HP x1100 User Manual

Fire GL2

User's Guide

NTRODUCING THE FIRE

BOUT YOUR FIRE

Hardware Design................................................................................. 1

Operating Systems ..............................................................................2

Typical Application Environments................................................... 3

System Requirements and Tools .....................................................3

Performance Overview...................................................................... 4

OW TO USE THIS USER'S GUIDE

Manual Conventions ...........................................................................5

Viewing the User's Guide Online.................................................... 6

Do you Need a Printout

of the Online User's Guide? .............................................................6

UICK INSTALLATION

Installation Steps ..................................................................................7

NSTALLING THE FIRE

NSTALLING THE HARDWARE

Preparing your Computer................................................................. 9

Installing the Card ...............................................................................13

Connecting the Cables and

Completing the Installation ...............................................................15

NSTALLING THE SOFTWARE

Before you Start: Information, Tips, and Hints............................ 19

Software Installation for Windows NT4.0.................................... 20

Software Installation for Windows 2000 ...................................... 21

GL2 ................................................................................ 1

ABLE OF CONTENTS

GL2.........................................................1

................................................................ 5

................................................................................... 7

GL2 ..............................................................8

....................................................................... 8

......................................................................... 18

Contents i

GL2 S

IRE

OFTWARE UTILITIES

HANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS

How to Switch to the Display Properties?....................................24

Setting Resolution, Refresh Rate

and Color Depth..................................................................................25

Selecting your Monitor .......................................................................26

Adjusting the Monitor Display..........................................................29

ODIFYING APPLICATION PROFILES

...................................................... 23

................................................................24

............................................................32

EMOVING THE FIRE

ROUBLESHOOTING

OMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

ECHNICAL DETAILS

EATURES AND PERFORMANCE

Hardware ...............................................................................................39

Software .................................................................................................42

IN ASSIGNMENTS

IDEO MODES

LOCK DIAGRAM

RADEMARKS AND REGULATORY

RADEMARKS

ISCLAIMER

MI COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

......................................................................................................47

GL2 D

........................................................................ 36

....................................................................... 39

...........................................................................................42

.................................................................................................44

............................................................................................45

...................................................................................................46

................................................ 35

RIVERS

......................................................36

.....................................................................39

.................................................. 46

.................................................................48

ii Contents

NTRODUCING THE FIRE

GL2

♦ A

BOUT YOUR FIRE

♦ H

OW TO USE THIS USER'S GUIDE

♦ Q

UICK INSTALLATION

BOUT YOUR FIRE

GL2

Hardware Design

The Fire GL2 is an AGP/ATX card based upon the IBM RC 1000/ GT 1000 chipset.

The RC1000 256 bit graphics rasterizer provides the functionality of a VGA controller, a 2D/3D raster engine with geometry pipeline setup processor, and a 300 MHz RAMDAC. It also supports video streaming by providing color space conversion and a bilinear scaling unit.

The GT1000 hardware geometry engine is a complete tranformation and lighting engine with hardware implementation of the full open OpenGL pipeline and most of the Direct3D geometry pipeline.

Introducing the Fire GL2 1

Operating Systems

The Fire GL2 supports the following operating systems:

♦ Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6 (or higher) ♦ Microsoft Windows 2000 ♦ Linux - 2.2.x kernels, C Library 1.2 (LibC 6.2)

How to obtain Linux drivers?

⇒ Download from www.ati.com/support

Service Pack Information for Windows NT 4.0

You must be running Windows NT 4.0, updated with Service Pack 6 (or newer) prior to installing the Fire GL2 drivers. The Service Pack is available from Microsoft's web page, www.microsoft.com. For most languages you can perform the Service Pack 6 update from the Fire GL CD when you run the Quick Start utility.

2 Introducing the Fire GL2

Typical Application Environments

Fire GL2 offers outstanding 2D/3D performance in Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Linux. Fire GL2 is optimized and certified for professional 3D graphics in the following business environments.

Mechanical Engineering Analysis (MEA)

♦

Mechanical Computer Aided Design (MCAD)

♦

Electrical Design Automation (EDA)

♦

Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE)

♦

Digital Content Creation (DCC)

♦

Business Economic Modeling

♦

3D Game Development

♦

System Requirements and Tools

What do you need to install and use your Fire GL2?

Motherboard with free AGP slot

♦

Pentium II CPU or better

♦

System interrupt (IRQ) which is free. This may have to be reserved

♦

in the computer’s BIOS. For help with this theme, refer to the manual for your mainboard.

Supported operating system:

♦

Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6 (or newer)

⇒

Microsoft Windows 2000

⇒

CD-ROM drive

♦

A screwdriver to remove and reinstall the PC cover screws and card

♦

mounting screws. See your PC manual for specific requirements.

Fire GL CD-ROM for Fire GL2

♦

Introducing the Fire GL2 3

Performance Overview

For more detailed information on features and performance

Note:

please refer to the section Technical Details.

Hardware Performance

32-bit RGBα TrueColor 2D and 3D acceleration

♦

Accelerated, double-buffered 32-bit TrueColor up to 1920 x 1200,

♦

at 75 Hz refresh rates

24-bit Z-buffer, 8-bit double-buffer, 8-bit single-buffer overlay

♦

Video engine supports YUV conversion, point and bilinear scaling

♦

Software Features

Multiprocessor system support

♦

ThreadSafe OpenGL 1.2 ICD support for dual processors.

♦

Supports Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) in Intel Processors

♦

Supports AMD Athlon™ processor-based systems with 3DNow!

♦

technology

Customized application settings for individual ISV applications

♦

DDC2B monitor support on all operating system platforms

♦

4 Introducing the Fire GL2

OW TO USE THIS USER'S GUIDE

For your convenience, this online User’s Guide has been formatted as an Adobe when using this documentation.

