User manual TYAN TACHYON G9500

TACHYON Series Graphics Card User's Guide Revision 3.0 Copyright Notice The material in this document is the intellectual property of TYAN. While we take every care in the preparation of this document, we cannot guarantee the correctness of all the content. Our products undergo continual improvement and we reserve the right to make changes without notice. Trademarks All trademarks and Registered Trademarks used in this manual are the property of their respective owners. VGA is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. i Important Safety Precautions Always read and follow these basic safety precautions carefully when handling any piece of electronic component. 1. Keep this User's Guide for future reference. 2. Keep this equipment away from humidity. 3. Lay this equipment on a stable, flat surface before setting it up. 4. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection; hence they protect the equipment from overheating. 5. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V before connecting the equipment to the power inlet. 6. Place the power cord in a way that people are unlikely to step on it. Do not place anything on the power cord. 7. Always Unplug the Power Cord before inserting any add-on card or module. 8. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted. 9. Never pour any liquid into the opening that could damage the equipment or cause an electrical shock. 10. If any of the following situations arise, get the equipment checked by a service personnel: The power cord or plug is damaged Liquid has penetrated into the equipment The equipment has been exposed to moisture The equipment has not functioned properly or in accordance with the User's Guide The equipment was dropped and damaged The equipment has obvious signs of breakage 11. DO NOT LEAVE THE EQUIPMENT IN AN UNCONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT WITH A STORAGE TEMPERATURE OF 60°C (140 °F) OR ABOVE. IT MAY DAMAGE THE EQUIPMENT. ii FCC Information This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on. The user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: · Reorient the receiving antenna. · Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. · Connecting the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. · Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference and, (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Notice to user: Changes or modifications to this product not approved by the party responsible for FCC compliance could void your authority to operate this equipment. In order for an installation of this product to maintain compliance with the limits for a Class B device, shielded cables must be used for the connection of any devices external to this product. CE Information EMC Directive 89/336/ EEC and Amendment 92/31/ECC, Class B Digital Device EN 50081-1, Generic Emissions Standard for Residential, Commercial and Light Industrial Products (EN 55022/CISPR 22, Limits and Methods of Measurement of Radio Interference Characteristics Information Technology Equipment) Warning: This is a Class B product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures. EN 50082-1, Generic Immunity Standard for Residential, Commercial and Light Industrial Products (IEC 801-2, IEC 801-3, IEC 801-4) For further compliance information, please send requests to tachyon@tyan.com. iii iv Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Item Checklist.................................................................................................................................. 1 Specifications ................................................................................................................................... 2 Tachyon G9000 series ................................................................................................................ 2 Tachyon G9700 series ................................................................................................................ 2 Tachyon G9500 series ................................................................................................................ 3 Tachyon G9200 series ................................................................................................................ 3 System Requirement ....................................................................................................................... 4 Features............................................................................................................................................ 4 Tachyon G9000 / G9200 series .................................................................................................. 4 Tachyon G9700 / G9500 series .................................................................................................. 5 CATALYSTTM Software Suite ....................................................................................................... 6 Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience.......................................................................... 6 Direct 3D® and OpenGL® .......................................................................................................... 6 HYDRAVISIONTM..................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software............................................................................................. 7 Uninstalling your current video card and driver ......................................................................... 8 Installing Your Tachyon Graphics Card ...................................................................................... 9 To install your card..................................................................................................................... 9 Windows® "New Hardware Found"............................................................................................ 