************************************************************************ * * * Copyright (c) Creative Technology Ltd, 1994. All rights reserved. * * * ************************************************************************ Video Blaster MP400 Common Questions and Answers ================================================ This file contains some common problems faced and the solutions to those problems. Please read the sections below when you encounter a problem, and call our Technical Support when you cannot find an answer in this file. Sections in this file: 1. Error in initializing card. 2. Unable to find font files or Microcode file 3. No video image 4. The video image has a magenta border 5. The video image is flickering 6. VGA blanks out when running Video Blaster MP400 software 7. The playback of MPEG streams is jerky 8. The mouse is not responding in the DOS/Windows application 9. Unable to playback CDI Digital Video movies 10. The MPEG playback stops after the first screen 11. Network driver hangs with Video Blaster MP400 card installed ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Error in initializing card. Causes: 1. The software is not able to locate the card at the port address specified in the VIDEOBLST_MP400 environment string, the environment string may be different from the hardware settings. 2. The card may be set a port address that is in conflict with another card on your system. Solutions: 1. Check that the AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains the statement SET VIDEOBLST_MP400=C:\MP400 A:2c0 I:15 D:7 T:4. If any of the entries are missing you have to run MP400SET to reconfigure, after which you will need to reboot the system. The values for A:, I:, D: may be different depending on your card settings. 2. Switch off your system and change the card's port address (refer to User Manual). After which, start up your system and run MP400SET to reconfigure the environment string. MP400SET is able to detect any conflict in port addresses. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Unable to find font files or Microcode file Causes: 1) The DOS software could not locate the font files that it needs from the current directory. 2) The software could not locate the microcode file that it needs from the directory specified in the environment string VIDEOBLST_MP400. Solution: 1) Ensure that you run the DOS application from the directory where the following font files are stored : Helvb.fon, Courb.fon and Tmsrb.fon. 2) Check that the microcode file DRAM450.200 is located in the directory specified in the VIDEOBLST_MP400. If not, either reinstall the software to copy the microcode file. Or, run MP400SET to change the directory set in the environment string. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. No video image Causes: 1. VGA cable is not connected to the Video Blaster MP400 card. 2. Feature connector is not connected from Video Blaster MP400 to the VGA card. 3. The loop back cable is not connected properly. 4. Video image is not aligned 5. There is no MPEG source Solutions: 1-3. Refer to user manual for installation procedures. 4. Use the DOS/Windows application software and set up the alignment. Remember to save the alignment before quitting from the respective programs. 5. Use the DOS/Windows application software to load a MPEG file, Karaoke/Video CD or CDI CD (if you have a compliant CD ROM Drive). Click the play button. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. The video image has a magenta border Cause: The video image is not aligned with the VGA monitor. Solution: Run the application software, MP400WIN (in Windows) or MP400DOS (in DOS). Click the alignment option, adjust both the crop settings and alignment settings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. The video image is flickering Cause: Some connections are not secured. Solution: Ensure that the feature connector and video interface cables are firmly secured. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. VGA blanks out when running Video Blaster MP400 software Cause: The screen resolution may be too high Solution: Try switching your Windows resolution to a lower one and try again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. The playback of MPEG streams is jerky Causes: 1. The source of MPEG stream (CD ROM drive or hard disk) may be too slow. 2. There may be a conflict of DMA or interrupts on your system. 3. The computer system may be too slow. Solutions: 1. Try running MPEG streams from a fast hard disk and if the problem disappears, it confirms that the other source may be too slow. If you are using Creative CD-ROM model CR-563, you need to have at least a version 4.18 SBCD driver. Please contact our Technical Support or distributor if you need one. Some MPEG files are known to have problems playing on a Single Speed CD ROM, this is because they are meant for Double Speed CD ROMs. 2. Try changing the DMA and interrupt. If it still fails, change the expansion slot location of the Video Blaster MP400 board on your system. 3. Ensure that the PC system is running in turbo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. The mouse is not responding in the DOS/Windows application Cause: It requires a substantial amount of processing to read MPEG streams and prepare them for the hardware. Resulting in less processing time for the rest of the system (mouse included). Solution: Pause the video before making video adjustments and other processes that requires lots of mouse activity. In Windows, remove all other background processes before playing video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Unable to playback CDI Digital Video movies Cause: The CD ROM drive is not able to read CDI format CDs. Solution: Your CD ROM may not be able to read CDI disk, please check with your supplier. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. The MPEG playback stops after the first screen Cause: The interrupt setting is wrong or conflicts with another hardware board on your system Solutions: 1) Ensure that the interrupt specified in the I: parameter of the environment string is the same as your card. If not, run MP400SET to reconfigure the string before rebooting the system. 2) If it still fails, switch off your system, change the interrupt setting on your board and run MP400SET to reconfigure the environment string. After which, you will need to reboot your system. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Network driver hangs with Video Blaster MP400 card installed Cause: The card is not properly initialised upon boot up. This problem will only occur on certain systems. Solution: Do not boot up the system with any network drivers. Install the Video Blaster MP400 software. You will now have to run MP400INI before running the network driver concern. You can run MP400INI from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, before running the network driver concerned. ********** End of Common Questions and Answers **********