Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monitors?

Talk about AMD's FreeSync and VESA AdaptiveSync, which are variable refresh rate technologies. They also eliminate stutters, and eliminate tearing. List of FreeSync Monitors.
RLBURNSIDE
Posts: 104
Joined: 06 Apr 2015, 16:09

Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monitors?

Post by RLBURNSIDE » 06 Apr 2015, 16:15

Hi forum, I guess everyone read about those toshiba laptop drivers that allowed NVidia G-Sync to work without a g-sync module on the laptop's eDP built in monitor.

So....has anyone actually checked whether those drivers allow you do connect a GTX card to a retail Freesync monitor over a displayport connector and have it detect as if it were a real G-Sync display?

I'm not interested in "no, that can't work", but "yes/no, it does / does not work, because I / others have tried it...(link)".

This has direct relevance to me because I'm going to be picking up a monitor soon and I'm not buying a G-Sync one. I need to know if I should sell my GTX 970.

YukonTrooper
Posts: 19
Joined: 06 Feb 2014, 23:24

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by YukonTrooper » 09 Apr 2015, 00:24

Why not a G-Sync monitor? As of right now, it's better tech. The superior low refresh rate behavior is one thing, but the deal breaker for Freesync is the undefeatable ghosting, at least in my opinion.

Per your question: If Nvidia cards can technically and legally support Freesync, Nvidia will likely keep that function locked out anyways. Although it'd be a good way to rob AMD sales.

Sparky
Posts: 682
Joined: 15 Jan 2014, 02:29

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by Sparky » 09 Apr 2015, 00:30

AFAIK, Those leaked drivers only work with a specific model laptop, and not very well. The leaked driver doesn't re-send frames to keep the display controller in spec, so if you have a hitch or framerate drop, the monitor shuts off. It also has similar ghosting issues to the freesync monitors.

User avatar
GameLifter
Posts: 104
Joined: 25 May 2014, 13:47

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by GameLifter » 09 Apr 2015, 14:15

I was wondering this same thing the other day. Since the leaked drivers only work with a specific laptop display I can't see them working on Freesync displays. Also, like Sparky said they didn't work very well. Another thing to keep in mind is that the leaked drivers are older now so if you use them you won't get the performance increases of the newer drivers unless you combine the driver files.

RLBURNSIDE
Posts: 104
Joined: 06 Apr 2015, 16:09

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by RLBURNSIDE » 30 Apr 2015, 21:12

Does anyone have a copy of these leaked drivers? I'd like to keep them handy for when I buy a Freesync monitor to try and see if I can get it to work on my GTX 970.

I'm surprised no one has actually tried it. Kinda sad. I ain't paying extra for g-sync proprietary DRM crap so I'm getting the freesync regardless. I can always use it when I buy an AMD 390x.

Sparky
Posts: 682
Joined: 15 Jan 2014, 02:29

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by Sparky » 30 Apr 2015, 22:09

RLBURNSIDE wrote:Does anyone have a copy of these leaked drivers? I'd like to keep them handy for when I buy a Freesync monitor to try and see if I can get it to work on my GTX 970.

I'm surprised no one has actually tried it. Kinda sad. I ain't paying extra for g-sync proprietary DRM crap so I'm getting the freesync regardless. I can always use it when I buy an AMD 390x.
It won't work, and it isn't DRM. There are important things, like re-displaying frames, that the g-sync module and freesync drivers do that the leaked alpha drivers don't do. AMD also has a couple big issues to fix before I'd recommend buying a freesync monitor. The biggest being overdrive in freesync mode. According to the monitor manufacturers it will take updated drivers/firmware from both AMD and the monitor manufacturer before it works properly. The second major issue is behavior below the monitor's minimum refresh rate. While that problem can be fixed solely within AMD's drivers, AMD so far has denied the problem exists. More info on that issue here: http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-C ... ies-Differ

RLBURNSIDE
Posts: 104
Joined: 06 Apr 2015, 16:09

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by RLBURNSIDE » 05 May 2015, 13:27

If it has nothing to do with DRM, why does it work on older Toshiba laptops that were released prior to the development and marketing of G-Sync?

Assuming for the sake of argument that G-Sync module over Freesync isn't purely for DRM, if eDP monitors support variable v-blank without special extra hardware from NVidia, relying solely on eDP's spec and commodity laptop displayport scalers, I'd like to understand why it's not compatible.

What I'm saying is, I haven't heard of anyone actually trying it. Several blogs mentioned the eDP discrepancy, since if a g-sync-enabling driver can work in a laptop, there's a good chance it should work over a normal displayport using similar, if not the exact same signaling method which has been around since 2007.

I'd bet any money if NVidia actually wanted to they could make their displayport videocards work with Freesync monitors.

Until I see someone actually try to use this leaked driver to enable G-sync to a Freesync monitor, I'm not convinced. Toshiba laptop = 2007 edp spec = nothing to do with G-sync-specific hardware.

