The 4870 "2D Low", GPU voltage/Memory clock rate Bios Thread

[fullerms]

Noob question

How to load ATT at startup for all users on the PC? Add it to the "Startup" program group, or is there a better way to do it?

 

[mojo]

nafets, or anyone who has tried nafets' BIOS mods, does it seem to be stable and glitch free?

I'm away from home at the moment so can't test it, but when I was using Fastmix's BIOS I found that there were some problems. Sometimes there would be a few single green pixels here and there, and sometimes the machine would crash during WMV playback. Also, GPU apps did not work properly (e.g. Folding@Home, AVIVO video encoding, Elcomsoft WPA cracking) and would either crash on startup or run but only at 2D clock rates.

These issues might have been fixed in newer BIOSs anyway. Has anyone done any extensive testing?

 

[fullerms]

Possible to use seperate profile for UVD?

Hi all,

I have been using ATT tools for sometime now to down clock my ATI 4870 to 160 / 225 @ 1.083 volts for 2D / Desktop mode. Thanks to nafets for the excellent work and expert guidance.

I have noticed that the card default to 3D clocks i.e 790 / 950 @ 1.263 volts for UVD applications. For example, whenever I play a video using media portal or powerdvd. Happens even when I open up Apple itunes.

Does UVD mode really require the horsepower of a 3D application, or is it possible to create a seperate profile in ATT for UVD state? Would save a lot of power and heat problems if it can be done. Not to mention the fan noise from the card

Ideas anyone?

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

I use ATT and lock in the idle speed on my 4850 to 360/600(mem wont go lower and card is stable at lowest gpu v here). It plays 720p back fine at idle settings

 

[fullerms]

Mine plays 1080p without any problems Have you been able to verify whether the cards defaults to UVD state clocks, or does it remain in 2D state?

The issue I have broguht up for discussion is that the card defaults to the clocks defined for the UVD poweplay state whenever I open itunes or an application like mediaportal. The question is, is it possible to define a seperate profile for UVD in ATT? Or will a BIOS mod of the UVD state clocks do the job?

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Have you been able to verify whether the cards defaults to UVD state clocks, or does it remain in 2D state?

No it stays in the state I locked it in, which is 360/600 like I said. I use a hardware profile to lock it in.

I tried flashing bios's before and had those issues, it would not stay in 2D, it would constantly jump up to 3D when doing basic things like opening windows or playing a movie thats why I made a profile for Idle and it stays there until I change it.

 

[fullerms]

No it stays in the state I locked it in, which is 360/600 like I said. I use a hardware profile to lock it in.

Hardware profile? How do you do that?

 

[thirtythirty]

Hi y'all!

I have a strange problem with fan settings:
I modified my BIOS with RBE this way:

My setup:
Tmin °C 40
Tmax °C 106
Tslope % 21
Duty cycle min %15

Hysteresis %24
Spin up cycle % 0
Tmin Hysteresis °C 4
Spin up time (units) 0

PWM RAMP enabled 1% (also tested disabled)


When I started my PC the first time, the fan run at 40%, @40 °C; the second time I started it, it worked as intended, the third time, this morning, the fan was at 10% @ 70°C after 10mins. Tryed to edit the bios a second time, and tryed to edit my safed BIOS file again, and I have always the same problem.
Mybe someone can help me with this.
My Card is a Sapphire HD 4870 1GB;

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Hardware profile? How do you do that?

If you have ATT, then right click it, go to "Tools & Options" then "Advanced" change the "downclocking limit %" to like 50, this is so you can down clock it.

Then right click, "hardware", "overclocking settings", then lower the clocks and mem speed also voltage. Then apply to make sure it works, may want to slowly lower it and apply.

Then you click the disk icon to save it, then you can click load profile at startup. So it will constantly run that speed once ATT opens.

Then create stock profiles or whatever, then you either have to manually change the clocks before you start a game or go to "manage profiles" and link it to the game .exe with whatever speed and it will automatically change clocks when you start that app

As for startup, just go to tools & options and set to load with windows. Not sure how that works with other users?

 

[fullerms]

I have already done that, with 2D clocks @ 160 / 225 and 3D clocks @ 750 / 950. The problem I have is that that ATT kicks in with 3D clocks when I start a media application like Mediaportal or iTunes.

My card runs at 750 / 950 when I' watching a movie clip. I tried to create a ATT profile for the mediaportal executable. While the application starts properly, the clocks are 3D clocks and not the custom clocks I configured for that application.

Any ideas?

