protonscr

[CS:S] Vsync and input lag

steamclosed AMD driversreviewedMOVED: Counter-Strike: Source
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#1375 · opened 2013-02-07 by JeffBusch · updated 2013-02-15 · 17 comments · github
JJeffBusch 2013-02-07 github

When vsync is on I have input lag with both my keyboard and mouse. When I turn it off the lag goes away.

But when I turn vsync off my game is super choppy because the frame rate is changing so much (100 to 200+ fps).

Also, enabling vsync in the ATI drivers and not the game still causes the lag.

Processor Information:
Vendor: GenuineIntel
Speed: 1600 Mhz
8 logical processors
4 physical processors
HyperThreading: Supported
FCMOV: Supported
SSE2: Supported
SSE3: Supported
SSSE3: Supported
SSE4a: Unsupported
SSE41: Supported
SSE42: Supported

Network Information:
Network Speed:

Operating System Version:
Linux Mint 14 Nadia (64 bit)
Kernel Name: Linux
Kernel Version: 3.5.0-17-generic
X Server vendor: The X.Org Foundation
X Server release: 11300000

Video Card:
Driver: ATI Technologies Inc. ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5800 Series

Driver Version:  4.2.12002 Compatibility Profile Context 9.012
Desktop Color Depth: 24 bits per pixel
Monitor Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
VendorID:  0x1002
DeviceID:  0x68a0
Number of Monitors:  1
Number of Logical Video Cards:  1
Primary Display Resolution:  1600 x 900
Desktop Resolution: 1600 x 900
Primary Display Size: 15.04" x 8.46"  (17.24" diag)
                                        38.2cm x 21.5cm  (43.8cm diag)
Primary VRAM Not Detected

Sound card:
Audio device: Realtek ALC269

Memory:
RAM: 5895 Mb

Miscellaneous:
UI Language: English
LANG: en_US.UTF-8
Microphone: Not set
Total Hard Disk Space Available: 50448 Mb
Largest Free Hard Disk Block: 11383 Mb

Installed software:

Recent Failure Reports:

MMajkl578 2013-02-07 github

I have seen something similar yesterday, I disabled in-game vsync so FPS increased to about 80-140, but I still had a feeling that it is laggy sometimes (moving, firing etc.). Might be worth furter investigation.
Running on AMD Catalyst 13.2. System info

JJenniferPylko 2013-02-07 github

I think this happens with any 3d application, not just CS:S

JJeffBusch 2013-02-07 github

Yes, but normally its a very small amount. This is actually making it hard to play.

Aalfred-valve maintainer 2013-02-07 github

What does the CPU usage look like during the times of lag? Are all cores very busy?

?ghost 2013-02-08 github

Happens with my NVIDIA card as well. Looks like it's a general problem with vsync and the Linux version of the Source engine.

@alfred-valve No difference. The mouse feels like you use ice or oil as your mouse pad

JJeffBusch 2013-02-08 github

@alfred-valve
The input lag? Or what feels like lag from the fluctuating frame rate, because even in windows I have issues like that without using vsync.

So with vsync on my cores are from 27% to like 70%. Without it my cores are from 50% to 90%, which I'd assume is from the non limited frame rate.

@vorenon That's exactly how I'd explain the way my mouse feels with the input lag.

VVash63 2013-02-08 github

I have always had this issue with the Source engine, even on Windows. I am pretty sensitive to latency, I turn off vsync in most first person games, but Source is especially high latency for me on Linux or Windows. It's very nice with vsync off though, other than the tearing.

JJeffBusch 2013-02-08 github

Looks like I found a temporary fix, at least for myself.

  1. Turn vsync off. (This causes the input lag in my case)
  2. Type fps_max 61 in the console. This will limit the fps to 60 (for some reason it's one less than the set value) and will prevent major screen tearing but there is still some small tearing.

I haven't had any issues with this so far. The game doesn't run as smooth as it does with vsync on even though it's running at the same frame rate. But it is still playable since the input lag is gone.

Edit: I guess it depends on the map because some maps feel super laggy and stuttery at the limited framerate. I know on windows it does the same thing.

OObscureAngelPT 2013-02-09 github

Source engine always have problems with input lag, but this time this is different.

In my system AMD PHENOM II X4 945 and HD 7850 cat 13.1 running ubuntu 12.10 65.
I feel the normal input lag that i feel in windows, but there is a lot more stuttering.

So its not normal.
I turn off and things became ok, i bet its problems with AMD drivers.

JJeffBusch 2013-02-09 github

Hmm. Maybe it's an issue with just AMD processors? @Vorenon said that he has issues with an Nvidia card but didn't specify if he has an AMD or Intel processor.

VVash63 2013-02-09 github

The input lag was present in my Intel Core2 quad Q6600, the i7 920 that
replaced it and the i7 3930k that replaced that. I don't think it's a bug,
I just hope the next major Source version that they're working on improves
it.
On Feb 9, 2013 11:44 AM, "pancakewagon" [email protected] wrote:

Hmm. Maybe it's an issue with just AMD processors? @Vorenonhttps://github.com/Vorenonsaid that he has issues with an Nvidia card but didn't specify if he has an
AMD or Intel processor.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/1375#issuecomment-13336133..

?ghost 2013-02-09 github

@pancakewagon
AMD Processor. I am using a Phenom II X4 955 CPU.

Ddagla 2013-02-10 github

With vysnc enabled I also encounter extreme mouse lag under Linux CSS, it feels very close to the experience when I played OnLive games on servers 900 miles away from my home, it responds way to late.
This is much worse than what I've experienced under windows on the same system.

MMajkl578 2013-02-10 github

@dagla: I can confirm the same too. What helped me was setting fps_max to the value of monitor's refresh rate (I'm using 61 while monitor has 59-60 Hz).

ZZeXx86 2013-02-14 github

Same problem with nVidia graphics. Higher settings -> more stuttering. With VSync enabled -> bigger input delay.

MMajkl578 2013-02-14 github

I'm currently experiencing serious problems with input lagging.
I'm getting most significant mouse lags/delays while I am or someone else is on fire (since I play zombie mod, this is pretty normal). Sometimes it makes the game almost unusable, because the delay is so high that I can't properly play. This does NOT happen on Windows version of CS:S at all. Acutally, I haven't seen ANY input lags on Windows, even when I had about 10 FPS.

Jjorgenpt 2013-02-15 github

Issue transferred to ValveSoftware/Source-1-Games#112.

This issue is closed - continue conversation there.

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