RADEON™ 9500 SERIES User’s Guide P/N 137-40410-20 Copyright © 2002, ATI Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. ATI and all ATI product and product feature names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Features, performance and specifications are subject to change without notice. Product may not be exactly as shown in the diagrams.
Disclaimer While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, ATI Technologies Inc.
Table of Contents Disclaimer..................................................................................................... ii Product Notice........................................................................................ ii Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Features At A Glance .................................................................................. 2 ATI’s CATALYST™ Software Suite .....................................................
Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display.......................................... 29 Reducing Edge Distortion ......................................................................... 31 Changing Display Configurations ........................................................ 32 Using Games and Applications ............................................................
1 Introduction The RADEON™ 9500 Series graphic accelerators delivers ground breaking 3D graphics performance. • Powered by the RADEON 9500 Series Visual Processing Unit (VPU). • First 8-pixel pipeline architecture. • First to support DirectX 9.0. • 256-bit DDR memory interface. • Support for AGP 8X specification. • First to use pixel shaders to accelerate video. • Support for Direct 3D® applications. • Support for OpenGL® applications. • High resolution in 3D up to 2048x1536. • Fast 3D gaming.
2 Features At A Glance The RADEON 9500 Series includes: • SMARTSHADER™ II which can realistically create the visual properties of any material, like glass, metal, wood, and produce 3D depth by rendering the object’s shadows. • SMOOTHVISION™ II 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. • VIDEOSHADER™ which applies real-time noise filtering resulting in crisp clean video output.
3 ATI’s CATALYST™ Software Suite Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience ATI’s CATALYST Software Suite provides multiple display functionality, and the advanced graphic features, such as SMARTSHADER II, for the ultimate 3D gaming experience. For help installing the CATALYST Software Suite, refer to the Getting Started Guide. The CATALYST Software Suite installs the ATI display tabs. These tabs are accessed through the Windows® Display Control Panel, through the Advanced...
4 HydraVision™ In addition to the multiple display functionality available with ATI’s CATALYST Software Suite, you can also use HydraVision for advanced multi-monitor management. For more information on HydraVision, please refer to the HydraVision User’s Guide PDF located on your ATI Installation CD.
5 Multiple Displays Connecting Your Monitor(s) Your RADEON 9500 Series provides hardware support for one DVI-I monitor or two VGA monitors using the supplied DVI-I-to-VGA adapter. A TV can also be used to expand your desktop by using the S-Video out. Plug the monitor cable into your card (if you are running multiple monitors, connect their cables to the appropriate connectors), then turn on the PC and monitor(s). To connect a flat panel directly to your card, use the DVI-I connector.
6 Display Configurations Your RADEON 9500 Series graphics accelerator card provides dual display functionality and TV Out. The following table lists the different ways you can connect displays to your card.
7 CATALYST Software Suite The following section provides an explanation of each ATI tab added to the Display Properties after installing the Catalyst Software Suite. i Features presented in the following pages may not be supported in all operating systems and/or may appear differently. ATI Displays Tab The ATI Displays tab provides multiple monitor features. Here you can enable/disable display devices and swap the assignment of Primary and Secondary displays.
8 Enabling/Disabling Secondary Displays 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 Click the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button. 3 Click the ATI Displays tab. 4 Click the enable/disable button for the display device you want to enable/disable. 5 Click OK or Apply to save the changes. Enabling Extended Desktop Mode 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 Click the Settings tab.
9 To enable a Secondary display see Enabling/Disabling Secondary Displays on page 8. To enable Extended Desktop Mode see Enabling Extended Desktop Mode on page 8. 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 Click the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button. 3 Click the ATI Displays tab. The ATI Displays tab shows you the display(s) that are active. The Primary display has the button depressed.
10 2 Click OK or Apply to save the changes. Ratiometric Expansion Your RADEON 9500 Series card offers ratiometric expansion (or digital panel scaling as it is commonly known). This expands a low resolution image to fill a higher resolution panel. However, ratiometric expansion is only available on the Primary display. Therefore, if a flat panel display (FPD) is set as Secondary, the Extended Desktop mode is disabled and the resolution is less than the FPD’s native resolution.
