The Permedia®3 Create!
Graphics Accelerator
User’s Guide
3Dlabs,® Inc.
480 Potrero Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
408 - 530 - 4700
www.3dlabs.com
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.
C
AUTION
:
Changes or modifications to the Permedia3 Create! graphics accelerator card not
expressly approved by 3Dlabs, Inc. void the user’s warranty.
FCC Notice:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If product is not installed
and used in accordance with the instruction manual, it may cause harmful interference to
radio communications; however, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
1.
Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
2.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
3.
Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
4.
Consult 3Dlabs or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance.
Compliance with FCC Rules requires that a shielded cable be used to connect to other
equipment. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: 1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and 2) this
device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
This Class B digital apparatus meets all the requirements of the Canadian InterferenceCausing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les
exigences du Règlement sur le material brouilleur du Canada.
3Dlabs, Inc. makes no representation that the use of its products in the manner described in
this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do descriptions
contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or
software in accordance with the description.
June 3, 1999, Rev. A
Table of Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
Welcome to 3Dlabs!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Chapter 1 - Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Getting Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Before You Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Installing Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
To remove an old card from your system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
To install your Permedia3 Create! card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Installing Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
To install the Permedia3 Create! driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
To install Colorific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
To install PowerDVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Registering Permedia3 Create! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
To register on-line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Chapter 2 - Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
The Permedia3 Create! Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The Task Bar - based Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Display Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
DirectX Support Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
OpenGL Support Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 3 - Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Monitors and Display Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Systems and Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Online Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
iii
Appendix A - Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Permedia3 Create! Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Monitor Resolutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Appendix B - Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Appendix C - Software License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Software License and Restrictions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Limited Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Limited Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Confidentiality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Restricted Rights Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Appendix D - Regulatory Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
iv 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
NTRODUCTION
I
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
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. With Virtual Texturing for massive amounts of textures per scene and a Triple-blend
texture core for realism, you have the professional graphics platform that doesn’t forget how
you like to spend your play time.
®
Create! has the power you need to work fast all day and play hard all night.
Overview
Your Permedia3 Create! card has the following features:
®
•The Permedia
The Permedia3 graphics processor accelerates advanced rendering operations,
including single-cycle triple-blend multi-texturing and bump-mapping.
•Pentium
Permedia3 Create! is fully optimized for Pentium III and 3DNow! to maximize 3D
geometry and lighting performance.
• Virtual Texturing
Virtual Texturing is a hardware-based, full demand-paged virtual texture storage
sub-system. With it, your Permedia3 Create! card can cache up to 256MB of textures
stored in main system memory.
• 32 MB memory
32 MB of SDRAM memory supports high-precision, high-performance acceleration.
• High-precision, high resolution display
Permedia3 Create! has a 300 MHz RAMDAC enabling flicker-free resolutions up to
2048 x 1536.
3 graphics processor
®
III and 3DNow! optimization
vi 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
• Colorific
®
screen-to-print color matching
Colorific from Sonnetech simplifies color matching without sacrificing accuracy.
System Requirements
Your system needs the following features in order to support Permedia3 Create!:
• Intel-compatible, 166 MHz (minimum) system
®
•Windows
• 64 MB RAM (Random Access Memory)
• 16 MB minimum available hard drive space
• AGP expansion slot for AGP-based cards
• PCI expansion slot for PCI-based cards
• VGA multisync monitor
95, 98, or NT 4.0 (or later) operating system
or
Introduction vii
C
HAPTER
1 - I
NSTALLATION
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.
If there is not a video card in your system: Install your new card as described in the Installing
Hardware section, below, then install the driver.
N
!
Be sure to register your new card using one of the options
OTE
described on page 7.
✏
Before You Start
• Take every possible precaution against static electricity as you prepare to install the
card: static can damage components. We have included an anti-static wrist strap for
you to wear while installing the hardware: you should also try to work in a static free
area (such as on a tile floor rather than carpet). You might even consider wearing
special ESD, or at least rubber-soled, shoes.
• Save any work in progress and exit any open applications. Always back up your
system before you install new hardware or software.
• Have your anti-static strap and a Philips-head screwdriver ready.
Chapter 1 - Installation 2
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.
Turn off and unplug the power source for your system and each of
its peripherals.
2.
Unplug the monitor cable from the old card.
3.
Remove the cover from your system.
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.
5.
Remove any screws securing the card to the chassis.
6.
Lift the card out of the slot.
