HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Hello ChiefTalk posters, First time poster here! We just picked up Chief Architect here at our office and we're trying to get our stock Dell Inspiron 3650 up to snuff to render properly (initially, the rendering engine would crash when zooming in or out too fast or even when simply generating perspective overviews). We found we originally had 4 gigs of RAM, and successfully upgraded to the 16gigs of RAM prescribed on the ChiefA system requirements page. The same problems are still persisting, but less often, suggesting that I'm on the right track but that the video card is still insufficient for this level of 3d processing. That all being said, do any of you know of a good video / graphics card that is compatible with a Dell Inspiron 3650 and is, without a doubt, capable of running ChiefA smoothly and quickly? Budget isn't a massive concern, but keeping it affordable is of course ideal. Any other tips for maximizing ChiefA performance besides RAM and video card mods would be hugely appreciated. Thanks everyone, I appreciate the time. Connor W p.s. The current graphics card in the computer is the stock Intel HD Graphics 510, which is listed as acceptable for ChiefA, but it still crashes consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 3 minutes ago, solver said: Lots of video card info available via search. There definitely is, I've spent hours looking around for the perfect video card for ChiefA. However, I thought it might be best to ask people who specifically use this program what a tried and true option is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RL-inc Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 High end Nvidia cards work well for many. Should add a signature like most serious users if you want good replies and to develop a solid rep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkMc Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 4 hours ago, HeartwoodRes said: The current graphics card in the computer is the stock Intel HD Graphics 510, There are known issues with X10 and Intel cards, more the newer ones. In any case they are working on it. In some cases using an older driver has helped. General recommendation is nVidia Gaming cards (GTX not Quadro) just the best you can afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJPotter Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 I recommend PNY Brand NVIDIA video cards. They range in price from 100.00 to over $1,000.00, so one's budget is a limiting factor. My video card is getting old but still does a good job. I intend to upgrade my card soon, probably with an NVIDIA 1060 or 1070, we will see. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON VIDEO SUPPORT BUILT INTO THE MOTHERBOARD, SUCH "SUPPORT" IS CHEAP BUT ALSO INADEQUATE TO SUPPORT CHIEF. DJP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Load today's Update to 20.2 and see if it helps there are specific fixes for Intel and some older AMD Cards , you never know you luck....if not see this thread for Intel help ... https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/topic/16988-x10-with-an-intel-card/?do=findComment&comment=147057 Rolling back the driver to .4590 fixed my Laptop , the Driver covers the 500 and 600 series Cards so should work for the 510 too. A Nvidia gaming card is still you best bet though. 2.14 3D Rendering • Fixed an issue that occurred on some Macs with Intel graphics chipsets that caused artifacts to appear in 3D views when Reflections were on. • Fixed an issue that caused artifacts in 3D views on systems using Intel 630/620 graphics chipsets. • Improved rendering performance on systems with older ATI Radeon 5000-6000 series graphics cards. • Fixed a problem that sometimes prevented shadows from generating when using the Cross Section Slider. • Fixed an issue that caused shadows to be out of date after editing clipping planes using the Cross Section Slider. • Fixed a problem on Windows computers with Intel 620/630 graphics chipsets that prevented the Physically Based Rendering Technique from working correctly. • Fixed a specific case in which the ceiling was lit incorrectly in the Physically Based Rendering Technique. • Fixed a problem that caused views using the Physically Based Rendering Technique to be extremely bright when 'Improve Lighting Quality' was turned on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donco15 Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Hi There... Heartwood Res... Just thought I would chime in as I had this problem too as a new user... I have done extensive research thanks to the wonderful help on this forum and talking to the technical team at Chief Architect.. I suggest you call them directly and they will help you understand what you need to make this run properly.. I ended up having to buy a new system because piece meal adding parts really can add up fast and you still do not have everything that you need. Basically you need specs of a gaming system to make software like this work and perform the best way possible.. I did not understand this going in.. There is no fast rule about this, but when you compare what they call for, it is very similar to what gaming computers are, hence I make this comparison.. Now after going back and reading all of the specs of similar, I understand about what technology is needed to get the max use out of the program. It is all there in black and white... I am so amazed at how when I read these specs now, they mean so much more.. I wish that I would have known this going in... but I have no regrets, as I love the software.... When your system has the specs of a gaming computer it includes a certain type of processor and video card that will make things work much better.... It has something to do with how the program is built. I am not a gamer, but graphics are so critical and speed in a gaming system as it is for a software program that does rendering.. There are some processors that render amazing FPS... this is important for speed and how the visuals are produced... I went to geek squad to have a new graphics card put in, but after adding up all the costs just for this portion only, I felt my system was still lacking... The Geek Squad Team used the same language that the CA support team used, when explaining about the capabilities of the various graphics cards.. I started researching more and realized how a computer with gaming specs would help me.. Full disclosures.. The CA team only suggested a graphics card for gaming.. but after I realized how much that alone would cost to really get the best performance possible, I personally decided to buy a new computer. It just made more sense.. Why spend $500 (card and new power supply with local tech) when I could have a new more powerful system.. As the more experienced users have stated, NVIDIA and AMD are two of the best ones out there.. After my research, I went with Nvidia GTX because I liked the performance ratings. There are so many NVidia cards to choose from and they can get pricey... . Do your research and find out what is best for you.. In the GTX series there are several.. AMD is also good, but after speaking with true gamers, I went with NVIDIA because they update their drivers a lot and it seems that they are the most desired, based on the gamers that I dealt with while researching.. I bought the Home Designer Pro software just to see if I would like this before buying the more powerful Chief Architect version for more money.. I learned a lot this past week, exploring how to make this program work better on my system. When you read the specs of ANY Chief Architect and others like it, those specs really say a lot.. To the novice such as myself, it meant nothing.. BUT now, I understand that most regular desktops with basic Intel graphics cards will not work properly for this software.. You need a more robust system that is more along the lines of a gaming computer because of the rendering needs. I