ASUS A9550, V8170DDR, V9280, V9980, V9570 Reference Guide

...

Graphics Card

Software Reference

E1496 Revised Edition V3 December 2003

No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).

Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.

ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.

SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.

Products and corporate names appearing in this manual are used only for identification or explanation and to the owner’s benefit, without intent to infringe.

ASUS and the ASUS logo are registered trademarks of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows 98, windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows NT and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. ATI is a registered trademark of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.

Contents

Notices ...........................................................................................iv

Safety information ...........................................................................v

About this guide..............................................................................vi

1. ASUS Control Panel.............................................................. 1

1.1 NVIDIA

1.2 ATI® Radeon graphics card series ............................ 8

2. ASUS VideoSecurity ........................................................... 10

2.1 Limitations............................................................... 10

2.2 Launching ASUS VideoSecurity...............................1 1

2.3 Features setup ........................................................ 13

3. ASUS GameFace................................................................ 21

3.1 Launching ASUS GameFace .................................. 21

3.2 Setting Local playback mode .................................. 22

3.3 Setting Network playback mode ............................. 22

3.4 Tools ....................................................................... 23

3.5 Using GameFace .................................................... 28

3.6 Using the GameFace TV Tuner .............................. 29

graphics card series ................................... 1

4. ASUS Digital VCR ............................................................... 30

4.1 Launching ASUS Digital VCR ................................. 30

4.2 Using ASUS Digital VCR ........................................ 31

5. ASUS SmartDoctor ............................................................. 36

5.1 Functions ................................................................ 36

5.2 Launching ASUS SmartDoctor ............................... 36

5.3 Using ASUS SmartDoctor ....................................... 37

5.4 Advanced setup features ........................................ 40

6. Multi-monitor feature ........................................................... 44

6.1 ATI

Radeon graphics card series .......................... 44

6.2 NVIDIA® graphics card series ................................. 48

iii

Notices

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

• This device may not cause harmful interference, and

• This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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 and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, 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:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

Canadian Department of Communication Statement

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Safety information

Electrical safety

• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

• Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company.

• If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

• Before installing devices on your motherboard, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package.

• Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.

• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.

• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet.

• Place the product on a stable surface.

• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Macrovision Corporation Product Notice

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

About this guide

Conventions used in this guide

To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual.

WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.

Typography

Bold Text Indicates a menu or an item to select. <Key> enclosed in Indicates that you must press the enclosed

the less-than and key. Example: <Enter> indicates that you must greater-than sign press the Enter or Return key.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates.

1. ASUS Websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS

hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the ASUS Contact Information on the inside front cover of this manual.

2. Optional Documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

1. ASUS Control Panel

The ASUS Control Panel is a program that allows you to adjust certain features on your computer environment like the desktop color, screen resolution and refresh rates.

1.1 NVIDIA® graphics card series

After installing the display drivers, locate the ASUS Control Panel icon on the Windows taskbar. The ASUS Control Panel contains a menu of shortcuts for commonly used tasks and utilities.

To launch the ASUS Control Panel, click the ASUS Control Panel icon on the Windows taskbar.

Windows Taskbar

ASUS Control Panel icon

1.1.1 Setting screen resolution

The ASUS Control panel menu includes a list of shortcuts for easy screen resolution setting.

To change the screen resolution:

1. From the ASUS Control Panel menu, click one of the available screen resolutions.

Your computer screen may flicker while adjusting to the new setting.

2. When prompted, click OK to apply settings or Cancel to abort.

The setting does not take effect if the progress bar elapses.

Screen resolution setting shortcut

ASUS Control Panel icon

1.1.2 Refresh Rate

This item changes the refresh rate of the current screen resolution. A refresh rate is the number of times a display image is repainted or redrawn per second. The refresh rate is expressed in Hertz (Hz), for example, a refresh rate of 75Hz means the image is refreshed 75 times per second.

Make sure your monitor supports the refresh rate you choose. Selecting a refresh rate beyond your monitor’s specification may damage it. Press ESC to restore your original settings.

To change the refresh rate:

1. From the ASUS control panel menu, click Refresh Rate and select a setting from the list.

2. When prompted, click OK to apply settings or Cancel to abort.

The setting does not take effect if the progress bar elapses.

1.1.3 Windows Display Properties

This item runs the Windows Display Properties dialog box that allows you to:

• change the Windows theme

• enhance the Windows desktop

• select a screen saver

• adjust the monitor power settings

• change the Windows appearance

• adjust screen resolution

To launch the Windows Display Properties dialog box, click the Windows

Display Properties menu item from the ASUS Control Panel.