✏
To install your Permedia3 Create! card
1.
Turn off and unplug the power source for your system and each of its peripherals, if
you have not already done so.
2.
Remove the cover from your system so you can access an appropriate expansion slot.
See your system documentation for AGP and PCI slot locations.
3 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
5.
Remove the card from its anti-static packaging. Write down the serial number for
registration and future use.
6.
Place the card into the expansion slot and seat it firmly.
I
MPORTANT
!
See your system documentation for instructions on securing the
card to the chassis. Loose cards and connections can cause grounding
and operating problems.
Chapter 1 - Installation 4
Installing Hardware
7.
Remove the anti-static strap and replace the cover on your system.
8.
Connect the video cable from your monitor to the video connector on the card.
9.
Plug in and start up your system, including peripherals, and log on to your operating
system.
Video connector
5 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
This section describes the three software installation processes for supported Windows
systems.
✏
To install the Permedia3 Create! driver
1.
Start up Windows and log onto an account with administrator privileges.
2.
Place the Permedia3 Create! CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. When the
installation window opens, choose the driver installation.
3.
Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. (Be sure to read the software
license agreement.)
4.
Restart your system at the prompt. You have installed your driver software
successfully!
✏
To install Colorific
1.
Place the Permedia3 Create! CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. When the
installation window opens, choose the Colorific installation.
2.
Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
✏
To install PowerDVD
N
!
PowerDVD is compatible with the Windows 98 operating
OTE
system exclusively.
1.
Place the Permedia3 Create! CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. When the
installation window opens, choose the PowerDVD installation.
2.
Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
Chapter 1 - Installation 6
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 r e g i s t e r o n - l i n e
1.
Open your Internet browser.
2.
Go to http://www.3dlabs.com/register
3.
Fill out the registration form that appears on your screen, and click Submit when you
are finished. You have registered successfully!
7 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
HAPTER
C
2 - S
OFTWARE 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. Click the logo with your right mouse button to access the
Display Configuration Manager and its shortcuts to these configuration tools:
• Remove from System Tray lets you delete this task bar utility from your system. You will
still be able to access the driver configuration options with the Display Control Panel.
• About 3DL Display Manager displays version information for this configuration
utility.
• Go to 3Dlabs Website takes you directly to www.3dlabs.com through your existing
Internet connection.
• Pop up the Display Panel reaches the 3Dlabs section on the display control panel.
• Display Driver Information provides quick access to information about your
Permedia3 Create! card configuration.
• Change Display Resolution brings up a pop-up list of supported resolutions. Each
resolution has an associated pop-up list of available refresh rates.
• Select Optimized Application quickly accesses a list of supported applications. Click an
application in the list to optimize card settings for your selected option.
• Help provides standard Windows-style help on the driver and its settings.
9 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
Chapter 2 - Software Configuration 10
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.
11 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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. If that refresh rate is not available,
Permedia3 Create! will use the next available lower rate.
•The Gamma Adjustment slider on the Setup screen lets you simultaneously adjust
RGB color curves and define the color output for your display. You can also enter a
precise Gamma value, rather than use the slider, when you know which value is
appropriate for your monitor and ambient lighting conditions.
Chapter 2 - Software Configuration 12
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.
•Click Driver is optimized for application to reach a drop down list of DirectX
applications, then select the application you want to use. The rest of your selections
on this screen will apply to the specified application. You can also click Select
optimized application in the Configuration Manager and select your application from
that pop-up list.
•The Add New button lets you create a new setting, with a user specified name. Remove
Setting will remove user created settings, but will not remove the default settings
created at driver installation time. Default will restore the factory default settings.
• Texture Origin at Top Left Corner shifts textures slightly as they are applied to objects,
and may result in better image quality with some applications.
13 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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. 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.
• Enable Palettized textures enables Direct3D support for 8bit textures which use a
separate “look-up” table to specify the color. These are useful for graphics cards with
a small amount of memory. However, they can be slower than the alternatives
available on cards with large amounts of memory. For best performance this option
should only be enabled for applications that will not operate correctly otherwise.
• Disable D3D Gamma Controls lets you turn off DirectX gamma control if you
experience an extremely dark screen, potentially caused by an application’s use of an
incorrect default.
• Gamma adjustment for this application affects the entire screen display. As with the
contrast on your television, you can adjust this value if the selected application causes
your display to consistently look too dark or too light.
Chapter 2 - Software Configuration 14
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.
