DayStar Digital Genesis MP User Manual

GenesisMP

User Guide

DayStar Digital, Inc.
Technical Support Department
5556 Atlanta Highway
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
770-967-2077 fax: [phone]
http://www.daystar.com/

Preface

About Genesis MP

The Media-Publishing Workstation for the Next Century. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Three Configurations to Best Meet Your Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Genesis MP is Built for Expandability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

A Next-Generation Solution that Works Alongside Today’s Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

A Fine-Tuned Solution for Media-Publishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Toward the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Chapter 1

Setting Up Your Genesis MP

Table of Contents

Unpacking Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Choosing a Work Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Important External Components of Your Genesis MP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Important Internal Components of Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Plugging in Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Expansion Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

SCSI Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Connecting Your Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Connecting the Mouse and Keyboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Turning on Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Shutting Down Your Genesis MP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Where to Go From Here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

GenesisMP

Table of Contents

◆ 3

Chapter 2

Help is at Your Fingertips

The Macintosh Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Balloon Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The Macintosh Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Chapter 3

Connecting Additional Peripherals

Adding External Devices to Your Genesis MP

ADB Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Serial port/GeoPort Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

External SCSI Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Adding Audio Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Adding Video Devices (Three Slot Genesis MP Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Adding Internal Devices to Your Genesis MP

Opening Your Genesis MP

Adding Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Adding Video RAM (Three Slot Genesis MP Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Adding PCI cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Upgrading the nPOWER Processor Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Adding Internal SCSI Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Adding SCSI Devices into the Internal 3.5" bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Adding SCSI Devices into the Internal 5.25" bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Replacing the Lithium Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Table of Contents

GenesisMP4 ◆

Chapter 4

Installing Genesis MP System Software

Installing the Mac OS

Performing an Easy Install or Clean Install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Performing a Custom Install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Installing Genesis MP Software

Performing an Easy Install. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Performing a Custom Install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Chapter 5

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Control Panel or Extension Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Clearing Parameter RAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Incompatible Formatting Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Performance Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Appendix

Product Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Upgrading Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

How to Service Your Genesis MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Contacting DayStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Index

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

CANADIAN RFI REQUIREMENTS

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

Le present appareil numerique n’emet pas de bruits radioelectriques depassant les lim­ites applicables aux appareils numeriques de la classe A prescrites dens le Reglement
sur le brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du Canada.

GenesisMP

Table of Contents

◆ 5

FCC Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is oper­ated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the
user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

!

∆

IMPORTANT:

Changes or modifications to this product not authorized by DayStar Digital, Inc., could
void the FCC Certification and negate you own authority to operate the product.

This product was tested for FCC compliance under conditions that included the use
of DayStar peripheral devices and DayStar shielded cables and connectors between
system components. It is important that you use FCC compliant peripheral devices and
shielded cables and connectors between system components to reduce the possibility of
causing interference to radios, television sets, and other electronic devices. You can
obtain DayStar peripheral devices and the proper shielded cables and connectors
through a DayStar-authorized dealer. For non-DayStar peripheral devices, contact the
manufacturer or dealer for assistance.

Lithium Battery

Genesis MP uses a lithium battery to store users’ preferences and time and date
information while the unit is not turned on.

!

∆

CAUTION

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or
equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according
to the manufacturer’s instructions.

CD-ROM Drive

!

∆

!

∆

Information on Communications Regulations

CAUTION

Making adjustments or performing procedures other than those specified in your
equipment’s manual may result in hazardous exposure.

CAUTION

Do not attempt to disassemble the cabinet containing the laser. The laser beam used in
this product is harmful to the eyes. The use of optical instruments, such as magnifying
lenses, with this product increases the potential hazard to your eyes. For your safety,
have this equipment serviced only by a DayStar-authorized service provider.
If you have an internal DayStar CD-ROM drive in your Genesis MP, your computer is
a Class 1 laser product. The Class 1 label, located in a user-accessible area, indicates
that the drive meets minimum safety requirements. A service warning label is located in
a service-accessible area.

GenesisMP6 ◆

Preface

About Genesis MP

The Media-Publishing Workstation for the Next Century

Congratulations. You own the new standard in the computer industry—the DayStar
Genesis MP. Now Macintosh users can have the speed they associate with expensive,
high-end workstations—but at a reasonable price. DayStar Digital is pleased to have
signed an agreement with Apple Computer, Inc. to build Genesis MP, a next-generation
platform for the Mac OS.

