To OMEGA or not to OMEGA?!?

SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
edited October 2003 in Science & Tech
I heard the OMEGA ATI drivers have some great features and support for the TV output modes. Is this correct?

Also, more generally speaking, what are the benefits of using the Omega drivers over that of the standard official catylst driver suite?

Thoughts, opinions, random observations? (okay, just kidding with the last one).

Any input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Comments

  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited October 2003
    I don't touch Omega's. The Catalyst driver suite works perfectly fine, provides acceptable performance and enables all features on my video card.

    I'm not a hardcore benchmarker, so the performance benefits for benching that is included with the Omega's doesn't appeal to me.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I'm a hardcore bencher and I get exactly the same speed and quality with either, so I just use ATi's to make life easier.

    Ns
  • ketoketo Occupied. Or is it preoccupied? Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I tried out a version of Omegas on my R9700Pro about 5-6 months ago. Totally could NOT get em to work right so went back to Cats, which have always been fine.
  • CreepCreep Hell Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    As a gammer they are a god sent. Like they say, opt'd for GAMES, not benches. In some of my more tougher FPS games like Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, (Sadly) Counter-Strike/Day of Defeat Steam @ 32Bit they work wonders with my older Radeon 9000.
  • JimboraeJimborae Newbury, Berks, UK New
    edited October 2003
    I use omega's drivers cos it makes it very simple to turn my soft modded 9500 into a 9800 np. It also makes my games look very purty.

    Jim
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    My experience with Omega drivers versus ATI's:

    - slightly lowered benchmarks

    - more overclocking flexibility

    - better 2D and 3D quality, and better color rendering

    - will hose your system if you don't completely remove all traces of previous drivers

    I've bounced back and forth between ATI and Omega. Frankly, I could be happy with either, but I give the nod to Catalyst.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Leonardo said
    I've bounced back and forth between ATI and Catalyst. Frankly, I could be happy with either, but I give the nod to Catalyst.

    Er........ guessing you meant "ATi and Omega" ?

    NS
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Indeed - Omega versus ATI.
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Hmm... I probably won't install Omega next time just because they do something funny with the flying stars in the frontend of Worms Armageddon. Not important enough to switch but whenever I end up upgrading I'll stick with ATI. Although if it does help TV-Out I would eagerly try it again.
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Omegas tv-out worked a lot better for me for some reason, even if the cats worked after some tweaking. You will loose some 3dmark points with Omegas comparing clock-to-clock with the catalysts. The fastest Cats for 9700 series are the 3.2 with its panel. For 9800 series, the 3.5 is the fastest together with its panel. Also, win 2k SP2 with DX 8.1 a is alot faster than SP3 and DX 9.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited October 2003
    Okay thanks guys. When I get chance, I'll probably give the Omega's a go, see if I like them, if not, I'll just move back to the official cat's.

    Cheers
  • SputnikSputnik Worcester, MA
    edited October 2003
    oh.... like said before, make sure you remove EVERY LAST TRACE of your old drivers.

    I had a few, let's call them 'issues' getting my system working correctly with the drivers and still couldn't get the 2d to work (start menu took 1 full second to come up), and that was the easy part. getting the Cats to work again was, how you say, hellish at best


    give 'em a shot, they might help, might not
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I wouldn't touch em now with the new cat 3.8s coming out.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited October 2003
    Pseudonym said
    I wouldn't touch em now with the new cat 3.8s coming out.

    Good point.
  • FormFactorFormFactor At the core of forgotten
    edited October 2003
    What's better with omegas and TV out?

    The reason I ask is I have a 9700 pro I hook up to a HDTV over DVI. Cats recognise the TV as a digital display rather than a TV.

    I can choose 2 resolutions 1900x540 and 848x640. Bothe of these resolutions look a little funny.

    Think I might benefit from the Omegas by haveing other resolution options?

    Thanks
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Pseudonym said
    I wouldn't touch em now with the new cat 3.8s coming out.

    Huh? Omega's already got his Cat 3.8 out...

    I swear by 'em. It seriously pumps up my R9500 Pro, and gives better image quality overall. Works better in games, but gives slightly lower benches. But if the games are working, I don't really care about the benchmarks.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    It seriously pumps up my R9500 Pro, and gives better image quality overall. Works better in games, but gives slightly lower benches. But if the games are working, I don't really care about the benchmarks.
    Exactly my experience for both the AMD and Intel boxes.
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