# What is status of ATItools development?



## CookieCutter (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks for providing great tool like this for us.
But I wonder what has happened to development of ATITools.

Release version is 2 years old. The latest beta version is a year old, too. No clear release schedule for version 2.7 in sight. There are quite many bug reports to be solved and graphic cards that are issued from  ATI and some share of  new game incompatibilities to be handled properly. But no news from developer anymore.  ATITool seems to be perpetually suspended in Void or Purgatory... or forgotten by developer.

Is the development of ATITools abandoned? Or just suspended due to lack of time or resources? Or just lack of interest from users or of developer? Is there any other idea going about it?  If it is suspended due to lack of developer time, why don't go open source?

I am not urging the developer to hurry up to release updated version sooner or later.  But we, ATI Tool lover,  need some prospect on expected release schedule. I can wait unless it will take yet another year. Just I'd like to know what is going on ATI Tools development and I hope that we can hear some news about it before  end of this year.

If ATI Tools is not going to be  updated in foreseeable future, what is best alternative? I don't need much advanced feature. Just simple alternative will do. Please Tell me.

Thanks again for good tool.


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## erocker (Dec 17, 2008)

From what I've heard there is a new utility in the works.  That is all I know.


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## CookieCutter (Dec 17, 2008)

Oh I see... Then, I'd like to address my wish for new utility.
I  do some mild video card over clock, but am not hard-core over clocker.
I just tweak GPU core clock and memory clock  quite mildly.
In fact, even current ATI tool is too much for me; too many functions, too many options, too complicated, too big and heavy tool.

Basic functionalities I use:
1) auto set core/memory clock and fan speed on Windows start up with some delay (low 2D setting to save power and for quiet/silent environment)
2) auto 3D game detection and set clocks/fans to pre-defined 3D over clocking setting. Revert to 2D clock when I finish 3D game. I need some sound feed back  when switching 2D/3D mode.
3) Display current temperature of GPU core in system tray icon. I'd like to add displaying "3D video workload percent" option, too.

All other bells and whistles ( like finding maximum clock/artifact scanning,  keyboard shortcut switching, memory,  gamma and fan tweak, elavorate profile management, etc) are just useless to me and many non-hard-core gamers out there.  I have tried similar tool like RivaTunner, ATI Tray Tools but I had chosen ATITools because it is the simplest, easiest to use and the lightest one.

Please, don't make new utility yet another  complex tool like other swiss-army knife type tool, for example:  ATI Tray tool or Riva Tuner with manay many menus, options, functions. If developer go such route for new utility, please make simpler and lighter version of ATITools with much LESS functionality than current ATI Tools for casual user like me.

I don't want yet another swiss-army knife for my graphic card.


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## Gam'ster (Dec 17, 2008)

erocker said:


> From what I've heard there is a new utility in the works.  That is all I know.



Cool i just hope it works for me, with my current set up/drivers ( even with fresh re-install and different drivers ) i can not get ati tool to work it keeps triggering vpu recover and a crash when vpu is off , but apart from a few driver fixes im very happy jumping from nvidia to ATI.


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## Evo85 (Dec 17, 2008)

Wizzard has said a new version is in the works. But dont expect it before the new year.

Edit: Rivatuner should do what you are wanting till ATITool is updated.


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## DonInKansas (Dec 17, 2008)

This is how You will know when it's out.

You will come to the site and not be able to get on; a message will greet you saying the servers exploded due to the download requests.


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## Gam'ster (Dec 17, 2008)

Evo85 said:


> Wizzard has said a new version is in the works. But dont expect it before the new year.
> 
> Edit: Rivatuner should do what you are wanting till ATITool is updated.



Im using riva atm i just like ati tool better is all..

lol don, a crater were w1zz's house was


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## Assimilator1 (Dec 22, 2008)

CookieCutter 
The scanning artifact part of ATItools is a crucial function of it!, especially if you do any overclocking or testing for defective cards. If you're overclocking your GPU & not using the scanning artifact feature you should! 

Btw until it is updated (if?) adjust clock speeds on another util (like riva tuner) & check results with the fury cube on ATItool 

But anyway, yes I agree it would be nice to know what's happening to ATItool.


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## W1zzard (Dec 22, 2008)

atitool development is stopped. i'm working on a successor which is already working perfectly fine to do nvidia OC. ati overclocking is somewhat working. stability testing isnt there yet.


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## Assimilator1 (Dec 22, 2008)

Ah good to know their's an update via a successor, thanks W1zzard .


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## T1Cybernetic (Dec 23, 2008)

W1zzard said:


> atitool development is stopped. i'm working on a successor which is already working perfectly fine to do nvidia OC. ati overclocking is somewhat working. stability testing isnt there yet.



