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Windows* 7 Driver (32-bit) - Version 1091 - Intel® GMA 3600

NICHOLAS_F_Intel
Employee
30,261 Views

Hello again everyone. Following in the same spirit as the last Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 driver feedback thread, I'm making a new one to announce our latest driver release. Version 1091 just went live today, and I would again like to ask everyone to provide constructive feedback on it.

The link to the download is here; http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=3468&DwnldID=22633&ProductFamily=Graphics&ProductLine=Netbook+and+Tablet+Graphics&ProductProduct=Intel%c2%ae+Graphics+Media+Accelerator+3600+Series&DownloadType=Drivers&lang=eng Download Center

The same rules apply for this thread as did apply for the last one. This thread is dedicated specifically to this driver and the feedback for this driver. This thread is not a discussion place for Windows* 8 GMA 3600 driver questions/complaints, nor is it for Windows* 7 GMA (64-bit) driver requests/complaints. Any such comments will be promptly deleted. However, please feel free to use any of the already-existing threads of that topic to discuss and provide feedback there.

Along with the feedback, if there are any new issues that resulted from the new driver, please provide detailed information on where you saw them, how it happened, and what steps to reproduce.

Thank you,

-Nicics_media_

168 Replies
agree11
Novice
1,782 Views

Thanks Lio, I'm also getting tearing on Firefox I think, but maybe that's just my eyes...

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VCian
Beginner
1,782 Views

I just tried to watch a video directly from Youtube trough the youtube browser integrated in the SMplayer, then when I tried to activate the hardware accelleration... Surprise the video plays back (I know because I can hear the sounds), but all that I can see is a solid green schreen, when I tried to use the DirectX (The SMplayer suggested mode, because faster and smoother) mode, well the schreen went black and my computer froze, so I had to hard restart it.

In conclusion, I can watch videos only in Direct3D mode.

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pevan2
Novice
1,782 Views

D2550 + WES7. 2gb + ssd. (rather nice box.)

I'm not sure quite what is going on, video playback seems worse on this than its predecessor, a D525.

Full HD mpeg2 appear accelerated (negligible CPU) on the latter, on this, they consume about 15% but more than half of that is kernel time. It is also jerkier, dropping frames.

mp4 appears to consume less cpu, but is much jerkier.

WMV has yet to be tested.

(More later, I have just started testing...)

Ideally, I'd like to be able to play 720p smoothly, continuously, 24 hours a day, 8 days a week.

Message was edited by: PON h.264 ( .mp4) 29.97 fps. Same contents (in house promotion video) ~ 3mbits = seems smooth, typically <15% of cpu. 1280x720 scaled up to 1920x1080 by WMP12 component. ~ 4mbits = noticably staggering (even with the "drop frames ... option turned off!) same cpu level. ~ 6mbits = ditto. Now it could be that 29.97 is not 30 and that I am somehow noticing the difference, but I doubt my eyes are that good. Yes, better than D525, No, why is it dropping stuff when it has so much overhead available.

Message was edited by: PON &# 13; &# 13; wmv, 1280*720 cbr, 30 fps. encoded by WME. 3, 4, 8, 12 mbits. 15 second clip with smooth scrolling grid, a frame counter&# 13; cpu is using 1 core, it looks dreadful at any bit rate, noticeably jerky.&# 13; &# 13; I thought the 3650 was supposed to contain acceleration for WMV...&# 13; &# 13; IMHO, this driver is worse than the one on the 3150 in my D525.&# 13; I would really like to use this box, but at this rate, I cannot justify buying 100 of them when a much older box provides better playback.&# 13; &# 13; (I can make these clips available to intel for testing iff needed.)&# 13;

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agree11
Novice
1,782 Views

It seems you're seeing the latest manifestation of Poors law, the newer the Intel processor the worse it is. On a plus note I played a DVD on mine last night and it worked perfectly in VLC with only 20% CPU usage, so potentially the GPU was helping in some way.

