AMD/ATI Pixel Clock Patcher

[ToastyX]

AMD/ATI Pixel Clock Patcher modifies the AMD/ATI video driver to allow higher resolutions and refresh rates by removing the 165 MHz pixel clock limit for single-link DVI and HDMI, the 330 MHz limit for dual-link DVI, and the 400 MHz limit for VGA.

Download: atikmdag-patcher-1.4.15.zip - Source: atikmdag-patcher-1.4.15-src.zip

A message from ToastyX:

Over the years, I have created various monitor-related software and provided support for free. I would like to continue providing updates and work on new ideas, but I need your support. If you find my software useful, please consider supporting me through Patreon:

Requirements:

• Windows Vista or later
• HD 5000-series GPU or newer until Polaris/Vega. RX 5000-series and newer are not supported.
• CrossFire: R9 280/280X and older cards require two CrossFire bridges if the pixel clock is greater than 300 MHz. This is only possible with cards that have two connectors. It will not work properly with more than two cards. Dual-GPU cards such as the 7990 will not work properly at higher pixel clocks.
  

Compatibility:

• Version 1.4.15 is compatible with Catalyst 11.9 to Adrenalin 24.7.1 for Polaris/Vega (not RDNA). It can be used with future versions if it finds the limits you need.
• Riot Vanguard and FACEIT Anti-Cheat will not allow patched drivers to load.
  

Getting started:

1. Run atikmdag-patcher.exe. (If you only need the BIOS signature patch, rename it to atikmdag-patcher-bios.exe first.)
2. If all limits are found, click "Yes" to patch and sign. If a limit is not found or if multiple matches are found, the patcher needs to be updated.
3. Reboot.
   

You can then add higher refresh rates using Custom Resolution Utility (CRU).

To restore the unpatched driver, run the patcher again and click "Yes" to restore from backup.

Unpatching is not required before upgrading drivers. Simply run the patcher again after installing the new driver.

Options:

You can rename the .exe file to change certain options:

• atikmdag-patcher-bios.exe - Patch BIOS signature check only.
• atikmdag-patcher-sl.exe - Make dual-link DVI ports act as single-link DVI. Use this to go beyond 230 MHz pixel clock with single-link DVI monitors.
• atikmdag-patcher-dl.exe - Do not patch single-link DVI limit on dual-link DVI ports. Useful for 2560x1080 monitors.
• atikmdag-patcher-self.exe - Use self-signed certificate. Windows test mode is required: https://www.monitortests.com/testmode.zip
  

Known issues:

• Legacy drivers may have issues with HDCP and video acceleration with the patch. Workarounds for video playback issues:
  • Disable hardware acceleration in the Flash Player settings (right-click on any Flash video and click "Settings...").
  • Use the Codec Tweak Tool to disable DXVA hardware acceleration under "Various Tweaks" (in the "Miscellaneous" section).
    

• Older cards require the "LCD standard" vertical blanking/total to reduce the memory clock when idle. Horizontal values can still be reduced if necessary. Newer cards can handle some lower values depending on the resolution and refresh rate.
  

• Older cards have a design limitation unrelated to the patch that causes video acceleration to scramble the screen if the vertical blanking/total is below standard with the video card's memory overclocked or with multiple monitors connected. Skype is known to trigger this problem. Either don't overclock the video card's memory, or use the "LCD standard" vertical blanking/total in CRU.
  

Recent changes:

