he AMD Catalyst software suite 12.8 contains the following:

  • AMD display driver version 8.982
  • HydraVision for Windows Vista and Windows 7
  • Southbridge/IXP Driver
  • AMD Catalyst Control Center version 8.982/AMD Vision Engine Control Center version 8.982.

Caution: The AMD Catalyst Control Center/AMD Vision Engine Control Center requires that the Microsoft .NET Framework SP1 be installed for Windows XP and Windows Vista. Without .NET SP1 installed, the AMD Catalyst Control Center/AMD Vision Engine Control Center will not launch properly and the user will see an error message.

Notes:

  • When installing the AMD Catalyst driver for Windows operating system, the user must be logged on as Administrator or have Administrator rights to complete the installation of the AMD Catalyst driver.
  • The Catalyst driver requires Windows 7 Service Pack 1 to be installed.
  • These release notes provide information on the AMD display driver only. For information on the ATI Multimedia Center, HydraVision, HydraVision Basic Edition, Remote Wonder, or the Southbridge/IXP driver, please refer to their respective release notes found at: https://support.amd.com/.
  • AMD Eyefinity technology is designed to give gamers access to high display resolutions. As pixel count grows, the graphics "horsepower" required to drive the displays at a reasonable frame rate can increase dramatically. Depending on the game and system configuration, users may notice texture corruption and reduced frame rates when running games in multi-monitor Eyefinity modes.
  • Windows Driver Model (WDM) drivers are no longer bundled in the AMD Catalyst software suite. The WDM drivers install bundle can be downloaded independently through the AMD website.

Feature Highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.8: Windows 8 support

AMD's first logo certified driver for Windows 8 production featuring support for the DirectX 11.1 and the new WDDM 1.2 driver model:

  • Target-Independent Rasterization (TIR): TIR is a new rendering path that enables superior anti-aliasing in Direct3D driver applications.
  • Native Stereo 3D Support: Windows 8 natively supports stereoscopic 3D gaming and videos via compatible applications.
  • Unified Video API: Video playback has been integrated into the DirectX 11 API, enabling simultaneous video and gaming content. Transcoding performance may also be improved for supporting applications.
  • Optimized screen rotation for rotation aware devices.
  • Improved sleep/resume performance.
  • Optimized GPU power consumption.
  • Support for AMD features
    • AMD Eyefinity
    • OpenCL
    • OpenGL
    • UVD
    • AMD Dual Graphics / AMD CrossFire Technology
    • AMD Overdrive
    • AMD Catalyst Control Center / Vision Engine Control Center

AMD Product Compatibility

  • AMD Desktop Product Family Compatibility
    • AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6500 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6410D Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6370D Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 7660D Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6310D Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 7560D Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 7300 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6200 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6900 Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5900 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6600 Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5600 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6550D Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5500 Series
    • AMD Radeon HD 6530D Series
    • ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series
  • AMD FireStream Product Families
    • AMD FireStream 9350
    • AMD FireStream 9250
    • AMD FireStream 9270
    • AMD FireStream 9170

AMD Mobility Radeon Family Compatibility

AMD Catalyst Mobility software is a notebook reference graphics driver with limited support for system vendor specific features. When used with Windows Vista or Windows 7, the user experience may be limited or compromised.

The Installation Verification Software is designed to prevent driver download on certain notebook products. This is to protect against the installation of drivers that may disable features or functionality provided by the system manufacturer. When used with Windows Vista or Windows 7, the user experience may be limited or compromised. In such a situation, it is recommended to revert back to the driver provided by your system vendor for your specific platform. Please contact your system vendor for the most recent drivers for your notebook.

AMD Mobility Product Families

  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6900M Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6620G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6800M Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6520G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6300M Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6480G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6300 Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6380G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6200 Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6310G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5800 Series
  • AMD Radeon HD 6250G Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5700 Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5600 Series
  • AMD PowerXpress enabled notebooks using AMD chipsets
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5400 Series
  • AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5100 Series

The following notebooks are not compatible with this release:

  1. Any notebook launched after this driver release.
  2. Switchable Graphics enabled notebooks.
  3. Toshiba notebooks (please contact the notebook OEM for driver support for these. notebooks)
  4. Sony VAIO notebooks (please contact the notebook OEM for driver support for these notebooks)
  5. Panasonic notebooks (please contact the notebook OEM for driver support for these notebooks)

Compatible Operating Systems

  • Windows 8 32-bit version
  • Windows 8 64-bit version
  • Windows 7 32-bit version
  • Windows 7 64-bit version
  • Windows Vista 32-bit version
  • Windows Vista 64-bit version
  • Windows XP Professional
  • Windows XP Home Edition
  • Windows XP Media Center Edition
  • Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Resolved Issues

  • Resolved Issues for the Windows 7 Operating System
    • Over/underscan settings are correctly restored on system reboot
    • SolidWorks: Graphical corruption is no longer experienced
    • Crysis Warhead: No longer crashes when launched in DirectX 10 mode
    • System no longer hangs when resuming from sleep mode
    • Audio is no longer disabled if the connected HDTV Is switched off/on
    • Enabling dual graphics mode with a HD 7000 series product no longer displays green video playback
    • Call of Duty- Black Ops : No longer hangs when loading a mission in DirectX 9 mode with Crossfire enabled
    • Shogun 2: Flickering text is no longer experienced
    • Star Wars - The Old Republic: In game cinematics no longer experience flicker when using the arrow keys
    • Dirt Showdown: 8-Ball track no longer hangs with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
    • Max Payne 3: A black screen is no longer observed when launching game in DirectX 11 mode with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
    • Max Payne 3: Applying in game settings no longer causes the game to crash
  • Resolved Issues for the Windows 8 Operating System (These issues were found in the Catalyst driver for the Windows 8 Preview)
    • Video playback using the Metro video player no longer shows green corruption
    • Deus Ex - Human Revolution: Graphics corruption is no longer experienced during in game cinematics with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
    • Battlefield 3: game no longer crashes when AMD Crossfire functionality is enabled
    • Need for Speed - The Run: game no longer crashes to the desktop
    • Blocky video corruption no longer seen when using VLC
    • System no longer hangs when using PowerDVD
    • Green video corruption is no longer seen when using various video players
  • Resolved Issues for the Windows XP Operating System
    • QQ Dancer: A black screen is no longer randomly experienced

Known Issues

  • Known issues under the Windows 7 operating system
    • Max Payne 3: Lights may flicker when run in Direct X 11 mode in a triple AMD Crossfire configuration
    • F1 2011: Vehicle textures may flicker when graphics profile is set to low
    • Enemy Territory Quake Wars: Poor performance may be experienced with AMD Crossfire technology enabled
    • Rage: Poor performance may be experienced with AMD Crossfire technology enabled
  • Known issues under the Windows 8 operating system
    • Blocky corruption may be experienced when playing back Flash video content
    • De-interlacing settings may not be applied to interlaced content when using MPC-HC and PowerDVD
    • Civilization V: game may crash when run in DirectX 9 mode
    • Total War - Shogun 2: game may experience random crashes
    • Rage: game may experience random crashes
  • Known issues under the Windows XP operating system
    • Diablo 3/Starcraft 2/World of Warcraft: Performance may be affected when run in windowed mode

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