I seem to be getting artifacts when using gpu acceleration, these do not appear when using only the cpu for processing. The artifacts also appear in the preview view.
This happened with the previous version I used and the current version.
There’s vertical artifacts on the higher contrast areas, this happens on all the images I’ve tried. I’ve tested this on 3 different Windows 10 desktops and a laptop, all show the artifacts when using gpu acceleration (with nvidia gtx 770, gtx 1060, amd 6770 and laptop nvs 4200m). There appears to be no such artifacts when using any of the computers when using only the cpu to process images.
I posted a ticket to request support on this issue over a manth ago, they acknowledged that they could reproduce the issue and would be passed on to the developement team to look at, heard nothing back since and it is still and issue with the current build.
As it stands the gpu accelerated feature is only useful when there are very few high contrast edges which show these artifacts.
Hello,
for me the same problem with the vertical stripes.
System and graphics drivers are up to date.
It works without stripes when I turn off the GPU.
But then the processing times are absolutely bad.
Why is there no update?
Nothing ever seemed to get done about this issue. I now only occasionally use it with just cpu acceleration.
The software is annoying, as even when you choose to use only cpu acceleration you still need to have hardware acceleration available to run it, otherwise it just errors on start. This means when I did use it in a VM, I had to pass through a physical gpu to the virtual machine just to get it to run with cpu acceleration.
As the issue on your PC is occuring only when you use GPU processing l think your best option is to continue using OpenVINO.
You can try to raise a support request at the main website telling them your issue along with the type of image your processing, and the workflow, and attach the logs.
Without knowing your workflow the only advice I can offer is that if you are using a RAW processor like Lightroom or Capture One as a host don’t sharpening before processing in Sharpen AI.
Basically there is no point in logging any issues to do with bugs/flaws in your software, nothing ever gets done. If you can’t help with support and a resolution for a supported feature what chance is there on asking to be able to run the software without gpu acceleration?
Unless the issue is a basic end user setup issue, nothing seems to get done to resolve actual issues with the software.
It is interesting you have no idea what you are talking about, I am trying to help another person and you stick your nose in making accusations when you use an unsupported environment. The answer was directed at Tino and not you.
If you ask others on this forum I do quite good at helping people on this user to user forum … I do not work for Topaz and I offer my free time to other users on this forum in order to help them. So I offer interim solutions and YES, you can run all the software WITHOUT GPU acceleration. Also you show you lack of basic knowledge with your comment about “you still need to have hardware acceleration available to run it”.
My advice to you is:
Run the software on a supported environment
You keep opinions, i.e. things not fact based, to yourself
If you cannot help, say nothing
My apologies to others that may read this but … I object to your attitude and I have a right of reply
I think you’ll find that this thread was started by myself.
I object to the lack of progress on an issue that I reported September of last year, that is, artifacts when using gpu acceleration in a support environment. I also note that the original support replies to this thread are no longer visible. The last response I received for this issue was that is would be resolved in the next release, it was not fixed.
With regards to hardware acceleration, I think you’ll find that it is needed. While the main processing can be switched to use the cpu to render the results, opengl libraries are needed in order to open the software.
I do not ‘lack basic knowledge’ at all, without the necessary opengl support being available the software will not run, even if you choose to configure cpu rendering. This is different to using it on a machine with a modern graphics card that will always have hardware acceleration available. While I understand virtual environments are not supported, that is, it will not start when opened in a virtual environment. This is because hardware acceleration is not available. If you pass though a physical gpu through to the virtual machine, then the software runs fine, even if you choose not to use gpu acceleration, you still need to have a hardware card available.
Other users are free to start their own threads if they choose, as this is a thread started by myself, I feel I am able to express my opinion to the other user as to my support experience.
Everything I have written here is ‘fact based’.
I’m glad that you have picked up on my frustration with your support, perhaps spending more liasing with the development team in order to resolve outstanding issues would be a better use of time.
Who do you think you are telling me how to use my time, I give of my time to help people here on this forum which is user to user. You liaise with support with your problem that I and many others don’t have.
Today I updated Sharpen AI to 2.1.5, and on a few random images tried, the vertical “stripes” are still present, but only in Stabilize mode and only when GPU is used. It occurs with both high and medium memory setting.
When I raised a support request about this back in September 2019, the response I received at the time was “The stabilize mode will produce artifacts when camera shake is not present. In this case it was an issue of missed focus, not a lack of stabilization”
My subsequent tests with that particular image confirmed a much better result from focus mode, without the vertical stripes, and the request was closed.
Today, the images I tried that showed vertical stripes when stabilize mode was used with GPU selected, again didn’t produce the stripes when focus mode was used. I suspect though that the images don’t actually need either focus or stabilize and just benefit from a bit of sharpening.
Unfortunately my CPU doesn’t support OpenVino, and the processing time when not using GPU is too long to be of practical use.
That is correct but, unfortunately though, the Auto Mode seems to get confused between Sharpen, Stabilize and Focus mode which leads to many of these issues.
For example, this image needs Stabilize but Sharpen is selected:
In the last few days there have been some updates. With each one I thought the banding problem with GPU usage was fixed. But no. I still have streaks in stabilize mode on all photos when using the GPU.
Updated to version 2.1.7 today. No improvement.
And when using OpenVino, the calculation time is much worse than in version 2.1.5 and before.
Where can I get version 2.1.5 for download?
With version 2.1.7, even working with OpenVino is very limited.
Same here. I was planning to correct thousends of pictures with the stabilize mode which is really fantastic but unfortunately produces vertical stripes with my try out version 2.17. So it seems not usefull for me to buy this software as it introduces these artifact. Pity. Anybody who has an older version of Topaz Sharpen AI which did not produce this vertical lines?