Genesis MP is the fastest Mac OS based system available—the first Mac OS based
computer with speed built-in. Using its expertise in multiprocessing, DayStar created
Genesis MP with internal multiprocessing hardware and software. Adopted by Apple,
DayStar’s nPOWER multiprocessing extensions to the Mac OS are now the official
standard for multiprocessing on the Mac.

As computer software becomes more sophisticated, designers, illustrators, video editors,
animators and multimedia producers will require a machine that’s fast enough to keep
pace with their flow of ideas. Genesis MP is a Media-Publisher’s dream come true.

Genesis MP will run the software you know at speeds you have only imagined.
First— Genesis MP begins with a fast, upgradable PCI-bus motherboard, featuring 2

SCSI busses, Ethernet, 16-bit stereo sound and room for ample memory expansion.
Then— DayStar adds its nPOWER scalable multiprocessing technology (which

includes both hardware and software), a fast tray-loading CD-ROM drive and a
solidly-built tower case with 10 drive bays, 350 watt power supply and three large
cooling fans for improved system reliability.

At the heart of Genesis MP is nPOWER—DayStar’s upgradable processor card, which
features four PowerPC 604 processors. A single PowerPC 604 chip, running at 132
MHz executes instructions 50% faster than the 110 MHz PowerPC 601 CPU used in
the Power Macintosh 8100.

nPOWER’s multiprocessing is very efficient—the quad processor nPOWER card can
nearly quadruple the speed of multiprocessing applications. Since the processors are on
a card, Genesis may be upgraded as faster and more advanced processor technology
becomes available.

To allow programs to take advantage of nPOWER’s speed, DayStar has developed an
open multiprocessing API (Application Programming Interface). The API makes it very
easy for programmers to add multiprocessing support to applications. The API standard
is available to all interested developers.

GenesisMP

About Genesis MP

◆ 7

Apple has acquired the rights to DayStar’s nPOWER architecture. With Apple’s
commitment, nPOWER (now known as the Apple Multiprocessing Application
Programming Interface) is assured of software support in future versions of the
Macintosh operating system. Software developers that provide support for nPOWER
include Adobe, Metrowerks, Strata, Elastic Reality and many others.

Three Configurations to Best
Meet Your Needs

(3) Slot Genesis MP

The entry level three slot
Genesis MP provides multiprocess­ing PowerPC 604 performance with­out the extensive memory and PCI
slot expansion of the six slot unit.
It’s on-board graphic display pro­vides fast, entry level performance
supporting resolutions up to 1,152 x
870 at 24-bit (with additional 2 MB
VRAM expansion). The three slot
unit’s 8 DIMM sockets support up to
1 GB of RAM using 128 MB
DIMM modules. This Genesis MP
model also provides 24-bit
Multimedia video input.

(3) Slot Genesis MP

w/ Multimedia Video Out

This three slot Genesis MP configu­ration provides all of the features of
the three slot system above, but adds
Composite and S-Video output.

(6) Slot Genesis MP

The six slot Genesis MP offers the
ultimate performance and expand­ability for running the Mac OS. This
Genesis MP model provides six
total PCI slots allowing users to
tailor the system for their specific
needs. The 12 DIMM sockets pro­vide for RAM expansion up to 1.5
GB, 50% greater than the three slot
Genesis MP. And with six PCI slots,
users can create their own “ultimate
workstation” using the latest tech­nology such as SCSI-3, Fast
Ethernet, even professional quality
audio/video capability.

Component 3 Slot 3 Slot 6 Slot
Description 001374 001398 001381

nPOWER Quad 604 Board
512K Secondary Cache
CD-ROM Drive

1.4 MB Floppy Drive
PCI Expansion Slots 3 3 6

5.25” Internal Bay 1 1 1
Internal 3.5” Internal Drive Bays 7 7 7
DIMM Sockets 8 8 12
350 Watt Power Supply
Dual Internal Cooling Fans
Front Mounted Power Switch
Locking Side Panel
Power-on Light
Monitor Power Socket
External SCSI Port
Ethernet AAUI Port
Ethernet 10BASE-T Port
Printer Port/GeoPort
ADB Port
Modem Port/GeoPort
Sound Input/Output Ports
Monitor Port
Audio Input/Output Ports
Composite Video Input Port
Composite Video Output Port
S-Video Input Port

†

120MHz 120MHz 132MHz

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Preface – About Genesis MP

S-Video Output Port

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GenesisMP8 ◆

Genesis MP is Built for Expandability

The large number of DIMM memory slots allow you to plug in additional DIMMs
without removing existing memory. The large power supply and many drive bays mean
that you won’t outgrow your Genesis.

