Some little problem with scalers

[Zosite]

I´ve been suffering this since my first Exult download. It´s only that when I use SuperEagle, 2xSaI or Super2xSaI scalers in 2x (320x200, but perhaps in other resolutions too) it triggers some sort of "tearing effect" on graphics; when I move the pointer, the zone below it becomes messed with very little blinking "lines" that somehow flurry the graphics. I´m using the 1.0x snapshot with WinXP and a NVidia GeForce2 MX400 graphics card.
Is it normal? Known bug? The most strange thing you´ve ever heard? Has anyone seen it too?

Thanks for your help!! [:-))

[Dominus]

Driver problem?

[Zosite]

It could be but I´m using almost the latest driver. Any more ideas?

[Zosite]

Wait a minute, Dominus! Are you talking about mouse driver or graphics card driver?

[Dominus]

I meant video driver. Mouse driver should not behave in such a way but then having bth up to date isn't too bad.

[Armchair_Avatar]

Zósite:
Could you upload a screenshot to your website? (preferably in a lossless format, like gif or png)

[nadir]

gif is lossy, if the screenshot has more than 256 colours...

[MV]

If you are using the Nvidia 40.xx range of drivers, get rid of them now. They are crap, just like the ati catalyst drivers are.

I have problems in all games with my ti4200 and the 40.xx range. In exult it was "blinking" and "jumping/bumping" the screen every so often for me. I use the WHQL 30.82 you can still get from the nvidia site and have 0 (zero) problems.

[Zosite]

I know about the problems with Detonator 40.xx drivers, MV: it was horrible! I´ve tried the 30.82 for WinXP/2000 and it works well, but the problem related to "very-little-blinking-lines-that-flurry-graphics-under-cursor" is still there. I´ve already tried 4 different video drivers, but the problem persists.

It could be normal issue, couldn´t it? Anyway I´m going to do some changes to my video configuration to see how they work. BTW, what can I do about the "tearing effect" when it happens ( as in the 40.xx )? Changing monitor refresh rate doesn´t appear to be useful.

Oh! And I don´t have any website [:-()... but I think that a screenshot is useless here: when I say "very-little" I mean "very-little" and they can´t be seen unless you´re moving the cursor and looking for them with some attention.

[Zosite]

I forgot to say that the problem about "very-little-blinking...blabla...cursor" only happens to me when using Exult. In Pentagram, which also uses the same scalers, it doesn´t occur. I don´t know how important this could be...

[MV]

Is the video card overclocked?

[fliptw]

looks like a exult might need a vsync option, or least a look at the framebuffer.

easily appearnt at the very begining of BG, during the earthquakes in Trinsic.

[MV]

The original was all jumpy and bumpy during the earthquake at the start of the game as well.

[Zosite]

You´re right, Fliptw! A vsync option should be a good way to solve "tearing effect" on some video drivers like Detonator 40.xx, but I´m not sure about its effectiveness fixing the "very-little-blabla...cursor". I´m thinking that this curious problem could be related to something different.

What do you mean with "overclocked", MV?

[Zosite]

Ejem!... More help to solve the "very-little-blinking-lines-that-flurry-graphics-under-cursor" would be appreciated, if it´s possible.

[wjp]

Probable cause of those 'thingies':
we only update rectangles that have actually changed. However, because of the scalers, there are pixels outside of this rectangle that are also affected by changes inside the rectangle. These pixels aren't actually updated, however, so they will change colour when they are updated. (Or something like that, anyway )

[Zosite]

It sounds very plausible, WJP!! Thanks! [:-D)
How could it be solved then ( if it can be solved )? As far as I know I´m not the only user suffering this problem.