OpenGL Newbie...help please

[stevefoobar]

I've never had to think about OpenGL before but I recently tried to download and run a new app that has given me the following errors:

"Your video card does not support the minimum requirements for this application. OpenGL version must be 2.0 or higher. OpenGLSL version must be 1.2 or higher. The monitor must be running in True Color (32-bit)."

This is a 5 year old dual core Intel processor running WinXP Pro SP3 using a PCI bus ATI Radeon X1600 graphics card. I have already downloaded and installed the latest (and last ever available) legacy driver for this video card from the AMD/ATI site.

I don't really understand OpenGL. Is it something that's bundled in the video card driver from the manufacturer that I have no control over (then I'm screwed) or can I update to the latest OpenGL and OpenGLSL (whatever that is) myself somehow?

Thanks!

Steve in Chicago, Illinois USA

[Simon Arbon]

The Radeon X1600 is not physically capable of running GLSL 1.2
You will need at least a HD2000

[stevefoobar]

The Radeon X1600 is not physically capable of running GLSL 1.2
You will need at least a HD2000

Thanks Simon. That's what I was concerned about but it makes sense. I guess I'll have to look for another video card.

[mbentrup]

No, the HD series are GL 3.x, the X1600 should be a GL 2.1 card.

[stevefoobar]

No, the HD series are GL 3.x, the X1600 should be a GL 2.1 card.

How interesting. Well then something is wrong. Either the 1600 is NOT GL 2.1 or the application is reading the wrong info somehow. As I mentioned I have the latest and last available driver from AMD so I can't do anything more than that. Is there a setting perhaps I have to turn on in the control application for the driver? I would be surprised if that were the case. Is there some third-party application I can download and run to verify what version of GL is running within the AMD driver? Sorry if these questions don't make sense...I'm very technical but not familiar with GL all that much. Thanks.

[ZbuffeR]

http://www.realtech-vr.com/glview/download.html
Try to run this tools, and check what it reports, for GL version as well as GLSL version.

[stevefoobar]

http://www.realtech-vr.com/glview/download.html
Try to run this tools, and check what it reports, for GL version as well as GLSL version.

Thanks for this link. This is a GREAT program. Well, as it turns out, this program reports that I do indeed have GL 2.1, GLSL 1.2, and DX 9.0 support with this card and driver. I then went to the site of the software app I'm trying to run and looked at detailed requirements. As it turns out, what it is probably complaining about is that the card doesn't have their MINIMUM memory configuration of 512 MB. Mine has only 256 MB. I think their error message is just too vague and should have specifically said I didn't have enough memory, rather than the more vague message "Your video card does not support the minimum requirements for this application. OpenGL version must be 2.0 or higher. OpenGLSL version must be 1.2 or higher. The monitor must be running in True Color (32-bit)." because clearly I do have high enough GL/GLSL and I certainly am running at 32 bits. Oh well...now I know. I do need another memory card anyway.

Thanks everyone for the help!

If anyone is curious, this is the video editing special effects software I'm interested in running http://hitfilm.com/standard/requirements

[Simon Arbon]

Every reference i can find says that only OpenGL 2.0 is supported:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_X600
http://www.amd.com/us/products/noteb...600-specs.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_R520
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...L_version_note

Thats the last time i trust the internet
But then, when is it ever right (especially wikipedia - the greatest source of misinformation known to mankind).

[stevefoobar]

Every reference i can find says that only OpenGL 2.0 is supported:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_X600
http://www.amd.com/us/products/noteb...600-specs.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_R520
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...L_version_note

Thats the last time i trust the internet
But then, when is it ever right (especially wikipedia - the greatest source of misinformation known to mankind).

No worries Simon. I appreciate everyone's input and yes you are right...one never knows when reading things on the net and wikis.

[V-man]

Thanks for this link. This is a GREAT program. Well, as it turns out, this program reports that I do indeed have GL 2.1, GLSL 1.2, and DX 9.0 support with this card and driver. I then went to the site of the software app I'm trying to run and looked at detailed requirements. As it turns out, what it is probably complaining about is that the card doesn't have their MINIMUM memory configuration of 512 MB. Mine has only 256 MB. I think their error message is just too vague and should have specifically said I didn't have enough memory, rather than the more vague message "Your video card does not support the minimum requirements for this application. OpenGL version must be 2.0 or higher. OpenGLSL version must be 1.2 or higher. The monitor must be running in True Color (32-bit)." because clearly I do have high enough GL/GLSL and I certainly am running at 32 bits. Oh well...now I know. I do need another memory card anyway.

Thanks everyone for the help!

If anyone is curious, this is the video editing special effects software I'm interested in running http://hitfilm.com/standard/requirements

It doesn't matter if you have 256 MB.
I strongly suspect the problem is in their code and they aren't creating a GL context properly. Communicate with whoever made the software and work with them to fix their bug.

Your problem is not a unique one. There are numerous software that either failed to detect the GL version properly or fail to create a GL context properly. It leaves you messing around with your system trying to solve it but the bug is in their software.