(Tips needed) Anyone use RTSS Scanline Sync?

[N96HBK]

Hi!

I was always buggered by problems such as screen tearing and really jittery appearance when dropping below 100 or 120FPS on my 60hz TV. I tried out some solutions like Vsync (driving seems really unresponsive to me..) and Vsync with the RTSS' refresh rate-0.01fps trick, Nvidia Fast Sync (can't maintain framerates a multiple of my refresh rate 100% of the time) and so on.

Then I stumbled upon something called scanline sync, which is supposed to sync the frames to the monitor and pin the tearline away from a distracting position, and have minimal input lag.

I read a bit about it, and some people seemed to be extremely pleased with their experiences, so I gave it a go, and heck, I can definitely see that this is a game changer for folks like me who can’t afford NASA supercomputers and things like G-sync monitors!!

However... I am struggling to set things right. My system is equipped with second hand i7-3770 and GTx 1060 3GB with 16GB ram. I also can’t edit the RTSS Global config file to enable hotkeys, so I tried entering values that 1080p users on the blurbusters forum suggested, like -20,-30,-180..

Mainly, I’m trying to get this to work with Assetto Corsa, but I always get very short framerate and frametime spikes (very small spiking seen in the Afterburner graph in both categories, Content Manager shows average 60.0FPS with minimum almost always at 59.4~59.7FPS), regardless of the presence of AI and other drivers online. I never drop below 80fps with 15 AI on track without any synchronisation. This spiking also happens with regular vsync as well, but less noticeable... Whenever I get those tiny fluctuations, it seems as if the frames freeze momentarily, which I can’t ignore when driving!

Setting all of the graphics to low and off, deleting custom shaders patch (makes the whole world dark under a shadow wherever I drive), using the patch’s optimizations, disabling post processing does not seem to make a difference.

Geez, that was long. Bottom line; are there any Scanline sync users here who has suggestions so I can get rid of this stuttering? I’m really dumb when it comes to computer stuff, any help would be super useful for me.. Thanks..

 

[Case_]

You have to use exclusive fullscreen for scanline sync to work as expected. Otherwise, if you're using windowed fullscreen (which Windows 10 is now using by default for most games even when it seems the game is using exclusive fullscreen, you have to literally force it for most games if you want it nowadays (by disabling fullscreen optimizations).

And even then, it can *still* be a pain to find a value that works well.

Without exclusive fullscreen, it basically just works as a triple buffered vsync with an adjustable timing of the buffer swap (and prerendered frames). So there will almost always be at least some microstutter.

But if you're struggling this much with it, I would suggest just getting a Freesync monitor that is known to work with Gsync well. You'll never achieve the same result with scanline sync. And Freesync monitors are pretty cheap nowadays (basically the vast majority of monitors have Freesync) and you don't even have to go for thegodawful TN panels anymore.

 

[N96HBK]

You have to use exclusive fullscreen for scanline sync to work as expected. Otherwise, if you're using windowed fullscreen (which Windows 10 is now using by default for most games even when it seems the game is using exclusive fullscreen, you have to literally force it for most games if you want it nowadays (by disabling fullscreen optimizations).

And even then, it can *still* be a pain to find a value that works well.

Without exclusive fullscreen, it basically just works as a triple buffered vsync with an adjustable timing of the buffer swap (and prerendered frames). So there will almost always be at least some microstutter.

But if you're struggling this much with it, I would suggest just getting a Freesync monitor that is known to work with Gsync well. You'll never achieve the same result with scanline sync. And Freesync monitors are pretty cheap nowadays (basically the vast majority of monitors have Freesync) and you don't even have to go for thegodawful TN panels anymore.

Thank you for the tips, I'll try disabling fullscreen optimizations again (I thought force disabling it completely corrupted AC for me, maybe some settings were conflicting). I could look into some new monitors as suggested. Thanks!

 

[RasmusP]

I can't help you but I can underline what case said.
I spend a few hours for every single game with my old 60 hz monitor. I couldn't get it stutter free with low input lag.
Even with high input lag normal vsync, I always had some hiccups here and there.

Then I bought a 100 hz 21:9 gsync monitor and since then I just do a stress test (race start for example or jumping into a crows at night for other games) and check my fps.

Then I limit the fps between the average fps and the lowest fps and that's it, job done.

AC at 90 fps, Witcher 3 at 55 fps, wreckfest at 70 fps, acc at 80 fps.

All low input lag, no stutters, awesome!

Now that Nvidia opened up for most of the freesync monitors, it's really the way to go!

 

[Case_]

You can get rid of most microstutter if you spend a lot of time on that. Input lag is a different thing. But what kinda ruins the whole scanline sync nowadays is the fact that exclusive fullscreen is simply on its way out, Microsoft is clearly doing everything to get rid of it over time, and even forcing it manually is sometimes creating its own issues (because it's not expected behavior). So, yeah. I spent a lot of time tweaking scanline sync (and other things like that), as some might know, and since I finally got a Freesync monitor, I haven't looked back. (I would just like a larger Freesync range on my monitor sometimes, but that's what you get when you're on a tight budget.)

 

[N96HBK]

You can get rid of most microstutter if you spend a lot of time on that. Input lag is a different thing. But what kinda ruins the whole scanline sync nowadays is the fact that exclusive fullscreen is simply on its way out, Microsoft is clearly doing everything to get rid of it over time, and even forcing it manually is sometimes creating its own issues (because it's not expected behavior). So, yeah. I spent a lot of time tweaking scanline sync (and other things like that), as some might know, and since I finally got a Freesync monitor, I haven't looked back. (I would just like a larger Freesync range on my monitor sometimes, but that's what you get when you're on a tight budget.)

I might be sensitive to micro stuttering, because it really bugs me!! I found that disabling fullscreen optimizations on Raceroom does funny things to frame time (I think) and makes it look like the game microstutters every 1 second. Returning back to normal gives occasional stutters which are small but they happen mid-corner, so it's distracting to be honest.

I am getting a nicer experience on AC now, I haven't been plagued by stutters, or at least I don't notice them, which is nice. I did get a massive freeze online in the pitlane, but nothing else. Input lag seems to be similar to Vsync disabled, but sometimes I feel the FFB is delayed ever so slightly(?). Not so sure.

The monitors you mention sound great. However, I really don't know if I should be aiming at upgrading my screen or my system itself. AMS2 is somewhat playable (scanline sync stutters in the same places every time..) but I really like RF2, but it doesn't work very well on my PC even with heavy optimizing...

I don't have money yet, so I can't decide now anyway!!

 

[Case_]

Microstutter is something that's very annoying if you notice it and are sensitive to it (just like input lag is). And sometimes there is no real solution with microstutter - you can choose windowed fullscreen and/or non-exclusive fullscreen, and you'll still get microstutter, sometimes even more so due to the effects of triple buffering, or you can choose exclusive fullscreen, but then the resulting image will be even more sensitive to any spikes that happen internally in the game. And doubly so with games like Raceroom, running on ancient technology. That's not to say that modern games are perfect when it comes to framepacing, sometimes they can be even worse.

I spent years fiddling with various vsync tricks and alternatives and scanline sync and whatnot. But I really do feel that I get a lot less of it now thanks to Freesync. It's not completely gone, sometimes you can't avoid it because of say HDD reads or something like that, but it's improved a lot. But I also understand quite well how inconvenient and...financially suboptimal...taking that route can be. Doubly so nowadays, even with monitor prices being pretty low.