ArcGIS Explorer 1200 - Video Card exceeds specs, but fails test

[BonniePeyton]

We installed 1200 on a mobile computer with a touchscreen. 

ArcGIS Explorer displays the desktop.

The Video Card, a Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family, failed the system test with a recommendation to upgrade.  But the card EXCEEDS all minimum specs:

   Video RAM = 358 MB
   3D = Yes
   Pixel Shader version = 4.0
   Vertex Shader version = 4.0

What do we need to do to make Explorer work?

TIA, Bonnie

[BobLooney]

Explorer does not like laptops with integrated graphics cards and shared memory, despite the amount of memory.
I have 1.7 gig of video ram and it wigs out on occasion.

There is a difference in how 900 and 1200 work with certain chipsets based on what I and some acquaintances have seen.
Best you can do is try different video drivers and both versions, 900 and 1200.

You could always step back to 450 if it will do what you want. That was the best build they have had yet.

[BonniePeyton]

Hi Bob,

Indeed, we successfully installed 900.

Thanks for the info!  Bonnie

[MichaelBranscomb]

Bonnie / Bob,

A colleague alerted me to a potential drawback with the Intel GMA 965 you mentioned below. I've just been looking into this: if it is the "Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family" the Intel website indicates this only supports OpenGL 1.5 rather than the later OpenGL 2.0 required for ArcGIS Explorer (http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intelg965/sb/CS-023713.htm).

I don't believe a driver update would move the support up to 2.0 but it's worth trying anyway. You could try checking for a more recent driver: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/detect.htm.

The Intel website also says "Also, exit any running background applications or programs that run in the Windows task bar".

Regards

Mike

[BonniePeyton]

Hi Mike,

We checked the drivers using the link you provided, and are running the most current version.

The video card is not compliant.

Thank you very much for the information; we appreciate knowing the source of the problem.

Bonnie

[BobLooney]

Glad it worked for you Bonnie.
I bought a new laptop back around Christmas with an Intel Mobil 4 chipset and actually had to step UP from 900 to 1200 to get better stability.
Most of my problems now are when panning across an area that has a Topo map layer turned on. The layer coming from services.arcgisonline.com.
I just pan slow.

[BonniePeyton]

Hi Mike,

I have question:  What are the system requirements for Build 1500?  Will it also require OpenGL 2.0?

Is there a release date?

Thanks in advance (okay that was 3 questions 😉

Bonnie

Bonnie / Bob,

A colleague alerted me to a potential drawback with the Intel GMA 965 you mentioned below. I've just been looking into this: if it is the "Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family" the Intel website indicates this only supports OpenGL 1.5 rather than the later OpenGL 2.0 required for ArcGIS Explorer (http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intelg965/sb/CS-023713.htm).

I don't believe a driver update would move the support up to 2.0 but it's worth trying anyway. You could try checking for a more recent driver: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/detect.htm.

The Intel website also says "Also, exit any running background applications or programs that run in the Windows task bar".

Regards

Mike

[MichaelBranscomb]

Bonnie,

1. The System Requirements for ArcGIS Explorer 1500 are likely to be the same as 1200. I am not aware of any advances in the spec required, although it is always possible that the the specs will be increased slightly at each release - please check http://wikis.esri.com/wiki/display/agxpsr/Home once 1500 has been released.

2. ArcGIS Explorer 1500 will also require OpenGL 2.0 (or greater) support.

3. There is no announced release date but 1500 will be released shortly. As soon as it is released announcements will be made via the ArcGIS Explorer blog (http://blogs.esri.com/Info/blogs/arcgisexplorerblog/default.aspx) and likely Twitter will pick it up too.

Regards

Mike

[BonniePeyton]

Thanks for quick response!