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FIRE GL 2000
FIRE GL 3000
High-Performance 3D CAD Graphics Board
User Manual
Part No. 52130004-002
Rel. 1096.1
Copyright by DIAMOND Multimedia
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Copyright 1996 DIAMOND Multimedia
The information furnished in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. However,
DIAMOND Multimedia assumes no responsibility for its use; nor for any infringements of
patents or other rights of third parties which may result from its use. The descriptions and data
stated in this document can be changed without prior warning. DIAMOND Multimedia reserves
the right to change the specifications of the products described in this manual in the interests
of technical progress at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced
by any means, nor translated to any medium without prior, written consent from DIAMOND
Multimedia. The installation program used to install the DIAMOND software, INSTALL, is
based on the licensed software provided by Knowledge Dynamics Corp., Highway Contract 4,
Box 185-H, Canyon Lake, Texas 78133-3508 (USA), 1-512-964-3994. Knowledge Dynamics
Corp. reserves all international copyright and protection rights. The INSTALL program is
provided for the exclusive purpose of installing the DIAMOND software.
DIAMOND has made modifications to the software as provided by Knowledge Dynamics Corp.,
and thus the performance and behaviour of the INSTALL program supplied with the Diamond
CD may not represent that of INSTALL as supplied by Knowledge Dynamics.
DIAMOND Multimedia is exclusively responsible for the support of the DIAMOND software,
including the support for the installation. DIAMOND Multimedia is responsible for the technical
support.
1996 DIAMOND Multimedia. All rights reserved.
Registered Trademarks
IBM PC, OS/2 and OS/2 Warp are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT and Windows ® 95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk Inc.
Intergraph MicroStation is a registered trademark of INTERGRAPH.
MultiSync is a registered trademark of NEC Corp.
PCI and PCI Local Bus are registered trademarks of the PCI Special Interest Group (SIG).
VESA is a registered trademark of the Video Electronics Standards Association.
Windows and Windows® 95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
All other names are tradenames / trademarks of their respective owners.
CE and FCC Compliance
This device complies with CE Certification pursuant to EN55002 IEC 801-2, 1991. This device
also complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in residential installation. This device generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
Installing the Software from Diskettes
You have received the software on CD. It is also possible that your package also includes 3.5"
diskettes. This manual describes the installation from the CD as this is the most common
method. If you intend to install from the diskettes, please take note of the README files on
these disks and the starting instructions on the diskette labels.
Important Note
It is imperative that you read the README file on the CD and all the documentation supplied
with your graphics board before installing it! If you fail to do so DIAMOND Multimedia cannot
accept any responsibility for claims that may be caused as a consequence.
To see the README file, put the CD in your drive and change to the
...\INSTALL\GRAPHIC\FIRE2000 [or \FIRE3000, resp.] \INSTALL\ directory. Then run:
WSHOW README.ENG
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Table of Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION......................................................................................................................4
Symbols and Conventions ........................................................................................................................4
Delivery Scope Checklist ..........................................................................................................................4
Warranty ...................................................................................................................................................4
Support .....................................................................................................................................................4
FCC Notice ...............................................................................................................................................5
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................6
Graphics Board Features .........................................................................................................................6
Software for Your Board ...........................................................................................................................6
Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................................6
Two Graphics Controllers - How does it Work ? ......................................................................................7
HARDWARE INSTALLATION .................................................................................................................8
Preparing your Computer .........................................................................................................................9
Preparing the Fire GL 2000/3000 Card ..................................................................................................10
Installing the Board .................................................................................................................................11
Additional Instructions.............................................................................................................................12
WINDOWS NT - SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ....................................................................................13
WINDOWS® 95 - SOFTWARE INSTALLATION...................................................................................15
DOUBLESCREEN AND CONFIGURATION SETTINGS ......................................................................16
Configuring a Windows NT 3.5x System ................................................................................................16
Configuring a Windows95 / Windows NT 4.x System ...........................................................................17
Configuration Parameters.......................................................................................................................18
3D-WIN ...................................................................................................................................................20
Installation...............................................................................................................................................20
Using 3D-Win .........................................................................................................................................20
AUTOCAD FOR WINDOWS - BIGFOCUS DRIVER .............................................................................21
BigFocus Installation...............................................................................................................................21
TECHNICAL DETAILS...........................................................................................................................22
Technical Data........................................................................................................................................22
Jumpers ..................................................................................................................................................22
Memory Extension ..................................................................................................................................23
Memory Addresses.................................................................................................................................23
VGA Output Connectors.........................................................................................................................24
External VGA Input Connector ...............................................................................................................24
IF YOU NEED HELP ..............................................................................................................................25
Diamond’s Online Services: BBS, CompuServe, Internet ......................................................................26
Diamond’s Fax-back System ..................................................................................................................27
Diamond SuperCD: Driver and Software Updates on CD .....................................................................27
Diamond ExpertLine: Technical Support Hotline....................................................................................28
Diamond WorldWide: Support Services in the USA...............................................................................29
Diamond Support Services in Japan ......................................................................................................29
Hardware Service ...................................................................................................................................29
GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................................30
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General Information
Symbols and Conventions
The following symbols and syntax conventions are used in this manual:
Warning: This section contains a warning or important information.
Note: This section contains useful hints.
DOS commands are written in capital letters, example:
E:
DIAMOND.EXE
If not defined in another way, all DOS commands must be confirmed with the
ENTER or RETURN key.
Example: Examples e.g. for commands are indicated by this format.
Screen messages are shown in Courier.
Cross references to other parts of the manual are shown in italics.
Directory names mentioned in this manual are for example and written in
capital letters.
This document refers to your CD drive as E:. Please enter the relevant letter
for your system.
Delivery Scope Checklist
Your package should contain the following items:
Graphics board
VGA loop cable; 8-pin mini-DIN to 15-pin VGA male
Software installation CD
Documentation
Warranty
You have a 5-year warranty for your DIAMOND Multimedia graphics card. To
ensure your warranty, it is necessary that you keep the invoice for the graphics
card. If your graphics card is damaged, contact your local retailer first.
Your board is a complex electronic device and can only be repaired by
authorized technical personnel with the required equipment. Do not attempt to
change or repair any parts of this product. Doing so will render your warranty
invalid.
Support
The following support services are available:
Technical support (telephone, ExpertLine)
Free software updates via BBS, Internet, or CompuServe
Fax-back system
Further information concerning these support services can be found in the 'If
You Need Help’ section at the end of this manual.
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FCC Notice
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.
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Introduction
The Fire GL 2000/3000 is a universal graphics subsystem, specially designed to
increase performance and functionality of CAD applications.
Graphics Board Features
Fire GL 2000: 3DLabs GLiNT 300SX rendering processor
Fire GL 3000: 3DLabs GLiNT 500TX rendering processor
ALG2564 VGA controller with 1 MB DRAM.