13 To identify new hardware in Windows® 98, Windows® Me, Windows® 2000 or Windows®XP............................................................................................................................ 13 Installing the ATI Driver for Windows® 98 /Windows® Me/Windows® 2000/ Windows® XP 13 Chapter 3 Multiple Displays(optional) ............................................................................................................ 15 Connecting Your Monitor(s)........................................................................................................ 15 Display Configurations ................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 4 CATALYSTTM Software Suite ....................................................................................................... 17 ATI Displays Tab .......................................................................................................................... 17 Enabling/Disabling Secondary Displays (optional) ................................................................. 17 Enabling Extended Desktop Mode (optional) .......................................................................... 18 Dynamic Display Reassignment (optional).............................................................................. 18 Virtually Repositioning Your Displays (optional) .................................................................... 19 ATI Color Tab............................................................................................................................... 20 ATI Options Tab ........................................................................................................................... 22 ATI Overlay Tab........................................................................................................................... 23 Video Overlay .......................................................................................................................... 23 Clone Mode Settings ................................................................................................................ 25 Chapter 5 Direct 3D® Control Panel............................................................................................................... 27 Main and Custom Settings ........................................................................................................... 27 Direct 3D®Compatibility Settings................................................................................................ 30 Chapter 6 OpenGL® Control Panel ................................................................................................................ 31 v Main and Custom Settings ........................................................................................................... 31 OpenGL® Compatibility Settings................................................................................................. 34 Chapter 7 SMARTGARTTM ............................................................................................................................. 35 Set AGP Settings...................................................................................................................... 35 Fast Write ................................................................................................................................. 35 Retest All.................................................................................................................................. 36 Chapter 8 Using TV Out................................................................................................................................... 37 View your PC's display on a TV .............................................................................................. 37 Connecting to a TV or a VCR...................................................................................................... 37 Starting Windows® with TV Display Enabled.......................................................................... 38 Using SCART Connectors for European TVs .......................................................................... 39 How To Enable/Disable The TV Display ................................................................................. 39 How TV Display Cannot Be Used ........................................................................................... 40 Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display .............................................................................. 40 Adjusting Monitor Display....................................................................................................... 40 Viewing Text on a TV .............................................................................................................. 40 Reducing Edge Distortion ........................................................................................................ 41 Changing Display Configurations ............................................................................................ 42 Changing TV Format................................................................................................................ 42 Using Games and Applications ................................................................................................ 43 Appendix 1 --- Troubleshooting Tips ............................................................................................................... 44 Appendix 2 --- Acronyms.................................................................................................................................. 