Am I correct in saying that from these drivers forwards standalone PPU cards won't work with AMD/ATi cards? not really a big loss as no modern PhysX titles support them and any driver tweaks were done with years ago, but feels like an end of an era lol.
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Nvidia Disables PhysX Support on Vendor Mixed GPU Setups – Driver Update 340.52 Onwards
- Thread starter Gregster
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Is there any evidence that it stops working with AMD APU's or is that just speculation?
I would've thought this change is simply to stop AMD users getting around licensing by using a high powered AMD GPU as their main card and a low powered NVidia GPU for Physx.
Is it just when mixed cards are detected period or when the user specifically tries to use an NVidia GPU as a secondary add-in card solely for Physx? (which wouldn't happen with Intel HD or AMD APU as if they bought an NVidia GPU they'd be doing so as a primary upgrade).
NVidia's argument would simply be that if you buy one of their cards then you should use it as intended (as a primary GPU for gaming), rather than a Physx add-in card.
I would've thought this change is simply to stop AMD users getting around licensing by using a high powered AMD GPU as their main card and a low powered NVidia GPU for Physx.
Is it just when mixed cards are detected period or when the user specifically tries to use an NVidia GPU as a secondary add-in card solely for Physx? (which wouldn't happen with Intel HD or AMD APU as if they bought an NVidia GPU they'd be doing so as a primary upgrade).
NVidia's argument would simply be that if you buy one of their cards then you should use it as intended (as a primary GPU for gaming), rather than a Physx add-in card.
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I can't say I care, even if I was running a GTX700 series I'd be using it for rendering and not tacky physics effects.
Now, if only we can have a situation where we don't have to install PhysX drivers on a system without a PhysX card just to tell some games that is indeed the case.
Now, if only we can have a situation where we don't have to install PhysX drivers on a system without a PhysX card just to tell some games that is indeed the case.
Aren't they needed for CPU PhysX?
Soldato
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A few years back I bought a GTX460 to use as a PhysX card alongside my 5870. I had to use modified Nvidia drivers as the official ones blocked the use of PhysX due to the primary card being a non-Nvidia. As I've purchased the card and it makes no financial difference to Nvidia if I've also spent money on another company's product, what licencing agreement was I trying to get around? I'm not trying to start an argument, I genuinely can't see how I was trying to do something underhand.
Nvidia stopped their cards working as secondary PhysX cards if the primary card wasn't Nvidia in 2009. This new bit in the release notes states that GPU PhysX will be disabled if any other vendors card is detected in the system, even if it's not actually used for rendering. This means if you're running a 780ti and enjoying PhysX, now adding a cheap 6450 to run an additional monitor from will stop PhysX from working, even if you unplug the additional monitor. You will need to open up your case and physically remove the 6450 every time you want to play Batman with the cool effects on! The question is whether or not the Nvidia drivers will detect an AMD APU as a violation of it's new rule and disable PhysX or not, but nobody has tested or answered that one yet.
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^
This.
You have never been able to do that without hacking the driver(apart from 1 beta driver when nvidia forgot to implement the lock out)-which hasn't been hackable since PhysX 3.
When mixed cards are detected period, Gpu PhysX is disabled when rendering solely through Nvidia with AMD present.
Crap argument when Nvidia block gpu PhysX rendering through their own cards because you use both vendors and don't physically remove your AMD gpu from the system just to use Gpu PhysX.
There is zero information on my 670 packaging that informs users that GPU PhysX is disabled when AMD gpu's are present..
Anti competitive sounds about right in regards to Gpu PhysX.
This.
You have never been able to do that without hacking the driver(apart from 1 beta driver when nvidia forgot to implement the lock out)-which hasn't been hackable since PhysX 3.
When mixed cards are detected period, Gpu PhysX is disabled when rendering solely through Nvidia with AMD present.
Crap argument when Nvidia block gpu PhysX rendering through their own cards because you use both vendors and don't physically remove your AMD gpu from the system just to use Gpu PhysX.
There is zero information on my 670 packaging that informs users that GPU PhysX is disabled when AMD gpu's are present..
Anti competitive sounds about right in regards to Gpu PhysX.
but why would anyone want to run both vendors cards if not only to use the NVidia as a secondary Physx add-in? if you're going to use a discrete NVidia GPU with an AMD APU then presumably you're going to disable the AMD onboard and Physx will work.
Soldato
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Partially agree, the only realistic reason I can think of to run a non-Nvidia alongside an Nvidia is to run an additional screen from the onboard/cheap add-in card. Unless TrueAudio really takes off, then maybe we'll have people running Nvidia as the main card and a cheap AMD as a TrueAudio-only card. Would be interesting to see if AMD go down the same route if this (highly unlikely) situation arises.
Because I could if there was no enforced Nvidia block.
I wanted to run PhysX titles through my 670(not as secondary PhysX add-in) with full fat gpu PhysX titles-alongside my 290X for Mantle/TA/3D because it should simply work-all Nvidia PhysX gpu's are advertised and sold as so.
The easiest way round it would be for mb vendors to enable Pci-e lane disabling in the bios, I wouldn't want to open my case and fumble around for dip switches.
Unless TrueAudio really takes off, then maybe we'll have people running Nvidia as the main card and a cheap AMD as a TrueAudio-only card. Would be interesting to see if AMD go down the same route if this (highly unlikely) situation arises.
If you use an AMD APU, you can run TA off the APU alongside Nvidia gpu's.
Somebody definitely needs to test it with an AMD APU, especially as the article says it still works with Intel APU's.
It would be Nice to know what AMD's official response to this will be. if they ever make one rather than what we normally get, Forum members or even Huddy moaning about it on forums and a podcast or two. (If it doesn't work of course)
It would be Nice to know what AMD's official response to this will be. if they ever make one rather than what we normally get, Forum members or even Huddy moaning about it on forums and a podcast or two. (If it doesn't work of course)
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I was about to give a damn, but then I remembered there aren't any games that use PhysiX on the GPU to an extent that is actually good/worth while - just marketing. Of course, if ever one will appear, I would just not buy it. No harm done.
I know I may be courting flame throwers here but why would it matter? APU's are a budget option, they combine a weak CPU with a weak GPU, who the hell thinks to themselves "well I don't really want to spend any money on a decent CPU or GPU, but I must have an add in PhysX card!".
If a person has an APU and an Nvidia GPU because they decided they needed more GPU grunt than the APU could provide then common sense is to disable the redundant iGPU anyway so the PhysX lock wouldn't even matter.
The Metro and Borderlands series are night and day better with PhysX, to the point I choose to play those on my GTX780 rig instead of my CF R290 rig.
This what needs testing, does disabling the APU.s GPU portion allow Nvidia GPU accelerated PhysX.
If it works ok with an AMD APU then it is not a major issue. but if GPU accelerated PhysX is now disabled with AMD APU's then it is a big Issue and it is definitely anticompetitive.
Soldato
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If I've learned one thing from working with computers, it's that just because logic says something should work, doesn't mean it will until someone's tested it!
Like I said you wouldn't want to disable the APU as HSA enabled programs wouldn't be able to function with it. You might also want to use it for multiple displays.
There are many reasons to leave the APU GPU enabled and installed in a system with a dedicated card.
There are many reasons to leave the APU GPU enabled and installed in a system with a dedicated card.
Soldato
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This is not that impressive, but each to it's own I suppose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VafzR7JqO2I
Some smoke stuff has been done before under DX - http://youtu.be/hWhffNtkOBQ?t=1m
Anyway, one of the reasons I'll buy Metro Redoux when it's like $2 or $3.
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