3DLabs Delta PCI Bridge and Setup Engine
2 x 220 MHz pixel-frequency (RAMDAC), 15-pin video output
64-bit hyperpipelined architecture
Proprietary DualScreen Circuitry
PCI 2.x-Bus compatible
Mini-DIN external VGA input connector
4 MB VRAM local memory
Memory modules - 4 MB VRAM plus 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB DRAM - optional for 3D
rendering solutions
Software for Your Board
Supplied with your board are the necessary drivers and software for
SingleScreen and DualScreen support
Windows NT 3.51/4.0 and Windows 95 support
BigFocus displaylist driver for AutoCAD 13
3D-Win - 3D Viewer for AutoCAD 13
Troubleshooting
Your board is a complex electronic device and can only be repaired by authorized
technical personnel with the required equipment. Do not attempt to change or repair
any parts of this product. Doing so will render your warranty invalid.
For the latest troubleshooting tips from the DIAMOND ExpertLine see the section If
You Need Help at the end of this manual.
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Two Graphics Controllers - How does it Work ?
BLE
DOU
SCR
PC´s normally reserve a specific area in memory for graphics/VGA data. That
means that the system’s processor can only address one graphics controller. A
second graphics controller can be addressed by corresponding driver software that
does not use the standard VGA address space. Special modules of the dual screen
drivers control the secondary graphics controller. During the boot procedure the
system uses the standard VGA controller (output only to the primary display) and
the second graphics controller is inactive. That’s why only the primary monitor
displays the boot messages. After the booting procedure the second graphics
controller with its output to both monitors takes over control of the graphics system.
V GA - a ct iv e
G Li N T - ina ct iv e
V GA D ata
S t a r t
VGA Booting procedure
Double Screen Operation
EEN
PC
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Hardware Installation
Requirements
1. IBM compatible computer (80486/Pentium) with PCI version 2.x bus system.
2. One free PCI bus system expansion slot.
3. Windows® 95 or Windows NT operating system.
4. Screwdriver
Warning! Prevent static electric damage. Static charges can cause severe damage to
microcircuits, but here are some easy ways to see that it doesn't happen:
Hold the graphics card by its edges only. Don't touch edge connectors or
exposed circuitry.
Leave the graphics card in the anti-static protective bag until ready to install it in
your computer.
If possible, ground your body when handling the card. The metal power supply
housing is generally considered the best place to ground yourself.
Do not place the graphics card on a metal surface.
Make the least possible movement to avoid building up static electricity from
your clothing, carpets and furniture.
Monitor Compatibility
This board offers high performance in resolutions, refresh rates and colors.
Especially the ergonomic refresh rates up to 100 Hz give absolutely flicker-free
performance. The board is optimally configured to be combined with high-resolution
MultiSync monitors.
Of course the board can also be connected to other VGA monitors. Please be
aware of the fact that you can only get use of the full power of the graphics board if
the horizontal (kHz) and vertical (Hz) refresh rates of your monitor are as high as
required by the graphics board.
Example: The technical specifications of a MultiSync monitor could be as follows:
max. resolution 1280 x 1024; max. horizontal frequency 50 kHz; max. vertical
frequency (refresh rate) 90 Hz.
If you wish to use one of the video modes listed in the file BIOS.TXT included with
this product, then all three of the above mentioned parameters may not exceed the
specifications of this monitor.
In our example, the mode 1024 x 768 with a horizontal frequency of 48.5 kHz and a
refresh rate of 60 Hz may be selected, whereas the next higher refresh rate of 70
Hz (at the same resolution) is not possible, as the required horizontal frequency is
56.5 kHz in this case, which exceeds the specifications of the monitor.
Warning! If you permanently operate your monitor at frequencies higher than those
for which it is designed, you may damage the monitor.
Before you start to change the refresh rate, check your monitor manual for its
technical data (horizontal and vertical refresh rate, possible resolutions).
Set your monitor to analog mode. You may need a new cable or a 9- to 15-pin
cable adapter to use this mode.
Check your monitor owner's manual for further information.
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Typical System Configuration
A typical configuration environment for your board is described as follows:
Pentium Tower, PCI bus, 100 MHz (or higher), 16 MB RAM, 4-speed CD drive
2 MultiSync Monitors
Preparing your Computer
Please note, that the applications you want to install drivers for have to be already
completely installed (for Standard VGA - 640 x 480) on your system prior to using
the software. It is a good idea to do this before removing an existing graphics
adapter as not every application permits the configuration of the video mode used
from the DOS level.
Checking for Existing Graphics / VGA Controllers
Refer to your motherboard or PC manual to find out if you have a system with a
EGA/VGA display adapter built into the motherboard. If this is the case, disable the
EGA/VGA display adapter before installing the new card.
Please check your PC manual to find the location of the corresponding switch.
Note: If you cannot disable a built-in EGA/VGA adapter in your computer, you must
disable the VGA controller on your new Fire GL 2000/3000 card: Set the jumper
JP2 to pins 2 and 3. When the new card is installed, connect the VGA loop cable
between the VGA connector on the motherboard and the mini-DIN connector on the
Fire GL 2000/3000 card
Changing your PC's BIOS SETUP
If another graphics/VGA board was previously installed, it is necessary to change
the PC's hardware configuration. This is sometimes done by changing a jumper on
the motherboard after removing the old board (check your motherboard or PC
manual) although it is more common to change your PC's BIOS SETUP. Check
your PC manual for information on its BIOS SETUP.
Warning! Simultaneously using two active VGA/EGA units in one PC will inevitably lead to
system failure!
If your system doesn't have to be re-jumpered for a VGA board then first proceed
with the following installation steps and then run your BIOS SETUP program and
select 'VGA' (else 'IBM VGA') as your graphics board type. Check your PC manual
for information on its BIOS SETUP.
Opening the Computer Cabinet
1. Switch off your computer and all external options (printer, display, and others) and
unplug all power cables from the electrical source.
2. Remove the cover mounting screws and save them for later.
3. Remove the cover of the computer.
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JP1
P3
P2
Preparing the Fire GL 2000/3000 Card
P1
JP2
1
3
P1: First or only monitor - 15-pin Sub-D
P2: External VGA input - 8-pin Mini-DIN
P3: Second monitor - 15-pin Sub-D
JP1: Windows95 compatibility enable/disable
JP2: On-board VGA enable/disable
Make sure that the jumpers on the card are set according to your system
configuration.
Jumper Pins 1-2 Pins 2-3
JP1 Windows95 compatibility enabled
required if you start your system with the
Windows95 operating system
Windows95 compatibility disabled
JP2 On board VGA enabled On-board VGA disabled
required only if you cannot remove or disable
a VGA/EGA controller already present in your
system
Default Setting: Pins 1 and 2 jumpered for JP1 and JP2
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Installing the Board
Install the board in a PCI expansion slot.
1. Select a free expansion slot and remove its metal slot cover. Save the screw to
secure the graphics card later.
2. Hold the card by the edges and press it firmly into the expansion slot.
Installation in a PCI expansion slot
Note The following step is very important in order to ground your graphics card
properly.
3. Align the slot in the mounting bracket of the card with the screw hole in the rear
panel of the computer case. Use the screw you removed from the expansion slot
cover or the previously installed video adapter to secure the card in place.
4. Check if you have any co-resident graphics adapters built into the motherboard.
Watch the information in Checking for Existing Graphics / VGA Controllers if you
have a co-resident graphics adapter.
