Thursday, March 5th 2009

ATI Catalyst 9.4 to Lack Support for Many Older Cards

ATI wants to diminish the list of supported graphics cards in the next release of Catalyst. With the release of ATI Catalyst 9.4, the plan is to exclude support for Radeon 9500, 9600, 9800, X800, X1800, X1900 and other desktop video cards. Catalyst 9.4 will also lack support for the FireGL X1/X2/X3, V3000, V5000, V7000 and FireMV 2200, 2250 professional cards. Of course owners of these models will still be permitted to download older drivers and use them happily. The ATI Catalyst 9.4 is set to be released next month.
Source: TechConnect Magazine
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87 Comments on ATI Catalyst 9.4 to Lack Support for Many Older Cards

#51
EastCoasthandle
I'm willing to assume that they may have conducted an internal survey and have an idea of who owns what video card. Furthermore, there are some changes to the Cat driver sometime this year such as profiles, etc. Regardless, there is more then likely a legitimate reason for this move and it's not the end of the world :rolleyes:
Posted on Reply
#52
DrPepper
The Doctor is in the house
EastCoasthandleRegardless, there is more then likely a legitimate reason for this move and it's not the end of the world :rolleyes:
I believe its part of AMD's move to focus more on product innovation. Just like the choice to become fabless.
Posted on Reply
#53
EastCoasthandle
DrPepperI believe its part of AMD's move to focus more on product innovation. Just like the choice to become fabless.
I can only assume they have some new stuff coming down the pipe.
Posted on Reply
#54
PVTCaboose1337
Graphical Hacker
This is too bad. My 9600 is going to lose support! DARN.
Posted on Reply
#55
DrPepper
The Doctor is in the house
EastCoasthandleI can only assume they have some new stuff coming down the pipe.
Could be that they are focusing all the developers time to getting ATI's stream thingy to work as well as CUDA
Posted on Reply
#56
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
wolfahhh your bringing me back to our days in 177.xx and early physx support, i did a sweet crapload of driver modding with just about every release for 2 months working on getting physx up and running. good times :toast:
Hell, I remember before even that, modding all the new drivers when the G80 cards came out to add support for the 7 series cards because nVidia completely dropped support for them for about 6 months, even though the drivers worked perfectly fine with them, they were just trying to get people to upgrade to the 8800 series.
Posted on Reply
#57
Aceman.au
PVTCaboose1337This is too bad. My 9600 is going to lose support! DARN.
My old ATi 9200 is going to lose support... :(

My old 9200 was a monster played BF2 on low everything without AA
Posted on Reply
#58
DarkMatter
EastCoasthandleI'm willing to assume that they may have conducted an internal survey and have an idea of who owns what video card. Furthermore, there are some changes to the Cat driver sometime this year such as profiles, etc. Regardless, there is more then likely a legitimate reason for this move and it's not the end of the world :rolleyes:
That's petty funny and pontless if they concluded that no one has a x19x0 card. I mean it was the high-end card of choice in 2006 and the mainstream card of choice in 2007. Sure no one has a x1000 card...
Posted on Reply
#59
EastCoasthandle
DarkMatterThat's petty funny and pontless if they concluded that no one has a x19x0 card. I mean it was the high-end card of choice in 2006 and the mainstream card of choice in 2007. Sure no one has a x1000 card...
Your post is pretty funny and pointless because my post never implied nor stated that "no one has a x19x0 card". I understand that English is not your 1st language however, in the future it's better to ask for clarity then make an attempt to criticize someone else knowing you can misunderstand what is being posted.
Posted on Reply
#60
DarkMatter
EastCoasthandleYour post is pretty funny and pointless because my post never implied nor stated that "no one has a x19x0 card". I understand that English is not your 1st language however, in the future it's better to ask for clarity then make an attempt to criticize someone else knowing you can misunderstand what is being posted.
Well, "I'm willing to assume that they may have conducted an internal survey and have an idea of who owns what video card." taking it in the context, means they concluded no one has X1900 or they wouldn't have dropped it.

I didn't say anything about what you said and whatnot. The survey would be funny and stupid if they concluded that.

I understand that English IS your 1st language however, in the future it's better to ask for clarity then make an attempt to criticize someone else knowing you can misunderstand what is being posted.

Take that.
Posted on Reply
#61
EastCoasthandle
DarkMatterWell, "I'm willing to assume that they may have conducted an internal survey and have an idea of who owns what video card." taking it in the context, means they concluded no one has X1900 or they wouldn't have dropped it.

I didn't say anything about what you said and whatnot. The survey would be funny and stupid if they concluded that.

I understand that English IS your 1st language however, in the future it's better to ask for clarity then make an attempt to criticize someone else knowing you can misunderstand what is being posted.

Take that.
The truth is that you are responding towards what I posted. And truth remains we don't know what caused this decision. I made an assumption (which is were you are having a problem understanding) which you replied to. But with this post you only further prove my point.
Posted on Reply
#62
DarkMatter
EastCoasthandleThe truth is that you are responding towards what I posted. And truth remains we don't know what caused this decision. I made an assumption (which is were you are having a problem understanding) which you replied to. But with this post you only further prove my point.
You can assume as much as you want. But there's no survey they can make that would have that conclusion, so NO, they did not make any survey. Unless by internal, you mean inside the company, like "ey guys any of you have X1000 cards yet? no? :eek: mmkay".

store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/videocard/
Posted on Reply
#63
EastCoasthandle
I found another article that indicates that those video cards effected will be placed on legacy support status. This means that instead of month driver updates they will only get quarterly driver updates. And, they will still receive critical hotfix drivers if high-priority fixes are needed.
Looks like they are focusing their resources on current and future products, OS's, etc
source
Posted on Reply
#64
Valdez
DarkMatterLOL whata load of BS. Try saying that to someone that doesn't know how things work and can't be less concerned about marketing stunts. It might work an averything!!! Go go. :)
:confused: Did i lie, or what?
Posted on Reply
#65
kylew
DarkMatterIn overall performance, yes, there's little to no improvement. But game specific optimizations are key for cards like the X1900 XTX when the optimization is the difference between playable and totally unplayable. There's no single reason for what I could forgive the lack of support for at least the X1900 line. The X1900XTX isn't so much slower than the HD3850 and can play almost everything there, even Crysis on high (1280x no AA), so why would any non-enthusiast with a X1900 have to upgrade, if he still wants to game?? It's absurd...

I have just been talking with one of my X1900 owner friends, and I have mentioned this to him and he is too considering going Nvidia, even though he has always have Ati cards (3 in 10 years but). Not only because of this, but I can tell you it has been the deciding factor. Quoting him, translated of course: "If because of this, they make me upgrade sooner than I had planned, I'll go Nvidia no matter what. I just won't let this happen twice. They won't do me this twice. Not me."

And he really meant it. He is like that.
Sounds like your friend should be wearing a tinfoil hat! :eek: :D
Posted on Reply
#66
Baum
arg, my laptops are all on x1000 cards (x1600m and x1900m) and both have mod drivers (mobilitymodder)
does this mean they even drop the "radeon" style support? thus adding device id's doesn't help?
Posted on Reply
#67
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
your cards are Radeons, and what they mean i believe is quarterly driver releases.

whats odd is got people here trying to bash AMD for this yet NV killed off the 7 Series and below so quickly its not funny.
Posted on Reply
#68
DrPepper
The Doctor is in the house
eidairaman1your cards are Radeons, and what they mean i believe is quarterly driver releases.

whats odd is got people here trying to bash AMD for this yet NV killed off the 7 Series and below so quickly its not funny.
7 Series doesn't exist as far as nvidia is concearned :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#69
rodneyhchef
I've not used catalyst drivers For anything x1K and older for ages. I've used omega drivers for as long as I can remember. They haven't been updated for a long time, but they really don't need to be. Never had any problems with them. They ran an x1950 GT AGP with new games on my brother's machine no problem until he upgraded during december '08
Posted on Reply
#70
DarkMatter
Valdez:confused: Did i lie, or what?
In short, yes.
kylewSounds like your friend should be wearing a tinfoil hat! :eek: :D
Nah, he doesn't like being ripped off. Who likes? I've calmed him down this morning, telling him that it will have quarterly drivers or hotfixes. With that and the rumors that RV790 might be a completely different chip, he is willing to wait and stay with Ati.
Posted on Reply
#71
mdm-adph
newtekie1I know I know, I'm such a huge nVidia fanboy just because I don't bow down and accept ATi as God's gift to video cards...:laugh:

Yep, I don't praise ATi and bash nVidia at every turn, so that must mean I hate ATi.

Of course your the biggest fanboy on the forums, for thinking the above is true...but hey...
I still think you wouldn't choose a high-range ATI card even if someone held a gun to your head. :laugh:

That being said, I find it despicable that I'm about to plunk down the money for a 9800GT simply because there's quite a few of Berkeley's BOINC programs that are now supporting CUDA and I'm tired of being left behind in my stats.
Posted on Reply
#72
Valdez
DarkMatterIn short, yes.
Explain please.
Posted on Reply
#73
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
eidairaman1your cards are Radeons, and what they mean i believe is quarterly driver releases.

whats odd is got people here trying to bash AMD for this yet NV killed off the 7 Series and below so quickly its not funny.
DrPepper7 Series doesn't exist as far as nvidia is concearned :laugh:
After about 6 months nVidia picked up support for the older cards again. I believe the current drivers support all the way down to the 6 series.
mdm-adphI still think you wouldn't choose a high-range ATI card even if someone held a gun to your head. :laugh:

That being said, I find it despicable that I'm about to plunk down the money for a 9800GT simply because there's quite a few of Berkeley's BOINC programs that are now supporting CUDA and I'm tired of being left behind in my stats.
When ATi has a high-end card that offers a better price to performance ratio than the comparable nVidia card when I'm looking to buy, I'll buy it.
newtekie1This is the moment I've been waiting for. Finally something from ATi that can compete with nVidia price/performance. AND it not only competes, it destroys the competition. Looks like it is time to finally ditch my eVGA 780i and 9800GTX.
But, I would never consider buying a high end ATi card...:laugh:
Posted on Reply
#74
Solaris17
Super Dainty Moderator
wolfahhh your bringing me back to our days in 177.xx and early physx support, i did a sweet crapload of driver modding with just about every release for 2 months working on getting physx up and running. good times :toast:

and thats just me, Solaris here was in those drivers before me getting physx up and operational, couldn't have done it without ya man :)

If anyone can add some extra device ID's to these drivers, is my man Solaris17.
thanks man appreciate it :) haha if i have myway...9.4's on Radeon 7500!!
Posted on Reply
#75
DarkMatter
ValdezExplain please.
Denying, condemning BS needs no explanation. BS itself needs some.
Posted on Reply
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