45 If you would like to download our Multi-Language User's Guide, please refer to our website at: HTTP://WWW.TYAN.COM/SUPPORT/HTML/MANUALS_GC.HTML. vi Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 1 Introduction Overview The Tachyon series graphic accelerators deliver ground breaking 3D graphics performance. Designed and built by TYAN Computer Corp. Powered by the RADEONTM 9700/ RADEONTM 9500/ RADEONTM 9200/ RADEONTM 9000 series of Visual Processing Units (VPU). Awesome 3D gaming performance. Support for OpenGL® applications. Support for Direct 3D® applications. High resolution in 3D up to 2048x1536. Best performance for today's and tomorrow's applications. Supports TV-out to connect your PC to your TV or VCR. Item Checklist Check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing items, contact your retailer. Tachyon Graphics Card Tachyon Graphics Card User's Guide / Quick Installation Guide Graphics Card Driver CD with WinDVD® player Three cables support S-Video and TV-Output DVI to D-Sub adaptor (Optional) Power Extension Cable (For Tachyon G9700/G9500 series only) http://www.tyan.com 1 Specifications Tachyon G9000 series ATI RADEONTM 9000 Pro - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 275 MHz Engine/550 MHz Memory clock speed. ATI RADEONTM 9000 - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 250 MHz Engine/400 MHz Memory clock speed 64MB of DDR memory Supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 @ 60Hz SMARTSHADERTM advanced shader technology, SMOOTHVISIONTM flexible anti-aliasing, CHARISMA ENGINETM II geometry engine, PIXEL TAPESTRYTM II rendering engine, VIDEO IMMERSIONTM II digital video features, and more Optimized for DirectXTM 8/8.1 and OpenGL 1.3 Dual independent 400MHz DACs VGA, DVI and S-Video connectors; S-Video supports NTSC and PAL AGP 4X/2X compatible Tachyon G9700 series ATI RADEONTM 9700 Pro - 256-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 325 MHz Engine/620 MHz Memory clock speed. 128MB of high-speed DDR memory 128-bit floating color Supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 @ 60Hz SMARTSHADERTM 2.0 advanced shader technology, HYPER ZTM III, SMOOTHVISIONTM 2.0 flexible anti-aliasing, VIDEOSHADERTM VIDEOSTREAMTM digital video features, and more Optimized for DirectXTM 9 and OpenGL 1.3 Dual independent 400MHz DACs VGA, DVI and S-Video connectors; S-Video supports NTSC and PAL AGP 8X/4X/2X compatible 2 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 1 Introduction Tachyon G9500 series ATI RADEONTM 9500 Pro - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 275 MHz Engine/540 MHz Memory clock speed. 128MB of DDR memory 128-bit floating color Supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 @ 60Hz SMARTSHADERTM 2.0 advanced shader technology, HYPER ZTM III, SMOOTHVISIONTM 2.0 flexible anti-aliasing, VIDEOSHADERTM VIDEOSTREAMTM digital video features, and more Optimized for DirectXTM 9 and OpenGL 1.3 Dual independent 400MHz DACs VGA, DVI and S-Video connectors; S-Video supports NTSC and PAL AGP 8X/4X/2X compatible Tachyon G9200 series ATI RADEONTM 9200 Pro - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 275 MHz Engine/550 MHz Memory clock speed. ATI RADEONTM 9200 - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 250 MHz Engine/400 MHz Memory clock speed 64MB / 128MB of DDR memory Supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 @ 60Hz SMARTSHADERTM supports Microsoft® DirectX® 8.1 feature sets, SMOOTHVISIONTM delivers the sharpest, clearest textures without sacrificing frame rates, VIDEO IMMERSIONTM II provide unprecedented support for digital and high definition video Optimized for DirectXTM 8/8.1 and OpenGL 1.3 Dual independent 400MHz DACs VGA, DVI and S-Video connectors; S-Video supports NTSC and PAL AGP 8X/4X/2X compatible http://www.tyan.com 3 System Requirement Pentium®4/III/II/ CeleronTM, AMD K6/ Athlon® or compatible with AGP 8X/4X/2X bus slot 128MB system memory Installation software requires CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive DVD playback requires DVD drive Sound Card supported by Windows® with available line input. Interactive Program Guide requires internet connection Remote control receiver requires available USB port AGP 8X/4X/2X slot Windows®98/SE, Windows®Me, Windows®2000, Windows®XP VGA, supporting minimum 640x480 resolution. A Plug-and-Play monitor that supports VESA's Display Channel specifications (DDC1 or DDC2b) is required to take advantage of the DDC1/DDC2b features. The DVI-I interface on Tachyon series graphics cards can be used to attach a DVI display or an analog VGA monitor, using the supplied DVI-I-to-VGA adapter. HYDRAVISIONTM technology supports DVI or CRT monitor and television. Computer System Expansion Slot Operating System Monitor Features Tachyon G9000 / G9200 series The Tachyon G9000 / G9200 series card provides high performance acceleration for today's demanding 3D graphic applications. Its main features are: VIDEO IMMERSIONTM II which provides industry-leading DVD playback and digital TV decode capability CHARISMA ENGINETM II which is the main VPU, providing the 4 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 1 Introduction necessary power to accelerate today's 3D games and applications SMARTSHADERTM technology which can realistically create the visual properties of any material, like glass, metal, wood, and produce 3D depth by rendering the object's shadows SMOOTHVISIONTM which provides users with various degrees of jagged edge removal from 3D images, allowing users to configure their own high quality or high performance gaming experience PIXEL TAPESTRYTM II which provides even greater 3D rendering power Dual monitor support (optional) TV output support Digital flat panel support (optional) Tachyon G9700 / G9500 series The Tachyon G9700 / G9500 series card provides high performance acceleration for today's demanding 3D graphic applications. Its main features are: SMARTSHADERTM 2.0 provides advanced pixel and vertex shaders capable of processing 16 textures per pass and up to 160 instructions with 128-bit floating point precision. SMOOTHVISIONTM 2.0 provides2x/4x/6x full scene anti-aliasing with full anisotropic filtering for the highest level of image quality HYPER ZTM III technology improves performance and reduces memory bandwidth use by allowing the Tachyon G9700/G9500 to render only those parts of an image that can be seen