Tearing and Graphic Issues

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Level 1

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Tearing and Graphic Issues

I've read of problems with the new macbook pro cards involving gaming problems; I am curious to know if anyone is having the problems that I am. I've already had one macbookpro replaced due to a permanent horizontal tear in the screen. My new macbook pro has horizontal tearing during all of the games I've tried playing. Is this the problem other people with the new pros are having? I don't have an intel native game demo to try and I'm pretty sure everything I have has been universal binary. Is this due to drivers or what? This is all in osx. Nvidia support advised me against a dual boot system anyway.

Thanks in advance.

macbook Pro 2.2ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Sep 1, 2007 5:40 PM

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Answer 1

JMF

Level 3

752 points

Sep 1, 2007 6:27 PM in response to loumt123

What game(s) are causing tearing? And what does your mention of a dual boot system have to do with anything? I thought you were trying the games in OS X, not Windows. It might just be that the game needs an update or a patch. Have you been to the game web site for support?

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Answer 2

Mandy K

Level 2

325 points

Sep 1, 2007 7:38 PM in response to loumt123

The problems being reported with the new MacBook Pro are to do with stuttering performance, crashes, and system hanging.

If you are noticing horizontal tearing, try enabling the Vsync option in your games if they have one.

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Answer 3

loumt123 Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2007 9:49 PM in response to loumt123

I meant all the games I tried are in osx. Nvidia didn't reccomend a dual boot system (plus I don't have a copy of windows offhand anyway). All the games I have tried experienced some horizontal tearing to a degree, except Lego Star Wars 2. That seemed to work fine for the duration I've played it. The halo universal binary experienced some tearing, with doom 3 and quake 4 displaying noticeably more. Prey was probably the worst with tearing. Vsync didn't help prey or one of the other ones that had it ( I can't remember which). I'm not sure if it's because they are universal binaries or demos or if it's the hardware. Would an intel only game run better? I'd try it if someone could steer me in the direction of a demo or something.

Apple gave me a care specialist when I was having problems with the first mbp..that had a permanent tear for everything, gaming or not ( hard to explain). Anyway, when I experienced the tearing during these games I asked her if it was a driver issue and inquired about gaming but she really didn't have the slightest clue. I appreciate the help you all can provide.

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Answer 4

loumt123 Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 2, 2007 9:11 PM in response to loumt123

I also get some tearing in videos (just the embedded ones though, i dont know if this is considered a flash video or not. It doesn't happen when playing dvds that I've noticed but videos like the one I'm about to link).

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24429.html the tearing is really noticeable from about half way through the movie onward. when there is alot of motion and action.

Does anyone else with a macbook pro see it? I'm not sure if I should bring it in to get checked out again or what.

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Answer 5

John566

Level 1

9 points

Sep 7, 2007 12:11 PM in response to loumt123

Loumt234,
I tried downloaded the quicktime version of that trailer and also noticed the tearing about half way through. I'm 99% sure that it is in the game. Some of the new dynamic lighting in the newer games have this problem. Notice that it's really only seen in the light sources and musle flash. I've seen it in more than one game on my XBOX360. I've never noticed tearing from my mac on video playback - quicktime or vlc. I do however see it in Final Cut Pro 6 - very anoying.

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Answer 6

Sep 15, 2007 1:35 PM in response to loumt123

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I have a 2.2ghz MacBook Pro w/ the NVIDIA 8600 GT (128MB VRAM). I use OS X only; no Windows. I notice the horizontal tearing in just about any game I play-- most recently in the Prey demo. I tried enabling the Vsync option in that game. I think it did help, but it didn't completely eliminate the problem. I'm not a big gamer, so its not a huge deal for me. It is a little annoying, though.

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