5. Secure ribbon cables and gently push them down and out of the way before you
replace the system cover.
6. Replace the computer cover. Secure it with the screws you removed earlier.
7. Reconnect any peripheral equipment cables you may have disconnected.
8. Securely attach your monitor cables to the 15-pin VGA output connectors on the
board. The other end is hooked up to the monitor as described in the manual of the
monitor manufacturer.
Note For a single monitor configuration, connect your monitor to the lower VGA
connector (P1) on the board.
9. If you have disabled the on-board VGA controller with jumper JP2, connect the
VGA loop cable between the VGA connector on the PC’s motherboard and the
mini-DIN connector on the Fire GL 2000 card.
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Additional Instructions
Please switch on your monitor(s) before you switch on your computer. Doing it the
other way around could damage your monitor(s).
Note that your monitor is running in standard modes and that higher refresh rates
etc. are not available at this stage of the installation! It is necessary to run tuning
programs, or tuning utilities of the operating system, in order to optimize the board's
output signals for use with specific monitors.
The board has been designed to 'plug & play' without any modifications being made
to the default switch or jumper settings. If however, it appears that the card is not
performing optimally, you can change the settings. Refer to the section Technical
Details for more information.
Resolving Interrupt Conflicts
To support the special graphics processor on the Fire GL 2000/3000 the system
BIOS will automatically assign a system interrupt to the PCI slot where the Fire GL
2000/3000 is installed. However, there may be problems if a system interrupt is
used for more than one device. In case of problems
check your computer´s BIOS SETUP for the interrupt assignments. Refer to your
PC manual for information on its BIOS SETUP and if possible
change the interrupt assignment for the Fire GL 2000/3000, or
change the interrupt assignment for any other device sharing the interrupt with
the Fire GL 2000/3000
try to manually change the interrupt assignment for any other device sharing the
interrupt with the Fire GL 2000/3000. Check the documentation supplied with these
devices for information on hardware switches for interrupt setting.
Hardware Compatibility: the PCI Bus and the Graphics Board
The functionality of a graphics system depends mainly on two components: the
graphics board and the mainboard.
If the design of the PCI mainboard is not compliant with the approved PCI
specifications you could experience problems with the graphics board.
The board has been tested successfully in PCI bus mainboards with a clock rate of
100 MHz and higher.
After Installing the Board
If you have correctly installed the board, the DOS messages will then appear on
your monitor when the boot procedure is finished.
If your system does NOT boot as it should,
check again to see that the installation instructions were properly followed,
check for interrrupt conflicts - see Resolving Interrupt Conflicts, or
refer to the section titled If you need Help.
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Windows NT - Software Installation
In order to use your board in your PC it is necessary to install a package of basic
programs, regardless of the operating system you use
Put the CD in drive E: and start the installation (from E:) as follows:
1. Windows NT 3.5x: Start the Program Manager, select 'File' - 'Run' , then
START.EXE from the root directory of the CD.
Windows NT 4.0: Click on the START button in the task bar, select the option
'Run' and then select START.EXE from the root directory of the CD.
2. Choose English (E) as your language for the installation.
3. Click on the Start Installation button.
4. If necessary, select the hardware for which you wish to install; this is displayed in
the Product drop-down list. The installation program usually recognizes your
hardware automatically.
5. Click on the Next button.
6. If desired, enter a path to which the software will be installed.
7. Click on the button corresponding to the type of installation you want. If you select
Custom, a list of software components will be displayed. Click on the check boxes
to specify the components you want to install.
8. A README file will be displayed. Please read this file!
9. After you have read the README, click on Next.
10. Restart the system to enable the new driver installation.
Windows NT 3.5x
11. Select Display in the Control Panel window. Set resolution, color depth, and
refresh rate that best meets your requirements and the performance of your
monitor(s).
Note: If you have different types of monitors connected, make sure to select a setting
which does not exceed the specifications of the monitor with the lower
performance. Check the documentation supplied with your monitor(s) for further
information.
12. Click on OK.
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Windows NT 4.0
11. Click Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display - Settings, or click with
the right mouse button on the Windows desktop, select Properties and
Settings. Set resolution, color depth, and refresh rate that best meets your
requirements and your monitors’ performance.
Note: If you have different types of monitors connected, make sure to select a setting
which does not exceed the specifications of the monitor with the lower
performance. Check the documentation supplied with your monitor(s) for further
information.
12. Click on OK.
S
Windows NT 3.5x / Windows NT 4.0
The basic software is now installed. You can see the new Fire GL 2000/3000
icon in the Control Panel window.
To install and configure the drivers you need for the different operating systems and
applications you are using, please read the relevant sections that follow.
To adjust the settings for your double-screen configuration, see the section on
‘DoubleScreen Settings’.
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Windows® 95 - Software Installation
In order to use your board in your PC it is necessary to install a package of basic
programs, regardless of the operating system you use
Put the CD in drive E: and start the installation (from E:) as follows:
1. In the automatically displayed New Hardware Found menu, select
Driver from disk provided by hardware manufacturer . Click on OK.
2. Enter ‘E:\DRIVERS\’ as source of the files and click on OK. The installation program
will automatically copy all the necessary files onto your hard disk.
3. Restart the system to enable the new driver installation.
4. Click Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display - Settings, or, click with
the right mouse button on the Windows desktop, select Properties and
Settings. Set resolution, color depth, and refresh rate that best meets your
requirements and the performance of your monitor(s).
Note: If you have different types of monitors connected, make sure to select a setting
which does not exceed the specifications of the monitor with the lower
performance. Check the documentation supplied with your monitor(s) for further
information.
5. Click on OK.
The basic software is now installed. You can see the new Fire GL 2000/3000
icon in the Control Panel window.
To install and configure the drivers you need for the different operating systems and
applications you are using, please read the relevant sections that follow.
To adjust the settings for your double-screen configuration, see the section on
‘DoubleScreen Settings’.
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DoubleScreen and Configuration Settings
Configuring a Windows NT 3.5x System
Double-click on the Fire GL 2000/3000 icon in the Control Panel window to
display the DoubleScreen Settings menu.
FullScreen
Select if you want the full screen display only on the Current monitor - that is
the monitor where your mouse cursor currently is, or split on both monitors.
Reports
Select if you want Windows messages that normally display in the center of the
screen shown on the left or right monitor. This keeps the screen area of the
other monitor free for your work.
Fire GL 2000/3000 Configuration
Click on this button to display a menu with the following options:
Boot Time Configuration Parameters
Dynamic Configuration Parameters
Boot Time Buffer Size Options
Dynamic Buffer Options
Dynamic Texture Configuration
Gamma Correction Adjustment
If you experience problems with your application, or if you want to try to optimize the
performance of your system on specific applications, you may modify the
Fire GL 2000/3000 Configuration settings.
Notes: Only experienced users should modify the
Fire GL 2000/3000 Configuration settings. Refer to Configuration
Parameters for more details.