 

[twit]

I have already done that, with 2D clocks @ 160 / 225 and 3D clocks @ 750 / 950. The problem I have is that that ATT kicks in with 3D clocks when I start a media application like Mediaportal or iTunes.

My card runs at 750 / 950 when I' watching a movie clip. I tried to create a ATT profile for the mediaportal executable. While the application starts properly, the clocks are 3D clocks and not the custom clocks I configured for that application.

Any ideas?

Hardware -> Auto Overclocking -> Exclude tab
add the executable for any application that unneccessarily cause the card to clock up

 

[IceRich]

Hi there nafets,

Thanks for all you posts regarding the 4870 Bios, I'm reading through them now and looking for the best solution for me.

At the moment i'm running a 4870 bios by 'FastMix' its a powerplay one although I have 2 profiles in CCC, 'Game' and 'Desktop'. I updated a few months back and everything has worked fine but I just wanted to see what else has happened recently.

May I ask you, What solution do you think is best for the 4870 512mb Sapphire at the moment?

Kind regards,

 

[fullerms]

Hardware -> Auto Overclocking -> Exclude tab
add the executable for any application that unneccessarily cause the card to clock up

Works like a charm, thanks

 

[LagunaX]

Currently I have my Visiontek 4870 512mb in storage (upgraded to a 4850x2 card).

It's been flashed to the Asus Top bios and works great.

When I get the chance I'll edit the bios for the 2d 500/450 clocks and reflash.

Thanks and great posts!

If anyone is interested, I have a "standard reference card" 4850 512mb custom bios 700/1100 with a low 2d clock 160/500 1.046v with a better fan profile:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?p=1274297#post1274297
Bios here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lnonjowmnjx

 

[Mussels]

hey guys, joining in here.

I've read a lot of the thread, gunna post what i know, and what i need to know.

Know:
Voltage range that WORKS
1.083v (min) 1.263v (max)

ATIFlash v3.60 in DOS The normal command line used is;
"atiflash -p 0 XXXXX.rom"
If there is an error, force the flash using this command line;
"atiflash -p -f 0 XXXXXX.rom"


Dont know: a damn thing about RBE. its got quite a weird layout compared to Nibitor, which i'm used to.

All i want it to adjust voltage for 2D (lower) and raise 3D (if possible). Also want to open up the core clock values in CCC. Can you tell me what fields this is all in, or offer some help?
(i havent even opened the program yet, forgive me if one or two of these questions are stupid but hte screenshots seemed confusing)

 

[Hayder_Master]

is your bios work on my 4870 1G

 

[thirtythirty]

this thread should be sticky

Did any of you tryed Rivatuner instead of ATT? I like ATT, but there are some problems with my new games, that dont work at all with it.
Ruvatuner should have the possibility to alter V too now...

 

[Mussels]

still need a 4870 1GB BIOS.

I've modded the voltages on mine, but no change in temps (with static 60% fan), so i assume i need a different BIOS that supports voltage changes.

 

[nafets]

still need a 4870 1GB BIOS.

I've modded the voltages on mine, but no change in temps (with static 60% fan), so i assume i need a different BIOS that supports voltage changes.

Lowering the voltage in 2D (from the usual 1.263v) won't necessarily lower your temps. I've found the memory clock speed has the greatest impact on 2D IDLE speeds. But moderate voltage decreases or even GPU clock decreases have a smaller effect on GPU core temps in 2D IDLE. This isn't always true, but is far more common, than not.

If you can't get any VDDC current or VDDC readings from GPU-Z (because of the non-reference design), a Kill-A-Watt may help in seeing if your card actually is downvolting in 2D. Moderate voltage decreases will show a good 2W to 6W difference...

 

[Vargtass]

still need a 4870 1GB BIOS.

I've modded the voltages on mine, but no change in temps (with static 60% fan), so i assume i need a different BIOS that supports voltage changes.

Hi, I got a Powercolor PCS 1GB bios that allow me to lower the voltage to the gpu. Lowering the 2D voltage confirmed using a DMM. The bios is edited with RBE.

PM me if interested.

 

[AHPD]

Okay right, i got a PowerColor HD4870 PCS+ 1GB, NON-REFERENCE PCB REVISION. The VRM Heatsink is farther from the Zerotherm Cooler.

I actually wanna RAISE voltages.

My card DOESN'T FLICKER when switching from 2D to 3D or UVD modes, the memory frequencies is fixed and CCC Overdrive utility sets everyting correctly.

My main and only issue is that Crysis game, every bios out there i see that 3D Clocks are set at 1.276v, my card is set at 1.263v.
I think 1.263v is not sufficient for 800mhz, believing that 1.276v will solve my issue.