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KHans13
New Contributor I
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alasdair555 wrote:

It seems you're seeing the latest manifestation of Poors law, the newer the Intel processor the worse it is. On a plus note I played a DVD on mine last night and it worked perfectly in VLC with only 20% CPU usage, so potentially the GPU was helping in some way.

You, sir, are hilarious! Perhaps Intel has learned how to handle MPEG-2 acceleration over the years, with the GMA 950 having motion compensation support and the GMA 3150 having full acceleration.

Back to the flickering problem, there's an awful lot of it in Grand Theft Auto 2's menu, but none in-game (so far, I haven't progressed very far in the game). In the 2 expansion packs for the original GTA, there's substantial flickering when you first reach the menu, but it stops after a second or two. You can download GTA2 from http://gtamp.com/gta2/ GTA2 « GTAMP.com as it seems Rockstar has taken down the official download with CD-quality music.

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agree11
Novice
1,782 Views

Given an update is the equivalent of a joke here I recommend everyone installs this one, it might improve something. I've just been using BBC iplayer streaming with firefox and had some occasional tearing and other corruption but in the main pretty good, the computer does get a little hot so I imagine the processor is working quite hard.

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pevan2
Novice
1,782 Views

I am inclined to agree.

I think the problem, however, is the graphics driver. Compared to the d525 box playing the same mp4's the cpu usage is much lower, the jerkiness (dropped frames) is much higher. Neither are perfect compared to, say an i5-2510M, but I would have expected the D2550 to be able to play mp4's at 720p without any difficulty.

Still, there is one thing it does better. One of my test flash samples works on the d2550, on the amd t-56n, it just melts the cpu and does nothing.

Dear Intel, please fix your graphics driver because I really want to be able to buy a couple of hundred of these...

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KHans13
New Contributor I
1,782 Views

My intent was not to mock your feedback, Alasdair, I simply found your Poor's Law joke to be very funny. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

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NICHOLAS_F_Intel
Employee
1,782 Views

Hello everyone,

Just a bit more of a status update. Firstly, we've been able to reproduce most of the errors/bugs in general categories of performance, video playback, etc. We are working to find resolutions to them. However, I have been informed that any fixes provided for specific games will come inadvertently as a result of improvements to the driver. I will continue to forward feedback for these games however, but I cannot promise that they will receive fixes.

Thank you,

-Nic

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KHans13
New Contributor I
1,782 Views

nic wrote:

 

However, I have been informed that any fixes provided for specific games will come inadvertently as a result of improvements to the driver. I will continue to forward feedback for these games however, but I cannot promise that they will receive fixes.

This makes sense for commercial games, but what about freeware/open source games? There's really nothing to lose by testing them, other than some Internet bandwidth and disk space. The vast selection of genres, technologies, target audiences, etc. available in free games should be more than enough to pinpoint most of the GMA 3600's driver problems.

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pevan2
Novice
1,782 Views

All you need to do for me is video playback in WMP12 that doesn't look worse than the previous generation.

It would also make my supplier in Taiwan happier as I would then be able to buy lots more (INTEL) boxes to

use in digital signage.

Games are neither here no there for me. Rock solid video playback for hours and hours is all I need ^^;

It would be nice if you could outclass the G-T56N too, but that is just wishful thinking. At least you don't have anything like that unspeakable catalyst control thing.

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JSmit57
Beginner
1,723 Views

Nic,

Can you please tell wether current driver for GMA 3600 supports EDID override in registry ( ) and there can appear an option in 'Monitor / TV Settings' of Intel Graphics Properties which allows to choose limited or full RGB range to monitor through HDMI?

The problem is that Acer H226HQL PC monitor (not a TV or projector) connected via HDMI displays limited RGB range (16-235) with faded black and banded gradients. EDID registry override unfortunately does not add an option to Intel Graphics Properties for choosing RGB range. Registry change of SDVOHDMI_SupportCEA861D from 0 to 1 also does nothing.

Thanks!

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VCian
Beginner
1,723 Views

Ok, I just played arround a bit with the "3D preferences" in the "Graphics Propieties...", I would like to have more options like in the GMA3150, is that possible ?

