----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator Diamond Fire GL1 Video Driver for Windows NT 4.0 Release 1.09 (0500) Driver Version 4.00.1381.1100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please read the entire contents of this document. Information in this file may not appear in printed documentation or online help. This READ-ME file contains the following information: 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Installing the Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator 2. INSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER 2.1 Installing the Fire GL1 Video Driver with the SuperCD 2.2 Installing Fire GL1 Video Drivers downloaded from Diamond's Website 3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS 3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth 3.2 Choosing Monitors and Display Refresh Rates 3.3 Adjusting the Monitors' Display 3.4 Setting Multiple Monitor Configuration 4. UNINSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER 5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION 5.1 Diamond Information Dialog 5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!) 6. ENHANCEMENTS & KNOWN LIMITATIONS 7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES 8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES 1. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------- 1.1 Installing the Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator ------------------------------------------------------- Refer to the User's Guide of your computer to install the Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator in your system. NOTE: If you want to install the Fire GL1 card to replace your existing graphics solution it may be helpful to set your display driver to standard VGA before you shut down your PC and remove a previously installed card. If you plan to set up a multi-monitor system: With the drivers provided you can operate a maximum of four Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerators. The drivers are designed exclusively to support Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerators with the Windows NT 4.0 operating system. The drivers DO NOT SUPPORT any other type or brand of graphics card or operating system. NOTE: If they are not factory-installed you must install the primary display adapter and the drivers first, before installing additional graphics cards. 2. INSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER ----------------------------------------------- You need to install the basic driver software for Windows NT - if you install the card to your system - if you are re-installing or upgrading the operating system. IMPORTANT: You must have Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack 4 installed prior to installing the Fire GL1 drivers. The Service Pack is available from Microsoft's web page, www.microsoft.com. To install or uninstall the Fire GL1 drivers, you need administrator rights or you must be logged on as a user with administrator rights under Windows NT. NOTE: Before installing the Diamond Fire GL1 video driver, please close all open application programs and disable any anti-virus software that is running on your computer until the driver installation is complete! 2.1 Installing the Fire GL1 Video Driver with the SuperCD ----------------------------------------------------------- 1. Click the 'Start' button in the task bar, click 'Run' and then select 'Start.exe' from the root directory of the SuperCD. 2. Click 'Start Installation'. 3. Click the button corresponding to the type of installation you want. If you select 'Custom', a list of software components will be displayed. Select the check boxes to specify the components you want to install. 4. Click 'Next' to continue the installation. 5. When the DIAMOND Install dialog displays the components to be installed click on 'Next'. (Depending on which components you chose different windows might appear. Click on the corresponding buttons to continue with the installation.) 6. When the 'INSTALLATION COMPLETE' message appears click 'Next' again. This will restart your computer. 7. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Settings, or right-click on the Windows desktop, and select 'Properties' and 'Settings'. 8. Set the resolution, color depth, and refresh rate that best suit your requirements and your monitor's performance. 9. Click OK. Warning! Selecting a resolution or refresh rate that your monitor does not support can permanently damage the monitor. Check the documentation of your monitor and make sure that the monitor supports the selected resolution and refresh rate. NOTES: If you have added Fire GL1 cards to your system for a multi-monitor configuration you do not need to install the software drivers again for each card. Go to MultiScreen (see 3.3) in the 'Display Properties' menu to enable and set up your multi-monitor configuration. You can select the refresh rates individually for each monitor in the Monitor dialog - see 3.2. However, you can set the refresh rate for the monitor on your first/primary display adapter only in the 'Settings' dialog. 2.2 Installing Fire GL1 Video Drivers downloaded from Diamond's Website ----------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT: You must have Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack 4 installed prior to installing the Fire GL1 drivers. The Service Pack is available from Microsoft's web page, www.microsoft.com. NOTE: If you have a Pentium III processor you must have the SIMD extension for Windows NT 4.0 - from your Fire GL1 SuperCD - installed on your system prior to installing the Fire GL1 drivers. To install the video drivers: run the executable (*.exe)file that came with the download and follow the instructions on the screen. 3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS ------------------------------ The dialogs in the 'Diplay Properties' menu allow setting and adjusting the video settings to suit your requirements best. Settings: set resolution and color depth Monitor: choose monitors and display refresh rates Adjustment: adjust the monitors' display MultiScreen: set up multiple monitor configuration - available only if additional graphics accelerators are installed To access the 'Diplay Properties' menu: 1. Start Windows NT 4.0. 