So i wanna raise the core voltage to 1.276v, and i don't know a effective method to do such thing, ATI Tray Tools simply doesn't respond, keeps reverting to 1.263v.

And i'm too afraid to flash a modified bios, because my card is not a reference one.

I'll upload my original bios, 800/925Mhz, see at attachments.

 

[VuurVOS]

Did you check if you have the correct voltage controller? Without the voltra VT11xxx voltage controller you can't rise the voltage without doing a hard mod.

 

[shady]

Hello everyone,

I just got a Sapphire HD 4870 512MB Silent Efficiency. The stock clocks is 750/900. I checked the BIOS with RBE 1.20 and found out the 2D clocks are 500/900 with no reduction in voltage. Im thinking of lowering the 2D clocks for both core/memory and use the least voltage, 1.086V. What are the lowest clocks I can go for? I have read about flickers and crashes so I wonder whether it is safe. I'm also thinking of raising the 3D clocks to 800/1000? Is it safe? Btw, I have tested my card with Furmark and temp raised to more than 100C. My current temps are 50C for idle and up to 80C during games. Thank you.

 

[ov2rey]

my card is PowerColour 4870 1Gb DDR5

i flash my bios with

2D clocks @ 160 / 225 1.083v and 3D clocks @ 800 / 925 1.263v

my screen keep flicking when switching between 2d to 3d or 3d to 2d

power save 37 watts

i even try reflash to 500 / 450 1.083v and 3D clocks @ 800 / 925 1.263v

still flicking screen..

anyway to fix my flicking screen? when change mode?

 

[nafets]

Hello everyone,

I just got a Sapphire HD 4870 512MB Silent Efficiency. The stock clocks is 750/900. I checked the BIOS with RBE 1.20 and found out the 2D clocks are 500/900 with no reduction in voltage. Im thinking of lowering the 2D clocks for both core/memory and use the least voltage, 1.086V. What are the lowest clocks I can go for? I have read about flickers and crashes so I wonder whether it is safe.

If you're solely intentent on editing your BIOS and flashing it, you have a number of choices, listed from least power savings/heat reduction to most power savings/heat reduction.

1. Set 2D voltage to 1.083v, and keep clocks at 500/900. Perfectly "safe".
2. Set 2D voltage to 1.083v, and lower clocks to ~160/900. Perfectly "safe". Some 2D programs may not like such a low GPU clock. Stability will need to be checked.
3. Set 2D voltage to 1.083v. and lower clocks to ~160/450. Perfectly "safe". You may or may not encounter flickering/shaking because of the varied MEM clock. My testing has shown MEM clocks of 450MHz in 2D and 900MHz in 3D to work just fine without flickering/shaking. I have yet to get word from others that this works for them. YMMV.

I list perfectly "safe" for all these choices as you won't damage your card in any way, with any of these settings. It's just that you may have minor instability because of the very low GPU clock or varying MEM clocks, but this is fixable with proper settings from trial and error.

I'm also thinking of raising the 3D clocks to 800/1000? Is it safe? Btw, I have tested my card with Furmark and temp raised to more than 100C. My current temps are 50C for idle and up to 80C during games. Thank you.

This is where you run into situations where you can possibly damage your card. You need to fully test to make sure your card is stable at 800/1000, before you do alter your BIOS with these 3D clocks. This is to be done via CCC, Rivatuner, ATT, etc and after you are very confident that you won't encounter any problems with the programs that you run. Obviously if you're hitting 100C at these speeds, temperature is going to be an issue.

As with any under/overclocking/volting, I usually recommend just leaving the BIOS alone and using software, listed above, to create 2D/3D profiles which can be automatically/manually enabled with your specific GPU/MEM clocks and voltages when necessary. This is a much safer and less permanent route, than editing your BIOS. Good luck.

my card is PowerColour 4870 1Gb DDR5

i flash my bios with 2D clocks @ 160 / 225 1.083v and 3D clocks @ 800 / 925 1.263v

my screen keep flicking when switching between 2d to 3d or 3d to 2d

power save 37 watts

i even try reflash to 500 / 450 1.083v and 3D clocks @ 800 / 925 1.263v

still flicking screen..

anyway to fix my flicking screen? when change mode?

You need to keep your 2D memory at 925MHz to get rid of the flickering/shaking.

As I stated above, if you want to use different MEM clocks for 2D and 3D and are running with OC'ed MEM speeds, you'll need to use CCC, Rivatuner, or ATT to set your 2D GPU/MEM clocks...