The configuration default settings typically require modification only for
diagnostic purposes
fine-tuning a specific application/system configuration
specific settings recommended by your hardware or software documentation
tuning your application/system environment to best performance and memory
usage
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Configuring a Windows95 / Windows NT 4.x System
Click Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display, or click with the right
mouse button on the Windows desktop and select Properties.
Monitor
Select this tab for the following settings:
FullScreen
Select if you want the full screen display only on the Current monitor - that is
the monitor where your mouse cursor currently is, or split on both monitors.
Reports
Select if you want Windows messages that normally display in the center of the
screen shown on the left or right monitor. This keeps the screen area of the
other monitor free for your work.
Gamma Correction Adjustment
Adjust the gamma correction for optimal brightness of your screen display.
Configuration
Select this tab to display a menu with the following options:
Boot Time Configuration Params
Dynamic Configuration Params
Dynamic Texture Configuration
DMA Buffers
Select this tab to display a menu with the following options:
Boot Time Buffer Size Options
Dynamic Buffer Options
Notes: If you experience problems with your application, or if you want to try to optimize
the performance of your system on specific applications, you may modify the
Configuration and DMA Buffers settings.
Only experienced users should modify the the Configuration and
DMA Buffers settings. Refer to Configuration Parameters for more details.
The configuration default settings typically require modification only for
diagnostic purposes
fine-tuning a specific application/system configuration
specific settings recommended by your hardware or software documentation
tuning your application/system environment to best performance and memory
usage
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Configuration Parameters
Notes: Modifications to the Boot Time parameters are effective after rebooting the
system.
The Apply button immediately enables modifications to the Dynamic
parameters and Gamma Correction Adjustment without rebooting the
system.
Boot Time Configuration Parameters
Enable Multiple 4096 Double-Buffered Windows
Tick this checkbox to allow multiple double buffered windows simultaneously in
4096 color mode. This may be useful for some applications.
Export ‘PDF_SUPPORT_GDI’ modes
These checkboxes control whether the ‘PDF_SUPPORT_GDI’ flags are
exported for single buffered and double buffered pixel formats.
Export High Resolution, Single Buffered Formats
Check this box to enable the driver to boot at resolutions where only single
buffered pixel formats are supported by GLINT acceleration (because at higher
resolutions, there is not enough VRAM to support double buffered formats). By
default, this is disabled to prevent users from booting into a mode that will result
in unaccelerated applications that use double buffered modes.
SoftImage version 3.01/3.51 specific support
Check the appropriate box to ensure correct operation of your version of
SoftImage. Support for version 3.51 excludes support for version 3.01.
Use BIOS PCI base addresses
Check this box to use the originally configured PCI BIOS base addresses rather
than those configured by NT HAL for addressing the graphics card. For some
hardware configurations the NT HAL allocated PCI base addresses are not
valid.
Dynamic Configuration Parameters
Disable Fast Clear Planes
Check this box to disable the use of Depth Clear planes. Use this option when
the Depth buffer needs to be read back into the application.
Disable Delta
Check this box to prevent the Delta triangle setup chip from being used. This is
useful for performance comparison.
Draw Line Endpoints
Setting this option may improve the legibility of text rendered by some
applications using stroke fonts, for example, ProEngineer.
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Dynamic Texture Configuration
Force Nearest Neighbour Filtering
This setting ensures that only nearest neighbour texturing operations are
performed. In some applications this improves the performance, although in
some cases a lower quality texture filter is used. Textures are still rendered with
perspective correction. Check this setting to find out if you can improve the
performance/texturing quality ratio with your application.
Enable Texture Compression
This option will shrink 2D texture maps as they are loaded to reduce the
memory needed to store them. The setting has no effect on 1D or paletted
texture maps. This setting applies to all hardware configurations.
Use High Quality Texture (GLiNT 300SX/Fire GL 2000 only)
Check this box if, for example, the texture in your application shows artifacts.
This may indicate that the dynamic range of the default texturing code method is
not sufficient for your application. Tick the checkbox to switch to a slower
mechanism for the texturing code which has a greater dynamic range.
Disable Mip Mapping (GLiNT 500TX/Fire GL 3000 only)
This option will override the mip-map texture filtering settings of your application
and enforces faster rendered mip-map filtering.
Gamma Correction Adjustment
The gamma correction adjustment affects the entire screen display. The possible
setting range is 0.3 - 4.0. The default setting is 1.0.
Boot Time Buffer Size Options
Specify the size of a DMA buffer and the number of DMA buffers allocated at boot
time. Consider that you need enough buffers for your applications to run smoothly
but that each of these buffers uses up system memory.
Dynamic Buffer Options
Each buffer is divided into sub-buffers which are used in conjunction with an
Interrupt DMA mechanism to reduce latency in the system. Setting the number of
sub-buffers to 2 will disable the interrupt mechanism.
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3D-Win
3D-Win is a simple to use 3D viewer for users of AutoCAD with a number of
attractive features. You can modify your AutoCAD design via various functions by
clicking on
3D-Win icons. For example, you can change the camera position, make different
shadings, for example, Gouraud, or walk through or around an object with the
‘Walk’ command.
Simple, fast viewing angle changes
Zoom views
Fast import of DW G designs (if Autodesk compatible)
Layer manipulation
Various rendering methods (e.g. Gouraud) per mouse click
View manipulation per slider or mouse
View export to AutoCAD
WALK and TEACH animations
Animation recording - AVI
Integrated toolbar for fast function access
Online help
Notes: You need AutoCAD r13 for Windows NT installed on your system to use 3D-Win.
The current version of 3D-Win is designed only for the Windows NT (3.51 and
higher) operating system.
Installation
Note: You must have already installed the basic software from the CD before continuing.
1. Double-click on the icon ‘Display Component Setup’ in the DIAMOND
program group.
2. Select Add component and 3D-Win.
3. Click on OK. The installation program will automatically copy all the necessary files
onto your hard disk.
4. When 3D-Win has finished installing, you can find the 3D-Win icon in the DIAMOND
program group.
Using 3D-Win
1. Run AutoCAD r13 and load the file you want to see or render.
2. From the Program Manager double-click on the 3D-Win icon in the DIAMOND
program group.
3. In the 3D-Win window select Get Model from the AutoCAD menu to load the file
into 3D-Win.
3D-Win is virtually self-explanatory. If you have problems with some of the dialog
boxes, or don't understand certain system reactions, check the online help for
information and details. You can access the online help with the respective Help
button in a dialog or the Help button in the menubar.
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AutoCAD for Windows - BigFocus Driver
The BigFocus driver is supplied for use with AutoCAD 13 running under Windows
95 or Windows NT. The driver allows view and layer manipulation, spyglass lens,
bird's-eye view and view export.
Using BigFocus is self-explanatory but if you should need further information,
consult the integrated online help and/or the separate BigFocus documentation.
BigFocus Installation
Note: You must have already installed the basic software from the CD before
continuing.
If you have the ‘Display Component Setup’ icon in the
DIAMOND program group ...
1. Double-click on the icon ‘Display Component Setup’ in the DIAMOND
program group.
2. Select Add component and BigFocus.
3. Click on OK. The installation program will automatically copy all the necessary files
onto your hard disk.