The full-access design of Genesis MP’s case makes expansion even easier. Just open
the side door and you can add storage devices, memory, and PCI expansion cards with
ease. By comparison, the Power Macintosh 9500 requires complete disassembly of the
case to access memory slots.

Adding Memory to the Apple
Power Macintosh 9500

A Next-Generation Solution that Works Alongside Today’s Technology

Since Genesis MP runs the Mac OS, your transition to multiprocessing speed is an
evolution, not an experiment. You can retain your favorite applications and working
environment. Genesis MP accepts your existing SCSI peripherals and network
connections, and you can add even faster peripherals in the future via the PCI bus.

GenesisMP

Adding Memory to the DayStar
Genesis MP

Preface – About Genesis MP

◆ 9

Genesis MP Takes on the Field

In the competitive world of high-performance platforms, Genesis MP has some impor­tant advantages which set it apart from UNIX workstations, such as those from Silicon
Graphics, and other Mac OS platforms.

• Genesis MP is the ultimate in speed, expandability, and upgradability. DayStar
provides more machine than you can get from Apple or any other vendor of
Mac OS based systems. Its ample expansion space, beefy power supply and
processor upgradability make it the Mac OS workstation of choice.

• Where the criterion is speed, Genesis MP has it. Fast SCSI-2, fast PCI
expansion, fast processors and more of them. More speed means jobs get done
quicker and the workstation is available for more paying work. And designers
can spend more time grappling with creative issues and less time watching the
progress bar.

• Because Genesis MP is built on the Mac OS, you’ll have access to thousands
of popular and well-known applications. By contrast, UNIX systems are often
specialty installations, designed to run a small suite of applications.

• Software for UNIX machines is very expensive, sometimes running into tens of
thousands of dollars for critical applications. Because the installed base of Mac
OS systems is so much larger than that of any of the specialized workstations,
competitive pressures keep prices reasonable and software updates coming on a
regular basis.

• UNIX is a very powerful operating system, but also very complex. Graphical
interfaces which run on top of UNIX can make life easier, but your creative
staff still has to learn an entirely new environment, with syntax that is similar
to MS-DOS—only more cryptic. You’ll certainly need a knowledgeable UNIX
system administrator, either on-staff, or as a regular consultant. Mac OS is
powerful, flexible, easy, and in use by 70% or more of the publishing
industry today.

A Fine-Tuned Solution for Media-Publishing

Genesis MP – DayStar’s high performance Media-Publishing system built around the
Mac OS – uses a revolutionary new multiprocessing (MP) technology developed in
partnership with Apple Computer. Genesis MP is the first and only Mac OS based plat­form designed explicitly for the workstation user – a platform that has the ease of use
and broad application base of the Macintosh with more processing power than hard-to­use UNIX-based workstations from SGI and Sun Microsystems.

If you own a business you don’t have to learn a new operating system or retrain your
staff. Your current staff can perform all of the typical system chores with Genesis MP,
and you can hire from a broad pool of talented artists, designers and other creatives.

Genesis MP is delivered with a multiprocessing extension to Adobe Photoshop 3.0.4 or
greater which accelerates hundreds of functions across multiple processors. It’s huge
memory expansion and fast disk access make Genesis MP ideal for image editing
applications.

Print publishers will enjoy the large available storage and fast disk access. Service
bureaus have plenty of room for multiple hard drives for server and array use. The mul­tiple processors and large memory speed RIPing of complex artwork.

Preface – About Genesis MP

GenesisMP10 ◆

3-D illustrators and animators are able to make use of the huge memory expansion
capability to design more complex scenes. Multiprocessing acceleration allows for
faster renders, making it easier to use ray-tracing, particle systems, and gases. The fast
SCSI-2 interface allows animators to play back animations directly to video tape via
third party PCI video cards.

