The Permedia®3 Create! Graphics Accelerator User’s Guide 3Dlabs,® Inc. 480 Potrero Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408 - 530 - 4700 www.3dlabs.
Copyright 1999 by 3Dlabs, Inc. 3Dlabs and Permedia are registered trademarks of 3Dlabs, Inc. or 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Colorific is a registered trademark of Sonnetech Ltd. Microsoft and Windows NT are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Welcome to 3Dlabs!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A - Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Permedia3 Create! Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Monitor Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Appendix B - Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . .
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to 3Dlabs! Welcome to 3Dlabs! Thank you for selecting a 3Dlabs® Permedia3 Create! graphics accelerator! Whether you’re running hard core 3D applications or your favorite games, Permedia3® Create! has the power you need to work fast all day and play hard all night. Built on fifteen years of quality from 3Dlabs, Permedia3 Create! integrates advanced silicon with quality drivers, delivering vibrant 32-bit color graphics at desktop resolutions up to 2048 x 1536.
System Requirements • 16, 24, and 32-bit Z-buffer The Z-buffer provides the highest level of depth-precision, even at the highest resolutions. • Full AGP sideband addressing Sideband addressing ensures high-performance 3D acceleration through the advanced features of the AGP bus. • PowerDVD software PowerDVD from CyberLink is a high quality, DVD playback software solution, featuring 720 x 480 MPEG-2 video resolution and 5.1-channel AC-3 surround audio that rivals MPEG hardware performance.
CHAPTER 1 - INSTALLATION
Getting Ready Getting Ready To successfully use your new Permedia3 Create! card, you must install the card and the accompanying driver software. Whether you install your new card or the driver first depends on whether a video card is already present in your system. If there is a video card in your system: Install the driver first. Once the driver is loaded, remove the old card and install your Permedia3 Create! card. The driver installation instructions begin on page 6.
Installing Hardware Installing Hardware Permedia3 Create! cards are available in PCI and AGP versions. Check the documentation for your system for the location of PCI and AGP expansion slots in your system. ✏To remove an old card from your system 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Turn off and unplug the power source for your system and each of its peripherals. Unplug the monitor cable from the old card. Remove the cover from your system.
Installing Hardware 3. Determine which slot you are going to use and remove its slot cover. 4. Attach the anti-static strap to your wrist, and attach the other end to a bare, conductive (as opposed to painted or sticker-covered) area of your system’s chassis. Remove the card from its anti-static packaging. Write down the serial number for registration and future use. Place the card into the expansion slot and seat it firmly. 5. 6.
Installing Hardware 7. 8. Remove the anti-static strap and replace the cover on your system. Connect the video cable from your monitor to the video connector on the card. Video connector 9. 5 Plug in and start up your system, including peripherals, and log on to your operating system.
Installing Software Installing Software The Permedia3 Create! CD-ROM includes OpenGL and DirectX video driver software, which lets you set image quality and performance preferences for your card. It also includes the PowerDVD playback solution, and Colorific screen-to-print color matching software. Installing PowerDVD will enhance DVD playback resolution and audio, while Colorific ensures that what you see is what you print.
Registering Permedia3 Create! Registering Permedia3 Create! When you register your new card you: • Activate your warranty • Receive notification of software updates • Qualify for technical support You can complete the registration card and return it to us in the mail, or register on-line once your hardware and software installations are complete. (You must have Internet access to register on-line.) ✏To register on-line 1. 2. 3. 7 Open your Internet browser. Go to http://www.3dlabs.
CHAPTER 2 - SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION
The Permedia3 Create! Driver The Permedia3 Create! Driver The Permedia3 Create! driver software lets you optimize the working relationship between your card, your system and your applications. Use the Task Bar-based Configuration Manager or the 3Dlabs Display Control Panel screens to customize the driver settings. The Task Bar - based Configuration Manager When you install the Permedia3 Create! card and software, the 3Dlabs logo appears in your system tray, also called the task bar.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver The Display Control Panel When you click the 3Dlabs tab in the Display Control Panel, this introductory page appears: It provides software version and basic hardware specifications, and a point-of-entry to the full set of Permedia3 Create! driver customization tools. Click the Advanced button for access to these panels: • Information • Setup • DirectX Support • OpenGL Support The following sections describe each in detail.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver Information Screen The Information screen provides in-depth information about your selected (or the default) settings, as well as the hardware, software, and DirectX configuration. This information can be especially useful if you should need to contact technical support about your Permedia3 Create! card.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver Setup Screen The Setup screen lets you configure settings that are not specifically related to Open GL or DirectX. • You can enable (check) or disable (uncheck) the Task-bar based Configuration Manager with a click. The default setting for the Configuration Manager is Enabled. • The Optimal Refresh Rate field displays the preferred refresh rate for your monitor. If it is available, Permedia3 Create! will use it.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver DirectX Support Screen This screen controls DirectX application specific driver settings for Windows 95/98 users of Permedia3 Create!, and lets you create your own settings. When the panel first appears, the Defaults, Add New and Remove Settings buttons, as well as the Advanced Options section, are hidden. They appear when you click the Advanced button.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver • Enable 8Bit RGB textures enables Direct 3D support for 8bit textures that do not use a separate “look-up” table to specify color. These can be useful for applications which use the new features of DirectX 6, but older applications can misinterpret these new formats. If you have problems such as incorrect colors or poor quality texturing, try disabling this option. • Disable 16-bit alpha-luminance textures enables Direct3D support for monochrome (luminance) textures.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver OpenGL Support Screen This screen controls OpenGL application-specific driver settings and enables you to create your own settings. When the panel initially appears the Defaults, Add New and Remove Settings buttons, as well as the Advanced Options section, are hidden. They appear when you click the Advanced button at the top of the screen. 15 • Click Driver is optimized for application to reach a drop down list of applications, then select the one you want to use.