2. After Windows NT 4.0 has finished starting, click on the START button, select 'Settings,' and then click on 'Control Panel.' 3. Double-click on the 'Display' icon. The 'Display Properties' window appears. Note: You can also display the 'Display Properties' window by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. 3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth -------------------------------------- Select the 'Settings' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. Set the resolution and color depth that best suit your requirements and your monitors' performance. Also set the refresh rate for the monitor on your first/primary display adapter. NOTES: The resolution and color depth setting applies to all monitors in a multi-monitor configuration. Check the documentation of your monitors and make sure that all monitors support your resolution and color depth setting. A refresh rate set in the 'Settings' dialog will apply only to the monitor on the first/primary display adapter. Use the 'Monitor' dialog to select the display refresh rates individually for all other monitors in a multi-monitor configuration. 3.2 Choosing Monitors and Display Refresh Rates ----------------------------------------------- Select the 'Monitor' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. For each Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator in your system you can customize the settings of the connected monitor. You can find more information on setting up the monitor(s) in the context sensitive online help. A. Click the tab for the card where the monitor you want to set up is attached. B. Set the desired operation mode for the selected monitor: Custom Modes ------------ Use resolution and refresh rates for this monitor as specified in the 'Settings' dialog in 'Display Properties.' This option allows to fully exploit the resolution/refresh rate capabilities of the video chip. Warning! Selecting a resolution or refresh rate that your monitor does not support can permanently damage the monitor. Check the documentation of your monitor and make sure that the monitor supports the selected resolution and refresh rate. Select from list ---------------- Use resolution/refresh rate settings optimized for your specific monitor. Select your monitor from the displayed monitor list. To select your monitor, scroll to the manufacturer of your monitor and highlight the manufacturer in the list. Click on the '+' sign and select your monitor. A list on the right menu panel displays resolutions and - for each resolution - the maximum refresh rate, as supported by the selected monitor. If the current video mode (specified in the 'Settings' dialog) is not supported by the selected monitor, the resolution/ refresh rate setting will be automatically reduced. Select the desired refresh rate in the 'Refresh Rate' section. All refresh rates supported by the monitor for the currently selected resolution are displayed. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your monitor selection. If the list does not display your monitor type and you have a disk from the monitor manufacturer, use the 'Have Disk' button to import the monitor information to the internal monitor list. Click the 'Have Disk' button, insert the disk, and select the directory or file containing information about your monitor. Then select your monitor and click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button. Note: Click the 'Display Diamond Monitor List' button to switch the displayed monitor list back from the manufacturer's disk to the internal monitor list. DDC Monitor ----------- Select this option and click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button if you want the driver to automatically decode the monitor's DDC information on each reboot/NT 4.0 start. To detect a new DDC monitor immediately, click the 'Detect now' button. An error message will be displayed if the connected monitor does not support DDC. The 'Refresh Rate' section displays the maximum refresh rate supported by the monitor for the currently selected resolution. C. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your monitor settings. D. Repeat steps A through C for each monitor you want to set up. 3.3 Adjusting the Monitors' Display ----------------------------------- Select the 'Adjustment' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. For each Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator in your system you can adjust the display of the connected monitor. You can find more information on adjusting the monitors' display in the context sensitive online help. A. Click the tab for the card where the monitor you want to adjust is attached to. NOTE: You can adjust 'Monitor Tuning' and 'Gamma Correction' only for those monitors that are currently assigned to your working desktop. For example, you cannot adjust your second monitor's display while your desktop is set for single monitor operation. B. Monitor Tuning With the buttons in the 'Move' and 'Size' sections you can tune the position and size of the monitor's display for the indicated resolution and refresh rate. NOTE: Use the hardware setting controls on your monitor, if available, to adjust your display size or position - instead of the software controls in 'Adjustment - Monitor Tuning.' Check the documentation of your monitor for information on your monitor's hardware controls. NOTE: Resizing the display slightly changes the actual refresh rate. If you operate a fixed-frequency monitor check the documentation of your monitor for information on refresh rate tolerances. Sync Polarity: If you do not get a satisfactory display with the default sync polarity setting for the current resolution, you may try and change the settings. Undo: Click this button to undo the last change you made (i.e. when you clicked 'Apply'). Default: Click this button to set the 'Monitor Tuning' to the manufacturer's default settings. NOTES: Press the ESC key on your keyboard to undo the changes if your monitor has lost synchronization. If you change the resolution (in 'Settings') and/or the refresh rate (in 'Monitor'), you may need to re-adjust the monitor's display. C. 