Sparky
Posts: 682
Joined: 15 Jan 2014, 02:29

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by Sparky » 05 May 2015, 18:31

There's been a TON of misinformation about variable refresh over the last year and a half, I'll try to clear some of it up.
RLBURNSIDE wrote:If it has nothing to do with DRM, why does it work on older Toshiba laptops that were released prior to the development and marketing of G-Sync?
It doesn't. If you're talking about AMD's CES 2014 demo, that was just v-sync at a fixed 50hz refresh rate. AMD's first convincing demo of variable refresh was a year later, at CES 2015 (after engineering samples of the new adaptive-sync scalers were available.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIp6mbabQeM

If you think variable refresh was working back then and the demo just failed to show it, you should ask AMD if the drivers available today will enable freesync on that laptop.
Assuming for the sake of argument that G-Sync module over Freesync isn't purely for DRM, if eDP monitors support variable v-blank without special extra hardware from NVidia, relying solely on eDP's spec and commodity laptop displayport scalers, I'd like to understand why it's not compatible.

What I'm saying is, I haven't heard of anyone actually trying it. Several blogs mentioned the eDP discrepancy, since if a g-sync-enabling driver can work in a laptop, there's a good chance it should work over a normal displayport using similar, if not the exact same signaling method which has been around since 2007.
Nvidia's g-sync implementation came before freesync, and relies heavily on hardware inside the monitor. Much of that work has to be re-done inside the driver in order to support variable refresh over adaptive sync. It never was a question of signaling, that's just data. With adaptive-sync, It's finding how far you can push the timings on a monitor before you ruin image quality or the monitor stops working, making your drivers use that whole range, and coding your drivers to handle fallback cases for when framerates go outside the monitor's acceptable range. g-sync kind of does the opposite, with the monitor accepting any framerate, and doing whatever it takes to display a frame on time.
I'd bet any money if NVidia actually wanted to they could make their displayport videocards work with Freesync monitors.
Nvidia is doing most of that work for mobile g-sync, but it's not a mature implementation, and they're not going to release it for desktop monitors until there is a business case for it.

Until I see someone actually try to use this leaked driver to enable G-sync to a Freesync monitor, I'm not convinced. Toshiba laptop = 2007 edp spec = nothing to do with G-sync-specific hardware.
First, you should read through this thread about the leaked drivers, it covers a lot of misinformation about the leaked drivers, and includes people trying it on various monitors: http://www.overclock.net/t/1538208/nvid ... -with-980m

Second, you should try to find where in the 2009 eDP spec variable refresh is specified: http://wenku.baidu.com/view/51d24437f11 ... 05a6e.html

The thing about variable refresh is that every single step in the chain has to support it. It was possible to implement it several years ago, but until Nvidia got into the monitor business and proved there was a market for it, nobody bothered to be that disruptive.

RLBURNSIDE
Posts: 104
Joined: 06 Apr 2015, 16:09

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by RLBURNSIDE » 21 May 2015, 22:39

I read that article and finally downloaded the driver, thanks.

The second I get a freesync display I will try it. I'm debating between getting the 27inch IPS G-sync or Freesync one, but the latter isn't available quite yet and the former is near 1 grand in Canadian dollars, which blows.

I still don't see any conclusive evidence that a hacked driver that force enabled G-sync when a VRR-enabled adaptive sync monitor is attached, either definitely works or definitely doesn't. There is no "G-sync module" present in that older laptop, so it appears that if an eDP scaler / display can accept a G-sync "signal" and do VRR that way, then there is probably at least some hope that a Freesync monitor might work. Several people in the past few pages of that thread basically asked "why doesn't someone try it already FFS" and no one has. Yet.

I might roll the dice and try the 27 inch IPS freesync one if it's a couple hundred cheaper than the same g-sync one, even if in the end I end up having to wait till I build another PC with an AMD card in it. Probably a 390x or something with HBM would be decent. I have a hard time condoning buying a g-sync monitor especially since there's only display port on it and it's vendor lock in plus costs a couple hundred more. Lots of negatives there. Although it does seem like g-sync works better and has a larger VRR window. But for a couple hundred less, I think I can handle 35hz to 90hz instead of 30 to 144hz.

UnicodeFiend
Posts: 2
Joined: 10 Aug 2014, 17:00

Re: Leaked NVidia drivers, do they work with Freesync monito

Post by UnicodeFiend » 12 May 2016, 23:51

Sorry about the thread necro, but I finally had a chance to try this.

With the GameNab version (tweaked for desktop cards) of the driver, a GTX 680 a co-worker no longer needed, and my XL2730z, I do not get any option to enable G-Sync. The nvidia control panel does seem to offer stereoscopic 3D, but I have no goggles to test that with.
Why "unicode fiend"? Because I enjoy things like t͇͙̰͚̼̰̗͔̫̣ͫ̂ͫ͋̈́̆̓̆͆ͅh̬̟̯̖̤̖̘͚̲̞͎̘̜͙̰̮͛͌͊̾ͫͯ̐͌́ͬ̎ͨ͗̍i͈͖̙̭̳̮͍̪̻̗̹̩̼͉̺͚͋̽̎ͩ̀ͨs͓̘͙̳̻̪͈̭͕̈́̈́̔̑̒̃ͮ̋̊̋ͥ͑ͭ̔̏̚. ˙ooʇ 'unɟ sᴉ sᴉɥʇ

Post Reply