The Oxygen GVX420 Graphics Accelerator User’ User’s Guide TM 3Dlabs,® Inc. 480 Potrero Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408 - 530 - 4700 www.3dlabs.
Copyright 2000 by 3Dlabs, Inc. 3Dlabs, GLINT and Permedia are registered trademarks, and Oxygen and PowerThreads are trademarks of 3Dlabs, Inc. or 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Soft Engine is a trademark of Vibrant Graphics, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of AutoDesk Inc. Colorific is a registered trademark of E-Color, Inc.
CONTENTS Introduction......................................................................................................................... v Welcome to 3Dlabs! ........................................................................................................ vi System Requirements ................................................................................................... ix Software Partners ..................................................................................................
Appendix A - Specifications ................................................................................................20 Oxygen GVX420 Specifications......................................................................................21 Monitor Resolutions .......................................................................................................21 Appendix B - Software License ...........................................................................................
INTRODUCTION
Introduction Welcome to 3Dlabs! ® ™ Thank you for selecting the 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX420 graphics accelerator card! Oxygen GVX420 delivers high-end geometry and rasterization graphics acceleration on a single AGP/AGP Pro card for the most demanding workstation professional. By integrating two 3Dlabs GLINT R4 rasterizers, the new generation GLINT Gamma G2 geometry processor and 128MB of memory on a single card, Oxygen GVX420 boosts the interactivity of huge models with a 256-bit memory bus.
Introduction Overview Your Oxygen GVX420 card has the following features: • Seamless Dual-head support Oxygen GVX420 supports dual high-resolution displays under Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 from a single card, seamlessly supporting a total multi-monitor true-color desktop size of up to 4096 x 1536. The two VGA connectors and two DVI connector allow you to connect either two VGA monitors, two DFP monitors, or one VGA monitor and one DFP monitor.
Introduction viii • 16, 24, and 32-bit linear Z-buffer The Z-buffer provides the highest level of depth-precision, even at the highest resolutions. • Full AGP support Full AGP support ensures high-performance 3D acceleration through the advanced features of the AGP/AGP Pro bus. • SoftEngine AutoCAD support SoftEngine enhances AutoCAD R12, R13, R14, and LT performance by up to four times on Windows NT systems.
Introduction System Requirements Your system needs a minimum of the following features in order to support Oxygen GVX420: • Intel Pentium II or AMD Athlon K6 or compatible, 166 MHz system • Windows® NT 4.0 Service Pack 5.0 or later or Windows 2000 operating system.
Introduction Software Partners Your Oxygen GVX420 card and drivers are designed to optimize the performance of a variety of software applications, several of which are listed below. Many of these applications are also tuned to the Oxygen GVX420 to further improve the performance that you will see when using the card, drivers, and application together. For the most current information about applications support, testing, and certification status, please visit www.3dlabs.com.
CHAPTER 1 - INSTALLATION
Installation Getting Ready To successfully use your new Oxygen GVX420 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: Uninstall the drivers for the existing card, then install the Oxygen driver. Once the new driver is loaded, remove the old card and install your Oxygen GVX420 card.
Installation Installing Hardware Your Oxygen GVX420 card is designed to work in an AGP or AGP Pro slot, and the adjacent PCI slot, in your system. Check the documentation for your system to locate the AGP or AGP Pro expansion slot. To remove an old card from your system 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Make sure you have uninstalled any old drivers and installed the Oxygen driver in their place. Turn off and unplug the power source for your system and each of its peripherals.
Installation 3. Locate the AGP or AGP Pro slot and remove its slot cover. The PCI slot adjacent to the AGP or AGP Pro slot must be empty to make room for the daughter card. 4. 5. Remove the slot cover from the PCI slot adjacent to the AGP or AGP Pro slot. 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.
Installation 9. Connect the video cable from your monitor to one of the VGA connectors on the base board or one of the DVI connectors on the daughter card. Always connect your first or only monitor to a connector marked "1" and then connect your second monitor (if used) to one of the connectors marked "2". VGA connectors 1 2 1 DVI connectors 2 10. If you want to attach a second monitor, connect the second monitor to either the VGA or DVI connector marked "2".
Installation To uninstall an old video driver 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If there is an icon for the video card on the taskbar, desktop, or on the Control Panel, select the icon and then check for an uninstall option. If an uninstall option exists, select the option and follow the instructions. (To display the Control Panel, click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.) If an uninstall option does not exist, click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
Installation To install SoftEngine Soft Engine works exclusively with AutoDesk’s AutoCAD R12, R13, R14, and LT software. Install Soft Engine if you use one of these AutoCAD programs. Do not install Soft Engine if you do not use one of these AutoCAD programs; it will have no beneficial effect. 1. 2. 3. Place the Oxygen Product CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. When the installation window opens, choose Install Soft Engine. A menu appears. Select your AutoCAD product type to start the installation.
Installation Registering Oxygen GVX420 When you register your Oxygen GVX420 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.) 1. 2. 3. 8 Open your Internet browser. Go to http://www.3dlabs.
CHAPTER 2 - SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION
Software Configuration The Oxygen GVX420 Driver The OxygenGVX420 driver software lets you optimize the working relationship between your card, your system and your applications. The 3Dlabs Display Control Panel allows you to customize and create driver settings. The Taskbar based Configuration Manager provides quick and convenient access to most of the Display Control Panel features, and allows you to quickly switch between alternative driver settings.
