DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

hughlb
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 7:06 am

DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by hughlb »

I have been having significant problems with stuttering with TrackIR in DCS (but also apparent in Assetto Corsa) - It is most noticeable when looking around with TrackIR. I just purchased a new Gsync 144hz monitor, thinking the culprit might be my old vsync 60hz monitor - But Gsync has just made the problem worse.

The video below captures the problem in part, but for whatever reason the stuttering isn't as apparent in the video - maybe because of the capture/export process. Still it shows how the issue works. It's bad enough, that I need some kind of solution before I can get back into DCS.

In the video, before the framerate locks, you can see it see-saws between 60-150fps, I certainly don't have a low framerate issue. What isn't apparent in the video is tearing, which is happening even with gsync on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=509gHo2hHDE

These are all the solutions I've tried *deep breath*:

In game - Low, Medium, High, Ultra - makes no difference
Fullscreen - on/off
vsync - on/off

Windows 8.1 and 10
Installing DCS on two different SSD's
Installing TrackIR on two different SSD's
Two different monitors - 1 60hz, 1 60-144hz gsync
Nvidia drivers - older and current, clean install
NVidia control panel tweaks
Monitor - refresh rate changes 60hz through 144hz
Gsync ON, Gsync OFF, Gysnc/Vsync ON, Vsync ON, All Off
Chipset drivers - up to date

CPU:
Hyperthreading On/Off
Affinity - Various affinities for DCS and TrackIR
Core Parking - On/Off
Priority Class - High, Realtime, Normal etc.

Antivirus - Windows, Bitdefender, Avira, Avast, Off.

Windows System Timing Tool - On/Off/various

Page file - On/Off, various sizes

Tried optimising with Process Lasso

Tried overclocking slightly with MSI Afterburner

Windows 10 tweaks
Superfetch - OFF
Privacy Settings - Pretty much all OFF
Notifications/Actions - Off
Apps/Features - Cleaned
Offline Maps - Off
Services - 3 Xbox services, All Hyper-V services, Micosoft SMS router service, Diagnostics tracking service, fax service, dmwappushsvc, 3 sensor services
System Protection - OFF
Hybernation - OFF

SSD's optimised regularly, with plenty of space on the drives
RAM - not close to filling up
Heat - Everything checks out as normal
hughlb
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 7:06 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by hughlb »

Bump*

Does anyone have any solutions?

As it stands, TrackIR is perfectly fluid at 120fps, but below 100fps it has a noticeable "framerate" when looking around - it looks like 30fps.

I want to note that the game itself isn't stuttering or dropping frames, and if I look around using the joystick hats, everything is smooth. TrackIR exclusively is producing this problem in DCS.
MikeWitham
Posts: 1477
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:19 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by MikeWitham »

hughlb,

I've been trying to replicate this issue and so far have not been able to. I had a few theories, but none of them were able to make it appear. Without it happening, I can't find a way to fix it.

Regards,
Mike Witham
TrackIR Product Manager
IrinaSupport
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:02 pm

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by IrinaSupport »

This problem is all around the Internet present. Many people cannot descripe it correctly. There is no solution out there.

Let me create clarity. The problem is Nvidia Gsync technology combined with a display below or equal @100hz running and using a head tracking device like trackir and its software.

The only thing you can do is to switch off Gsync in Nvidia panel, set 60hz in Nvidia panel for your screen and use Vsync in game. You can lock 60fps in some games too. This will give you much smoother head tracking.

Games like DCS have big problems with your combination of hardware with tracking software.

Natural Point should examine this problem. It is present since years. If they will not, there will never be a solution.

Natural Point should get an 100hz Gsync screen and then they can replicate the issue.
Hope they will do some time, because many many gamer got these issue which is killing a lot of immersion and makes it ugly to play.

Sorry for my bad english, but i hope i could help a lot of people with this lines.

@Mike
Please take time, get such a screen and look into it
Foxone
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 4:40 pm

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by Foxone »

All this U have said is really possible baut can u explain why I have not the problem in DCS 2.1?

With the same hardware and same profile?
BitMaster
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:38 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by BitMaster »

I am trying to help at least a dozen guys to get that fixed, the problem is as urgent as it was 2016.

For some reason, there are setups that do not suffer that problem ( incl. me ) with about the same hardware, 1080ti, 32GB, multiple SSD, 8700k 5GHz, Asus Gsync 144Hz screen etc...


Please have a look at this issue, it's very annoying and it haunts our forum.

I have no idea how to help those guys, please jump in and examine the issue deeper.


Thank you
BitMaster
Goa
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 5:45 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by Goa »

I have the same problem as well and I've tried all the possible combination to eliminate this issue,

MY RIG:
Intel 8700k@5.0 ghz
Motherboard: Asrock z370 Taichi
RAM: DDR4 Gskill trident Z @3200mhz
Monitor: Asus PG278QR Gsync 144/165 hz


This problem occure also with ARMA3 and any other game that uses TRACKIR, it's not only DCS related.

To have a smooth, sutter-free, no jittery experience , the only solution is to limit the fps at 60, any fps fluctuation from 60 to 120 will generate juttery and stuttery

Why is Natural point ignoring us completely?
Kurtosis
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:54 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by Kurtosis »

TrackIR 5 has a 120 Hz update frequency. If you run your games at any other frame rates than integer multiples or divisors of 120 (eg 40, 60, 120, 240), they will have a stuttery motion, especially with panning the camera. The proper way to fix this is to limit the frame rate to 60. 120 you can probably not reach consistently. An inferior solution is to increase the smoothing level in the TrackIR software. That will help smooth things, but also increase response times.
hughlb
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 7:06 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by hughlb »

Naturalpoint, is there any update on resolving this issue?

More and more of us are having this problem as we upgrade to Gsync and Freesync monitors. Since 2016 I have purchased an entirely new computer and monitor, however the problem is still ever present. Software capping the frame rate at 60fps only offers a partial solution to this problem, as any slight deviation (61 or 59 FPS) for even a moment will introduce stutter.

Can Naturalpoint introduce a variable polling rate that matches the monitor or game refresh rate, through a software update? If not I’d gladly pay for a hardware solution that had a variable refresh rate (TrackIR 6?).

Here are two threads discussing the issue:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=202541&page=4
Mr_Mike
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:00 am

Re: DCS - Gsync/Vsync/TrackIR Stutter - help needed

Post by Mr_Mike »

Hi! This is definitely a problem and not only on games mentioned. I created a mouse emulation script and tested this with fps-games and same problem, only 60fps and 120fps are totally smooth. And this with 120hz gsync-monitor.

I'll test more, but quite sure can't find a fix and this would need a fix/changes from Naturalpoint.

It would be great to have an option to change trackir polling rate...
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