Video editors and multimedia producers will love the high speed disks for video
recording. The fast PCI bus and disks allow higher throughput for highest quality video
recording and playback. Multiprocessing speeds video compression to QuickTime,
JPEG, and eventually MPEG formats.

Toward the Future

As your creative needs grow, so will your demand for processing power. In the future,
it will become commonplace for desktop computers to have memory as large as today’s
hard disks. Increased use of imagery, animation, virtual reality technology and full
motion video will test the limits of all but the most agile computing platforms.

Genesis MP can meet the challenge, with the features and expandability to satisfy the
needs of the Media-Publisher today—and into tomorrow.

GenesisMP

Preface – About Genesis MP

◆ 11

Setting Up Your Genesis MP

Unpacking Your Genesis MP

It’s time to take your new Genesis MP out of the box and set it up!

Genesis MP comes with:

• Genesis MP system

• Mac OS

• Multiprocessing system software

• Genesis MP User’s Manual

• Warranty card

• Power cord

• Anti-Static wrist strap

Chapter 1

• Mouse

• Keyboard with ADB cable

You’ll also need:

• Monitor with power cord

• Monitor cable

• PCI graphic card (only required for 6 slot Genesis MP)

Choosing a Work Space

Genesis MP was designed to be placed on the floor. That’s so you can use your whole
desk as a work area. If you want to place Genesis MP on your desk or on another
raised surface, you must be sure that the surface is strong enough to hold everything
that goes with your unit.

Your Genesis MP weighs approximately 50 lbs. all by itself. And remember, your
monitor and other peripherals will add even more total weight. But whatever you
decide, you’ll want to place your Genesis MP on a sturdy, flat surface near a grounded
three-hole wall outlet.

GenesisMP

Setting Up Your Genesis MP

◆ 13

Important External Components of Your Genesis MP

PCI

This photograph lists all the important external components and features of your Genesis
MP. This graphic will help you follow along with the following set-up instructions.
(No check mark means that a particular model does not provide the listed capability
without the use of a third party PCI expansion card.)

Component 3 Slot 3 Slot 6 Slot

Monitor Power Socket

Power Socket

~

External SCSI Port
Ethernet AAUI Port
Ethernet 10BASE-T Port
Modem Port/GeoPort
Monitor Port
ADB Port
Sound Input Port
Sound Output Port
Printer Port/GeoPort
PCI Expansion Slots 3 3 6
Audio Input Ports

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Audio Output Ports
Composite Video Input Port
Composite Video Output Port
S-Video Input Port
S-Video Output Port
Power Switch
CD-ROM Drive

5.25” Internal Bay 1 1 1
Locking Side Panel

1.4 MB Floppy Drive
Power-on Light
Cooling Vents

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FRONT

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

GenesisMP14 ◆

Important Internal Components of Your Genesis MP

This photograph lists all the important internal components and features of your Genesis
MP. This graphic will help you follow along with the following set-up instructions.

Component 3 Slot 3 Slot 6 Slot

CD-ROM Drive

5.25” Internal Bay 1 1 1

1.4 MB Floppy Drive
Internal 3.5” Internal Drive Bays 7 7 7
350 Watt Power Supply
DIMM Sockets 8 8 12
Dual Internal Cooling Fans
512K Secondary Cache
nPOWER Card Connector
PCI Expansion Slots 3 3 6
nPOWER Quad 604 Board

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GenesisMP

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

◆ 15

Plugging in Your Genesis MP

Before you begin, please take a few extra minutes to read the rest of the set-up instruc­tions in this chapter.

Before you plug anything into your Genesis MP, first plug your unit into the grounded
three-hole wall outlet first. The plug grounds the machine and protects it from any
electrical damage that might occur while you are setting up your Genesis MP.

Now–

1. Plug the socket end of the power cord into the recessed power socket on the back of
your Genesis MP. It’s marked with this symbol ~.

2. Then plug the other end into a three-hole grounded outlet or power strip.

Note: The only way to completely disconnect your power is to unplug it. Therefore,
be sure that at least one end of the power cord is within your easy reach.

!