•Click Driver is optimized for application to reach a drop down list of applications,
then select the one you want to use. The rest of your actions on this screen will apply
to that choice. You can also click Select optimized application in the Configuration
Manager and select your application from that pop-up list.
•Click Add New to add an application to the list and customize its settings. Remove
Setting will remove a user created setting, but will not remove default settings created
at driver installation time. Default will restore the factory default settings.
• Gamma adjustment for this application affects the entire screen display. As with the
contrast on your television, you can adjust this value if the selected application causes
your display to consistently look too dark or too light.
15 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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. Setting it to 2 will disable the queued DMA
mechanism.
• Wait for Vblank lets you determine whether the OpenGL driver will attempt to
synchronize screen updates to the vertical blanking interval. Smooth animation of 3D
applications can be achieved by rendering (drawing) to an off-screen window/
desktop sized color buffer and copying or swapping the contents to the displayable
front buffer at the completion of each frame.
This option is enabled as the default so that there is no visible tearing. Disabling this
option gives the highest rendering frame rates of double buffered applications. You
should disable this option for instance when running benchmarks.
Chapter 2 - Software Configuration 16
HAPTER
C
3 - T
ROUBLESHOOTING
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
Q
UESTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
Q
UESTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
Q
UESTION
S
OLUTION
:
My monitor is either blank, or the displayed image is distorted, scrambled or
smaller than I expected.
:
If the monitor is blank, be sure that your system and monitor are plugged in
and turned on. Is the monitor’s power cord attached securely? Check each
component’s documentation for the location and use of power connectors and
switches.
:
Make sure that your video cable is connected securely to the monitor and to the
monitor connector on your Permedia3 Create! card. See your monitor
documentation and Chapter 1 - Installation, in this document.
:
Your card might not be seated properly in the AGP slot. Remove and reinstall
your card as described in Chapter 1 - Installation. Remember to use the antistatic wrist strap when opening your system and handling the card.
:
The performance of and/or the available resolutions for my Permedia3 Create!
card are not what I expected.
:
The driver may not have installed fully, or a file may have been corrupted. Try
installing the driver again.
:
You may have selected a display setting that is incompatible with accelerated
3D graphics applications. See Appendix A - Specifications, for a list of
compatible resolutions.
:
When I restart my system, an “Invalid Display Settings” message appears onscreen, followed by “The default display resolution has been temporarily used
by the system.”
:
Within a few seconds, the error messages should be replaced by a window that
allows you to set a display resolution. Pick your preferred resolution from the
list and you should get the sharp results you expected.
Chapter 3 - Troubleshooting 18
Systems and Networks
Systems and Networks
Q
UESTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
S
OLUTION
:
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.
:
Try to disable “VGA Palette Snoop.” Follow these steps.
1.
Remove the Permedia3 Create! card and reinstall your old graphics card.
See Chapter 1 - Installation, for instructions.
2.
Restart your system and enter Setup at the on-screen prompt. The key
command to enter Setup can differ with each BIOS, so consult your
system documentation if you do not see the command displayed as the
system boots.
3.
Disable VGA Palette Snoop, again consulting your system
documentation for its specific location in your BIOS.
4.
Choose Exit and Save Settings.
5.
Shut down, remove your old graphics card, and reinstall your Permedia3
Create! card.
:
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.
:
Please see the System Integration Guide in the FAQ section at
http://www.3Dlabs.com.
:
You may need to update your BIOS. See your system documentation for BIOS
upgrade information.
Q
UESTION
:
I’m experiencing network problems since I installed my Permedia3 Create!
card.
S
OLUTION
:
You may need to reinstall or update your Ethernet driver. See your system or
Ethernet adapter documentation for more information.
Online Information
If you cannot find the problem you are experiencing, or the solution to a problem, listed in
this chapter, check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list at www.3dlabs.com, or contact
your Permedia3 Create! card vendor for additional help.
19 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
PPENDIX
A
A - S
PECIFICATIONS
Permedia3 Create! Specifications
Permedia3 Create! Specifications
Item Specification
Card size NLX shortcard, AGP or PCI, single-slot
Power requirement 10.25 W @ 3v3, 1.0 W @ 5V
Graphics processor Permedia3
RAMDAC frequency 300 MHz
Memory 32 MB SDRAM
Monitor Resolutions
Permedia3 Create! is capable of suppor ting moni tor res oluti ons up to 204 8 x 1536, in col or
depths of 8, 16 and 32 bits, with refresh rates from 60Hz to 200Hz – dependent on your
system hardware, operating system and your monitor's capabilities.