ASUS Control Panel icon

1.1.4 Advanced

This menu allows you to enable or disable the ASUS OSD (On-Screen Display) feature, set the OSD hot keys and display the ASUS Control Panel icon on the Windows taskbar.

To launch the Advanced options dialog box, click the Advanced... menu item from the ASUS Control Panel.

ASUS Control Panel icon

OSD (On-Screen Display)

The On-Screen Display feature allows you to adjust the display settings while you play Direct3D or OpenGL 3D games.

To set the On-Screen Display parameters:

1. From the ASUS Display Card Control Panel (NVIDIA Series) dialog box, select the Advanced tab.

2. Click the OSD tab to display various parameters for the On-Screen Display feature.

3. Click the Enable OSD check box.

4. If you want to define a new set of hot keys for On-Screen Display, click the Hotkey text box.

5. Select a hot key combination. For example: to define the hot key combination Ctrl +Alt + D, having placed the cursor in the box, press <D>.

• The Hotkey text box is activated only when you enable OSD.

• The Ctrl and Alt keys are default hot keys to be combined with any key, except for the following: Esc, Del, Pause or Break, Enter or Return key, Tab, Spacebar, Print Screen, or Backspace key.

6. Click Apply to apply settings or click OK to save settings and exit. Click Cancel if you want to exit and discard changes.

Taskbar Utility

The Taskbar Utility allows you to conveniently access various features and presets you have configured in the Display Properties directly from the Windows taskbar.

To set the Taskbar utility:

1. From the ASUS Display Card Control Panel (NVIDIA Series) dialog box, select the Advanced tab.

2. Click the TaskBar Utility tab to display contents.

3. Click the check box to enable or disable the display of the ASUS Control Panel icon in the taskbar.

4. Click Apply to apply settings or click OK to save settings and exit. Click Cancel if you want to exit and discard changes.

1.1.5 Information

The Information dialog box displays important data about your graphics card. It includes links to the ASUS main web site and software download site.

To check your graphics card information:

1. From the ASUS Display Card Control Panel (NVIDIA Series) dialog box, select the Information tab.

2. Click OK or Cancel to exit.

1.2 ATI® Radeon graphics card series

After installing the display drivers, locate the ASUS Control Panel icon on the Windows taskbar. The ASUS Control Panel is a menu of shortcuts for the screen resolution and color settings.

To launch the ASUS Control Panel, click the ASUS Control Panel icon on the Windows taskbar.

Windows taskbar

ASUS Control Panel icon

Setting screen resolution

The ASUS Control Panel menu includes shortcuts for easy screen resolution setting.

To change the screen resolution:

1. From the ASUS Control Panel menu, click one of the available screen resolutions.

Screen color setting shortcut

Screen resolution setting shortcut

ASUS Control Panel icon

Your computer screen may flicker while adjusting to the new setting.

2. When the Change Display Settings dialog box appears, click the Refresh Rate list box to select refresh rate.

3. Click Apply to effect your selected display settings or Cancel to abort.

4. When prompted, click Yes to apply settings or No to abort.

The setting does not take effect if the timer elapses.

2. ASUS VideoSecurity

The ASUS VideoSecurity is a powerful security utility that detects any change in a specified surveillance region. Using video capture devices, video snapshots are captured automatically when there is a deviation in the user-defined surveillance region. The utility can also execute a specific program or send a warning message to the user via email or phone.

2.1 Limitations

Differences in hardware sensitivity can affect the consistency of the ASUS VideoSecurity utility in detecting a surveillance region.

Important notes

• Temperature changes can distort the captured image of some Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) cameras.

• A similar object surface and background can result in a false scan.

• A USB camera cannot capture fast moving objects clearly.

• ASUS VideoSecurity can only process the following pixel formats: UYVY, YUY2, and I420. Use a video capture device that supports these formats.

• Make sure to install the Windows Driver Model (WDM) capture driver.

• If you want to use the email warning feature, make sure you have an Internet connection.

• If you want to use the phone call warning feature, make sure a voice modem and telephone line are available.

2.2 Launching ASUS VideoSecurity

To launch ASUS VideoSecurity: Click the Start button then select All Programs -> ASUS -> ASUS

VideoSecurity -> ASUS VideoSecurity to display the following menu.

Status

Video Format

Setup Detect

Region

Start / Stop

Video Dimension

Video Source

Show History

Command buttons

Start/Stop - starts or stops the VideoSecurity watchdog detection. Setup - launches the ASUS VideoSecurity setup window (wsetup.exe).

Refer to section “2.3 Features setup” for more information. Video Source - allows you to select a video source. Click the button and

select video source from the pop-up list. Detect Region - allows you to define a surveillance region on the video

window for detection. To detect a region, click this button then drag the mouse to the part of the screen that you wish to set as a surveillance region.

Detect region

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