The Permedia3 Create! Driver • • Number of DMA Sub-Buffers lets you set the number of Direct Memory Access (DMA) sub-buffers allocated for use by OpenGL. (DMA is a technique whereby a device can directly access memory without having to go through the CPU). Each DMA buffer is sub-divided into sub buffers which are used in conjunction with a queued DMA mechanism to reduce latency in the system. The number of sub buffers can be set, with 8 as the default.
CHAPTER 3 - TROUBLESHOOTING
Troubleshooting Troubleshooting If you have trouble using your Permedia3 Create! card or a 3D application, you may find the answer to your problem in the following sections. Always start your problem-solving efforts with the simplest solution and work up to the more complex ones. Monitors and Display Resolutions My monitor is either blank, or the displayed image is distorted, scrambled or smaller than I expected.
Systems and Networks Systems and Networks Since installing the Permedia3 Create! card, my system either hangs or crashes to a blue screen when I try to start up, or the system starts up but VGA graphics don’t display. SOLUTION: Try to disable “VGA Palette Snoop.” Follow these steps. QUESTION: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Remove the Permedia3 Create! card and reinstall your old graphics card. See Chapter 1 - Installation, for instructions. Restart your system and enter Setup at the on-screen prompt.
APPENDIX A - SPECIFICATIONS
Permedia3 Create! Specifications Permedia3 Create! Specifications Item Specification Card size NLX shortcard, AGP or PCI, single-slot Power requirement 10.25 W @ 3v3, 1.
APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY
Terms and Definitions Terms and Definitions AGP Advanced Graphics Port. A dedicated graphics bus that transfers data at significantly higher speeds than the PCI bus. Alpha Blending This means to create transparent objects by allowing for the blending of pixels to simulate the transparency characteristics of an object. With alpha information, an object can be designed from being totally transparent to opaque.
Terms and Definitions Dithering The process of converting an image with a certain bit depth to one with a lower bit depth. Dithering enables the application to convert an image’s colors that it cannot display into two or more colors that closely resemble the original. Dithering works because the mind is tricked by the pattern of colors into thinking it’s a different color.
Terms and Definitions MIP-Mapping (for texture processing) A feature that delivers photo-realistic images by wrapping 2D bitmaps around 3D objects closely matching the texture to the object. MIP-Mapping allows different versions of a texture to be used for objects of different sizes. It also enables faster performance as textures do not need to be scaled in real time. Multiple Resolution Support The ability to support multiple resolutions on the screen.
Terms and Definitions Stipple masking A technique that spatially creates transparent effects by rendering an object through various patterns. Streaming SIMD An instruction set developed by Intel for Pentium III-processor based systems. Streaming SIMD can improve 3D vertice transformation and lighting, among other operations. SVGA Super Video Graphics Array. SVGA runs at 800 x 600. Tessellation The initial part of the 3D pipeline where the object is described by a set of triangles.
APPENDIX C - SOFTWARE LICENSE
Software License Agreement Software License Agreement THIS IS A LEGAL CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU, THE END USER, AND 3DLABS, INC. BY USING THE SOFTWARE PACKAGE ACCOMPANYING THIS GUIDE OR PRE-INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM, YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND AGREEING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE.
Software License Agreement purchase price. 3Dlabs, Inc. does not warrant that the use of the SOFTWARE will be uninterrupted or error-free and hereby disclaims all liability on account thereof. THE REMEDIES PROVIDED HEREIN ARE YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY. THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Software License Agreement and 3Dlabs, Inc. with respect to the use and licensing of the SOFTWARE, and supersedes all proposals, warranties, prior agreements or any other communications between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof. This License will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of California without regard to conflicts of law principles or the UN Convention on the Sale of Goods.
APPENDIX D - REGULATORY STATEMENTS
Declaration of Conformity Declaration of Conformity We, 3Dlabs, Incorporated, 480 Potrero Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Phone 408-530-4700 Fax 408-530-4701 United States of America declare under our sole responsibility that the product 3Dlabs® Permedia®3 Create! to which this declaration relates is in conformance with the following standards: EN 55022:1994, clause 5 EN 55022:1994, clause 6 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.3 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.1 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.2 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.3.
Index G A accelerator, graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 AGP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii, 23 alpha blending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 alpha buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 anti aliasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 anti-static procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 atmospheric effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 B bilinear sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 bit depth . . . . . . . . . . .
pixel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 point sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 PowerDVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PowerThreads SSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi processors floating point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 R ramdac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 rasterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 rasterization engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
