Radeon 7000 - Slow graphics

[orasis]

Hey I am curious is the generic 'radeon' driver included within the Vector Gnu/Linux package? - I ask because I have noticed that GL is quite slow for me anyways in Vector. - I can run GLXGEARS - and receive good results about the same or higher than I could in Debian/Ubuntu or the other nix'es I tried in the past.. but in application performance it is real slow...

I tryed PPR-racer in which my mouse would move every 2 seconds and same with the animation.. I installed Zsnes - where any resolution passed 640x480 DR would work quickly --- I remember in Ubuntu I could run it at any resolution quickly...

I even decided to use my old 'backed up' Ubuntu xorg.conf file in Vector - which works, but the speed is still slow!!!

Is there something I am missing here? --- is X.org in Vector missing the older radeon drivers?

[orasis]

I do not understand this... Enemy Territory is BLAZING FAST on VectorLinux lol - when compared to all of the other Linux'es I have used it on... But then why are the less graphical games such as Zsnes (except for 640x480) and PP-RACER so slow?

From what I can gather ET is a lot more graphics intensive than Zsnes or PP-Racer lol 

Vector keeps on surprising me.. especially when it comes to speed.. this distro is so fast it's nuts.

[Joe1962]

I have noticed that ppracer sucks when using the xorg drivers instead of the ATI propietary ones. Though it's weird that it would use more advanced 3D functions than Enemy Territory.

[orasis]

I have noticed that ppracer sucks when using the xorg drivers instead of the ATI propietary ones. Though it's weird that it would use more advanced 3D functions than Enemy Territory.

This is quite true however propietary drivers are sort of null for the Radeon 7000 as ATI chose to abandon it's older cards on the GNU/Linux system...

All in all I believe that ATI/Linux is a bad combination - but hey that's me...

As for the graphics in PP-Racer vs ET --- It is interesting.. I wonder what sort of features they are using in that game because when we compare ET to PP Racer one would be led to the conclusion that ET is much more advanced, sophisticated, detailed etc.. and as such if you can run ET fairly well than PP Racer should fly....

Perhaps PP Racer uses T&L which the 7000/VE does not support at all... but even then by your post it would seem that it runs somewhat slow on the newer modern ATI cards which do have full T&L support... so yeah

[Joe1962]

Well, I've only tested it only a Radeon 9000 Pro.

[Vxt]

You may find more data on older Radeon chipsets here:

SUPPORT

ATI/Radeon

And more:

Gentoo WIKI (Radeon)

If not successful -try posting your X-Org Cfg settings

Plse Note: To dispel unintentional mis-conceptions

when using the xorg drivers

X-Org does NOT have "own"  drivers - uses  whatever is presently available in users X-libraries 
That may be 'generic' such as
nv
X-vesa
frame-buffer
ati (as specified in the "device" section of xorg.conf)

OR - For newer chipsets ~ OEMs proprietary kernel wrappers

For ATI - DRI & glx should be enabled If enhaced options (extensions) available_
~ Plse see relevant documentation for each driver

For older cards & non-accelerated use - Plse see use of Mesa

Errata: HOW X  WORKS

HTH

[orasis]

Excellent - excellent - Thank you all for sharing your vast knowledge on the subject.

[Vxt]

Orasis ~

We are glad to  help (when able)

May I add  - if you have one of the older  'generic 3rd party' chipsets such as 'Sapphire'
Which was licensed by ATI (the card will be stamped ATI or Mfr's  name);
It may not be worth the hassle - those older Sapphire  chipsets were not as capable

BTW - did you see the DRI GUI utility ( ATI -Radeon URL) ?

Whatever the case - Please  back up your now working original xorg.conf file
Copy & call it xorg.conf-backup  or whatever   you wish
Then if anything  goes wrong - can just rename it to xorg.cong & you are back in business

Best of luck