• 1.4.15: Added support for R.ID Polaris/Vega drivers. Increased VGA limit to 800 MHz for other drivers.
• 1.4.14: Fixed driver not found after installing Amernime Zone drivers. Added self-sign option and Info.txt. No changes to current drivers.
• 1.4.13: Fixed low-resolution limit and restore from backup for very old drivers (11.9-12.4). No changes to later drivers.
• 1.4.12: Updated for 21.9.1/21.9.2. Fixed CrossFire limit.
• 1.4.11: Updated for 21.6.1-21.7.2. Fixed Radeon Software issues.
• 1.4.10: Updated for 21.4.1.
• 1.4.9: Fixed HDMI-DVI limit for 20.11.2 and HBlank limit for 20.5.1.
• 1.4.8: Updated for 20.5.1.
• 1.4.7: Find new SL-DVI/HDMI limit.
• 1.4.6: Find new HDMI-DVI limit.
• 1.4.5: Updated for 17.4.1. Find new DP-DVI/HDMI limit.
• 1.4.4: Find BIOS signature check.
• 1.4.3: Fixed HBlank limit for 16.12.1.
• 1.4.2: Find 56 horizontal blanking (HBlank) limit.
• 1.4.1: Fixed an issue that prevented the driver from loading correctly with earlier versions of Windows 10. This does not affect the anniversary update.
• 1.4.0: Updated for 16.9.1. Changed the way the driver is located and patched. Replaced 640x480 limit with low-resolution limit. Fixed VGA limit for 32-bit.
• 1.3.6: Find 10-resolution limit for Radeon Settings.
• 1.3.5: Updated for 15.11 Crimson. Find 640x480 limit for Radeon Settings.
• 1.3.4: Try to improve finding DVI/HDMI limit for newer drivers. Removed blue screen workaround for 14.6/14.7.
• 1.3.3: Updated for 15.3. Fixed DVI/HDMI limit for 32-bit.
• 1.3.2: Updated for 15.2. Fixed DVI/HDMI limit for 64-bit.
• 1.3.1: Find 297 MHz HDMI 1.3+ limits. Run 3 times to properly repatch an existing installation.
• 1.3: Removed blue screen workaround for 14.9. Fall back to self-signing if signing fails.
• 1.2.7: Attempt to work around some antivirus false positives. Repatching is not necessary.
• 1.2.6: Fixed AMD APP encoding for 14.6.
• 1.2.5: Updated for 14.6. Fixed TMDS and VGA limits. Implemented workaround for SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION blue screens.
• 1.2.4: Updated for 14.4. Fixed SL limit on DL-DVI.
• 1.2.3: Updated for 13.30 and upcoming 14.x releases.
• 1.2.2: Find new HDMI limit for 12.9+.
• 1.2.1: Find 400 MHz VGA limit.
• 1.2: Test mode no longer required.
  

[Black Octagon]

Hi ToastyX, thanks for all the much-appreciated work you do.

I have a question, which I just asked in a post over at the Overlord forums: http://www.overlordforum.com/viewtopic.p...t=65#p2129

My question, in a nutshell, is whether there are any 'tips' to using CRU in manual mode. I.e., is there a user-friendly explanation of what the different timings mean, or should we just enter a bunch of numbers at random until we (hopefully) settle on a combination that gives us 120Hz @ 2560x1440?

My screen has nearly arrived, and I would love to be able to use CRU with at least a vague idea what it is I'm doing.

Cheers

EDIT: Sorry, this should have been posted in the CRU thread!

[ToastyX]

It doesn't really matter what the values mean. The goal when dealing with LCD monitors is to reduce the blanking as low as the monitor and video card can handle in order to reduce the horizontal scan rate and the pixel clock. Blanking is the period between each line and each frame that isn't shown on the screen. With the Catleap 2B and Tempest OC monitors, reducing the vertical total to 1450 is the simplest most effective change you can make. It's possible to tweak it down further, but not by much.

For reference:

Front Porch + Sync Width + Back Porch = Blanking
Active + Blanking = Total

Pixel clock is the total number of pixels per second.
Horizontal Total * Vertical Total * Refresh Rate = Pixel Clock
2720 * 1450 * 120 = 473280000 (473.28 MHz)

Horizontal scan rate is the number of lines per second.
Vertical Total * Refresh Rate = Horizontal Scan Rate
1450 * 120 = 174000 (174 KHz)

[reinhardrudi]

moin moin

i test the patcher with the new 12.11 Beta 11 and DX11 is not working for me (no Ungine heaven and 3DMark 11) HD7970 .
with the old 12.11 Beta 6 everything works.
any idea??

greez from germany
reinhardrudi

[ToastyX]

What is it doing? Does it work without the patch?

