Question to ULMB users out there

[chenw]

I need help with something.

As I mentioned several times before, I don't use ULMB because I actually see "doubles" when I turn it on, which is less noticeable while it's turned off.

The games in question are SC2 and Raiden 4.

My question is, is SC2 stuck on 60fps cap, or is the fps reported by the game accurate, and the double image ghosting is all in my head? I can definitely see things more clearly under ULMB while moving the map around, but it seem really odd that I am seeing double images for no real apparent reason.

Thanks

 

[Desert Fish]

Even if the fps counter is accurate, it probably doesn't tell the whole story. You may want to export the frame times with Fraps and see if they are consistently less than the refresh interval.

But if you notice doubles even with ULMB off, it would seem you have a different, stranger issue. PWM?

 

[chenw]

I see doubles only during ULMB, not visible during G-Sync.

My monitor doesn't use PWM, PG278Q

 

[zone74]

The double images occur when the refresh rate is higher than the framerate.
If the framerate is equal to the refresh rate and V-Synced, they should disappear.
That's the big problem with ULMB being restricted to 85/100/120Hz. It needs to strobe at 60Hz for 60 FPS games. Ideally they would combine G-Sync and ULMB to support arbitrary framerates. (they've had demos/prototypes of this)
Same thing happened on a CRT: 24 FPS at 96, 72, 48, 24 Hz.

 

[Desert Fish]

The double images occur when the refresh rate is higher than the framerate.
If the framerate is equal to the refresh rate and V-Synced, they should disappear.

I assumed that's common knowledge for prospective ULMB users around here.

 

[Chief Blur Buster]

I need help with something.

As I mentioned several times before, I don't use ULMB because I actually see "doubles" when I turn it on, which is less noticeable while it's turned off.

The games in question are SC2 and Raiden 4.

My question is, is SC2 stuck on 60fps cap, or is the fps reported by the game accurate, and the double image ghosting is all in my head? I can definitely see things more clearly under ULMB while moving the map around, but it seem really odd that I am seeing double images for no real apparent reason.

Thanks

Fix ULMB Double Images
Double image effects always happens when running at frameates at half the strobe rate.
For amazing ULMB, you need framerate == refreahrate == stroberate

30fps@60Hz CRT is double images
60fps@120Hz ULMB/LightBoost is double images

20fps@60Hz CRT is triple images
40fps@120Hz ULMB/LightBoost is triple images

Number of images = (strobe rate / frame rate)

Fix The Amplified Microstutter Effect of ULMB
Also, ULMB amplifies viaibility of microstutters (no motion blur to obscure microstutter). A single frame drop is blatantly visible even at 143fps@144Hz. Also, VSYNC OFF massively amplifies microstuttering/jittering in strobe modes. So please fix your mouse micro stutters (better 1000Hz mouse, better mouse pad), upgrade GPU, and lower strobe rate. 85fps@85Hz or 100fps@100Hz VSYNC ON strobing (+ low lag VSYNC ON tricks) can look visually much better than 110-130fps VSYNC OFF strobing at 120Hz.

Even mouse microstutter is very massively amplified in strobed modes (I do not believe the mouse manufacturers falsely saying 2000Hz true-report-rates are unnecessary. For ULMB, we NEED better mice that can turn left/right as smoothly as a keyboard strafe left/right. 2000Hz true report rates *is* important for framerate-stroberate-locked high-Hz ULMB motion). For now, get the best and smoothest 1000Hz mice you can get.

Magic Recipie for pretty-looking ULMB: stroberate == refreahrate == framerate
Perfect frame rate lock to strobe rate is the magic recipie for butter-smooth stutterless strobing.
Arcade-perfect Nintendo-perfect TestUFO-perfect CRT-like panning motions in games with ULMB requiess the triple lock of stroberate == refreahrate == framerate

Thusly;
- Increase GPU if needed
- Adjust detail, turn off AA temporarily
- Use lower refresh rate to get the easier triple lock (framerate, refreshrate, stroberate match)
- Use VSYNC ON
- Use low-lag tricks for VSYNC ON (RTSS framerate cap 0.01Hz below vsynctester.com measurement)

Overkill Framerates can compensate for strobe jitter effect, too
If you really, really do not want to do VSYNC ON (even the low-lag versions), then sufficient overkill frame rate (things like 300fps) can compensate for microstuttering during Fast Sync or VSYNC OFF for competitive ULMB gameplay. You will not get perfect motion fluidity but the more overkill you can get, the better ULMB becomes in non-locked situations.

Fix Poor LightBoost Brightness
Old LightBoost was dim. Recent ULMB (and DyAc) monitors are much brighter, especially 144Hz ULMB on 240Hz eSports monitors. A quite decent colorful 300 nits in ULMB mode! And lower lag than 120Hz LightBoost.