by the viewer. TRUFORMTM 2.0 allows rendering of higher order surfaces with discrete and continuous tessellation levels per polygon. VIDEOSHADERTM provides seamless integration of pixel shaders with video. FULLSTREAM technology will allow high-quality video playback of streaming Internet video. Dual monitor support with HYDRAVISIONTM technology. http://www.tyan.com 5 All-format DTV-HDTV decoding TV output support. Digital flat panel support through DVI-I. CATALYSTTM Software Suite Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience ATI's CATALYSTTM Software Suite provides multiple display functionality, and the advanced graphic features, such as SMARTSHADERTM (Tachyon G9700 /G9500 series provides SMARTSHADERTM 2.0), for the ultimate 3D gaming experience. For help on installing the CATALYSTTM Software Suite, refer to the Installing the hardware and software. The CATALYSTTM Software Suite installs the ATI display tabs. These tabs are accessed through the Windows® Display Control Panel, through the Advanced... button located on the Settings tab. For a detailed explanation of each ATI tab, refer to CATALYSTTM Software Suite on page 17. Direct 3D® and OpenGL® The CATALYSTTM Software Suite also supports the latest versions of Direct 3D® and OpenGL®. Many new 3D game titles, and the latest versions of older titles, will virtually come to life as they utilize their advanced Direct 3D® or OpenGL® features. Gamers can fine-tune their settings for the ultimate experience in 3D image quality or 3D gaming performance. ATI's Direct 3D® and OpenGL® tabs are available through the Windows® Display Control Panel, through the Advanced... button located on the Settings tab. For a detailed explanation of the Direct 3D® and OpenGL® tabs, refer to Direct 3D® Control Panel on page 27, and OpenGL® Control Panel on page 31. HYDRAVISIONTM In addition to the multiple display functionality available with ATI's CATALYSTTM Software Suite, you can also use HYDRAVISIONTM for advanced multimonitor management. 6 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software Installing your card consists of three, easy steps. Placing the card in your computer Installing ATI's enhanced display drivers Attaching input and output cables and optional TV, VDR, camcorder, etc. This chapter explains how to place the card in your computer, how to install the software, and how to connect the input and output cables. BEFORE installing your Card... Turn off the power to your system, and discharge your body's static electric charge by touching a grounded surface -- for example, the metal surface of the power supply ­- before performing any hardware procedure. The manufacturer assumes no liability for any damage, caused directly or indirectly, by improper installation of any components by unauthorized service personnel. If you do not feel comfortable performing the installation, consult a qualified computer technician. Damage to system components, the accelerator card, and injury to yourself may result if power is applied during installation. To ensure a successful installation of your Tachyon Graphics Accelerator card, you MUST do the following BEFORE replacing your current graphics card with your new Tachyon Graphic card: Install AGP Drivers for non-Intel Chipset Based Motherboards. Several AGP motherboard manufacturers use non-Intel AGP chipsets. Chipsets include those made by Acer Laboratories (ALI), Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS), and VIA Technologies, Inc. Each non-Intel chipset requires the installation of a custom Virtual GART (AGP) Driver. This driver is required by your new Tachyon graphic card to function correctly with your motherboard. It is very http://www.tyan.com 7 important that the correct AGP driver be installed before installing an AGP video card in your system. An incorrect or missing GART driver can result in AGP memory not being detected or a black screen after Windows® loads. How to determine what motherboard chipset is present on your system: 1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties. 2. Click the (Hardware Tab in Windows® 2000/Windows® XP) Device Manager tab then scroll to the bottom of the device list. 3. Select System Devices. 4. Scroll through the list of System Devices until you find a listing for the AGP controller. 5. The chipset manufacturer's name will appear as the device name. Once you have determined the chipset manufacturer for your motherboard, obtain and then install the latest AGP drivers from: VIA Technologies http://www.viaarena.com Acer Laboratories (ALI) http://www.ali.com.tw Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS) http://www.sis.com Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) http://www.amd.com Intel Technologies http://support.intel.com General Motherboard/chipset information http://www.motherboards.org Uninstalling your current video card and driver Before you install your Tachyon series graphics card, it is important that you remove the current video card and its driver. You can remove most video card drivers from Windows® via an uninstall utility provided by the card's manufacturer---typically, this is an entry in the Programs menu. If no manufacturer-provided uninstall utility is provided, you can remove the driver by selecting it from the Add/Remove Programs menu in the Windows® control Panel. When the graphics card driver has been removed, the system should reboot. 1. Close all applications that are currently running. 8 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software 2. Click Start Settings Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs. 3. Select your current graphic drivers and click Add/Remove... 4. *The Wizard will help you remove your current display drivers. 