

Hey,

I'm having trouble when using kde effet (system settings -> desktop -> desktop effects).

I have a dual core E5200 3 ghz, 2 GB memory pc8500 and an HD4850 using fglrx driver, but I got incredible bad performance when using desktop effect and watching video, I can barely watch a 800x600 video in full screen mode without having bad performance, X getting up to 40% cpu usage.

Its really like my graphic card isnt handling the rendering stuff but 3D acceleration is working, I can play 3D game without problem so far (as long as the deskstop effect arent enabled cause the cpu have like a hard time handling both for recent game)

So I guess its some trouble with 2D acceleration or something like that, I read that some people had such issue, but I didnt figure a way to fix it.

Here is my xorg.conf, in case something is wrong with it :

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "X.org Configured"
    Screen      0  "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
    FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
    FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
    FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
    FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/TTF"
    FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load  "dri2"
    Load  "extmod"
    Load  "dbe"
    Load  "record"
    Load  "glx"
    Load  "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier  "Keyboard0"
    Driver      "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier  "Mouse0"
    Driver      "mouse"
    Option        "Protocol" "auto"
    Option        "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option        "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier   "Monitor0"
    VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
    ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier   "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
    Option        "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
    Option        "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
    Option        "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"

        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"               # [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultRefresh"         # [<bool>]
        #Option     "ModeSetClearScreen"     # [<bool>]
    Identifier  "Card0"
    Driver      "vesa"
    VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"
    BoardName   "RV770 [Radeon HD 4850]"
    BusID       "PCI:8:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
    Driver      "fglrx"
    BusID       "PCI:8:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "Screen0"
    Device     "Card0"
    Monitor    "Monitor0"
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     1
    EndSubSection
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     4
    EndSubSection
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     8
    EndSubSection
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     15
    EndSubSection
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     16
    EndSubSection
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
    Device     "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
    Monitor    "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
    DefaultDepth     24
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Thank you for any help.

Magnu5

Member

From: Finland

Registered: 2009-02-21

Posts: 19

Re: Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

Section "Device"

        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"               # [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultRefresh"         # [<bool>]
        #Option     "ModeSetClearScreen"     # [<bool>]
    Identifier  "Card0"
    Driver      "vesa"
    VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"
    BoardName   "RV770 [Radeon HD 4850]"
    BusID       "PCI:8:0:0"
EndSection

and

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier   "Monitor0"
    VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
    ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

I see no reason for those to be there.
make a backup of your xorg.conf and remove / comment those lines.

Masanori

Member

Registered: 2009-07-23

Posts: 7

Re: Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

Thank you, I removed those lines but the problem still remain.

Everytime I deal with the interface, X cpu usage grow up, its not really visualy noticable since I have a decent cpu, but when time do deal with bigger thing like watching video, its really insane.

I also noticed when I strech a window the cpu is really having a tough time, Its like the window is rendered with 1 frame per second while streching, and X is 50% cpu usage (one full core usage I guess).

Magnu5

Member

From: Finland

Registered: 2009-02-21

Posts: 19

Re: Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

You could try to use the opensource ati drivers: install xf86-video-ati and rename the xorg.conf to xorg.conf.back, you shouldn't need a xorg.conf with those drivers, The ATi support on linux is really not good at this point. Another driver to try would be xf86-video-radeonhd.

Last edited by Magnu5 (2009-07-23 15:10:04)

Masanori

Member

Registered: 2009-07-23

Posts: 7

Re: Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

Well why not, but I read somewhat there no driver support for RV770, is it?

Also, how 3D acceleration from open driver compare to the ati driver, I dont mostly play on linux but sometime I play stuff like tremulous/urban terror/wz2100 (nothing big then) and keep big stuff like half life 2 to windows for better performance and not bother with wine?

Magnu5

Member

From: Finland

Registered: 2009-02-21

Posts: 19

Re: Poor performance when using kde desktop effect

the open ati drivers works for me , xpress1100 card here on the laptop, don't know about yours, I also have an ATi hd3450 card on the shelf because of crappy 3d,regardless of driver. I've put in my old Nvidia 6200 instead for better graphics. I'm afraid the Ati support could be better.. Sorry I can't be of any help to you.