This release of Catalyst introduces the following new features:
Blu-ray and HD-DVD playback
Catalyst 7.1 introduces the ability to playback Blu-ray and HD DVD protected high definition content under Windows Vista 32-bit edition (support for Windows Vista 64-bit edition will be available in a future Catalyst release), when used in combination with a software content player from vendors such as Cyberlink or Intervideo and an ATI Radeon X1000 series graphics accelerator (with HDCP support).
CrossFire support under Vista
Catalyst 7.1 introduces CrossFire support for the entire ATI Radeon X1000 product series under Microsoft Vista. Users will see significant performance gains in a number of applications when running in CrossFire mode under Windows Vista. (Initially available for Direct3D only, coming soon in a future Catalyst release for OpenGL)
Native OpenGL Vista support
Catalyst 7.1 introduces native support for OpenGL, delivering a number of OpenGL application performance gains over the previously released AMD Vista RTM driver (8.31.100.3.2.1). Future Catalyst releases will include further OpenGL optimizations to further enhance performance of Vista OpenGL applications
Catalyst Install Manager for Vista
Catalyst 7.1 provides Microsoft Vista users with a new ATI Radeon graphics installer that will help users more easily update and install ATI Catalyst software. Users will also experience a significant improvement in install and un-install Verdana of ATI Catalyst software components.
New Catalyst Control Center
Catalyst 7.1 introduces a brand new version of the Catalyst Control Center for Windows Vista, which delivers a number of significant enhancements:
- Significant performance gains; Catalyst Control Center start-up time has been substantially reduced, and overall responsiveness has improved.
- Reduced system resource usage
- New 3D preview - significantly improves the ability for users to understand the benefits of enabling the many Catalyst features of their ATI Radeon graphics accelerator
- Increased stability
- Native Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit support
Resolved Issues
This section provides information on resolved issues in this release of the ATI Catalyst Vista driver. These include:
- Ghost Recon: Advance
Warfighter: Intermittent Display corruption is no longer noticed within
the game when setting the in game display option to high texture quality
an the display resolution to 1280x1024 70Hz. Further details can be found
in topic number 737-25549
- The Catalyst Control Center no longer takes a longer than expected amount of time to launch under the 64 bit version of the Windows Vista operating system. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23541
- Attempting to un-install the graphics driver no longer results in the Vista operating system failing to respond requiring a reboot before the driver successfully un-installs. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24463
- Catalyst Control Center->Avivo Video->Deinterlacing: The Pulldown Detection option is no longer available on products that do not support the function. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24464
- Connecting a CRT to a system containing an ATI Mobility product no longer results in the hot key function to toggle between the display devices not functioning properly. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24465
- Setting the Vista Power Option to Balanced mode no longer results in an audio pop being heard when playing an audio file. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24466
- Installing the graphics driver and rebooting the Vista operating system as required no longer results in the display resolution of 1280x800 not being available. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24468
- Catalyst Control Center->Display Manager: Connecting a display device using the DVI connector no longer results in the display device failing to be recognized in the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24469
- Disconnecting the primary display device when the Windows Vista operating system is in a standby state no longer results in the log-in screen failing to appear when resuming. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24470
- Installing the graphics driver on a system containing an ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 or 1150 product no longer results in the native resolution of 1280x1024 failing to be applied. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24471
- Connecting a secondary (CRT) display device to a system containing an ATI Radeon Xpress 200 series product no longer results in the inability to set the secondary display device as the primary. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24473
- Enabling closed captioning when using WinDVD8 to play a DVD title no longer results in the closed captioning failing to be shown. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24474
- Enabling the 3D Only option in the Catalyst Control Center no longer results in the checkbox becoming un-checked when clicking the Apply button. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24475
- Enabling extended desktop and rotating either one or both of the displays no longer results in the secondary display device becoming disabled when selecting to swap the display devices within the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23548
- Setting the Vista Power Option to Balanced mode no longer results in an audio pop being heard when playing an audio file. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24466
- The device profile is now retained when switching back and forth to various display configurations. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25504
- Disconnecting the primary display device when the Windows Vista operating system is in a standby state no longer results in the log-in screen failing to appear when resuming. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24470
Known Issues
This section provides information on known issues associated with the ATI Catalyst Vista driver for both the 32bit and 64bit versions of the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. These include:
- Call of Duty: Setting AA to either 2 or 4x may result in display corruption or the Vista operating system failing to respond when using an ATI Radeon X800/850 series of product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25523
- Call of Duty->United Offensive: Setting the in game video mode to 2048x1536 may result in display corruption being noticed when playing the game under Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25519
- City of Heroes: Changing the display resolution to 2560x1600 or higher may result in the game failing to run. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25518
- Doom 3: Setting AA to 4x and AT to 8x along with the display resolution to 2560x1600 may result in display corruption being noticed. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25520
- Doom 3: Attempting to play the game on a system running the Windows Vista operating system and containing an ATI Radeon X550/700 series of product may result in the operating system failing to respond. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25513
- Never Winter Nights->Shadows of Under tide: Attempting to play the game on a system containing an ATI Radeon X800/850 series of product and running the Windows Vista operating system may result in game failing to respond after playing the opening cinematic. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25512
- Never Winter Nights->Shadows of Undrentide: Attempting to play the game under the Windows Vista operating system (64bit version) may result in the opening cinematic failing to play when using an LCD display device. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25521
- NHL 07: The in-game display settings may fail to be applied when playing the game under the Windows Vista operating system when using a supported ATI Radeon product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23549
- Quake 4: game corruption may be noticed when playing the game under the Windows Vista operating system when using an ATI Radeon 9800 XT product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25510
- X-Plane: Playing the game under the Windows Vista operating system may result in display corruption being noticed when using an ATI Radeon X1900/1950 series of product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25522
- The Force TV option may still be active after deselecting the option and then re-launching the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23547
- Corruption may be noticed during fast motion of DVD playback when using MCE/WMP. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23550
- Catalyst Control Center->Display Manager: Connecting only a CRT display device to a system running Windows Vista may result in TV display modes being available. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24467
- Playing a DVD under the Windows Vista operating system using the Windows Media Player may result in the DVD failing to play when switching between display devices using the hot-key function. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24472
- The Microsoft Vista gamma settings set by the operating system may be overwritten when launching the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25505
- The Microsoft Vista operating system may fail to resume from an S3 state on systems containing an ATI Xpress 200 series product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25506
- A flickering display may be noticed when playing a DVD using the Windows Media Player in full screen and resuming from a standby state after disconnecting a CRT display device. This issue may occur when using a system containing an ATI Xpress 1100/1150 series product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25507
- Catalyst Control Center: The Help Launching Dialog is currently not localized for all supported languages. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25508
- Hot plugging or un-plugging a third display device when CrossFire is enabled may result in the primary display device being swapped and identified as the display device connecting to the primary port on the master card. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25509
- Connecting a TV to a system containing an ATI Xpress 200 series and setting it to PAL may result in the user not being able to control the display resolution on the LCD display when using the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25511
- The Windows Vista software driver for ATI Radeon products may fail to install if copied to a directory with a long name or to a directory with a long file path location. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25514
- Display corruption may be noticed when watching TV under the Windows Vista operating system when using an ATI Radeon X1600 series product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25515
- The Catalyst Control Center may fail to launch under the Simplified Chinese version of Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25516
- Launching the Catalyst Control Center after hot-plugging a secondary CRT display device may result in the desktop image reverting to a black and white image requiring a re-installation of the display driver. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25517
- OverDrive may not function as expected under the Windows Vista operating system when running an OpenGL application. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25524