5. The System should be restarted after the drivers have been removed. *If the previously installed graphics card has any additional software installed, they may also need to be removed at this point. (For example DVD Player, Multimedia applications, etc.) Installing Your Tachyon Graphics Card Now that you have prepared your computer, you are ready to install your card. If you are not sure whether your card is PCI or AGP, compare the bottom edge of your card with the following illustration: To install your card 1. Power off the computer and monitor, then disconnect the display cable from the back of your computer. 2. Remove the computer cover. If necessary, consult your computer's http://www.tyan.com 9 manual for help in removing the cover. Remember to discharge your body's static electricity by touching the metal surface of the computer chassis. 3. Remove any existing graphics card from your computer. If the old graphics card sticks, rock it gently from end to end. Remember to save the screw. Or, if your computer has any on-board graphics capability, you may need to disable it on the motherboard. For more information, see your computer documentation. 4. Locate the AGP slot. If necessary, remove the metal cover from this slot; then align your Tachyon Graphic Card with the AGP slot, and press it in firmly until the card is fully seated. Grasp the Tachyon G9700/G9500 series card by the top edge and carefully seat it into the correct slot. Ensure that the metal contacts are completely pushed into the slot. 10 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software 5. Replace the screw to fasten the card in place, and replace the computer cover. 6. Plug the display cable into your card; then turn on the computer and monitor. If your Tachyon Graphic Card came with a DVI connector, you can connect a flat panel display to the appropriate connector Make sure all cables are securely connected. http://www.tyan.com 11 Connecting to the Hard Drive power connector (For Tachyon G9700/G9500 Series Graphic Card) The Tachyon G9700/G9500 series graphic card requires connection to your PC's internal power supply for operation. A 300W power supply or greater is recommended to ensure normal operation where a number of other internal devices are installed. Complete the instructions for removing the old video card and software found at Uninstalling your current video card and driver on page 8. Use the supplied Power Extension Cable to connect the Tachyon G9700/ G9500 series graphic card to the computer's Hard Drive power connector. 1. Remove the power cable from the Hard Drive power connector. 2. Connect A of the Power Extension Cable to the Tachyon G9700/G9500 series graphic card power connector as shown. (The cable may already be connected to the graphics card.) 3. Connect B to the power supply connector. 4. Connect C to the Hard Drive power connector. 5. After locating the AGP slot, and if necessary, removing the metal cover: · Align your Tachyon Graphics Accelerator card with the AGP slot. 12 Tachyon Graphic Card Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software · Press it in firmly until the card is fully seated. 6. Replace the screw to fasten the card in place, and replace the computer cover. 7. Plug the monitor cable into your card. 8. Turn on the computer and monitor. Windows® "New Hardware Found" New hardware will be detected after you restart your computer. To finish setting up your hardware click Yes when prompted to restart. To identify new hardware in Windows® 98, Windows® Me, Windows® 2000 or Windows®XP 1. Windows may launch the "Update Device Driver Wizard" to install the ® Standard VGA Driver. If it does, follow the step-by-step instructions below to allow Windows® to correctly identify your new hardware. If the Wizard does not appear, proceed directly to Installing the ATI Driver for Windows® 98/Windows® Me/Windows®2000/Windows® XP. 2. Click Next 3. Click Finish. You are now ready to install the ATI driver. Proceed to Installing the ATI Driver for Windows® 98/Windows® Me/Windows® 2000/Windows® XP, and follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the installation. Installing the ATI Driver for Windows® 98 /Windows® Me/Windows® 2000/ Windows® XP With Windows® 98, Windows® Me, Windows®2000, or Windows® XP running on your computer, you need to install the driver to take advantage of the higher performance, resolutions, and special graphic features of the Tachyon series graphics card. To ensure you install the latest driver, use the Driver CD that shipped with your Tachyon series graphics card. To install DirectX Install Microsoft DirectX 8.1(or later) to enable 3D hardware acceleration support for Windows® 98/98SE or Windows® ME to achieve better 3D http://www.tyan.com 13 performance. Note: For software MPEG support in Windows® 98/98SE or Windows® ME, you must install DirectX first. 1. Insert the Driver CD into your CD-ROM drive. If Windows® runs the CD automatically, proceed to step5. 2. Click Start Run. 3. Type the following: D:\TyanSoft.exe (If D is not your CD-ROM drive, substitute D with the correct drive letter.) 4. Click OK 5. Click on Install Software. 6. Click on DirectX, then the installation Wizard begins 7. Click Yes to make sure you should install the DirectX 8. Click Yes to the license agreement. 9. Click OK to restart your computer To install the driver 1. Insert the Driver CD into your CD-ROM drive. If Windows® runs the CD automatically, proceed to step5. 2. Click Start Run. 3. Type the following: D:\TyanSoft.exe (If D is not your CD-ROM drive, substitute D with the correct drive letter.) 4. Click OK 5. Click on Install Software. 6. Click on Install Graphics Drivers. 7. Choose the right product you want to install driver (such as Tachyon 8. 9. 10. 11. G9700) Choose the right platform, which you are using, then the Installation Wizard begins. Click Next. Click Yes to the license agreement. Follow the Wizard's on-screen instructions to complete the installation. The Express installation option is recommended. The multimedia components will automatically be installed, along with the ATI driver, by selecting this option. Remark: Please click Control Panel Update to install control panel after installing the driver. 14 Tachyon Graphic Card