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Found way to know what GPU is in use!

UtenteMac said:
Bug:

Forced to use Intel only. Opened screen saring and correctly keeps Intel card on. When closing Screen Sharing it switches back on nVidia 330M card even with Intel only check.

Dependancy list is blank and to switch back to Intel I have to click on Dynamic Switching and then Intel only again.

Hope this helps :)
Click to expand...

I noticed the same issue with Skype also. Discrete card kicks in on quitting Skype.

BTW, I love this app. I actually waited till Graphics switching was possible before ordering my new MBP. Thanks Cody for your great work!
 
Interesting discovery

I was emailing Cody back and forth, and he said the reason he didn't have a "switch GPUs when the power source changes" option is because sometimes switching GPUs would cause weird graphical glitches and cause things that are using the discrete GPU to stop working. Interestingly enough, I didn't have that problem, and he suggested that I post in this thread. Since I'm lazy, here's the email chain:
Cody,

Long winded answers are fine; I personally find the mechanics of it very interesting and would actually prefer to understand why things don't/do work, anyway.

Interestingly enough, I don't have that graphical corruption problem. I attached a video I recorded with Quicktime X of Chrome playing a random YouTube video from their front page and me switching back and forth. The video stutters slightly during the switch, but then gracefully continues with no issue. Keep in mind it is NOT on Dynamic Switching at first, because Quicktime X's Screen Recording function actually kicks it into the NVIDIA GPU, anyway.

Hm, actually, while typing that I realized that perhaps since what you're talking about starts on the NVIDIA GPU, anyway, I should try recording something with dynamic switching ON. Doing so, I had no issue, either, apart from some odd bug where gfxCardStatus didn't actually switch from NVIDIA to Intel until I told it to switch back and forth (as you can see in the second video) but after that it again continued gracefully.

Just for the record, I DID have some graphical issues with version 1.6.1, but 1.7 I have no issues of the sort with.

In fact, here's one more video of Portal, of all things, gracefully switching back and forth. You can probably notice the framerate suffering when I switch to the Intel graphics, but that's kind of expected to happen, considering that it's a somewhat graphically intense game. I did notice, however, that if you start Portal with the GPU set to Intel, it actually disables some effects (perhaps they can only be computed via software on the Intel GPU?) but upon starting it with the NVIDIA one you can see it switching back and forth just fine.

Oh, and apparently the videos are 72.5 MB, so here's a link to a ZIP file of them on my website: http://brian.recchia.name/drops/videos.zip

(I've never heard of an email service – even one from a web host rather than a free public email service – that'll accept 72.5 MB worth of attachments)

Thanks,
Brian

On May 13, 2010, at 6:40 AM, Cody Krieger wrote:

Hi Brian,

Thanks very much! I appreciate the kind words. :)

The power source-based switching is something I'm still actively looking into, however, there's a kind of major issue with it. Currently, if you switch over to the Intel GPU while another application is using the 330M, the other application will be broken graphically (more than likely). Say you start Google Chrome and go to YouTube...the 330M is kicked on. You then switch to Intel with gfxCardStatus...and everything flash-wise is completely broken (as well as many other user interface elements). This could be a problem if you are doing something important that requires the 330M and then you unplug your computer...whoops, the application you needed can't function properly (graphically) until you switch back to the 330M. The only application as of now that can truly accommodate the change from GPU to GPU is the Finder - it can switch dynamically. Until we figure out how to force an application to switch all of its rendering over to the other GPU, that feature will be very broken unless you have absolutely no applications running that use the 330M.

Sorry for such a long-winded answer! I just wanted to justify why I haven't added it up until this point. :)

Thanks Brian, I appreciate the comments!
Cody
Click to expand...

The link to the videos works for anyone who's interested. I noticed that Portal will act a little flakey if you have it "locked" to the Intel GPU on start, but if you switch from the NVIDIA to Intel one after it's running it works just fine (apart from the obviously decreased framerate).