11 ATI Color Tab The ATI Color tab is used to adjust the color settings. You can change the red, green and blue display colors. Desktop brightness and Game Gamma (brightness) can also be changed. ATI Color Tab Desktop Brightness This increases or decreases the brightness of your desktop. The higher the gamma value, the higher the brightness of your display. Color Curve This adjusts the selected color (red, green or blue check button) by moving the color curve with your mouse.
12 Clicking the Game Gamma button accesses the Game Gamma Properties. Game Gamma Properties Red Green Blue sliders These controls allow you to increase or decrease the color brightness of Direct 3D and OpenGL games played in fullscreen mode. RGB Lock Uncheck this to adjust the RGB sliders individually. Check this to adjust all three sliders at the same time. Defaults button This allows you to reset the Game Gamma settings to default values.
13 ATI Options Tab The ATI Options tab provides detailed driver information and access to the card’s specifications. You can also enable or disable the ATI taskbar icon. ATI Options Tab Version Information Provides the Catalyst version number, 2D version number and the driver build information. Details button Provides access to the Details tab which lists the card’s hardware details and driver information.
14 Enable ATI taskbar icon application Unchecking this allows you to disable the ATI taskbar applications and removes the ATI icon from your system tray. Show ATI icon on taskbar Unchecking this allows you to remove the ATI icon from your system tray without disabling the ATI icon applications. Disable quick resolution feature Quick resolution feature is accessible by leftclicking the ATI icon in the system tray. Checking this option disables the feature.
15 Video Overlay Video overlay allows for the viewing of full-motion video on your PC. However, there is only one video overlay, which is only available on the Primary display. The video overlay controls are automatically activated during playback of any video file type that supports overlay adjustments.
16 ATI Overlay Tab Brightness Use this slider to adjust the brightness of the video image. Contrast Use this slider to adjust the contrast in the video image. Saturation Use this slider to adjust the vividness of the color. Sliding it all the way to the left removes all color and produces a black and white picture. Hue Use this slider to adjust the pureness or tint of the red, green and blue components of the color. Gamma Use this slider to adjust the overall intensity of the video image.
16 Direct 3D Control Panel Using this tab, gamers can fine-tune the settings of their Direct 3D games. Main and Custom Settings The Main Settings allows you can maximize overall performance by moving the slider to the left, or maximize overall image quality by moving the slider to the right. Selecting Custom Settings disables the Main Settings slider allowing you to fine-tune the Direct3D settings of your RADEON 9500 Series.
17 Main Settings slider This allows you to emphasize what kind of application experience you’d like to have. Moving the slider to the left will maximize application performance, while moving the slider to the right will provide excellent 3D image quality. Moving this slider from one position to the next changes the individual Custom Settings sliders found below.
18 SMOOTH VISION II Anisotropic Filtering Performance button Select Performance for the best possible 3D gaming performance at a slight reduction in 3D image quality. The maximum screen resolution possible will automatically be indicated. Anisotropic Filtering Quality button Select Quality for the best possible 3D image quality at a slight reduction in 3D gaming performance. The maximum screen resolution possible will automatically be indicated.
19 Compatibility Settings button This button allows you to access advanced settings that can solve compatibility issues for a few specific Direct 3D applications. Defaults This button allows you to reset the Direct3D settings to default values.
20 Direct 3D Compatibility Settings Support DTX texture formats Enabling this allows applications to use this kind of texture format. There are a few applications that can only support a limited number of texture formats. By selecting Disabled, the driver will not support DTX texture formats, thus reducing the number of texture formats supported.
21 OpenGL Control Panel Using this tab, gamers can fine-tune the settings of their OpenGL games. Main and Custom Settings In the Main Settings you can maximize overall performance by moving the slider to the left, or you can enhance overall image quality by moving the slider to the right. Selecting Custom Settings disables the Main Settings slider allowing you to fine-tune the OpenGL settings of your RADEON 9500 Series.