If you do not have the ‘Display Component Setup’ icon ...
Put the CD in drive E: and start the installation (from E:) as follows:
1. Windows NT 3.5x: Start the Program Manager, select File - Run, then
START.EXE from the root directory of the CD.
Windows 95 / Windows NT 4.0: Click on the START button in the task bar, select
the option 'Run' and then select START.EXE from the root directory of the CD.
2. Choose English (E) as your language for the installation.
3. The main menu is displayed.
4. Click on the Start Installation button.
5. Confirm your hardware if necessary.
6. Select Custom installation, and enter or confirm the path for the software
installation.
7. Click the Next button
8. Select BigFocus from the list and follow the instructions on the screen. The
installation program will automatically copy all the necessary files onto your hard
disk.
Note: An important file will also be created on your hard disk: DSBIGFOC.INI
DSBIGFOC.INI contains an important entry that you may need to change to
accommodate for your hardware. See the ‘Troubleshooting’ section of the
BigFocus online help for more information.
Reconfiguring AutoCAD for Windows to use BigFocus:
1. Start ACADWIN, Select "Options", "Configure", and when selecting the display
driver choose:
BigFocus - Accelerated Display Driver.
2. Save your changes.
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Technical Details
Technical Data
Processors: Fire GL 2000: 300SX (3DLabs), ALG2564 (VGA)
Fire GL 3000: 500TX (3DLabs), ALG2564 (VGA)
4 MB VRAM
1 MB DRAM (VGA)
Optional memory modules Fire GL 2000: 4 MB VRAM plus 8 MB or 16 MB DRAM
Video Modes
In double screen mode, the effective screen resolution is twice the horizontal single
screen resolution, for example, 1024x768 in single screen mode corresponds to
2048x768 in dual screen mode.
Resolution Color Depth in bits Refresh Rate in Hz
(both screens) Single Screen DualScreen
640 x 480 32 60 - 100 60 - 100
800 x 600 32 75 - 100 75
1024 x 768 8, 16, (32) 75 - 100 75 - 100
1152 x 870 8, 16, (32) 75 - 85 75 - 85
1280 x 1024 8, (16) 75 - 100 75 - 100
1600 x 1200 8, (16) 75 - 85 75 - 85
( ) = additional single screen rating
HighColor (65,536 simultaneous colors) - 16 bit
TrueColor (16.7 mill. simultaneous colors) - 32 bit
Fire GL 3000: 4 MB VRAM plus 16 MB or 32 MB DRAM
Jumpers
The FIRE GL 2000/3000 has two jumpers.
Jumper Pins 1-2 Pins 2-3
JP1 Windows95 compatibility enabled
required if you start your system with the
Windows95 operating system
JP2 On board VGA enabled On-board VGA disabled
Default Setting: Pins 1 and 2 jumpered for JP1 and JP2
Windows95 compatibility disabled
required only if you cannot remove or disable
a VGA/EGA controller already present in your
system
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Memory Extension
Necessity of Memory Extension
Your FIRE GL 2000/3000 is fitted with 4 MB VRAM. This memory size is adequate
for many applications on the market. Please note that double-screen operation
generally requires more video memory, although extending the memory does not
automatically mean that you have access to higher resolutions, faster refresh rates
or higher color depths. However, if you want or need 3D capabillity, or double
buffering for 3D applications, the memory extension of the FIRE GL 2000/3000 is
required.
Extending Memory
Optional memory modules (piggyback boards) are available.
Fire GL 2000: 4 MB VRAM plus 8 MB or 16 MB DRAM
Fire GL 3000: 4 MB VRAM plus 16 MB or 32 MB DRAM
If you wish to extend your board's memory, then please contact your local
distributor.
Memory Addresses
It is necessary to make sure that all I/O and memory addresses reserved for the
graphics board are not used by other hardware devices.
If the on-board VGA controller of your Fire GL 2000/3000 is active, your board uses
the following addresses:
I/O address:
Standard VGA I/O 3B0-3DF
Memory addresses:
Video RAM A000-BFFF
Video ROM C000-C7FF
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VGA Output Connectors
1
611
5
1
0
1
5
Pin Function
1 Red
2 Green
3 Blue
4 Not used
5 ground
6 Red Return (ground)
7 Green Return (ground)
8 Blue Return (ground)
9 Key (no pin)
10 Sync Return (ground)
11 not used
12 DDC 0
13 Horizontal Sync (+)
14 Vertical Sync (-)
15 DDC 1
Pinning of the 15-pin Sub-D VGA Output
External VGA Input Connector
Pin Function
1 EXT RED
2 EXT GREEN
3 EXT BLUE
4 GROUND
5 EXT HSYNC
6 EXT VSYNC
7 EXT DQ0
8 EXT DQ1
8
5
Pinning of the 8-pin Mini-DIN External VGA Input
6
3
1
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If You Need Help
Your documentation and the README files provide tips and suggestions to help
you, should you encounter problems or have questions regarding the use of your
Diamond product.
Additional technical support is available from the extensive information and support
services offered by the Diamond Technical Support Team Europe. Further
information is available from our company headquarters in the USA. Below is a
brief description of our European support services and how you can take advantage
of them. We also provide an overview of our worldwide information services.
In order for us to service your inquiries to the best of our ability, please be prepared
to provide the following information when you contact Diamond for technical
support:
The exact designation of your Diamond Multimedia product
The operating system you are using, as well as information about the computing
environment in which you use your product
For graphics and video cards, the card’s BIOS version
For modem products, result codes from the I3 command (if possible)
Names and version numbers of the Diamond drivers and applications you are using
Name and version number of the application with which you have encountered
problems
A detailed description of the problem. Please reproduce the problem several times
and provide a detailed description of the necessary steps.
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Diamond’s Online Services:
BBS, CompuServe, Internet
Among other things, you can find the following kinds of information in the Diamond
BBS as well as in Diamond’s CompuServe forums and Internet services:
the most current releases of Diamond drivers and software updates;
optional drivers and programs that aren’t standard components of our products;
tips, hints and technical information prepared and constantly updated by Diamond’s
support staff--you’ll find these under the heading Tips & FAQ’s for our Products;
and a variety of other information.
The online services are available 24 hours every day and provide (technical)
information about all aspects of our products. Please consult these sources before
calling our hotline. It’s quite possible that the answer to your question is already
documented in our online services.
Here’s where you can reach the online services of Diamond’s Technical Support
Team Europe:
Diamond BBS
Diamond Germany +49 - 81 51 - 266 333 Modem, up to 28.8 kBaud
+49 - 81 51 - 266 334 ISDN
Diamond UK +44 - 11 89 - 44 44 15 Modem, up to 28.8
kBaud
Diamond France +44 - 11 89 - 44 44 15 Modem, up to 28.8 kBaud
+49 - 81 51 - 266 333 Modem, up to 28.8 kBaud
+49 - 81 51 - 266 334 ISDN
Diamond’s CompuServe Forums
GO SPEA European forum (German language)
GO DIAMOND US forum (English)
GO SUPRA US forum (English), for modem products
Diamond and Internet
World Wide Web
http://www.spea.com European WWW server (multilingual)
http://www.diamondmm.com US WWW server (English)
http://www.supra.com US WW W server (English),
for modem products
FTP
ftp.diamondmm.com US FTP server (English)
ftp.supra.com US FTP server (English),
for modem products
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Diamond’s Fax-back System
You also have access to a variety of information through our fax-back system. All
you need is a touch-tone phone to select documents such as:
technical tips, tricks and suggestions, compiled by our support staff;
answers to frequently asked questions, and
much more information about Diamond and its products.