21 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
PPENDIX
A
B - G
LOSSARY
Terms and Definitions
Te r m s a n d D e f i n i t io n s
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.
Alpha Buffer
A portion of the frame buffer used to define the transparency value of a pixel in the frame
buffer. This data can be used to blend the frame buffer pixel with the pixel to be drawn to
create a composite pixel.
Anti-Aliasing
A technique employed to remove any jagged edges from an object to appear smooth. This is
accomplished by gradually modifying the hue and saturation of pixels.
API
Application Programming Interface. The API translates the instructions from the application
program into device commands that are specific to the screen’s display controller, the graphics
board.
Atmospheric Effects
The effect derived from adding one or more layers around an object.
Bilinear Sampling
The process whereby texture mapping is done through filtering.
Bit Depth
Bit depth is another way of expressing the numbers of colors available. A color bit depth of 8
is equivalent to 256 colors, a bit depth of 16 (15 bit of color plus a 1 bit overlay) yields 32768
colors, and a bit depth of 32 (24 bit RGB plus 8 bit of overlays) equals 16.7 million colors.
The latter is often referred to as true color.
Clipping
Removal of elements or sections not contained within the active viewing area.
DAC
Digital to Analog Converter.
Depth Cueing
A technique used to give the illusion of depth. With depth cueing, the part of an object that is
farther away is displayed with a lower intensity to give the effect of depth.
Digital Flat Panel Display
A digital, flat-panel display dramatically improves the quality of images viewed on your
screen.
23 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
Double Buffering
With double-buffering, images are rendered in the back buffer and then displayed on the
screen once the drawing is completed. This results in the smooth, flicker-free rotation and
animation of 3D models and scenes.
Driver
A driver is a special interface program that is developed to perform the communication
between the application program, the device (i.e., graphics peripheral) and the operating
system.
EVGA
Extended Video Graphics Array. EVGA runs at 1024 x 768.
Flat Shading
The simplest method of shading. Each triangle is assigned one single color, resulting in a
faceted appearance of the surface.
Floating Point
The portion of the mathematics execution unit of a processor generally associated with
multiply and divide operations.
Frame Buffer
A 24-bit, true-color frame buffer provides 8 bits for each red, green and blue primary display
color. This results in 16.8 million color combinations. A second, or double, buffer enables
system to calculate pixels one step ahead of the screen display for smooth, distortion free
images.
Gamma
A curve representing both the contrast and brightness of an image. Changing the shape of the
curve changes the RGB color output.
Geometry
The intermediate stage of the 3D pipeline, geometry determines the location of the object and
the frame of reference of the viewer in relation to the object.
Gouraud Shading
This method of shading, more complex than flat shading, shows subtle color changes across
an object. Gouraud Shading is accomplished by adding pixels in a graduated scale of colors.
Graphics Accelerator Card
A graphics accelerator performs 3D functions in the hardware, thereby relieving the CPU of
repetitive, complex and intensive calls. This results in enhanced performance and speed.
Heidi
The API developed by Autodesk to work with its products, such as 3D Studio MAX and
AutoCAD.
Appendix B - Glossary 24
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.
OpenGL
The industry standard library of advanced 3D graphics functions developed by Silicon
Graphics, Inc.
Perspective Correction
A function that allows an object to maintain its 3D textural features as it moves away from the
viewer, into the background.
Pipelining
A basic hardware tool for accelerating processes.
Pixel
The smallest addressable element of a cathode ray tube display. More simply put, the
individual dots that make up the screen image.
Point Sampling
The basic method of adding texture to an object. Point sampling does not include any
filtering of textures.
RAMDAC
The final component in the graphics subsystem that translates a digital image into an analog
representation.
Rasterization
A method to fill in colors for all pixels bound by vertices.
Rendering
The final and most rigorous stage in the 3D pipeline where an object undergoes shading,
texturing, etc.
RISC
Reduced Instruction Set Computing.
SDRAM
Synchronous DRAM is a cost-effective solution to improve bandwidth to and from memory,
resulting in increased graphics performance.
SDTP
Super Desktop Publishing. SDTP runs at 1600 x 1200.
Stencil Buffer
Similar to stipple masking, the stencil buffer assists with the creation of transparent effects.