I tried the Unigine Heaven benchmark with Beta 11 patched, and DirectX 11 is working for me with a 7850.

[Black Octagon]

(12-13-2012 04:38 AM)ToastyX Wrote:  It doesn't really matter what the values mean. The goal when dealing with LCD monitors is to reduce the blanking as low as the monitor and video card can handle in order to reduce the horizontal scan rate and the pixel clock. Blanking is the period between each line and each frame that isn't shown on the screen. With the Catleap 2B and Tempest OC monitors, reducing the vertical total to 1450 is the simplest most effective change you can make. It's possible to tweak it down further, but not by much.

For reference:

Front Porch + Sync Width + Back Porch = Blanking
Active + Blanking = Total

Pixel clock is the total number of pixels per second.
Horizontal Total * Vertical Total * Refresh Rate = Pixel Clock
2720 * 1450 * 120 = 473280000 (473.28 MHz)

Horizontal scan rate is the number of lines per second.
Vertical Total * Refresh Rate = Horizontal Scan Rate
1450 * 120 = 174000 (174 KHz)

Thank you for the reply. This helps

[Randolla]

Toasty,

I have my Tempest in hand and like Black Octagon, I am trying to understand this whole manual timing thing. I can get to 115Hz OK but at 120 I get faint lines.
Horizontal
2560
1
1
143
145
2705
+


Vert
3
3
4
10
1450
-
Interlaced is unchecked.

I have read your explanation but I do not fully understand it. What is the goal to reach with each number? I know we want to end at 120Hz but what about Pixel clock? Should we try for a lower number or a higher one?
How about horizontal scan? You use 174 in your example. Is that what we should shoot for or should it relate to another number in some way?
I guess I am so new to this that I must be missing the obvious.

Thanks for all your help.

[Black Octagon]

Well, ToastyX has posted elsewhere that "120 Hz requires around 468 to 497.76 MH" (at this resolution).

So for the pixel clock you'll likely need at least 470Mhz if not more. However, as I understand it it's best to keep this low and only go up in increments in order to minimise strain on the cable.

Beyond that, the numbers you've posted are confusing (to me) as you appear to have listed more entries than exist in CRU for manual timings?

Perhaps you could do a screen capture like in this post: http://www.overlordforum.com/posting.php...=52&p=2188

Alternatively, point out which numbers are front porch, sync width, etc.

[reinhardrudi]

(12-13-2012 06:35 AM)ToastyX Wrote:  What is it doing? Does it work without the patch?

I tried the Unigine Heaven benchmark with Beta 11 patched, and DirectX 11 is working for me with a 7850.

i get the info that i need DX11 hardware .....not more.
with beta 6 it works.
without the patch---i test.

but i have a other patch too,Hybrid PhysX with a 560ti.
http://www.ngohq.com/graphic-cards/22136...olved.html

[Randolla]

(12-13-2012 02:34 PM)Black Octagon Wrote:  Well, ToastyX has posted elsewhere that "120 Hz requires around 468 to 497.76 MH" (at this resolution).

So for the pixel clock you'll likely need at least 470Mhz if not more. However, as I understand it it's best to keep this low and only go up in increments in order to minimise strain on the cable.

Beyond that, the numbers you've posted are confusing (to me) as you appear to have listed more entries than exist in CRU for manual timings?

Perhaps you could do a screen capture like in this post: http://www.overlordforum.com/posting.php...=52&p=2188

Alternatively, point out which numbers are front porch, sync width, etc.

BlackO,

What is confusing you is that I am using the CRU utility that Toasty made that is downlaoded from the some place that he has his patcher. That screen shot is from Nvidia's custom resolution screen and is missing the last set of numbers. I am not at my rig that has all of this now and won't be for a day or two.

https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Threa...tility-CRU Download it here and you will see what I mean.

Somehow we will figure it all out.