Right Tool for Right Job: Know when to use ULMB competitively properly
- ULMB can improve human reaction time during tracking camoflaged moving objects in certain games (ULMB does not help in fixed gaze situations, as demonstrated by TestUFO eye tracking pattern), so ULMB helps certain games and gameplay tactics that forces eye movement, where the human reaction time improvements outweighs the slight ULMB lag.

Doesn't help:
- Fixed gaze at crosshairs. You are immune to display-induced motion blur during fixed-gaze situations. ULMB only helps when your eyeballs are in motion, tracking moving objects. Many eSports CS:GO players keep a fixed gaze at crosshairs, using only peripheral vision to see enemies outside crosshairs. Mouse-turning/strafing to bring them into crosshairs, never moving eyes away from crosshairs. Absolute lag is more important than ULMB for gaze-only-at-crosshairs tactics.

UlMB can help eye tracking accuracy:
- High speed low altitude helicoptor flybys over camoflaged enemies
- Ball in Rocket League
- Analyzing panning scenery (e.g. full framerate super-hectic RTS)
- Fast scrolling Sonic Hedgehog style platformers

In these, human-react advantage of ULMB can end up outweighing strobe lag. The trick is to optimize to minimum strobe lag (maximize reaction time advantage of ULMB -- ULMB lag can be reduced down to as little 2-3ms average screen-center lag for 144Hz-240Hz strobe). And fix the ULMB jitteriness/microstutter (upgrade mouse, upgrade GPU, do appropriate tweaks, and do the triple lock where possible!) Then "arcade-CRT-clear perfect motion fluidity" can beckon to a competitive advantage.

 

[chenw]

Thanks, that actually greatly limits my use of ULMB mode then, since the games I play that I would love to use ULMB actually are, ironically, the least ULMB friendly, as they seem to be all capped at 60fps.

I don't think my GPU is the cause, the games I tried ULMB mode were Starcraft 2, Raiden 4 and PoE, none of which maxes out my GPU at 1440p, reinforced by the fact that the double image is constant, not random on and off (as it would happen if my fps was fluctuating).

 

[Chief Blur Buster]

Thanks, that actually greatly limits my use of ULMB mode then, since the games I play that I would love to use ULMB actually are, ironically, the least ULMB friendly, as they seem to be all capped at 60fps.

I don't think my GPU is the cause, the games I tried ULMB mode were Starcraft 2, Raiden 4 and PoE, none of which maxes out my GPU at 1440p, reinforced by the fact that the double image is constant, not random on and off (as it would happen if my fps was fluctuating).

Ouch, yes, that can be a catch-22.
If you really, really like ULMB, you have several options to fix this. It's better to focus on fixing the game first.

1. First, preferably force the game to run at higher than 60fps.
There are tweaks to coax specific games to lock to framerates above 60Hz.
--> Some have side effects, while others merrily work fine at higher Hz. Starcraft 2 works fine at higher Hz, looks great in ULMB, and there are tweaks to coax Starcraft to go >60fps.
--> Sometimes a game that runs 60fps@120Hz will suddenly run at 85fps@85Hz if you switch refresh rates. Try that too.
--> Don't use Windows 7 Basic mode; I've seen this occasionally prevent certain games (borderless windowed) from successfully going above 60fps; this is game-dependant.
--> Temporarily turn off multi monitor. An adjacent 60Hz monitor may be preventing you from going 120fps in full-screen ULMB gameplay.

2. Or use a ULMB hack. There is a hack to achieve 60Hz ULMB (single-strobe), or one of the "simultaneous GSYNC+ULMB" hacks (works on some monitors).
Most of the stuff is of Blur Busters Forums "geek fodder" such as the ULMB 60Hz Guide. These advanced tips are sometimes very finicky, and monitor-specific sometimes. But that's additional 60Hz options if you want to go outside the NVIDIA sandbox of 85/100/120Hz ULMB.

3. Or buy a different monitor that supports true single-strobe 60Hz. Very, very few; I can count on one hand.
Monitor manufacturers artificially prevent strobing at 60hz due to flicker and epilepsy risks. Squarewave LED strobing at 60Hz looks more flickery than a 60Hz CRT (gentle phosphor decay). Another option for good 60Hz flexibility, an open-source strobe backlight such as the Zisworks backlight controller can help you -- that's the one in the 4K120 monitor with bonus 240Hz and 480Hz modes.

 

[chenw]

Great, I shall check the hack out once I get home from work. Hopefully something will come of it.

 

[Chief Blur Buster]

Great, I shall check the hack out once I get home from work. Hopefully something will come of it.

Focus on fixing the game/drivers/config first. You should easily be able to eliminate ULMB double images in Starcraft 2. I see multiple ULMB successes with Starcraft 2.

85Hz-120Hz strobing looks MUCH better than 60Hz strobing. Use 60Hz strobing only as a last resort.