Diamond Fax Info Service
The fax-back system is available 24 hours daily at the following numbers:
Diamond Germany +49 - 81 51 - 266 332
Most information is available in German and English.
Diamond UK in preparation
Diamond France in preparation
Diamond SuperCD: Driver and Software
Updates on CD
Most drivers and software updates are available on the Diamond SuperCD as well
as from our online services. This CD is updated at irregular intervals and can be
obtained directly from Diamond.
Information on the current version of the SuperCD, including price and order
details, is available via the Diamond Fax Info Service, or from our support hotline
staff.
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Diamond ExpertLine: Technical Support Hotline
We also offer a telephone support hotline to which you can direct questions for
which you can’t find answers in the documentation and README files or in the
online information services. In order for us to service your inquiries to the best of
our ability, please be prepared to provide the following information when you
contact Diamond for technical support:
The exact designation of your Diamond Multimedia product
The operating system you are using, as well as information about the computing
environment in which you use your product
For graphics and video cards, the card’s BIOS version
For modem products, result codes from the I3 command (if possible)
Names and version numbers of the Diamond drivers and applications you are using
Name and version number of the application with which you have encountered
problems
A detailed description of the problem. Please reproduce the problem several times
and provide a detailed description of the necessary steps.
You can also request information outside of our regular business hours by simply
calling our support hotline’s regular number from a touch-tone phone. You can
access information about how to get software updates, availability of drivers and so
on, or you can request that such information be faxed to you via our fax-back
system.
Diamond ExpertLine - Technical Support Hotline
Here are the telephone numbers for the support hotline:
Diamond Germany +49 - 81 51 - 26 63 30 German support
Monday - Friday 09:00 - 12:00
Monday - Thursday 13:00 - 16:00
Diamond UK +44 - 11 89 - 44 44 44 English support
Monday - Friday 08:30 - 17:30
+44 - 11 89 - 44 44 33 French support
Monday - Friday 08:30 - 17:30
E-mail:
Diamond Germany via GO SPEA in CompuServe
Diamond UK 100632.1252@compuserve.com
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Diamond WorldWide: Support Services in the USA
In addition to the European services described above, a number of information
services are available from the support staff at Diamond in the USA. These include:
Diamond Multimedia Inc., USA
BBS +1 - 408 - 325 - 7080 up to 2.400 Baud
+1 - 408 - 325 - 7175 up to 14.400 Baud
CompuServe GO DIAMOND
America Online DIAMOND
Internet http://www.diamondmm.com World Wide Web
ftp.diamondmm.com FTP
Support hotline +1 - 408 - 325 - 7100
Tech support fax +1 - 408 - 325 - 7171
Diamond Communications Division USA
BBS +1 - 541 - 967 - 2444
CompuServe GO SUPRA
America Online SupraCorp2 e-mail
FidoNet SupraCorp Echo-Mail
Genie SupraTech e-mail
Internet supratech@supra.com General support
intltech@supra.com International support
http://www.supra.com World Wide Web
ftp.supra.com FTP
Fax-back system +1 - 541 - 967 - 0072
Support hotline +1 - 541 - 967 - 2490 PC
+1 - 541 - 967 - 2491 Windows
+1 - 541 - 967 - 2492 Macintosh
Fax +1 - 541 - 967 - 2401
Diamond Support Services in Japan
Support hotline +81-3-5695-8405 Voice Support
Monday - Friday 10.00am - 12.00pm
Monday - Friday 1.00pm - 4.00pm
Tech support fax +81-3-5695-8403
NIFTY-Serve: KYB02015
Hardware Service
DIAMOND products are subjected to intensive tests and fulfill the highest quality
standards. Nevertheless, you have the benefit of additional security with an
extended guarantee for graphics boards. In the unlikely event of your needing to
use your guarantee, please contact your local distributor or retailer for help and
advice.
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Glossary
Analog Display
A monitor that uses variable color control voltages to display a very large number of
colors but requires very few inputs.
ANSI
American National Standards Institute.
ASCII
American Standards Committee on Information Interchange. A standard used by IBM
and compatible computers to represent numbers and characters in binary form.
Authoring Systems
Authoring systems are used to create multimedia applications. They combine existing
presentation information (texts, images and sound) and control the flow of these during
the multimedia show. The dialogue with the user is controlled with this software. The
individual information must have already been created and saved with special
programs.
AUTOEXEC.BAT
A batch file that directs the activities performed by the computer during system startup.
AVI
Audio Video Interleaved. AVI files are the standard format for digital video films on
Pcs.
Bandwidth
The required capacity for the data volume and transmission rate.
BIOS
Stands for Basic Input-Output System. Code in your computer's ROM (Read Only
Memory) that provides the power-on self test and other operating functions.
BitBLT
Bit Block Transfer refers to the ability of a system to move pixel blocks (in a
rectangular area, e.g. in a window) very quickly. The contents of the rectangular area
are rapidly refilled with the original contents.
BMP (Windows Bitmap)
This format enables Microsoft Windows to display images on devices with similar
capabilities in a consistent way. Save pictures in this format if you wish to continue to
process them later under Windows.
Booting/Booting Up
Starting the computer. There are two types. Warm Booting is accomplished by
simultaneously pressing the CTRL/ALT/DEL keys and can occur only when the
computer is running. A cold boot requires activation of the ON/OFF switch.
Brightness
The brightness of an image is determined by the amount of light emitted by it. No light
(black) therefore means 'no brightness', whereas pure white light means 'maximum
brightness'.
CD-I
Compact Disc Interactive. A technique developed by Philips in order to playback
games, films and music videos on a CDI player.
CD-ROM
High-density medium to store digital data. CD-ROMs have read-only status. There are
different CD-ROM formats:
YellowBook: conventional CD-ROM format
GreenBook: used for linear video, this is typical for CD-I's (see below)
WhiteBook: used for Digital Video VideoCDs.
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CGA
The IBM Color Graphics Adapter.
Channel Number
A MIDI device can have three connections - MIDI-In, MIDI-Out and MIDI-Through. The
last is used to pass on data group information without changing it. This enables the
user to cascade several devices. To select a particular device, the MIDI information is
passed on to an identifying channel number from 1 to 16.
Cinepak
Software-Codec. Makes fast decoding possible. Good image quality possible as long
as the image dimensions are not increased. The video encoding process is timeconsuming.
CODEC
Compressor / Decompressor, responsible for the compression and decompression of
image data.
Color Display
A type of monitor capable of displaying information in color. It is often called an RGB
(red, green, blue) monitor, referring to the signals needed to drive it.
Color Palette Conversion
Conversion of video data from the YUV color model into the RGB color model, or v.v.