∆

CAUTION

Your Genesis MP is equipped with a three-wire grounding plug—the third wire is the
grounding pin. This plug will only fit into a grounded AC outlet. But this safety feature
won’t do you or your Genesis MP any good if you ignore it. Don’t use any device [like
a cheater plug] to override this important safety feature. If your work space doesn’t
have a grounded AC outlet, call a licensed electrician and install one.

Expansion Cards

If you have PCI cards to install, you can do so now. Read and follow the documenta­tion that came with each piece of equipment you are installing and also consult Chapter
3 of this manual for installation instructions.

Remember: A PCI graphics card is required for operation of your six slot Genesis MP.
If it was not already installed in your Genesis MP, you must install one now. The six
slot Genesis MP won’t run without one.

If you are new to Mac OS based systems or plan to install a large number of cards, we
suggest that you get your Genesis MP up and running successfully before adding

additional cards.

SCSI Devices

If you have additional SCSI devices to install, you can do that now as well. Read and
follow the documentation that came with each piece of equipment you are installing.

Again, if you are new to Mac OS based systems or plan to install a large number of
peripherals, we suggest that before installing any additional devices, you get your
Genesis MP up and running successfully.

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

GenesisMP16 ◆

Connecting Your Monitor

PCI

Please check this first:

Be sure that the monitor is compatible with either the PCI graphics card or the mother­board graphics of the three slot Genesis MP, whichever you will be using.

Note: Some monitor/graphics port combinations may require special cables or
adapters for their proper operation. Read the documentation that came with your
monitor or graphics card to determine if you will need special cables or adapters.

3

Three slot Genesis MP: The motherboard graphics of this machine do not support
“sync on green” monitors. If you are uncertain which type of monitor you have,
contact the vendor.

Here’s how to set up and connect your monitor.

• Place the monitor near your Genesis MP.

• Position your monitor to minimize glare and reflections. Overhead lights and
windows are usually the cause of distractions.

• Position the top of the screen at slightly below eye level when you’re sitting at
the keyboard.

• Give your monitor and Genesis MP enough space to breath! Your Genesis MP
has three internal fans to ensure adequate cooling and air flow. For these fans
to operate properly, it is important that you provide a few inches for air circula­tion around the vents at the front, rear and left hand side of your Genesis MP.

• Connect the power cord that came with your monitor into the back of your
monitor. (Some monitors may have built-in cords.)

• Now you’re ready to plug the monitor power cord into either the back of your
Genesis MP—or into a three-hole grounded electrical outlet, depending on the
type of power cord that came with your monitor.

Note: Some monitor power cords are designed to plug into the back of your Genesis
MP and some must be connected to a grounded electrical outlet, not your Genesis
MP. Check your monitor documentation to be sure.

After you plug in the monitor power cord, you can connect the monitor to your Genesis
MP’s monitor port or an installed PCI graphics card.

• Connect the monitor cable to the monitor if it is not already attached.

• Connect the monitor cable to your Genesis MP’s monitor port or an installed
PCI graphics card.

Three slot Genesis MP monitor port
Installed PCI graphics card

GenesisMP

Connecting the Monitor

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

◆ 17

If you wish to place your Genesis MP on the floor and have purchased a non-Genesis
MP keyboard, be sure that the keyboard and video cables that you use will be long
enough to reach the floor. If you need a longer cable or an extender, you can contact
Global at 800-845-6225, Inmac at 800-547-5444 or your DayStar Authorized Reseller.

You have a choice of several keyboards to use with your Genesis MP—some have a
separate cable and others have a built-in cable.

Note: Some monitors have a port for your keyboard or mouse. If you wish to use this
feature, see the specific documentation that came with your monitor.

Connecting a keyboard with a built-in cable.

• The plug and port are marked with the icon or symbol. A port marked with
this icon is called an Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) port. Plug the keyboard cable
into the ADB port at the back of your Genesis MP. Match the symbols before
you insert the plug.

• Plug your mouse into the keyboard. If your keyboard has more than one ADB
port, you have a choice where to plug in the mouse. Match the symbols before
you insert the plug.

Connecting a keyboard with a separate cable.

• The plug and the ADB port are both marked with the same icon. Match the
symbols before you insert the plug.

!