Software Configuration The Display Control Panel You access the configuration tools through the Display Properties Control Panel. To display the Panel, click the desktop with your right mouse button, and select Properties from the menu that appears. When you first click the 3Dlabs tab in the Display Control Panel, this introductory page appears: Note: This is only an example. Your own panel displays the information specific to your board, BIOS, and driver version.
Software Configuration Configuring Multiple Monitors If your operating system is Windows 2000, you can configure your system to support two monitors by clicking the Extend my Windows desktop onto this Monitor checkbox on the Setup screen of the Windows 2000 Display Properties Control Panel. To configure a second monitor in Windows NT 12 1. In the Display Properties Control Panel, click the Settings tab. 2. Click List All Modes. 3. In the List of Valid Modes, click a resolution and then click OK.
Software Configuration 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. On the Display Properties Panel, click Test. This tests the new mode on the second monitor screen for five seconds. Click OK to test the new mode. Click OK if you saw the test bitmap correctly. Click OK or Apply to select the new mode. In the Display Properties Control Panel, click OK. Your Oxygen GVX420 card is now configured for dual monitor mode. To configure a second monitor in Windows 2000 1. 2. 3. Open Display in the Control Panel.
Software Configuration Configuring your Oxygen GVX420 Card for Stereo Viewing The Oxygen GVX420 card supports 3D stereo viewing. This requires that the appropriate equipment such as stereo glasses be connected to the 3-pin miniature DIN connector on the Oxygen GVX420 card. It is recommended that you use a monitor with a screen refresh frequency of at least 100 Hertz. In addition, it is recommended that you turn off fluorescent lighting before viewing stereo images to prevent a possible headache.
Software Configuration 5. In the OpenGL Support screen, click Advanced. 6. 7. 8. 9. Click the checkbox to the right of Stereo View Support to select it. Click Apply and then click OK. In the Display Settings Control Panel, click the Settings tab. Click List All Modes. 10. Select a screen refresh frequency of 100 Hertz or higher and then click OK. If you are using a DDCtype monitor, modes with suitably high refresh rates should be available in the List of Valid Modes.
Software Configuration 11. On the Display Properties Panel, click Test. This tests the new mode on the monitor screen for five seconds. 12. Click OK to test the new mode. 13. Click OK if you saw the test bitmap correctly. 14. In the Display Properties Control Panel, click OK. Your Oxygen GVX420 card is now configured for stereo viewing.
CHAPTER 3 - TROUBLESHOOTING
Troubleshooting Troubleshooting If you have trouble using your Oxygen GVX420 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 Question: My monitor is either blank, or the displayed image is distorted, scrambled or smaller than I expected.
Troubleshooting 5. Shut down, remove your old graphics card, and reinstall your Oxygen card. 6. Make sure that you are not using an old graphics board driver, and that you have uninstalled any other graphics drivers — particularly those provided by other companies using 3Dlabs chipsets. 7. Please see the Oxygen and Permedia System Integration Guide in the Troubleshooting FAQ section at http://www.3dlabs.com/support 8. You may need to update your system BIOS.
APPENDIX A - SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications Oxygen GVX420 Specifications Item Specification Card size Full-length ATX form factor, single slot AGP and AGP Pro compatible 18.
APPENDIX B - SOFTWARE LICENSE
Software License SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT THIS IS A LEGAL CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU, THE END USER, AND 3DLABS, INC. BY USING THE SOFTWARE ACCOMPANYING THIS GUIDE OR PRE- INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM, YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND AGREEING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT.
Software License Limited Warranty 3Dlabs, Inc. warrants that the SOFTWARE AND FEATURES licensed to you under this AGREEMENT will perform in accordance with 3Dlabs, Inc. published specifications for use on the same operating system as used by you at the time of purchase of the SOFTWARE or the system on which the SOFTWARE is initially mounted or installed (WARRANTY) for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of delivery to you as evidenced by your receipt (WARRANTY PERIOD).
Software License General This AGREEMENT 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 C - REGULATORY STATEMENTS
Regulatory Statements 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 Oxygen GVX420 to which this declaration relates are in conformance with the following standards: EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.1 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.2 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.3 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.3.2 EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.
APPENDIX D - GLOSSARY
Glossary 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.
Glossary Direct 3D Microsoft’s API dedicated to 3D graphics, and a component of DirectX. 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.
Glossary 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.
Glossary 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. Texture Mapping A technique that enables 2D graphic images to be “wrapped” around or “pasted” on to a 3D primitive.
INDEX
Index 3D stereo viewing, 14 AGP, viii, ix, 3, 4, 18, 21 AGP bus, viii API, 29, 30 BIOS, 18, 19 Colorific, viii Configuration Manager, 10, 18 Control Panels, viii Digital Flat Panel Output, vii Direct3D, 11, 18 Display Control Panel, 10, 11, 12, 18 Display Properties, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Dual-head support, vii DVI connectors, 5 Dynamic load balancing, vii Gamma, vi, vii, 21, 30 geometry processing, vii GLINT R3 rasterizers, vi Glossary, 28 high resolution display, vii Installing, 3 Oxygen RX210 with DVI daug