CONFIG.SYS
An ASCII file that is created to provide the computer with special information about
applications and hardware.
Contrast
The contrast of an image is the difference between light and dark. A contrast-intensive
image is one in which contains strong transitions from light to dark. A contrast-weak
image contains transitions that are hardly noticeable.
Data Transfer Rate
The data transfer rate describes the amount of data transferred to or from the storage
medium (e.g. hard disk) per second. Each data storage medium has a specific data
transfer rate which it can handle. Typical values are:
- old hard disks 300 KB/s
- new hard disks 600 KB/s
- standard CD-ROM drives 150 KB/s
- DoubleSpeed CD-ROM drives 300 KB/s
DCI
Display Control Interface. An interface defined by the Intel and Microsoft corporations,
which enables enhanced graphics performance due to direct access to the video
memory.
Default Mode
The capabilities, resolutions and display mode the system operates with when you
start your computer.
Digital Display
Also called TTL. A type of monitor that switches signals ON or OFF to determine
display color. Types of digital displays include the IBM Enhanced Color Display or
Monochrome Display.
Digital Video
Digital videos contain optical information bitwise in a file.
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DIP Switch
Dual Inline Package switch; a series of tiny, two position switches which allow users to
select and change options on computer boards, printers, and other peripherals.
Driver
Part of a software program that interacts with a particular piece of equipment in your
computer system (i.e. video boards, printers, and keyboards). Drivers are often loaded
by your config.sys at system boot.
Dropped Frames
The images of a video which are not displayed or recorded when replaying (resp.
recording).
EEPROM
Electrically eraseable programmable read only memory; used to replace DIP switches
and jumpers on new graphics boards like yours.
EGA
The IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter.
EMS
Enhanced Memory Specification. Originally developed to break the DOS 640K limit, it
is now used as a general term for types of add-in memory.
Enhanced Color Display (ECD)
The IBM Enhanced Color Display capable of 640 x 350 resolution.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
EPS is a device-independent file format, which contains all the information required to
reproduce an image directly on a PostScript printer or to use it in suitable applications.
A small header section contains the data of the image as a TIFF-format file so that
applications that can not display PostScript data directly can still obtain an impression
of the file contents.
Expansion Board
A device used to expand a computer's capability.
Expansion Slot
An electrical connection within the computer used for the addition of Expansion
Boards.
Fill-in Images
When video data is being saved onto a CD-ROM (during manufacturing) the images
are normally 'polstered' with fill-in images so that each video file completely uses the
assigned 2KB area. This ensures a constant data rate and a smoother playback
appearance. The file size is not changed by doing this.
Fixed Frequency Monitor
An analog monitor which can only sync to a very narrow range of scan frequencies.
fps
frames per second. Measurement unit for the frame rate.
Frame
Single video image.
Frame Rate
Number of images shown per time unit. Software videos have a fixed frame rate.
When playing back the actual frame rate achieved can differ to the rate defined in the
video considerably.
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Framegrabber
If an overlay board (see below) also contains a realtime video digitizer (= frame
grabber), then the user can capture a random frame from the video sequence being
replayed and can save this onto his hard disk.
General MIDI
The MIDI Association's MIDI Song File standard has established itself as the General
MIDI standard for the exchange of MIDI music data between different PC systems.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
A graphics file format developed by CompuServe to enable the device-independent
exchange of images between systems. GIF-format files can be up to 64MB in size with
color information up to 256 colors (8 bits). GIF files do not contain information about
the image resolution.
Greyscales
A greyscale image consists of different shades of gray (like a black-and-white
photograph). This normally means that 254 different greyscales plus black and white
(= 256) are used.
Hardware Cursor
The cursor's movements and display are controlled by the accelerator chip. This
means that the CPU only has to pass the mouse co-ordinates to the graphics board,
reducing the CPU's workload.
Hercules Graphics Card (HGC)
A video adapter that provides bit mapped single color graphics.
Hexadecimal Notation
A base-16 numbering system that uses numbers and letters. The hexadecimal
sequence begins: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F, then 10, 11 etc.
Horizontal Frequency
The rate at which a monitor displays each scan line. Usually measured in kilohertz
(kHz).
I/O Port
Input/Output port. An address used to access a hardware device.
Image Compression
Technique used to reduce the volume of data in digital image and video files.
INDEO
Intel Video. Compression technique developed by Intel. Gives good quality but
requires a high level of processing work to decompress.
Indexed 16 and 256 Color Images
Indexed color images contain a color table in the file. This table lists all the colors that
could be used in the file. An indexed 16-colour image contains a table with 16 color
entries (4 bits) whereas an indexed 256 color image 256 colors are listed (8 bits).
Other colors can be simulated in a way similar to using grayscales in a black-and-white
image, by simply positioning the pixels in varying densities. The eye then sees color
mixtures that are not actually in the color table.
You can transform images into indexed color images in order to load them into
programs such as Windows Paintbrush, or just to see them on monitors that can only
display 256 or 16 colors.
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Interlaced Display
A monitor that refreshes every other scan line every other pass of the screen. A noninterlaced monitor refreshes the entire screen (every scan line) every pass of the
screen.
Interleave
A technique used to organize audio and video data so that every audio data segment
is followed by video data, e.g. AVAVAV.....
Interrupt Request (IRQ)
Signal used by a device, such as a mouse, to inform the CPU that it is present and
functioning.
JPEG
A new compressed file format industry standard developed by the Joint Photographic
Experts Group. It enables compression ratios up to 100:1 (original file size to
compressed file size). A new feature of this standard is that it is device-independent.
These files can be replayed using any application that supports this format. JPEG
differs from the LZW compression method in that it works without quality loss. This
means that some of the original data is lost during the compression phase. In order to
surpass this visual effect JPEG compression attempts to 'lose' information which is
less important to the human eye. Use this format if you don't have much memory
space available or if you are processing very large image files.
Jumper
A small plastic plug that fits over a pair of pins. When the plug straddles two pins it
makes an electrical connection. The computer makes decisions based on whether the
connection is made or not. A group of jumper pins is called a jumper block.
Keyframe
Technique used to compress video data whereby certain frames are defined as
'keyframes' and are fully saved during compression. The video data of the frames
between two keyframes are only partially stored. During decompression the 'partial
frames' use the information stored in the keyframes.
Line Drawing
This is a hardware function of the graphics processor chip. Only the starting and
ending co-ordinates of a line are supplied by the CPU. The rest of the work drawing
the line is then done by the graphics processor.
M-JPEG
Motion JPEG. A codec (see above), which is especially suited to video processing.
Hardware decompression is strongly recommendable for this.
MDA
The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A serial interface used to link computers,
synthesizers and other electronic sound generating devices.
Monochrome Display
Monitor that displays information in one color only; sometimes called a black & white
display.
MPC
Multimedia PC. This trademark is intended to help consumers when purchasing
hardware and software (similar to the VHS symbol used in the video product market).
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MPEG
Motion Picture Expert Group. The compression method known as MPEG 1 is suited to
digital video playback. A hardware decompressor is necessary.