∆

• Now you can plug the keyboard cable into the other port on the keyboard.
Match the symbols before you insert the plug.

If you plugged the mouse cable in on the right, then you will plug the keyboard cable
in on the left. Both ends of the cable are the same.

• Plug the keyboard cable into the ADB port marked with the icon on the
back of your Genesis MP.

CAUTION

Be sure not to connect or disconnect the keyboard or mouse cables while your Genesis
MP is turned on. This can cause damage.

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

GenesisMP18 ◆

Turning on Your Genesis MP

First, turn on your monitor.
If your monitor’s power cord is plugged into the rear of your Genesis MP, you can sim-

ply leave the monitor turned on and it will automatically be turned on and off when
your Genesis MP is turned on or off.

You can turn on your Genesis MP’s power in two ways:

• By pressing the power key on your keyboard, or

• By pressing the power button on the top left hand corner of your Genesis MP.
You will hear a tone from your Genesis MP as it starts up.
When you look at the image on your monitor, you should see:

• The Mac OS logo followed by the Mac OS desktop.

Note: Because a self test is performed when you turn on your Genesis MP, it will
take more time for the screen image to appear if you have a large amount of memory
installed in your Genesis MP.

If you see a blinking question mark, please turn to Chapter 5—Troubleshooting.
If you see anything else or if you see no image at all, please check the following:

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• Is the green light on the front of your Genesis MP turned on? This would show

that your Genesis MP is on and is receiving power.
If not:
Is the power cable properly installed into your Genesis MP and into an electrical outlet?
If the power cord is plugged into a power strip or wall outlet that can be turned on and

off, is the outlet or strip turned on?
Check to be sure that the keyboard cable is firmly connected to your Genesis MP and

to the keyboard.

• If the monitor has a power light, is it turned on? This would show that the
monitor is on and receiving power.

If not:
Is the monitor’s power cable properly installed into your Genesis MP or into an

electrical outlet?

Check the Brightness and Contrast controls on your monitor. Are they turned all the
way down? Now is a good time to adjust them.

GenesisMP

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

◆ 19

Shutting Down Your Genesis MP

Your machine should be shut down properly to ensure that your documents are saved
and that the hard drives are prepared for being powered off.

• Once in the Finder, select Shut Down from the Special menu, or

• Press the keyboard’s power key .

Both of these methods prepare your Genesis MP for a quicker restart and remind you
to save your work before turning off the power.

Note: You should not use the power button on the top left hand corner of your
Genesis MP to turn off your Genesis MP. This button does not perform the recom­mended shut down procedure and should only be used to start your Genesis MP or to
restart the unit if the restart command key combination (Command-Control- ) is
ineffective. In some rare instances, it may become necessary to remove your Genesis
MP’s power cord in order to shut the unit down.

Where to Go From Here

Now that you have set up your Genesis MP, it’s time to learn about its many helpful
features.

Chapter 2: Help is at Your Fingertips outlines the various ways that your Genesis MP
itself can help you with some questions and problems you may encounter.

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Chapter 3: Connecting Additional Peripherals gives you step by step instructions for
connecting or installing the most common expansion devices to your Genesis MP.

Chapter 4: Genesis MP Software provides instructions on installing the necessary
Genesis MP software.

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting addresses common problems and provides solutions you
can understand.

Index

Chapter 1 – Setting Up Your Genesis MP

GenesisMP20 ◆

Help is at Your Fingertips

The Macintosh Tutorial

If you are new to the Mac OS (Operating System), or there’s something you’ve forgot­ten or something you would like to understand a little bit better, the Macintosh Tutorial
has the answers. This tutorial will give you the help you need to understand the basic
skills necessary to operate the Mac OS.

To run the Macintosh Tutorial, go to the top right-hand corner of your screen. Select
Macintosh Tutorial from the question mark menu on the menu bar.

Chapter 2

Balloon Help

Follow along with the tutorial.

Note: Macintosh Tutorial must be installed from the Mac OS CD-ROM before you
can use it.

Another helpful source on your desktop is Balloon Help. Sometimes you’ll see an unfa­miliar item on the screen and wonder, “What’s that?”

You can easily find out by using Balloon Help.
Like in a comic strip, Balloon Help explains the function of icons, menus, commands

and other items on your screen. The answers pop up and speak to you from inside the
balloons.