I don't read MacRumors's forums very often, so if anyone wants to contact me directly about this, my email address is brian[at]recchia[dot]name
 
i found a bug - when quitting tweetie the app disappeared and won't relaunch. i'm waiting on a file backup - will do a restart in a bit

i'm sure you already know, but i didn't want to go and re-read all twenty something pages!

cheers
 
In fact, here's one more video of Portal, of all things, gracefully switching back and forth. You can probably notice the framerate suffering when I switch to the Intel graphics, but that's kind of expected to happen, considering that it's a somewhat graphically intense game. I did notice, however, that if you start Portal with the GPU set to Intel, it actually disables some effects (perhaps they can only be computed via software on the Intel GPU?) but upon starting it with the NVIDIA one you can see it switching back and forth just fine.
Click to expand...

The thing is that Portal isn't switching to Intel. It keeps running on the nvidia card, what's switching is the window server and so on, but not running OpenGL applications.
The FPS drop because after switching the rendered frames have to get copied from nvidia to intel to get displayed on the monitor.

i found a bug - when quitting tweetie the app disappeared and won't relaunch.
Click to expand...

Open Activity Monitor and kill it.
 
Anyone use Netflix streaming and having trouble getting their movie to go fullscreen?

If I leave dynamic switching enabled, it just wont go full screen. If I lock it to the 330M or Intel, it works on either, but with dynamic it wont. It looks like it tries to go full screen and in the process change from Intel to 330M and then quickly changes back to the Intel...

Update -

Seems to work fine in Safari. Safari turns the 330M on regardless of the video being full screen or not. Firefox keeps the Intel on until I try to go full screen and the switching seems to break something.

Oh well, I guess I use Safari or lock to one or the other with gfxCardStatus.
 
ksmith173 said:
Hmmm, I am also running Gala. I was unable to reproduce in Firefox or Chrome. I watched a video in low res like you said, swapped to full screen, and changed to 1080p while playing.
Click to expand...

Did you see the signature white cube in the upper left corner while playing any of this video? It's entirely possible that you were served only FLVs not encoded with H.264 which will not be decoded with hardware even using Gala.
 
DesmoPilot said:
To my knowledge no matter what the 330M is always on in Windows.
Click to expand...

I'm able to force intel when running win7 in parallels. Interestingly, aero still works while using the intel gpu. things got slightly laggy, but i realized all the animation options were turned on in windows. once i turned some off, it made a huge improvement in performance
 
Restarted and the problem is gone. I forced Intel, played 1080p full screen, quit and it stayed at Intel
 
I'mAMac said:
Interesting...so it would be the same case with the MBP that has a 9600+9400. The 9600 would always be active in windows.
Click to expand...
I don't think this is the case. I can't say for sure, but from what I understand, since its switching is entirely manual and they're both NVIDIA GPUs, I think it keeps the one you chose for Windows.

ExcelonGT said:
I'm able to force intel when running win7 in parallels. Interestingly, aero still works while using the intel gpu. things got slightly laggy, but i realized all the animation options were turned on in windows. once i turned some off, it made a huge improvement in performance
Click to expand...
That's Parallels. Parallels works like a program. Boot Camp runs Windows 100% natively, as if the Mac was a PC laptop.
 
I read the CNet review.. I was like "COOL!" because I had been using it since you first released this nifty tool.

It's really developing into a great tool. Thanks a bunch for 1.7. It does seem to turn off the NVIDIA card when I forcefully switch now. I also like the new switching choices.

Thanks! If I had money, I'd donate. Sorry :(.
 
Clete2 said:
I read the CNet review.. I was like "COOL!" because I had been using it since you first released this nifty tool.

It's really developing into a great tool. Thanks a bunch for 1.7. It does seem to turn off the NVIDIA card when I forcefully switch now. I also like the new switching choices.

Thanks! If I had money, I'd donate. Sorry :(.
Click to expand...

Haha, thanks! Glad it's working out well for you. And no worries about not donating - it's optional! (But certainly really appreciated! :D)

Cody
 
With 1.7, can the program now force the switch from Nvidia to Intel, and shut down the Nvidia GPU, while Nvidia-dependent programs (Chrome and Cinch) are still open?