MPEG
MPEG stands for Motion Pictures Experts Group, a group of the ISO committee for
standards. With the MPEG format an international standard for the display of 25
images per second and a transmission rate of between 150 and 300 KByte per second
is defined. Through a highly sophisticated compression method MPEG is a way to
display full screen and full motion video with CD sound quality using little memory.
This way, MPEG files can be played back as well as Video CDs, interactive programs
and presentations.
MT-32
The MIDI module MT-32 created by Roland.
Multi-frequency Monitor
A type of monitor that supports a wide range of horizontal scanning frequencies and
vertical refresh frequencies. This type of monitor accepts inputs from many different
video display adapters.
NTSC
National Television Standards Committee. The committee responsible for the definition
of the North American television standard (with the same name). NTSC creates 30
images per second.
Overlay Boards
Overlay boards are able to digitize video images being input in realtime, to synchronize
the data with the random segment of the screen and to show both images (incoming
video signal and background screen image) simultaneously on the PC's monitor. The
result is a window showing a video film which is placed over a background (e.g. a
Windows application).
PAL
Phase Alternation Line. PAL is the television standard used in Germany and Great
Britain. The video signals are transformed into 25 images per second.
Palette
A selection of colors from which to choose. Your board provides as many as 16.7
million simultaneous colors from a palette of 16.7 million. This capability is sometimes
referred to as TrueColor. It is believed that the human eye can discern no more than
16.7 million colors.
PCX (PC Paintbrush)
This file format was developed by Zsoft Corporation for PC Paintbrush, one of the first
computer drawing programs. It is the standard format for many scanners and drawing
programs. Some versions of the PCX format don't contain any information about the
resolution of the image.
Peripheral Equipment
Auxiliary equipment connected to a computer (e.g. monitor, printer, keyboard, etc.).
Pixel
Short for picture element; the smallest field displayed on the monitor; could be
compared to the dots which form images in photos printed in newspapers. Also called
pel.
Polygon Fill
A special hardware (chip) routine used to fill polygons with pixel information.
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Primary Display
The monitor that is active when you power on your system.
PS/2 Display Adapter
The IBM VGA board for Industry Standard Architecture (AT bus) computers.
RAM
Random Access Memory; memory that can be read from and written to.
Resolution
The number of pixels (from picture cells) in both horizontal and vertical directions.
Resolution
Number of pixels displayed on the monitor. The higher the resolution, the crisper and
sharper the images appear.
RGB 8Color
RGB8 color file types are 3 bit types in which each pixel can have one of 8 colors. The
RGB8 color images are automatically transformed into indexed 16 color images
whereby the 8 colors are retained but space for further 8 colors is created. It is not
possible to transform an existing file into an RGB8 color file type.
RGB Color Model
Monitors use additive mixing of the three basic colors red, green and blue to create
images on the screen with an infinite number of colors. Image data is therefore
processed via data for RGB color combinations. The combinations of the three basic
colors create a color model whose origin is the color black and the opposite value is
the color white.
RGB True Color
RGB stands for red - green - blue. All the colors that are used in this file are created
additively mixing parts of the three basic colors. The parts of the three basic colors can
be varied in 256 steps. If you mix all these colors together a total of 16.7 million
possible color combinations is attainable (3x8 bits = 24 bits, 2 to the power of 24 =
16.7 million). As the human eye can not tell the differences between color hues from
about this level, such an image is termed 'True Color', i.e. 'as in real life'.
ROM
Read Only Memory; memory space in your computer for storing permanent operating
instructions.
Sample Frequency
If the data bandwidth is fixed then the incoming signal to a processing unit can be
assigned to a whole number (value). The quantity of such values (samples) that can
be taken per second is referred to as the sample rate or frequency.
Sampling Depth
Describes the number of bits used for each sampled value of the sound input. 8 bits
are suitable for microphone recordings, 16 bits give higher quality but require twice the
memory storage space.
Sampling Rate
Analogue acoustic signals are digitized by the analogue/digital converter (ADC) on
your sound or video board. The ADC component samples the audio signal in extremely
short time intervals and stores the measured values. The number of sampled values
per second is the 'sampling rate'. The usual rate for a low-quality recording of speech
is 11.025 kHz. Better quality speech recordings or low-quality music recordings are
sampled at 22.05 kHz. CD quality is attained at 44.1 kHz.
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Saturation
The saturation refers to the purity of a color. A color with a high saturation value is
optically very intensive. A color with a low saturation value appears weak (i.e. with less
color content).
Scaling
Transformation of image data to different sizes.
Secondary Display
The monitor connected to the graphics card that is co-resident with another
card/monitor in your computer system. Is not active upon booting your system.
Sound Files
The most common file type for sound files under Windows are WAV files.
Sync
The stable condition that exists when two repetitive events maintain a constant time
relationship; your monitor is in sync with the signals from your board when the display
is correct and stable.
Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR)
Programs that are run once then remain in memory in order to be activated by a
sequence of key strokes or a 'hotkey.' It is possible that a TSR may take up too much
memory and cause conflicts with other programs.
TGA (Targa)
Developed by the company True Vision especially for its true color video boards
(especially the Targa board), this is a format preferred by many specialists.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
This format was developed by Aldus and Microsoft in order to promote the use of
desktop scanners and DTP systems. Uncompressed TIFF files are hardware and
software-dependent, however there are different incompatible compression methods.
Select this format for the maximum compatibility with other applications and to improve
the compression level.
TrueColor
The ability to display 16.7 million simultaneous colors. It is believed that the human
eye can discern no more than 16.7 million colors. See 'palette'.
Variable Frequency Display (VFD)
A monitor that is capable of displaying a wide range of resolutions through it's ability to
sync to a wide range of horizontal and vertical scan frequencies.
Vertical Frequency
The rate at which the monitor screen is refreshed. Usually measured in hertz (Hz).
VGA
The IBM Video Graphics Adapter.
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Video CD
The VideoCD specification was published in 1993 by JVC, Matsushita, Sony and
Philips as the so-called 'Whitebook' standard. Using this up to 74 minutes of digital
video compressed with the MPEG 1 technique can be stored on a CD. The image
resolution is 352 x 240 pixels and 30 frames per second for the NTSC standard and
532 x 288 pixels at 25 fps for PAL.
Video Connector
The standard 15-pin monitor output connector located on the board.
Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA)
industry-wide consortium organized to standardize graphic modes. Your board
supports the VESA standards.
Video Keying
This term refers to the process of mixing two video and computer graphics signals.
YUV Color Palette
The image information of individual frames is comprised of a brightness part and 2
color parts. The color part is calculated by evaluating the difference to the brightness
value. This method was first utilized in television technology.
YUV Signal
A video signal that is comprised of a brightness part (luminescence Y) and two color
parts (chrominance U and V). Due to the characteristics of the human eye, it is enough
to transfer the color parts with a lower resolution. This mixture is technically achieved
by only evaluating 2 chrominance signals U and V compared with the 4 values
calculated for the luminescence. This results in statements in the format 4:2:2. Other
constellations are possible.
Zooming
Increased display of an image section.
Copyright © 1996 by DIAMOND Multimedia
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