Horizontal Bars?

r1wigs · 09-26-2006, 04:49 PM

I've been using this screensaver for about a week and have really enjoyed it. But last night I walked into the computer room to show it to some friends and I was shocked to see it was now has very distinct horizontal bars all the way through it. Very noticeable, my eye caught it as soon as I entered the room. I know it wasn't there before. I have tried changing settings, fish, backrounds but they remain. 16bit to 32 bit. I tried some of my other screensavers and the bars are not there. I even messed with the controls for the monitor but nothing changes. If I can't get rid of the bars, I guess I just wasted 19 bucks. Any suggestions?

Jav400 · 09-26-2006, 05:06 PM

I haven't heard of that one before, but we'll get it figured out. Eric is on the forum right now and maybe he will have a ready answer. But to start with, what operating system, video card, and drivers are you running? Next can you post a screenshot of what you are seeing?

feldon34 · 09-27-2006, 08:52 AM

I think you want to update/replace your video drivers.

r1wigs · 09-27-2006, 03:16 PM

I did some screenshots of the screensaver but can't figure out how to post them. In doing the screenshots I realized that the horizontal bars are only in the backround, not in the fish, rocks, plants or gravel. I still have the demo Serenescreen Marine screensaver on my computer and it works just fine. I also have another (demo) marine one from another company and it also work just fine, no bars. My only option is to uncheck automatic lights and set the backround to black, then you can't see the horizontal bars. I am thinking of getting a new video card, but don't know which to choose.

edaniels · 09-27-2006, 03:26 PM

Very interesting, r1wigs! I don't recall ever hearing (or seeing) a problem quite like that one. Sounds like something Edgar (programmer extraordinaire) might need to dig into. Could you tell us, as Feldon suggested, the specifics of your hardware? And if you could post the screenshot, that would be even better. (Feldon, could you explain how to do that?)

edaniels · 09-27-2006, 03:27 PM

Sorry, it was Jav who requested the technical info, not Feldon.

cjmaddy · 09-27-2006, 03:34 PM

That sounds like banding. Try changing to 32bit, or turn off anti-aliasing, (if on).
Or you may have to go to a better video card, and/or latest drivers.

feldon34 · 09-27-2006, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by r1wigs:

I did some screenshots of the screensaver but can't figure out how to post them.

Click "Go Advanced" or click "Quote" to open the more advanced editing window. You should be able to scroll down past Post Icons and past Miscellaneous Options down to Attach Files. Click "Manage Attachments".

r1wigs · 09-28-2006, 05:33 AM

You can't see the bars very well on the first screenshot, but I enlarged it and you can see it better. It is much more noticable setting in front of the monitor.

Jav400 · 09-28-2006, 05:49 AM

Lighten the background some, and paste the whole screenshot. If its to large and you have nothing to reduce the size, then email it to me and I will take care of posting it for you. Those are difficult for me to see.

r1wigs · 09-28-2006, 05:54 AM

When you click on the pictures I attached, they open up large, you can't see it ??

Jav400 · 09-28-2006, 06:30 AM

Yes, I know how the attachments work, but thanks anyway. What I would like to see is lighter and larger please.

Jim Sachs · 09-28-2006, 09:05 AM

Looks like simple 16-bit banding to me. Switch to 32-bit. MA and Goldfish don't use each other's settings, so it's entirely possible for one to be set to 16-bit and the other to 32-bit.

Jav400 · 09-28-2006, 09:16 AM

In the first post he said he already tried switching from 16 to 32 bit. Thats why I wanted to see a larger shot with a lighter BG to see how it covers the whole thing. Hopefully we will get a shot.

cjmaddy · 09-28-2006, 09:18 AM

Yes, I think that's the banding, that was referred to in the link I gave earlier. It was also a problem to a few of us some years ago on MA. - Below is a screen shot. I think it was a product of a number of things, which got resolved with better and newer video cards and drivers, etc.

Jav400 · 09-28-2006, 09:27 AM

If it covers the whole thing then I will guess that it is banding and if he has actually already tried switching, then he probably needs better drivers and/or a better video card. What gets me is he says he ran it for a week without seeing any sign of this in the beginning. That could be attributed to bad drivers, mem leaks, and an overloaded system if he hasn't rebooted before seeing this. Depends on the system setup.

feldon34 · 09-28-2006, 09:58 AM

IF you look at the top, it says that it's running in 16bit. 1024 x 768 x 16.

But even on 16bit, I do not get that banding. I think you should upgrade your video drivers, ignoring the drivers offered by Windows Update.

cjmaddy · 09-28-2006, 10:27 AM

Morgan. Who are you referring to?

Jim Sachs · 09-28-2006, 10:52 AM

Jav - When he said that he had tried switching from 16 to 32-bit, it's possible that he did this in Display Preferences. The setting in MA or Goldfish Settings will override this.

Jav400 · 09-28-2006, 11:06 AM

Well duh, thanks Jim. I didn't think of that, and I should have asked. It seems my brain is the only thing that still gets vacations sometimes.