25 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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.
Texture Mapping
A technique that enables 2D graphic images to be “wrapped” around or “pasted” on to a 3D
primitive. Perspective correction and lighting calculations allow for added realism.
Tr a ns f or ma ti o n
The change in rotation, size and perspective of an object in 3D space.
Transparency
A function that refers to the rendering of transparent (non-opaque) objects. Transparency is
generally accomplished on a polygon rendering system using either screen-door transparency
or alpha blending.
Vectors/second
Lines drawn per second.
VGA
Video Graphics Array. VGA runs at 640 x 480.
VHR
V
ery High Resolution. VHR runs at 1280 x 1024.
VRAM
V
ideo Random Access Memory is an expensive, fast type of RAM that is used as display
memory on high-end graphics boards.
VRML
V
irtual Reality Modeling Language.
Z-Buffer
Z-Buffering is used to better define objects from the perspective of the third, or z, axis by
allotting a depth coefficient to every pixel and sorting objects in real times or by using a
dedicated z-buffer to hold objects not in view.
Appendix B - Glossary 26
PPENDIX
A
C - S
OFTWARE 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. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO
BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, PROMPTLY RETURN THIS
GUIDE WITH THE UNOPENED SOFTWARE ENVELOPE, PERMEDIA3 CREATE!
CARD AND ANY OTHER ACCOMPANYING ITEMS TOGETHER WITH YOUR
RECEIPT TO YOUR PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND.
Software License and Restrictions
The enclosed SOFTWARE delivered to you pursuant to these terms and conditions may
embody and include certain software programs in object code form (machine-readable but
not human-readable form). Use of the SOFTWARE can result in the production of humanreadable features such as documentation, report formats, menus, audible prompts and tone
sequences. Such SOFTWARE and features constitute either the copyrighted property or
proprietary trade secret information, or both, of 3Dlabs, Inc. or its licensors, and shall be held
in confidence by you. 3Dlabs, Inc. or its licensors retain title to the SOFTWARE (excluding
media on which recorded), all copies thereof, and all intellectual property rights, and no title
to the SOFTWARE, copies thereof or intellectual property rights are transferred to you. You
are hereby granted, for internal use only, a personal, nontransferable, nonexclusive and
perpetual license to use only one copy of the SOFTWARE on the computer on which the
SOFTWARE was originally mounted. Except as specifically authorized by this License, you
may not copy the SOFTWARE or the human-readable features referred to above for any
purpose (except for a copy for backup purposes). All such copies are the proprietary
information of 3Dlabs, Inc. and its licensors and suppliers and are subject to their copyrights.
You shall not, whether through the use of disassemblers or any other means whatsoever
(including but not limited to manual, mechanical or electrical means), reverse engineer,
decompile, disassemble or derive source code from the SOFTWARE, or attempt to permit
any third party to do any of the foregoing, including causing the SOFTWARE to be
destroyed or disabled or deriving the rules or protocols embodied in the SOFTWARE. Any
attempt to do any of these things shall be a material breach of this License, which shall
immediately entitle 3Dlabs, Inc. to exercise any remedy that may exist at law or in equity. You
may not transfer, loan, rent, lease, distribute or grant any rights in the SOFTWARE or
accompanying documentation in any form without the prior written consent of 3Dlabs, Inc.
Limited Warranty
3Dlabs, Inc. warrants that the SOFTWARE licensed to you under this License will perform
in accordance with 3Dlabs, Inc. published specifications on the same operating system as used
at the time of purchase for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of delivery to you as
evidenced by your receipt (Warranty Period). If the SOFTWARE does not conform during
the Warranty Period, you agree to provide written notice of such failure to 3Dlabs, Inc. and
3Dlabs, Inc. will, at its sole option, repair or replace the SOFTWARE or refund the full
Appendix C - Software License 28
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. SOME STATES OR COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW THE
EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, SO THE ABOVE
EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Limited Liability
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION IN THIS LICENSE TO THE CONTRARY,
3Dlabs, Inc. OR ITS LICENSORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, HOWEVER
CAUSED, OR ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER
OR NOT 3Dlabs, Inc. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE OR LOSS. IN NO EVENT SHALL 3Dlabs, Inc. LIABILITY ARISING
UNDER THIS LICENSE EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR THE
SOFTWARE GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY. THIS LIMITATION IS
INTENDED TO LIMIT THE LIABILITY OF 3Dlabs, Inc. AND SHALL APPLY
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY
LIMITED REMEDY. SOME STATES OR COUNTRIES MAY NOT ALLOW THE
FOREGOING LIMITATION, SO THE FOREGOING MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Confidentiality
The SOFTWARE contains confidential trade secret information belonging to 3Dlabs, Inc. or
its licensors, and you may use the SOFTWARE only pursuant to the license set forth herein.