Here’s how to activate Balloon Help—

1. Click once and hold down the mouse button as you pull down the Guide menu
(marked with the icon). Drag or pull down the arrow until it rests on the words
Show Balloons. It will be highlighted. Release your mouse and Show Balloons will
be active.

GenesisMP

Help is at Your Fingertips

◆ 21

2. With your mouse, point to any object on the screen and a balloon will appear— pop
up next to that object.

For example: If you point the arrow at the gray bar at the top of a window, a balloon
will identify it as a window’s Title bar. Next it will say that to move the window, you
can position the pointer in the
title bar and drag the window.
Try it. See—you can move the window.

You can even keep on working if a
balloon is speaking to you!

3 But soon you will want to turn it off. And that’s real easy. Just go back to the Guide

menu and select Hide Balloons.

Note: Some applications may not provide information via Balloon Help. It is up to
the software developer to support this feature.

The Macintosh Guide

The Macintosh Guide menu is your main source of information when you’re working
with your Genesis MP. The information in this chapter will help you learn about the
Guide menu—your immediate source for help.

The menu is identified by a question mark located in the upper-right corner of your
screen.

Note: Apple Guide may not be available with extensions disabled or if it is not
installed properly.

Getting Answers

If you have a question when you’re working with your Genesis MP, choose the
Macintosh Guide from the Guide menu to get the answer.

Here’s How—

1. Pull down the Application menu (just to the right of the ) and choose Finder. You
have now made Finder your active program. A check mark in the menu verifies that
the Finder is now active.

2 Pull down the Guide menu (marked with the icon) and choose Macintosh Guide.

Chapter 2 – Help is at Your Fingertips

GenesisMP22 ◆

The Macintosh Guide window will appear in front of your other windows. But if the
window gets in your way, just move it by dragging the title bar (remember the gray bar
across the top of the window).

3. There are three buttons at the top of the window—Topics, Index and Look For.
They represent the three different ways to get information.

• Topics lets you choose from a list of general subjects—like a table of contents.

• Index lets you choose from an alphabetical list of more specific subjects.

• Look For lets you search for information by typing a specific word or phrase.

In the following sections you can practice using each method. If you have problems using
the Macintosh Guide, please turn to Things to Remember at the end of this chapter.

Using the Topics button

1. Click on the Topics button at the top of the Macintosh Guide window.

A list of general topics will appear on the left side of the Macintosh Guide window.
Your list may look different, reflecting the hardware and software on your Genesis MP.
This would be a good time to look at the list of topics and become aware of the areas
where help is available.

2. Click on a topic area.

For example: Select Setting Options from the list of topics. A list of related questions
will appear on the right side of the Macintosh Guide window.

GenesisMP

Chapter 2 – Help is at Your Fingertips

◆ 23

3. Pick the question that addresses your problem. Let’s click on the question, How do I set
the time and date? and then click OK. A small window will appear with your answer.

Tip: A quicker way to reach the answer window is to double click on the question.

4. Read the step-by-step instructions in the window. As you complete each step, click
the right arrow in the lower-right corner to see the next step. If you want to recheck a
step, click on the left arrow in the lower-right corner and go back to the previous step.

5. You may click on the Topics button in the lower-left corner to return to the main
Macintosh Guide Window.

Using the Index Button

1. Click on the Index button at the top of the Macintosh Guide window. An alphabeti­cal list of subjects will appear on the left side of the window.

2. Scroll through the list and look at the index entries. You can scroll by using the scroll
bar at the right of the list or by dragging the slider to the letter you wish to read.

Let’s say you want to learn more about modems.

3. Click on the word modems in the alphabetical list.

When you click on any index entry, a list of related questions will appear on the right
side of the Macintosh Guide window. One of the choices for modem is definitions.
This is a good way to learn the definitions of many computer-related terms.

4. When you click on What is a modem?, you learn two things.

• A modem is a device that enables a computer to communicate with another
computer over ordinary telephone lines, and

• A modem converts digital information into analog signals that can be transmit­ted over telephone lines.

The third way to get information from the Macintosh Guide is the Look For button.

Chapter 2 – Help is at Your Fingertips

GenesisMP24 ◆