hope all of this helps... I suggest that you speak to the support team at Chief Architect and tell them about your system.. They put me on the right path and helped me understand a whole lot more about the software and what type of environment is needed to make it work to its fullest potential.. Apologies in advance if I rambled... I wanted to be helpful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKitchenAbode Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Always an interesting subject, the endless quest for the ideal CA computer system. If cost is a consideration, which it usually is, then the right configuration will be determined by what one does in CA, their workflow and what other programs one has running concurrently on their system. This of course will vary for every user and as such their system requirements will also vary. For example, users involved in complete builds will have more demanding needs than a user such as myself that is focused on existing home remodeling or users who are only kitchen/bath focused. If you review my system specs(below) you will see that they are both under CA's minimum recommendation in one way or the other, yet I have no problems as they relate to my workload. It is only recently that I had to upgrade my main systems graphics card, but this was only due to the fact that I use the new PBR rendering feature in conjunction with many active lights. If it was not for all the lights I utilize then my older GTX 745 would have been fine. Even my laptop with the integrated Intel graphics chip works fine, just struggles a bit when PBR'ing with all of those lights. The challenge is in attempting to understanding what does what between you, the software and the hardware. This can require considerable effort to get a handle on what's 'really" going on and what is the best way to address this to derive a system that performs to your specific needs. Do you need a $1,500 or a $6,000 system, it all comes down to what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 10 hours ago, RL-inc said: High end Nvidia cards work well for many. Should add a signature like most serious users if you want good replies and to develop a solid rep. Thanks, I'll do that. As a newbie I appreciate the tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 14 hours ago, solver said: Via a forum search. Understood, I didn't know about that capability yet. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 2 hours ago, Donco15 said: Hi There... Heartwood Res... Just thought I would chime in as I had this problem too as a new user... I have done extensive research thanks to the wonderful help on this forum and talking to the technical team at Chief Architect.. I suggest you call them directly and they will help you understand what you need to make this run properly.. I ended up having to buy a new system because piece meal adding parts really can add up fast and you still do not have everything that you need. Basically you need specs of a gaming system to make software like this work and perform the best way possible.. I did not understand this going in.. There is no fast rule about this, but when you compare what they call for, it is very similar to what gaming computers are, hence I make this comparison.. Now after going back and reading all of the specs of similar, I understand about what technology is needed to get the max use out of the program. It is all there in black and white... I am so amazed at how when I read these specs now, they mean so much more.. I wish that I would have known this going in... but I have no regrets, as I love the software.... When your system has the specs of a gaming computer it includes a certain type of processor and video card that will make things work much better.... It has something to do with how the program is built. I am not a gamer, but graphics are so critical and speed in a gaming system as it is for a software program that does rendering.. There are some processors that render amazing FPS... this is important for speed and how the visuals are produced... I went to geek squad to have a new graphics card put in, but after adding up all the costs just for this portion only, I felt my system was still lacking... The Geek Squad Team used the same language that the CA support team used, when explaining about the capabilities of the various graphics cards.. I started researching more and realized how a computer with gaming specs would help me.. Full disclosures.. The CA team only suggested a graphics card for gaming.. but after I realized how much that alone would cost to really get the best performance possible, I personally decided to buy a new computer. It just made more sense.. Why spend $500 (card and new power supply with local tech) when I could have a new more powerful system.. As the more experienced users have stated, NVIDIA and AMD are two of the best ones out there.. After my research, I went with Nvidia GTX because I liked the performance ratings. There are so many NVidia cards to choose from and they can get pricey... . Do your research and find out what is best for you.. In the GTX series there are several.. AMD is also good, but after speaking with true gamers, I went with NVIDIA because they update their drivers a lot and it seems that they are the most desired, based on the gamers that I dealt with while researching.. I bought the Home Designer Pro software just to see if I would like this before buying the more powerful Chief Architect version for more money.. I learned a lot this past week, exploring how to make this program work better on my system. When you read the specs of ANY Chief Architect and others like it, those specs really say a lot.. To the novice such as myself, it meant nothing.. BUT now, I understand that most regular desktops with basic Intel graphics cards will not work properly for this software.. You need a more robust system that is more along the lines of a gaming computer because of the rendering needs. I hope all of this helps... I suggest that you speak to the support team at Chief Architect and tell them about your system.. They put me on the right path and helped me understand a whole lot more about the software and what type of environment is needed to make it work to its fullest potential.. Apologies in advance if I rambled... I wanted to be helpful... I'll definitely ask them what they think before I make any kind of decision, thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartwoodRes Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 10 hours ago, MarkMc said: There are known issues with X10 and Intel cards, more the newer ones. In any case they are working on it. In some cases using an older driver has helped. General recommendation is nVidia Gaming cards (GTX not Quadro) just the best you can afford. Thanks a lot for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKitchenAbode Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 2 minutes ago, HeartwoodRes said: Thanks a lot for the help! This issue may have been resolved in the new updated CA release. Will see what happens when I get a chance to check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkMc Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 6 minutes ago, TheKitchenAbode said: This issue may have been resolved in the new updated CA release. Will see what happens when I get a chance to check it out. It has been fixed at least on mine. Still not as fast as X9 and nothing like my primary system but never expected that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKitchenAbode Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 4 hours ago, MarkMc said: It has been fixed at least on mine. Still not as fast as X9 and nothing like my primary system but never expected that. Thanks for the update Mark. I will go ahead and update my Spectra 360 and hopefully it will work on my version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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