22 Main Settings slider This allows you to emphasize what kind of application experience you’d like to have. Moving the slider to the left will maximize application performance, while moving the slider to the right will provide excellent 3D image quality. Moving this slider from one position to the next changes the individual Custom Settings sliders found below.
23 Texture Preference slider Selecting this decides whether your application should use high quality or high performance textures. Moving the slider to the right delivers the highest quality experience. Moving the slider to the left emphasizes a high performance solution while still providing good visuals. Mipmap Detail Level slider This will allow you to choose the texture quality of the mipmaps the application will use. Mipmaps are a collection of different sized textures of the same image.
24 OpenGL Compatibility Settings Force Z-buffer depth This allows you to explicitly set the Z-Buffer depth. Most applications will work best when Disabled is selected Support KTX buffer region extension Enabling this feature allows rapid updates of those portions of your screen that have changed. Note that most applications will not be affected by activating this feature Defaults button This button allows you to reset the OpenGL Compatibility Settings to default values.
25 Using TV Out View your PC’s display on a TV Your RADEON 9500 Series has TV Out capability. You can attach your graphics card to a TV and monitor at the same time. Or you can connect it to your VCR and record your monitor’s display. TV display is ideal for playing games, giving presentations, watching movies, and browsing the Internet. The following tips will help you get the most out of your TV Out feature.
26 Connecting to a TV or a VCR To connect your RADEON 9500 Series card to a TV or a VCR, use an S-Video cable. However, most TVs (and VCRs) have a Composite video input, in which case you can use the supplied S-Video-to-Composite video adapter. If your TV has cable input only, you can connect your graphics card to your TV through your VCR or an RF modulator (available in most electronics stores). Connecting Your S-Video Out to a TV or VCR 1 Turn off your PC and your TV (or VCR).
27 S-Video Out S-Video In OR Composite In PC TV or VCR NOTE: Newer TVs may have the Video Input on the front panel S-Video Cable OR S-Video-to-Composite Adapter Starting Windows® with TV Display Enabled The TV screen may become scrambled during the initial Windows® logo display. This is only a temporary effect and your screen will be restored within a few seconds. During start up, your RADEON 9500 Series will go through a sequence of mode settings, during which your TV display will remain blank.
28 To Enable/Disable The TV Display 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 3 4 5 Click the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button. Click the ATI Displays tab. Click the TV button. Click the enable/disable button. Click OK or Apply to save the changes. Using and Adjusting TV Out For information about how to use TV display, right click the ATI taskbar icon, point to Help, then point to ATI Television Display.
29 Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display Using your TV for your PC’s display is ideal for playing games, giving presentations, watching movies, and browsing the Internet. However, the display on your monitor may change or looked squashed. This occurs because the display adjusts to fit the dimensions of your TV. To correct the monitor’s display, use the monitor’s control buttons to adjust its display size and position. Some single frequency monitors may not work with TV display enabled.
30 To Use Larger Display Fonts 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 For Windows® XP, click the Appearance tab. For Windows® Me, Windows® 2000, click the Settings tab, the Advanced... button, then the General tab. 3 In the Font Size box, select the size you want your displayed fonts to be. 4 Click Apply. If prompted, click Yes to restart your PC.
31 Reducing Edge Distortion When using a TV for your PC’s display, you may see some edge distortion on the left and right side of your TV screen. This effect depends on your TV and the PC application you are running. To reduce edge distortion, you can increase the TV display’s horizontal size. To Increase the Horizontal Size 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 Click on the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button. 3 4 5 6 Click on the ATI Displays tab.
32 To Increase the TV Contrast 1 Access the Windows® Control Panel. Double-click Display. 2 Click on the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button. 3 Click on the ATI Displays tab. 4 Click on the TV button. 5 Drag the Contrast slider to the right to increase the contrast. 6 Click OK or Apply to save the changes you have made. Changing Display Configurations If you move your PC to a place where you are using TV display only, make sure that you have the TV display feature enabled.