Excellent news  just what we needed to hear!


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## DaMulta (Dec 23, 2008)

W1zzard said:


> atitool development is stopped. i'm working on a successor which is already working perfectly fine to do nvidia OC. ati overclocking is somewhat working. stability testing isnt there yet.



I want beta copy LOL


Thanks for working on a new one for everyone. Of course yourself too(If you didn't want it I don't see why you would make one. )


Marry Christmas too you if you make it back to this thread in time.


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## Muhad (Dec 24, 2008)

W1zzard keep up the great work.


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## CookieCutter (Dec 30, 2008)

Assimilator1 said:


> CookieCutter
> The scanning artifact part of ATItools is a crucial function of it!, especially if you do any overclocking or testing for defective cards. If you're overclocking your GPU & not using the scanning artifact feature you should!
> 
> Btw until it is updated (if?) adjust clock speeds on another until (like riva tuner) & check results with the fury cube on ATItool
> ...



In fact, I usually use ATI tools to UNDER-CLOCK my GPU. 
I am casual gamer and play games not so much, just few hours a week.  For most of my computer time, I just browse web sites and do some dull jobs, which doesn't use powerful 3D capability of my video card. In such occasion, I usually use ATI Tool to under-clock my GPU, like 100-200 MHz core clock/memory clock, to reduce irritating fan noise, heat and to save power consumption.

If I have choice, I am willing to abandon over-clocking capability for simple and easy underclocking functionality.

If W1zzard  is working on  very powerful (but heavy and comlex, inevitably) new tool for hard-core over-clockers/gamers, how about making simple and light version for UNDER-CLOCKING GPU for casual gamers like me?
.


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## RadeonX2 (Dec 30, 2008)

CookieCutter said:


> In fact, I usually use ATI tools to UNDER-CLOCK my GPU. For most of my computer use time, I just browse web and do some dull jobs, which doesn't use 3D capability of my video card. I don't play game so much.
> 
> So, to reduce irritating fan noise, heat and to save power consumption, I usually use ATI Tool to under-clock my GPU, like 100-200 MHz core clock/memory clock.
> 
> If I have choice, I am willing to abandon over-clocking capability for simple and easy underclocking capability.



yep, same goes for me I have a profile on rivatuner for the OC pressing the OC shortcut key profile if I do gaming same goes for desktop I also have an underclock shortcut key profile. Saves electricity though thankfully Intel downclocks the processor when not in use


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## mrhuggles (Dec 30, 2008)

if you need any testers for the new tool, i have a 2900xt 1gb and alot of free time on my hands

EDIT: oh yeah, i underclocked mine in the bios, the 2d clocks are set to 200gpu and 300vram

3d is 750mhz / 900mhz [droped the memory clocks to make it 100% stable, it never crashed befor except in fallout 3 now it doesnt crash at all in fallout 3 and a couple other bugs seem to have dissapeared


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## Assimilator1 (Dec 31, 2008)

CookieCutter said:


> In fact, I usually use ATI tools to UNDER-CLOCK my GPU.
> I am casual gamer and play games not so much, just few hours a week.  For most of my computer time, I just browse web sites and do some dull jobs, which doesn't use powerful 3D capability of my video card. In such occasion, I usually use ATI Tool to under-clock my GPU, like 100-200 MHz core clock/memory clock, to reduce irritating fan noise, heat and to save power consumption.
> 
> If I have choice, I am willing to abandon over-clocking capability for simple and easy underclocking functionality.
> ...


OK, but aren't the lower 2D clocks low enough anyway?


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## [I.R.A]_FBi (Jan 2, 2009)

Evo85 said:


> Wizzard has said a new version is in the works. But dont expect it before the new year.
> 
> Edit: Rivatuner should do what you are wanting till ATITool is updated.




New year, icanhas?


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## CookieCutter (Jan 3, 2009)

*How about release low level Video tweak I/O library?*

If developer W1zzard is too busy to develop such a light and simple version (without much over-clocking capability) of ATI Tools or its successor , how about releasing separate library routines for video card tweak ( low-level Video BIOS I/O, device driver handing, etc) for application programing?

Then others will be able to develop such light version of ATI Tool utilizing the library and ATI tools device driver. That will open many possibilities like plug-ins/add-on's, etc. I am a programmer and willing to contribute to such effort, though I have no experience in such an Windows device level programing. At least, I can help UI/Windows application aspect of such project.


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## Evo85 (Jan 3, 2009)

[I.R.A]_FBi said:


> New year, icanhas?



Mees furst!!!


