Older video cards incompatible with DirectX 9?

*Fraoch* · 08-22-2003, 12:45 PM

I have a Radeon 8500LE in my main machine and an old original Radeon PCI card in a secondary rig. uk_blaster mentioned in this post that the 8500LE (and, I assume, the old original Radeon) is incompatible with DirectX 9?

I can't find any mention of this on ATI's site, and Windows update sure wants to put DX9 on my system, mentioning nothing about possible hardware incompatibility.

So - can I use DX9 with these two older graphics cards? Should I even try? Or will my video get so corrupted I won't be able to go back to a previous System Restore point?

Thanks!

make7upyoursman · 08-22-2003, 01:07 PM

I've recently installed directx 9.0b, and it works fine with my old creative tnt2 value card. So who knows it may work on ur old radeon too.

uk_blaster · 08-22-2003, 01:23 PM

Well, No games are out now that utilize dx9. So it's really not an issue yet..

If you are asking if you install dx9 will your card still work, Then yes. it will still run all your dx8 and lower games fine.

I can't really tell you what will happen if when you start running dx9 based games on the 8500.. Because no dx9 games are out yet..

I have dx9 here on my work machine with my old 8500 and no problems yet..

Hope this helped...

uk-

*edit* Does the name fraoch have anything to do with a brand of beer by any chance?

FightingChance · 08-22-2003, 02:12 PM

Even when DirectX9 games come out, the latest drivers for the card will allow DX9 functions to be carried out, usually by the CPU itself or via bypass. This is what allows DirectX 6 hardware like GeForce 1's to run todays DX8 games.

Cogar · 08-22-2003, 04:47 PM

The Radeon 8500 does not fully support DirectX 9 in hardware. According to Microsoft, DX9 is backwards compatible, so if you have an older video card, it should still operate with DX9 installed, although it will not be able to carry out all the DX9 commands.

uk_blaster · 08-22-2003, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FightingChance
Even when DirectX9 games come out, the latest drivers for the card will allow DX9 functions to be carried out, usually by the CPU itself or via bypass. This is what allows DirectX 6 hardware like GeForce 1's to run todays DX8 games.

Thanks for clearing that up for us, man....

Mad props to ya.....

uk-

*Fraoch* · 08-22-2003, 05:30 PM

Thanks everybody! So I guess Microsoft is lying to me when they tell me it'll improve performance, huh?

Now how would it improve performance if no DX9 applications exist yet...

Gee, I'm surprised.

Cogar · 08-22-2003, 05:37 PM

It can theoretically improve performance just as DX8 was an improvement over DX7. Still, that does not mean that older hardware designs will be able to exploit the "improvements." As another example, consider the improvement of Windows XP over Windows 95. Although it is an improvement, it does require much more robust hardware. :eek:

08-22-2003, 12:45 PM	#1
Fraoch Resident ABX Wizard Join Date: May 2003 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 8,814	Older video cards incompatible with DirectX 9? I have a Radeon 8500LE in my main machine and an old original Radeon PCI card in a secondary rig. uk_blaster mentioned in this post that the 8500LE (and, I assume, the old original Radeon) is incompatible with DirectX 9? I can't find any mention of this on ATI's site, and Windows update sure wants to put DX9 on my system, mentioning nothing about possible hardware incompatibility. So - can I use DX9 with these two older graphics cards? Should I even try? Or will my video get so corrupted I won't be able to go back to a previous System Restore point? Thanks! __________________ ASRock 4CoreDual-VSTA, Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2 X 1 GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2-667, Antec Sonata III case, Ubuntu Linux 7.04 64-bit
(Offline)

08-22-2003, 01:07 PM	#2
make7upyoursman The Original Ass Man Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 196	I've recently installed directx 9.0b, and it works fine with my old creative tnt2 value card. So who knows it may work on ur old radeon too. __________________ "Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up." --Robert Frost
(Offline)

08-22-2003, 01:23 PM	#3
uk_blaster 3 year ABX Zone nooob Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: S.F. CA. Posts: 553	Well, No games are out now that utilize dx9. So it's really not an issue yet.. If you are asking if you install dx9 will your card still work, Then yes. it will still run all your dx8 and lower games fine. I can't really tell you what will happen if when you start running dx9 based games on the 8500.. Because no dx9 games are out yet.. I have dx9 here on my work machine with my old 8500 and no problems yet.. Hope this helped... uk- edit Does the name fraoch have anything to do with a brand of beer by any chance? __________________ Life ain't fair...
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08-22-2003, 02:12 PM	#4
FightingChance Yes, I am better than you Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 4,068	Even when DirectX9 games come out, the latest drivers for the card will allow DX9 functions to be carried out, usually by the CPU itself or via bypass. This is what allows DirectX 6 hardware like GeForce 1's to run todays DX8 games.
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08-22-2003, 04:47 PM	#5
Cogar Sleuth Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: It varies, but usually within 100 yards of a keyboard. Posts: 7,212	The Radeon 8500 does not fully support DirectX 9 in hardware. According to Microsoft, DX9 is backwards compatible, so if you have an older video card, it should still operate with DX9 installed, although it will not be able to carry out all the DX9 commands.
(Offline)

08-22-2003, 05:30 PM	#7
Fraoch Resident ABX Wizard Join Date: May 2003 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 8,814	Thanks everybody! So I guess Microsoft is lying to me when they tell me it'll improve performance, huh? Now how would it improve performance if no DX9 applications exist yet... Gee, I'm surprised.
(Offline)

08-22-2003, 05:37 PM	#8
Cogar Sleuth Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: It varies, but usually within 100 yards of a keyboard. Posts: 7,212	It can theoretically improve performance just as DX8 was an improvement over DX7. Still, that does not mean that older hardware designs will be able to exploit the "improvements." As another example, consider the improvement of Windows XP over Windows 95. Although it is an improvement, it does require much more robust hardware. :eek:
(Offline)

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