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Subject: Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....
Author: John Sims
Date: 2000-10-25 09:45:00

Sheldon,

I just tried what you mentioned about putting the cursor on the graphics
window. I got the exact same results with or with out the cursor on the
graphics window using 3D graphics. I performed this on NT 4.0 SP6. I have
a Wildcat 4110 with 64 Megs Frame Buffer, 64 Megs Texture, and 8 Megs Direct
Burst.

John Sims
Bell Helicopter Textron
Fort Worth, Texas

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 10:00 PM
To: xansys

for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....

<< File: graph.pdf >>
/DEMO is very cool for graphics performance, but what I've
found is that if
using 3D graphics, the cursor should not be on the graphics
window;
otherwise, much slower (2x) speed times will be reported. I
never bothered
to figure out if this was due to my crappy graphics cards or
with ANSYS, but
this was exhibited on a few different PCs using 5.5.x and
5.6.x. (I can't
recall the specific versions since it was a while ago, but I
just checked,
and the same thing occurs at 5.6.2 on my laptop -- then
again, the ATI Rage
Mobility-P on a laptop isn't one which screams, anyway) You
can try this --
issue something like /DEMO,100,1 and move your cursor over
the Graphics
window, and the plots will be about twice as slow. Hence,
when doing
benchmarks/comparisons, please keep this in mind, if this
affects you.

Another thing I've never figured out is why, when comparing
/GRAPH,POWER and
/GRAPH,FULL, that speed times don't vary dramatically for 3D
graphics.
Attached is a small PDF file showing some differences
between win32 and 3D
graphics. (Remember that this is done just now on my
notebook, so it's not
with a good graphics card) It's a model of a meshed cube.
With 3D
graphics, the differences between Full and PowerGraphics
seem minimal. I
see a similar trend with many (but not all) other types of
ANSYS models. I
haven't pinpointed why this is so. Maybe because the object
is stored as a
"3D" object, rotation speed is negligible for either a
"full" model or
powergraphics object, as long as both fit in memory since
OpenGL stores
stuff as a 3D array, or something like that, rather than a
2D graphics
algorithm which does a projection into 2D at every rotation
(like
z-buffering algorithm, etc.)... I forgot the details of
this stuff. Also,
with win32 graphics, contour plots, element plots, etc. seem
faster with
/POWER,GRAPH, but actions like multiplots (GPLOT) aren't as
dramatically
faster.

Anyways, I was never much of a graphics performance person,
but I like using
/DEMO as Paul mentioned below, with different
configurations. I use it
mainly for 3D OpenGL drivers since, for x11 or win32, I
don't think the
graphics card is used much (or directly) by that driver.
However, it's
interesting to use win32 since many of us probably still use
it, although,
if I recall correctly, the win32 results tend to be more
related to CPU
rather than graphics card (as noted above)...

Like I mentioned above, I used to think I knew this graphics
stuff, but
there are so many permutations, I soon gave up. If it plots
fast and
correctly, I'm golden -- anything else, I whine loud and
persistently to my
boss (in response to a very hilarious posting of Mark
Rodamaker's).

Laters,
Sheldon
CSI

----- Original Message -----
To:
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 12:55 PM

ANSYS.... ? inter im
result.....

> Mike,

> Try /DEMO,100,1 to compare graphics performance.

> This will rotate the current display 100 times and print
out the data to
the
> output window.

> Paul Tallon
> ANSYS Inc.

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael W. Hiller [SMTP:mhiller@i...]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 3:22 PM
> > To: Xansys
> > Subject: [xansys] Re: latest NT graphics cards for
ANSYS.... ?
> > interim result.....

> > thanks for all the suggestions last week on video
cards.....

> > I went with the NVIDIA chipset... less risk than the
"newer" chipset we
> > discussed.
> > rec'd and installed a GeFORCE 32 meg DDR card card card
today....
> > (check out UBID.COM - - they seem to be selling a lot of
VisionTeks and
> > the
> > prices are lower now than last week - - winning prices
now around $179
vs
> > $189 last week)

> > I wrote a do loop macro to compare my old card (Diamond
GL1000Pro) to
this
> > new one... this macro rotates a large model (70,000
brick45, 2500
volumes)
> > and alternates EPLOT and VPLOT. The macro then
calculates the DELTACPU
> > and
> > DELTAWALL (from the benchmark macros! thanks PADT!).

> > The deltas are about 25% quicker with the new card....
probably CPU or
> > AGPx1
> > limited now. The interactive spinning is incredibly
faster...
virtually
> > no
> > delay compared to my old card....

> > results were even about 2% better with new drivers
downloaded from
> > Austin////

> > picked up another 1% using ANSYS 5.7 beta2.... will be
trying it on
beta3
> > later in week.....

> > well this was the best $200 upgrade I ever saw.....
maybe do the Quadro
> > hack in a couple weeks....

> > well thanks for all your suggestions.....

> > I did not mean to turn XANSYS into a hardware
discussion, but with all
the
> > consideration being given recently to the batch CPU and
Harddrive
> > benchmarks, I thought some "interactive" data might be
appropriate....
> > after all, I think most of us spend the majority of our
time in front of
> > the
> > tube doing preprocessing anyway......
> > enuf said....

> > take care and regards,

> > Michael W. Hiller
> > In2 Solutions, Inc.
> > MCAE Consultants specializing in Multi-Physics ANSYS FEA
and Pro/E
> > Modeling
> > and Design Automation
> > "Offering consulting, training, implementation, and
other individualized
> > solutions for your product design and analysis
challenges"
> > 229 Strathburgh Lane Suite 201
> > Cary, NC 27511
> > Tele: 919/851-0373
> > Fax: same number, Tele first to arrange
> > or E-FAX: 253/276-9344
> > Email: mhiller@i...
> > Visit our newly expanded WEB site:
www.in2solutions.com

Posts possibly associated with message #17039AuthorDateScore
17028Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....Paul Tallon2000/10/24 
17032Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....Sheldon Imaoka2000/10/24 
17039Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....John Sims2000/10/25 
17059Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....Chris Hawkins2000/10/25 
17065Re: latest NT graphics cards for ANSYS.... ? inter im result.....Sheldon Imaoka2000/10/25