'Gamma Correction': Adjust the montior's gamma correction for optimal brightness with the red, green and blue slider bars. NOTE: You cannot adjust 'Gamma Correction' for 256-color modes. When these sliders are changed the gamma correction table modifies each pixel's color value. The brightness produced at the face of the display is proportional to the input voltage raised to the power gamma. This nonlinearity must be compensated to achieve correct reproduction of the image's brightness. The effect of display gamma is to darken the midtones relative to the dark and light regions. The gamma correction adjustment affects the entire screen display. The possible setting range is 0.3 - 4.0. The default setting is 1.0. With 'Link sliders' selected, the three sliders move together as you drag any individual slider. With the check box unchecked, you can adjust colors individually by dragging the applicable slider. Click the '>1<' button - for each color - to set the gamma correction to the default value of 1.0. D. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your adjustment settings. E. Repeat steps A through D for each monitor you want to set up. 3.4 Setting Multiple Monitor Configuration ------------------------------------------- Select the 'MultiScreen' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. You can find more information on setting up your MultiScreen configuration in the context online help. A. Select your monitor combination in the 'Define Desktop' drop-down list. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your multi-monitor setting. Notes: Click on a monitor icon in the 'MultiScreen' dialog to identify the corresponding monitor. Example: If you click on the monitor icon '2' in the 'MultiScreen' dialog, your second monitor will display a '2.' With drag-and-drop you can swap the logical positions of your monitors in respect to the graphics accelerator card(s) without physically reconnecting the monitors. B. Select the 'Window Placement' Settings Fullscreen Select if you want a full screen window displayed 'On all' monitors, or only on the 'Current monitor' - that is the monitor where your mouse cursor currently is. Windows Select how you want to display sizeable windows that normally appear in the center of the screen: 'Unchanged', or 'Move'd fully to that monitor where the top left corner of the window is. Reports Select a monitor where you want to display Windows messages that normally display in the center of the screen. This keeps the screen area of the other monitor(s) free for your work. You may alternatively opt for displaying the reports 'Unchanged.' C. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your MultiScreen settings. 4. UNINSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER --------------------------------------------------- This section describes how to properly remove your Diamond Fire GL1 software from your system should you need to do so. NOTE: Before removing the Diamond Fire GL1 video driver, please close all open application programs and disable any anti-virus software that is running on your computer until the driver de-installation is complete! To install or uninstall the Fire GL1 drivers, you need administrator rights or you must be logged on as a user with administrator rights under Windows NT. 1. From the 'Start' menu, go to Start > Programs> Diamond, then click 'DIAMOND Install/Uninstall Utility'. The 'Diamond Install' dialog appears. 2. Click 'Remove the product'. Note: Make sure that only those components are selected that you want to remove now. (Click 'Back' and 'Add/Remove components' to select specific software components for removal.) Then click 'Next.' 3. Click 'Next' to remove the software and shut down your computer. 5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION ----------------------------------------- 5.1 Diamond Information Dialog ------------------------------ Check the 'Information' dialog in the 'Diplay Properties' window for detailed hardware and driver information on your Fire GL1 card. These data may be helpful when contacting TechSupport. You can display the 'Information' dialog by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then select the 'Information' tab. 5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!) ------------------------------------------------------------ If you experience problems with your application, or if you want to try to optimize the performance of your system on specific applications, you may modify the configuration settings. Select the 'Configuration' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. You can find more information on the settings in the 'Configuration' dialog in the context sensitive online help. You can display the 'Configuration' dialog by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then select the 'Configuration' tab. For some of the most popular applications the optimal configuration profile is factory-set by default. Select the application from the list in the 'Configuration Profiles' section. This will change the necessary Windows NT registry settings. Click 'Apply' and if prompted, restart Windows NT. 1. Click the 'Add' button in the 'Configuration Profiles' section and enter the new application for which you want to set the configuration parameters. 2. To modify the configuration settings of a specific application, for example, Softimage, select the application from the list in the 'Configuration Profiles' section and click the 'Modify' button. 3. In the 'Settings' section select or clear the following checkboxes according to your requirements: Overlay Planes 4-Bit double-buffered Use 4 bit double-buffered overlay planes in the depth buffers. The driver exports pixelformats with 4-bit double-buffered overlay planes for OpenGL applications. 8-Bit single-buffered Use 8 bits of each 32-bit frame buffer pixel as single-buffered overlay planes. Force copy swap Force blit copy from back to front buffer. Wait for vertical retrace Buffer swap 'synched' to vertical retrace. This improves the picture quality but reduces the view performance in, for example, benchmark testing. 4. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your Configuration settings. 