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## Easy Rhino (Jan 3, 2009)

a new tool will rock all of our worlds i am sure. i kinda hope the new tool implements a stress test like prime95 where we can stress it for a set amount of time and it checks for errors all the while. that would be a nice tool to have to for gpu stability overclocking.


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## Assimilator1 (Jan 3, 2009)

Like Prime95?? don't you mean like ATItool was but with a time limit?


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## Easy Rhino (Jan 3, 2009)

Assimilator1 said:


> Like Prime95?? don't you mean like ATItool was but with a time limit?



atitool doesnt give errors or warning readouts like prime95 tho.


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## Jasy (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm waiting for that new thing.


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## Assimilator1 (Jan 6, 2009)

Easy Rhino said:


> atitool doesnt give errors or warning readouts like prime95 tho.


A? yes it does, when you 'scan for artifacts' & it finds one (or more) you get a messege in the box saying the number of errors, the incorrect pixel shows and it emits a 'bong' noise to let you know


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## Easy Rhino (Jan 6, 2009)

Assimilator1 said:


> A? yes it does, when you 'scan for artifacts' & it finds one (or more) you get a messege in the box saying the number of errors, the incorrect pixel shows and it emits a 'bong' noise to let you know



lol i know but im looking for something a bit more sophisticated.


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## Assimilator1 (Jan 6, 2009)

Ah ok


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## at0msk (Jan 28, 2009)

Muhad said:


> W1zzard keep up the great work.



dont praise him yet

he's still not brought anything to the table. also we're waiting on *ATI*Tool to be updated (or replaced) but W1zzard has been focusing on Nvidia. 

*kicks W1zzard in the teeth*


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## qubit (Jan 28, 2009)

*Commercial investment needed*



W1zzard said:


> atitool development is stopped. i'm working on a successor which is already working perfectly fine to do nvidia OC. ati overclocking is somewhat working. stability testing isnt there yet.



Cool, I'm looking forward to it. Like I said in another thread some time ago, your software adds great value to ATI's and nvidia's cards, so I strongly feel that they should:

1. pay you to develop this software
2. give you all resources necessary to allow you to develop a really solid, bug-free utility with Microsoft signed drivers
3. include it on the driver disc of every card

These companies are incredibly short-sighted for not doing this for you. 

I made the mistake of buying a HD2900 Pro 1GB last year. I thought I could tame the horribly loud fan with ATI Tool, to adjust the speed and core voltage, but it never really worked properly, as ATI Tool was very buggy due to that lack of investment. Also, with some more graphically intensive games it just wasn't possible to stop that bloody fan from spinning up or the card would cook. To top it off, the performance just wasn't there compared to nvidia. <lame>

I've now got the choice of three much better cards: HD4870 512MB, 8800GTX & the awesome 9800 GX2. 

I really should eBay that 2900...


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## Assimilator1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Well the reviews of the 2900s pretty much said what you found out, didn't you read any reviews 1st?? :Q
Isn't the 8800GTX an older generation card? I would of thought you'd be looking at the 200 series cards, unless their lots more? Anyway, way OT


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## qubit (Jan 28, 2009)

Assimilator1 said:


> Well the reviews of the 2900s pretty much said what you found out, didn't you read any reviews 1st?? :Q
> Isn't the 8800GTX an older generation card? I would of thought you'd be looking at the 200 series cards, unless their lots more? Anyway, way OT



I got the 8800GTX as a b-grade item for the really silly price of £58 (UK) a few months ago; I just had to try this iconic graphics card and compare it to my 2900 (it blew it away in 3D performance when compared. The difference seemed even more than the reviews suggested). Frankly, it really lives up to its reputation of being fast and quiet and perhaps I should have spent the stupid amount of money being demanded for it when it was new, but then hindsight is easy, isn't it?

Surprisingly, the performance deficit as compared to my 4870 isn't all that obvious on my system either (I bought the 4870 first). Animation tends to have a little less hitches too, sometimes.

As far as the 2900 goes, yes of course I read the reviews. The 8800GTX was still very expensive when I got it and overall I would have been reasonably happy with its performance, if it hadn't been for that obnoxious fan noise. The first thing I did when I got it was to run ATI Tools and tamed that fan noise, which was just about possible with a delicate combination of fan profile, core voltage and clock speeds. Given the games I was playing at the time and that I thought ATI Tools was still being developed then, I stuck it out waiting for things to improve, so there was some method to my madness. lol  Only afterwards, did I discover that newer games and/or higher resolutions made it heat up more than the ones I had been playing, making that fan impossible to keep quiet.


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## Assimilator1 (Jan 31, 2009)

lol, doh! 
And yea the 8800s were very pricey when they came out!


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