XR341CK Flickering/Tearing/Freesync Issues

HERE IS A YOUTUBE VIDEO WHERE I DESCRIBE THE ISSUES

This is beyond frustrating. Flickering issues, tearing issues, and crossfire issues. I'm just fed up with this nonsense.

Here is my specs:

Acer XR341CK (3440x1440 @ 75Hz, 30-70Hz range)
Windows 10 64 bit
i7 4790k @ 4.5Ghz
TWO Fury Xs in Crossfire
16GB RAM @ 1866MHz
250GB SSD

I'm honestly lost at this point. I've clean installed the operating system twice, tried every recent AMD driver, gotten a replacement monitor, tried 4 different cables, and tried switching the GPU's. around. Still no dice. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

I'm hoping that I'm just missing something so completely obvious...

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philetus

I found this: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_xr341ck.htm

and this:http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/pulse_width_modulation.htm

Backlight Dimming and Flicker

We tested the screen to establish the methods used to control backlight dimming. Our in depth article talks in more details about a common method used for this which is called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). This in itself gives cause for concern to some users who have experienced eye strain, headaches and other symptoms as a result of the flickering backlight caused by this technology. We use a photosensor + oscilloscope system to measure backlight dimming control with a high level of accuracy and ease. These tests allow us to establish

1) Whether PWM is being used to control the backlight
2) The frequency and other characteristics at which this operates, if it is used
3) Whether a flicker may be introduced or potentially noticeable at certain settings

If PWM is used for backlight dimming, the higher the frequency, the less likely you are to see artefacts and flicker.

If you find PWM backlight flickering distracting or just want to see if reducing it makes reading on a monitor easier, I'd encourage you to try the following: Turn the brightness of your monitor up to maximum and disable any automatic brightness adjustments. Now use the colour correction available in your video card drivers or calibration device to reduce the brightness to normal levels (usually by adjusting the contrast slider). This will reduce the luminance and contrast of your monitor while leaving the backlight on as much as possible during PWM cycles. While not a long-term solution for most due to the decreased contrast, this technique can help to discover if a reduction in PWM usage is helpful.

Amiron

The only issue with this fix is that this monitor specifically uses "flicker-free" technology. This is from the same article you've linked;

"Some manufacturers promote "flicker free" monitors in their range (BenQ, Acer for example) which are designed to not use PWM at all and instead use a Direct Current (DC) method of backlight dimming."

So I'm not sure why this is happening on a monitor that is supposed to have "flicker-free" technology.

philetus

Kind of strange. The two connected articles are saying it's designed not to use PWM,but it's using PWM?

IronFly

what's the installed AMD GPU drivers version?

which kind of connection are you using or used?

Amiron

15.10 approved AMD driver. I've also tried anything below it all the way to 15.7.1, none of these drivers causing these issues.

I'm using a monoprice DP1.2 cable, I'm trying a new one that is on the list of approved DisplayPort 1.2 cables. The new one comes in tomorrow.

IronFly

it seems an issue similar to some X34, Acer is investigating the issue.

http://community.acer.com/t5/Predator-Discussions/MULTIPLE-Problems-with-New-X34/m-p/390434#M1137

Samg381

Hello,

Two days ago I received my XR341CK (Freesync) from Amazon.

It came in good shape and is functioning well except for an intermittent flickering and tearing at the top of the monitor. Occasionally there will breifly flash a pixelated/tearing bar horizontally about an inch down from the top of the monitor. It only happens in games and high definition videos. The problem isn't so severe as to warrant an immediate return of the product, however I would like acer to take note of the problem and get back to me if any fixes are discovered, This is a very expensive monitor and I expect nothing but the very best from it.

I have an R9 Fury X graphics card and have tried flipping the cable, a variety of settings on the monitor and in catalyst control center, and also different display ports on the back of the card.

If anyone has any advice or insight please let me know.

mdm

Any news for the issues mentioned here?

And will they be also addressed, or are they even acknowledged?

Seems to me the XR341CK is beeing overshadowed by the X34 one issues (understandable-and probably hava way more users)...

For the moment I only have the sound buzz from speakers at under 60% brightness issue. But not yet having an Freesync GPU I wonder if should getting worried for when I do...

I ask this because I got mine here in Serbia from Hungary (must probably be the sole owner of this monitor in Serbia Smiley Very Happy ), because it isn't been sold here, so it could be be an complicated issue for me...

Samg381

No response from any thread has been made by acer in regards to the freesync monitor.

We have been completely and indefinitely eclipsed by the Gsync version.

cglatot

Did you ever find a proper fix to this apart from capping FPS or turning off FreeSync?

batou_

Hi. I have figured out a way to resolve the XR341CK flickering problem I had (~1 inch of the top of the screen would flicker with freesync on). It only seems to occur for me when I'm playing games in borderless window mode. When I switch to fullscreen, the flickering is gone. Go back to borderless window and it returns. (Is free-sync even supposed to run in borderless window mode?). Does this work for others?

-batou

RKok

no. free sync works only in exclusive full screen mode. under maximised windowed mode or windowed mode you are running plain v-sync if you have v-sync enabled.

v-sync just solves tearing, not flickering. your monitor has a few choices of vsync rates (just take 75 and divide it by 1,2,3,4 ... and take all the round numbers). if your fps is above or below each of these refresh rate values it will get binned to the closest one. above the 75hz (max refresh rate) , stuttering will also occur unless you cap your game to the max refresh rate

batou_

"no. free sync works only in exclusive full screen mode. under maximised windowed mode or windowed mode you are running plain v-sync if you have v-sync enabled."

Well, that's the thing. When I was in borderless window, freesynch appeared to be active as I could see the refresh rate of the monitor and refresh rate of the game changing at the same time. When the refresh rate was fluctuating is when the flickering at the top of the monitor occured. If I shut off freesync, the monitor refresh rate was constant and the flickering was gone. If I run games in full screen mode with freesync on, the refresh rate fluctuates, but no flickering at the top of the screen occurs. I am running games through Steam if this makes any difference.

In any case, the problems I was having went away with this change and I am again loving the monitor!

RKok

Thats good to know buddy.

Im my case, I will get tiny ripples (much like seeing a horizontal scan line) if V-Sync is disabled even with Free Sync on. So what I do is have both Vsync and Freesync enabled - now everything is buttery smooth. I also cap my fps via crimson driver to 75 fps so that it will never go above max freesync range so that vsync binning is not triggered above the max refresh rate.

Its not so much that my system cant handle above 75 fps (because in windowed fullscreen mode where crossfire and freesync are both disabled, the game outputs at 90fps). It's mainly to cap it to prevent vsync kicking in outside of freesync window, and also ensuring that i don't get those huge nasty fluctuations in fps - as this seems to kill the whole experience for many ppl here - so capping at 75 and running in crossfire + tuning some game settings ensures that my game will always float between 40 to 75 fps in the worst case.

to be fair to acer, even tho this may not me a 4K panel, it is nevertheless bloody close to UHD panel in terms on pixel count so a beefy system is required to keep all those eye candy and sustain a healthy fps too. thas how i see it when i decided to get this panel.

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