ATi CATALYST 5.1 Released...

[jamesclarke555]

Today ATI has made available CATALYST 5.1. This CATALYST update includes updates to both Linux and Windows offerings. As always you can download either of these packages from www.ati.com

Some highlights include:

Linux Driver:


New Features:
- Drivers for X.org 6.8 are now provided
- x86_64 drivers now available for XFree86 4.3 and X.org 6.8

Fixes:
Second head in Dual Head system is no longer corrupt during login screen
- Display corruption is no longer seen when switching between X-Windows and the Linux text console, and back to X-Windows
- Video playback in Dual Head mode no longer results in an error message being displayed, or the player failing to start
- PCI-Express systems no longer hang after running 3D Applications for long periods
- 3D Applications no longer hang on RHEL 3.0 with 1GB or more memory installed
- XVideo overlay is once again available in Dual Head Mode
- A "drm.h: No such file or directory" error message no longer occurs when compiling the fglrx kernel module
- Stopping and restarting the X server no longer results in memory leaks or hangs on PCI-Express systems

Windows Driver:

New Features:
- CATALYST CONTROL CENTER support for all RADEON class products
- CATALYST CONTROL CENTER ability to disable and pause the 3D Preview
- Clone Mode resolution default setting

Fixes:
- Men of Valor: Buffering issues are no longer noticed when playing the game under Windows XP with an ATI RADEONââ€Ã⠀¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ 8500 or 9100 series installed
- Myst URU Ages Beyond Myst: Attempting to turn 180 degrees and head towards the barb wire fence displayed within the game no longer results in the system failing to respond. This issue is known to occur under Windows XP with an ATI RADEONââ€Ã⠀¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ X800 XT Platinum Edition installed.
- Richard Burns Rally: Playing the game under Windows XP with an ATI RADEONââ€Ã⠀¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ 8500/9100/9200 series installed no longer results in the trees flickering
- Sid Meier's Pirates: Enabling Anti-aliasing no longer results in video flicker being noticed when starting the game
- Playing an mpeg using the media player found in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 no longer results in the ATI VPU Recovery failing if it is disabled and then re-enabled
- Connecting a TV and a monitor to an ATI RADEONââ€Ã⠀¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ X800 series and having the TV set as the primary display device no longer no longer results in the Video Mode remaining checked when switching to a resolution which is not supported
- Intermittent desktop corruption is no longer noticed when enabling or disabling a secondary display device
- Dragging or resizing the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 window no longer results in a VPU recovery when playing video on an HDTV
- Running Maya under Windows XP with an ATI RADEONââ€Ã⠀¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ X800 series installed no longer results in display corruption being noticed when moving the mouse
- Attempting to add a custom timing specification such as; 960x724 for the HDTV device properties page, no longer results in the custom timing not being added to the HDTV resolution menu list.
- An error message is no longer displayed when attempting to switch a secondary display device back to the primary display device when using the CATALYSTââ€à ƒâ€¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ CONTROL CENTER
- Installing the CATALYSTââ€à ƒâ€¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ CONTROL CENTER under the Windows XP operating system (French version) now results in the localized French version being installed
- The text now changes and provides the correct information when changing the slider position for CATALYSTââ€à ƒâ€¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ AI
- The Restore Factory Default option is now working for all sub-aspects found in the CATALYSTââ€à ƒâ€¦Ã‚¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ CONTROL CENTER 3D tab

WinXP With CCC - WinXP With CP - ATi's Complete Driver Selection:

[Bifta]

Meh .. 5.2 had better include a few more features than that, they don't affect me in the slightest :|

[TheBlueRaja]

Performance is no better than 4.12 either, is it just me or is ATi - well - a little boring recently.

They have spent the last month doing - well - what exactly? It hardly warrants a new driver release does it.

[kronas]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

They have spent the last month doing - well - what exactly? It hardly warrants a new driver release does it.

i think what this release is showing that ATI is consolidating its driver releases, instead of making wholesale changes to the current drivers the company is focusing on ironing out some bugs which are hampering software applications.

you cannot expect ATI to roll out major changes every month.

bug fixing and tweaking has to happen too, else there would be the potential of too many applications not running or suffering preformance related issues.

good things come to those who wait.

[Graham M]

OOOOO thankyou for this post James, Ive been waiting for the Linux ones for a while because it enables Direct Rendering support under Linux in XOrg which the default drivers for my Radeon 9600XT do not. I dont have time atm but i cant wait to try these out, beats getting 4FPS in CS 1.6 and having a laggy 2D desktop performance Thankyou, rep for you!