In addition, you may not disclose the SOFTWARE to any third party.
Restricted Rights Notice
Use, duplication or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to restrictions as set
forth in subparagraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted
Rights clause at FAR Section 52.277-19 or (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and
Computer Software clause at DFARS Section 252.277-7013, as applicable. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States. Contractor: 3Dlabs, Inc., 480
Potrero Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94086.
You may terminate this License at any time by destroying all copies, mergers or modifications
of the SOFTWARE and accompanying materials. 3Dlabs, Inc. may immediately terminate
your License upon notice for failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this License.
Upon such termination, you agree to destroy all copies, mergers and modifications of the
SOFTWARE and accompanying documents. You agree that a breach of this License will
result in irreparable damages to 3Dlabs, Inc. This License is the entire agreement between you
29 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
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. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds
any provision of this License, or portion thereof, to be unenforceable, that provision of the
License shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to effect the intent of the
parties, and the remainder of this License shall continue in full force and effect. Should you
have any questions concerning this License, please write to: 3Dlabs, Inc., 480 Potrero Avenue,
Sunnyvale, California 94086.
Appendix C - Software License 30
PPENDIX
A
D - R
EGULATORY 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
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 4.2.3.2
EN 55024:1998, clause 4.2.6
IEC950:1991, 2nd Edition
EN60950:1992
Declaration of Conformity
Permedia®3 Create!
following the provisions of the 89/336/EEC Directive.
San Jose, California, May 14, 1999
3Dlabs, Inc.
W
ARNING
Any use of, installation practices, modifications or maintenance procedures
:
carried out which are not in accordance with the issued “instructions for use” or approved by
3Dlabs Inc. will nullify the CE certification of this product and could lead to prosecution.
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!
complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this
device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interferences that may cause undesired operation.
32
Index
A
accelerator, graphics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii, 23
AGP
alpha blending
alpha buffer
anti aliasing
anti-static procedures
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
API
atmospheric effects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
B
bilinear sampling
bit depth
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
C
clipping
color curves
Colorific
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii, 6
D
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
DACs
declaration of conformity
depth cueing
Digital flat panel display
dithering
DMA
sub-buffers
double buffering
drivers
definition
Heidi
installation
OpenGL
setup
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
E
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
EVGA
F
FCC statement
features
flat shading
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . 32
. . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
floating point
frame buffer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
G
gamma
gamma adjustment
geometry
Gouraud shading
graphics accelerator
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
H
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Heidi
I
installation
agp slots
anti-static procedures
back up first
before you start
card
Colorific
pci slots
removing old cards
software/drivers
tools
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
. . . . . . . . . .2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
. . . . . . . . . . . .3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
M
mapping
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
mip
texture
memory
SDRAM
VRAM
monitors
adjusting gamma
resolutions
multiple resolution support
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi, 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . .12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
. . . . . . . .25
O
OpenGL
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 25
P
Permedia3
perspective correction
pipelining
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . .25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
33 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! User’s Guide
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
pixel
point sampling
PowerDVD
PowerThreads SSE
processors
floating point
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
R
ramdac
rasterization
rasterization engines
registration
rendering
requirements, system
resolutions
RISC
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . vii
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
EVGA
multiple
range
SDTP
SVGA
VGA
VHR
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
S
SDRAM
SDTP
shading
sideband addressing
software
software license agreement
specifications
static electricity
stencil buffer
stipple masking
SVGA
system requirements
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi, 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
flat
Gouraud
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
installation
setup
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
. . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
texture processing
textures, virtual
transformation
transparency
troubleshooting
monitor problems
network problems
resolution problems
system problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . .18
. . . . . . . . . . . .19
. . . . . . . . . .18
. . . . . . . . . . . . .19
V
vectors/second
VGA
definition
palette snoop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
VHR
virtual textures
VRAM
VRML
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
W
warranty
websites
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
3Dlabs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 19
Z
Z-buffer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii, 26
T
tessellation
texture mapping
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Index 34
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