As with my previous posts about the affect on battery runtime with version 1.6, the latest version still has a peculiar affect on runtime--likely indicating the Nvidia isn't being powered down: When I switch from Nvidia to Intel with Chrome and Cinch on, battery runtime goes down about 30 min.
 
can't answer your question. But pretty sure cinch doesn't use nvidia. At least it doesn't for me.
 
An additional observation: if GPU 1 & 2 in iStat menu represents the Nvidia, when the Intel is in use without any Nvidia-dependent apps open, the wattage reading is "0" for both. With 1.7, the reading also remains "0" when switching from Nvidia Only to Intel Only with Chrome and Cinch open. This, however, would seem to indicate the Nvidia is shut down in the switch, if that's what GPU 1 & 2 represents.

So that would conflict with my battery runtime observations. Can anyone see if 1.7 has the same affect on your battery runtime and effect the same readings on iStat when switching from Nvidia Only to Intel Only with Chrome or any Nvidia-dependent app open all the while?

530farm said:
can't answer your question. But pretty sure cinch doesn't use nvidia. At least it doesn't for me.
Click to expand...

Several people have also mentioned Cinch uses Nvidia for them. Were you in Intel-only mode?
 
First off I would like to thank the people who created this program. I truly appreciate it. I just wanted to mention a possible bug or slight glitch in version 1.7. I turned the application on today and the Nvidia was on by default with NO programs open. Switched to Intel and restarted the program and set back to Dynamic switching and it was fine.

Is there a way for this to load at startup because I have that option checked and it didn't load.
 
Libertine Lush said:
With 1.7, can the program now force the switch from Nvidia to Intel, and shut down the Nvidia GPU, while Nvidia-dependent programs (Chrome and Cinch) are still open?

As with my previous posts about the affect on battery runtime with version 1.6, the latest version still has a peculiar affect on runtime--likely indicating the Nvidia isn't being powered down: When I switch from Nvidia to Intel with Chrome and Cinch on, battery runtime goes down about 30 min.
Click to expand...

This is the main reason for the new '[gpu] Only' feature. I don't know how likely it is that we find a solution to forcing applications themselves to switch all of their rendering over to another GPU while still open. To be safe, just flip it on to Intel Only before you start using the apps.

MattMJB0188 said:
First off I would like to thank the people who created this program. I truly appreciate it. I just wanted to mention a possible bug or slight glitch in version 1.7. I turned the application on today and the Nvidia was on by default with NO programs open. Switched to Intel and restarted the program and set back to Dynamic switching and it was fine.

Is there a way for this to load at startup because I have that option checked and it didn't load.
Click to expand...

No problem! :) That behavior is kind of expected...when you flip it to '[gpu] Only' mode, it turns off the dynamic switching option in OS X. Hence, when it restarts, since the option is off and gfxCardStatus only acts when you tell it to (currently), OS X thinks the 330M should be active. I'm going to push out a 'remember last mode' sort of thing in a maintenance release in a few days, along with some other bugfixes and performance enhancements. Also, the startup option in preferences is grayed out for a reason...it currently does nothing. :) I was experimenting, and I promised a specific release date...so I had to put it on the back burner to meet that goal. It will also be in the maintenance release. For now:

System Prefs > Accounts > [your account in the left sidebar] > Login Items tab > click the plus and find the app. Presto! Now it'll start up when OS X does.

Thanks!
Cody
 
bitninja said:
This is the main reason for the new '[gpu] Only' feature. I don't know how likely it is that we find a solution to forcing applications themselves to switch all of their rendering over to another GPU while still open. To be safe, just flip it on to Intel Only before you start using the apps.
Click to expand...

Ah, okay. May I suggest you make this explicitly clear, if not within the program, then on the website? Otherwise it's assumed by the majority of users, with the small exception of those--like me--who are closely and with great interest following the progress and inner-workings here, that it would work as one might assume: shutting off the Nvidia and transferring all rendering to the Intel. As is, many people won't understand why their battery runtime has gone down in the switch to Intel Only.
 
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