09-26-2006, 04:49 PM	#1
r1wigs Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 12	Horizontal Bars? I've been using this screensaver for about a week and have really enjoyed it. But last night I walked into the computer room to show it to some friends and I was shocked to see it was now has very distinct horizontal bars all the way through it. Very noticeable, my eye caught it as soon as I entered the room. I know it wasn't there before. I have tried changing settings, fish, backrounds but they remain. 16bit to 32 bit. I tried some of my other screensavers and the bars are not there. I even messed with the controls for the monitor but nothing changes. If I can't get rid of the bars, I guess I just wasted 19 bucks. Any suggestions?

09-26-2006, 05:06 PM	#2
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	I haven't heard of that one before, but we'll get it figured out. Eric is on the forum right now and maybe he will have a ready answer. But to start with, what operating system, video card, and drivers are you running? Next can you post a screenshot of what you are seeing? Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

09-27-2006, 08:52 AM	#3
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	I think you want to update/replace your video drivers. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

09-27-2006, 03:26 PM	#5
edaniels Goldfish Aquarium Developer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Glendale, California Posts: 82	Very interesting, r1wigs! I don't recall ever hearing (or seeing) a problem quite like that one. Sounds like something Edgar (programmer extraordinaire) might need to dig into. Could you tell us, as Feldon suggested, the specifics of your hardware? And if you could post the screenshot, that would be even better. (Feldon, could you explain how to do that?) ---------------------------------- E R I C D A N I E L S, a n i m a t o r Goldfish Aquarium Screensaver ----------------------------------

09-27-2006, 03:27 PM	#6
edaniels Goldfish Aquarium Developer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Glendale, California Posts: 82	Sorry, it was Jav who requested the technical info, not Feldon. ---------------------------------- E R I C D A N I E L S, a n i m a t o r Goldfish Aquarium Screensaver ----------------------------------

09-27-2006, 03:16 PM	#4
r1wigs Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 12	I did some screenshots of the screensaver but can't figure out how to post them. In doing the screenshots I realized that the horizontal bars are only in the backround, not in the fish, rocks, plants or gravel. I still have the demo Serenescreen Marine screensaver on my computer and it works just fine. I also have another (demo) marine one from another company and it also work just fine, no bars. My only option is to uncheck automatic lights and set the backround to black, then you can't see the horizontal bars. I am thinking of getting a new video card, but don't know which to choose.

09-27-2006, 03:34 PM	#7
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	That sounds like banding. Try changing to 32bit, or turn off anti-aliasing, (if on). Or you may have to go to a better video card, and/or latest drivers.

09-27-2006, 07:45 PM	#8
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by r1wigs: I did some screenshots of the screensaver but can't figure out how to post them. Click "Go Advanced" or click "Quote" to open the more advanced editing window. You should be able to scroll down past Post Icons and past Miscellaneous Options down to Attach Files. Click "Manage Attachments". "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

09-28-2006, 05:49 AM	#10
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Lighten the background some, and paste the whole screenshot. If its to large and you have nothing to reduce the size, then email it to me and I will take care of posting it for you. Those are difficult for me to see. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

09-28-2006, 05:54 AM	#11
r1wigs Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 12	? When you click on the pictures I attached, they open up large, you can't see it ??

09-28-2006, 06:30 AM	#12
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Yes, I know how the attachments work, but thanks anyway. What I would like to see is lighter and larger please. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

09-28-2006, 09:05 AM	#13
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Looks like simple 16-bit banding to me. Switch to 32-bit. MA and Goldfish don't use each other's settings, so it's entirely possible for one to be set to 16-bit and the other to 32-bit. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

09-28-2006, 09:16 AM	#14
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	In the first post he said he already tried switching from 16 to 32 bit. Thats why I wanted to see a larger shot with a lighter BG to see how it covers the whole thing. Hopefully we will get a shot. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

09-28-2006, 09:27 AM	#16
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	If it covers the whole thing then I will guess that it is banding and if he has actually already tried switching, then he probably needs better drivers and/or a better video card. What gets me is he says he ran it for a week without seeing any sign of this in the beginning. That could be attributed to bad drivers, mem leaks, and an overloaded system if he hasn't rebooted before seeing this. Depends on the system setup. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

09-28-2006, 09:58 AM	#17
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	IF you look at the top, it says that it's running in 16bit. 1024 x 768 x 16. But even on 16bit, I do not get that banding. I think you should upgrade your video drivers, ignoring the drivers offered by Windows Update. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

09-28-2006, 10:27 AM	#18
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Morgan. Who are you referring to?

09-28-2006, 10:52 AM	#19
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Jav - When he said that he had tried switching from 16 to 32-bit, it's possible that he did this in Display Preferences. The setting in MA or Goldfish Settings will override this. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

09-28-2006, 11:06 AM	#20
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Well duh, thanks Jim. I didn't think of that, and I should have asked. It seems my brain is the only thing that still gets vacations sometimes. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection