Does anybody have experience with... HYBRID CROSSFIRE?

[Hun]

Hi all!
I've got a HD 3200 IGP and a discrete HD2400Pro. Now I wanna make a crossfire rig with these GPUs. Catalyst 8.3 is on my computer, but I can't find any options like crossfire in the ccc. Can anyone help me?

 

[Kreij]

I don't think it will xfire IGP with Discreet.
The notion was to only use discreet when intensive rendering was needed, and IGP for 2D.

I could be wrong.

 

[alexp999]

Hi all!
I've got a HD 3200 IGP and a discrete HD2400Pro. Now I wanna make a crossfire rig with these GPUs. Catalyst 8.3 is on my computer, but I can't find any options like crossfire in the ccc. Can anyone help me?

I think that Hybrid corssfire has to have gfx chips from the same series. i.e a 3850 and a 3870. OR a 2600 and 2900.
I think. it may be that only the 3 series onwards supports hybrid crossfire. but i'm pretty sure you cant Xfire those.
Someone correct me if Im wrong!

 

[Dr. Spankenstein]

Not gonna happen.

Your chipset is not Crossfire compatable, plus integrated graphics isn't going to CF with anything.

This chart should clear things up.

 

[Disparia]

Yeah - the new 780G boards (the ones with HD3200) can CF with 2400 and 3400 cards.

There's even been reports of boards with IGP graphics and two x16 slots so that Tri-Fire can be enabled. Though they may not hit the market because two 3450's are just under a 3850 256MB cost-wise, but well under performance-wise (even if all three cores were working at peak efficiency).

From ExtremeTech, done at 1280x1024:

 

[Dr. Spankenstein]

My, bad! I was going of the mobo he had listed in his specs....

 

[VulgarHandle]

i have experience with hybrid

System

GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2H
AMD Phenom 9600BE
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB DDR2 1066(2 x 2GB)
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 3450 512MB
SILVERSTONE SST-ST56ZF 560W
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit

now, setup uses the IGP as the initial display in bios (using hdmi to a Samsung 61" DLP no less)

using cat8.3, in 'advanced mode' (in other words, access to all options, to be honest, i've never seen what the basic mode looks like, lol), there should be an option for crossfire, once you click that, you'll be given some dialog and a check-box, simply check the box, screen should flicker, and that's it

tested with 3dmark06
all settings stock (ram running at ddr2 800)

IGP alone was about 1500 marks
Discreet alone was about 1800 marks
IGP+Discreet was just over 2700 marks

when in 'hybrid xfire', i was able to oc the IGP from a 500mhz core speed, to 625, and scored just over 3000 marks

unfortunately, i haven't been able to stable anything over 625mhz on the IGP, and have gotten 0 response from anyone on support for overclocking the 3450, much less both in crossfire

too bad too, because the scaling seems to be awesome

btw, this setup all at stock (using hybrid xfire) does play quake4 at ultimate graphics at some 1920x1080 res, playable, and on a 61" samsung DLP, it is a beautiful thing

again though, wish there was more support for overclocking, though i guess that will come with some time

also, not my setup, this is a setup i put together for a friend, so any questions might take a day or 2 for me to answer

also, I've read that hybrid will only work with Vista, and AMD Overdrive latest version is supposed to support Hybrid Crossfire as well, but does not seem to support Vista 64, in fact, when I try to run it, it says 'Cannot detect AMD CPU', hahahaha, so, again, more waiting for support

 

[Hun]

Thank you, VulgarHandle!
I've got the same mobo, well, it isn't in my specs.

alexp999: both HD2400Pro and HD3200 have RV610 GPU, (HD 3400 series, too) that is really matter.

I think I will be able to solve the problem with Vista, cuz now I use XP.
And I will try to use the DVI output on the mobo, currently I use VGA out, which the MB BIOS couldn't initialize first.

 

[Hun]

VulgarHandle: Have tried to OC your IGP in bios with increased Voltage, too?

 

[VulgarHandle]

oh yeah

but given the nature of the beast, overclocking is not on his priority list, just mine

which is funny, because the case it's in has a built-in phase unit that will be hooked up soon enough, but for right now, he's content with stock until he gets some work out

so I haven't really dug in thoroughly yet, but yes, small voltage increases I have done

here's the case

it's a Lian Li V2000B with a custom single stage phase built in the bottom, I of course have one too, but it's empty right now..... that's another project for another day/thread

 

[newtekie1]

Hybrid Crossfire requires Vista.

 

[Hun]

Done!
Thanx for everyone!
200 extra marks in 3DMark 05 LOL.

 

[NX3]

Hi,

Another hyrbrid crossfire setup....

Athlon64 x2 4000 (Brisbane), Gigabyte 780G, Pioneer DVDR-110, Seasonic S12 380w PSU, WD 160gb hard drive, AMD stock cpu fan, 12v 80cm case fan on low speed. Using the integrated 780g video card on DVI.

Power readings. The setup :

Vista Desktop (Aero OFF) idle is 40/41 watts CNQ ON
Vista Desktop (Aero OFF) idle is 50/52 watts CNQ OFF
Vista Desktop (Aero ON) idle is 41/42 watts CNQ ON
Vista Desktop (Aero ON) idle is 50/51 watts CNQ OFF

I quote two figures for the watts as it flickers between then. Interesting Aero doesn't really add any overhead.

With the Sapphire HD 3450

Vista Desktop (Aero OFF) idle is 53 watts CNQ ON

3dmark06 scores...

690v mobo, ATI HD 2400, Cats 8.2, XP : 1373
780G mobo, IGP, Cats 8.3, XP : 1132
780G mobo, IGP + ATI HD 2400, Cats 8.3 Hybrid crossfire enabled, Vista : 2000'ish
780G mobo, ATI HD 3450, Cats 8.3, Vista : 1692
780G mobo, IGP + ATI HD 3450, Cats 8.3 hotfix Hybrid crossfire enabled, Vista : 1975
(not really any better than the 780g + 2400, same ball park figures.

I've got the monitor connected to the 780g as that way the system is supposed to power down the 3450 when not in use though I'm not sure if its really doing that. Since installing the hotfix drivers the overclocking options in the cats has disappeared. I'm not worried for now, hopefully Cats 8.4 will be out mid month so I'll update then.

As mentioned on silentpcreview.com Vista power saving mode keeps setting the minimum cpu idle to 100%!

 

[Hun]

Thanks, NX3! I found the difference between the 2400 and 3450 cards' performance funny.

 

[NX3]

Its taken me ages to get the 780g +3450 3dmark06 score as it kept telling me my card didn't do shader 2. Anyway I eventually got them expecting to beat by old hybrid crossfire score as the 3450 is a faster card etc etc.... slighly slower ?!? I have changed drivers to 8.3 hotfix so I'll retest with the cat 8.4 when out. With the overclocking options on the 3450 I should be able to beat it.

 

[Hun]

Good luck! We all waiting for the next Catalyst driver.

 

[ShadowFold]

I just built a hybrid CF HTPC rig and its working great got a AMD 5400+ 2.8ghz with the HD 3200 + HD 3450 and it plays back HD stuff VERY well havent tried gaming thats what me and my dads rigs are for(well im using the 3450 since I killed my 3850 LOL)