Anyway I set the 3D preference for performance with the slider and now the 3d fighting game that I play works faster, but I get some graphical errors, like very stretched hairs that point to the center of the screen, if I set some custom options the game does not start at all.

I wonder If there exist some third party program that lets me to change more graphical options, like disabling Vertical Sync or the Vertex Processing.

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KHans13
New Contributor I
1,723 Views

I think Vertex Processing only existed in the GMA 950/3150's options because those GPU's had no hardware vertex processing. The GMA 36x0 does have hardware vertex processing so (in theory) we don't need that option (although software vertex processing is probably faster in most cases with these drivers the way they are). The ability to force V-Sync off would come in handy, though.

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RJans3
Beginner
1,782 Views

One of the players of Hotline Miami (new steam version) reported that his screen was upside down using Intel Atom N2600 1.6 ghz. Post 70 mentions the same problem with other games.

Can you confirm this is indeed a driver bug and will be fixed at later date(If so, any idea when?) If it isn't, any idea what might cause this issue for just this graphics accelerator so I can fix it?

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KHans13
New Contributor I
1,782 Views

This problem affects Atom Z2760 products, too, so I would hope Intel puts a priority on fixing it.

I've found that Sonic CD (from Steam) has a weird problem with the intro logos (Sega, etc.) They are zoomed in so that only the top left corner of the logo is visible. As soon as the 3 logos are displayed, the title screen appears and everything looks correct (can take screenie if needed). This isn't just a Cedar Trail problem, as a Steam forumgoer had the same problem on his Pentium HD Graphics.

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VCian
Beginner
1,782 Views

I just played the flash game "Tactical Force 1" and during the sniper section at the end of the short intro mission the shadows kept moving around every time I moved my guns crosshair (they are supposed to be immobile).

I was reported that something like that happens in other ganes and applications too.

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SXp
Beginner
1,723 Views

Its incredible how slow is the driver. I create an application that 'slide' little form left to right, and i see more flickering. I use 480x800 resolution! What driver is this? In Windows Embedded 7 if i try open the control panel of driver i get Error and the application crash!

 

Update the driver with a serious driver! Thanks
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VCian
Beginner
1,723 Views

Does someone know when a new driver will be released ?

I don't need to know the exact date, but just a vague idea, so I can stop checking every day.

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ASt_
Novice
1,723 Views

What's the current status here? Dead?

With the forthcoming release of Windows 8.1, will there be even a Windows 8 driver now?

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agree11
Novice
1,723 Views

Hi,

Sorry for the me being missing for a while, got a bit hacked off with the whole situation, like almost everyone else on here.

So people were asking when the next update would be, from the information I have, Intel is unable and does not normally give dates for when a update will be made. Apparently the update is not ready yet, and so will not be released.

Which means that all anyone can do at present is report the issues you are having with your particular game or application, and hope that Intel also believes that this is an issue, and also that Intel gives the time and resources to fix the problem that you have discovered.

Of course this assumes that problem can be fixed, because the way that the GPU is licensed also means that despite what the actual hardware specs are, the actual performance we will see, will depend on what features Intel have decided to licence from Imagination Technologies.

The custom nature of Imagination Technologies solutions invariably means that unless a game is developed specifically for their GPU, you are highly likely to get undesirable effects, and there is not a huge amount Intel can do about this. In effect you would need to go back to all of the original game producers and ask them to recode their software to take advantage of the unique way that Imagination Technologies GPU works. I think we all know that this is not going to happen, so effectively the best operating system for this processor is likely to be an Android system, running mobile phone games, disappointed? I certainly am.

I realise that this post does not focus on a particular issue, but given the lack of replies to peoples questions about the release date of an update I hope this helps to manage expectations and reduce overall antipathy towards the Intel team. As I said at the start of this post I have given up on this cause, as it is clear to me that we were sold a solution that was insufficiently planned and developed before being marketed, and there is very little anyone can do about this whole sorry situation now.

Alasdair

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