6. ENHANCEMENTS & KNOWN LIMITATIONS ---------------------------------- Version 1100: Enhancements: - Maya 3.0 Beta blue screen issue is fixed. - Twister 3D wrong color issue is fixed. - ESPRi CAD missing triangle issue is fixed. Limitations: Version 1096: Enhancements: - AutoCAD 2000 wrong shading problem is fixed. - UniGraphics 16 lighting bug is fixed. - Fog support is added to Fire GL1 MAXimum driver. Limitations: Version 1090: Enhancements: - AMD Athlon 3DNow! support is added. - 1600x1000 resolution is added. Limitations: Version 1088: Enhancements: - Maya 2.0 wrong lighting with some models. - Special driver for 3D Studio MAX 3.0 / VIZ added. Driver automatically detects the application in the system and installs itself with user prompt. - MAYA 2.0 disappearing menu problem is fixed. - Catia V RC3 Dr. Watson problem is fixed. - FreeForm Dr. Watson problem is fixed. - SoftImage|DS crash problem is fixed. - Cailgari trueSpace wrong texture issue is fixed. Limitations: Version 1077: Enhancements: - Maya wrong menu items problem is fixed. - Catia V wrong lighting problem is fixed. - Lotus SuperOffice2000, figure gets out of shape in Screen Show problem is fixed. - Performance Enhancements. - Alias Wavefront Maya 2.0 vertex alpha problem is fixed. - Pro/DESKTOP incorrect clipping for certain primitives when two clip planes are enabled problem is fixed. - SoftImaage Marquee redraw problems in Color Picker window when moved off the screen problem is fixed. - Alias Wavefront Maya 1.0 missing or wrong characters in Maya Hotbox or menus problem is fixed. - MineSight incorrect clipping problem is fixed. - UniGraphics 14 strange behavior of the translucency when rotating the object problem is fixed. - AutoCAD 2000, the solid model content behind the clipping plane becomes darkened to the point that it is almost black. - MicroStation95 Transparency (and Reflection) Quality not good enough problem is fixed. - ProE20 wrong shading if SPOT light added problem is fixed. Limitations: - Maya 2.0 wrong lighting with some models. Version 1066: Enhancements: - 1152x864x32, 1280x960x32 @ 75,85 Hz modes are added. - Overall performance optimizations. - Maya 2.0 screen refresh problem is fixed. - Cosmo Player 2.0 object corruption with some models are fixed. - Blue screen with Real Player G2 application is fixed. - HW accelerated OpenGL support is added for multi-head solution. - Side Effects Houdini missing triangle issue is fixed. - IronCAD disappearing triangle issue is fixed. - Softimage Marquee wrong lighting issue is fixed. Limitations: Version 1058: Enhancements: - DDC handling is changed. If driver does not find a DDC monitor attached to the video adapter, it enables resolutions up to 1280x1024 @60 Hz. User should select a monitor from the list to get higher resolutions. - 1600x1024x32 @ 75,85 Hz modes are added. - AutoCAD 2000 Open GL extensions are added. - Avid Marquee wrong lighting problem fixed. - SOFTIMAGE|3D crashes in Preview mode issue is fixed. - SOFTIMAGE|3D crashes in FX-Director issue is fixed. - SOFTIMAGE|3D no proper update of the texture viewer after different size of the cropping rectangles in "2D Texture File " window issue is fixed. - Maya screen corruption bug is fixed. - CATIA V Print Preview incorrect clipping issue is fixed. - 3Dstudio Max 2.5 some underlying windows are not updated correctly issue fixed. - Optimizations for PTC ProE are implemented. - Optimizations for CATIA V are implemented. - Optimizations for SolidWorks 98 are implemented. Limitations: - Maya 2.0 screen refresh problem. - System crashes when application RealPlayer G2 runs. 7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES ------------------------------------------ Technical support for the installation and configuration of Diamond graphic boards and multimedia products, as well as software updates or optional software packages, are available: - from the Diamond Mailbox - in the Internet - via the Diamond ExpertLine Refer to your manual for more information (addresses, phone numbers, etc). 8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES ---------------------------------------------------------- The resolutions and refresh rates supported by the Fire GL1 are dependent on the monitor that is selected. To display the resolution that are supported and the maximum vertical refresh rate for each of your monitors, refer to the 'Monitor' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. You can display the 'Monitor' dialog by right-clicking the Windows desktop and selecting 'Properties' and then selecting the 'Monitor' tab. The table below is showing screen resolution, pixel size, horizontal line rate and refresh rate for all modes supported under the MS NT4.0 operating system, all modes are providing full screen double buffering using the OpenGL API. +==========+=======+=======+===================+ |Resolution| Color | Alpha | Refresh Rate | | | Bits | Bits | (Hz) | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ | 640x480 | 24 | 8 | 60, 72, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ | 800x600 | 24 | 8 | 60, 72, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1024x768 | 24 | 8 | 60, 70, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1152x864 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------| |1280x960 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------| |1280x1024 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1600x1000 | 24 | 8 | 60,75 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1600x1024 | 24 | 8 | 76, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1600x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 70, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1792x1344 | 24 | 8 | 60 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1920x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75 | +==========+=======+=======+===================+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- All product names listed are trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners. ------------------------------------------------------------------- S3 Inc. / Diamond Multimedia (c) 1993-2000, All Rights Reserved Professional Graphics Division -------------------------------------------------------------------