Many hyperlinks provide easy access to any information you may want. To make it useful in a printed format, too, a - hyperlinked - table of contents and page numbers are provided.

Because it was designed to be used online and printed, some of the images may not print clearly or appear very clearly on screen.

Acrobat® PDF file. This format gives you great flexibility

Manual Conventions

Your Fire GL2 User’s Guide is organized in a standard, familiar way. A few icons are used to point out important information:

This icon marks useful tips or important operational notes.

This icon is a warning about possible electrical/software hazards or problems.

Introducing the Fire GL2 5

Viewing the User's Guide Online

You can also read the User's Guide online—important hypertext links, such as Table of Contents entries, World Wide Web, and email addresses are active.

Place your mouse cursor over Table of Contents entries or main headings. If the hand icon changes to a pointing index finger, simply click and you will move to that place in the document. Some email or World Wide Web addresses inside this manual may be active as well. Go directly to a Web, FTP site, or email program simply by clicking on an active link. Displaying the provided bookmark and thumbnail views may help you with the orientation and navigation in the User's Guide.

This manual might be displayed with slightly-reduced magnification in your Reader. If you experience any difficulty reading certain files online, use the Reader’s increase the magnification to about 133%. To view some screenshot images perfectly clear you may need a larger magnification.

Zoom To

feature from the

View

menu and

Do you Need a Printout of the Online User's Guide?

You can easily print this User's Guide to access it off-line. The manual then will look like any standard document with a table of contents and page numbers.

For printing the User’s Guide, a print resolution of 600 dpi is recommended.

6 Introducing the Fire GL2

UICK INSTALLATION

Brief instructions on how to get to work with the Fire GL2 in the

♦

shortest possible time.

Recommended for experienced users and system administrators

♦

only.

For more detailed information on installation and operation of your

♦

graphics accelerator, please refer to the corresponding sections of the Fire GL2 User’s Guide.

Installation Steps

1. De-install the drivers and software for your old graphics card.

2. Set the display driver to Disable any on-board graphics solution on the motherboard.

3. Shut down and disconnect your computer system.

4. Remove the installed (AGP, PCI, or ISA) VGA card.

5. Install the new Fire GL2 card.

6. Reassemble and connect your computer system.

7. Install the Fire GL2 drivers and configuration software from the Fire GL CD:

Standard VGA

automatic Quick Start utility or

⇒ ⇒

Start

Run

START EXE

Introducing the Fire GL2 7

NSTALLING THE FIRE

♦ I

NSTALLING TH E HARDWARE

♦ I

NSTALLING TH E SOFTWARE

NSTALLING THE HARDWARE

The hardware installation includes the following steps:

Preparing your Computer

♦

Installing the Card

♦

Connecting the Cables and Completing the Installation

♦

GL2

8 Installing the Fire GL2

Preparing your Computer

Information Before you Start

What do you need to use your Fire GL2?

What type of monitor do you need?

System Requirements and Tools

Motherboard with free AGP 1.X slot for

♦

the Fire GL2 card. System interrupt (IRQ) which is free.

♦

This may have to be reserved in the computer’s BIOS. For help with this theme, refer to the manual for your mainboard Pentium II CPU or better

♦

Supported operating system:

♦

Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6

⇒

(or newer) Windows 2000

⇒

A screwdriver to remove and reinstall

♦

the PC cover screws and card mounting screws. See your PC manual for specific requirements. Fire GL CD-ROM for Fire GL2

♦

Your Fire GL2 is optimally configured to be combined with digital flat-panel (DFP) TFT LCD displays and digital CRT displays. You can also connect the Fire GL2 to highresolution MultiSync or multi-frequency monitors or other VGA monitors.

You can use the full power of the

Note:

graphics card only if your monitor supports the horizontal (kHz) and vertical (Hz) refresh rates as required by the graphics card. Refer to your monitor's documentation for recommended refresh rates.

Installing the Fire GL2 9

Where are the drivers?

Are you installing your Fire GL2 in place of a card from another manufacturer?

Do you have an integrated graphics solution on the motherboard?

Plug-n-Play?

The illustrations do not show your card?

♦ Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000

drivers are provided on the Fire GL CD.

♦ Linux drivers are available for

downloading from www.ati.com/support.

Before you shut down your computer and remove the installed graphics solution , we recommend that you un-install the old card first:

♦ Use the uninstall program for your

existing card, if one is available. Consult the documentation for your old card if necessary.

♦ If no uninstall program is available, install

the standard VGA driver via the Display Properties applet. For more information refer to Setting the Display Driver to Standard VGA.

Please refer to the manual or contact your motherboard manufacturer to determine how to disable your on-board graphics.

The card has been designed to take advantage of 'plug–n-play' without requiring additional hardware installation or configuration.

The illustrations provided in this section are for instructional use only; the card shown may look different than the one you purchased.

10 Installing the Fire GL2

Setting the Display Driver to Standard VGA

To avoid possible driver conflicts between your old and new graphics card, install the standard VGA driver for your operating system. Install the standard VGA driver before you shut down your computer and remove the installed (AGP, PCI, or ISA) VGA card. Note: Installing the standard VGA driver is not required for Windows 2000.

The applications for which you want to install drivers also have to be completely installed for Standard VGA - 640 x 480 on your system prior to using the new software. It is a good idea to do this before removing an existing graphics adapter as not every application may permit the configuration of its video mode from the operating system level.

Installing the Standard VGA Driver for Windows NT 4.0

1. From the Start menu, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel,

then double-click on Display. The Display Properties sheet appears.

2. Click the Settings tab; then click the Display Type button.

3. Under Adapter Type, click the Change button. The Change

Display window appears.

4. Under Manufacturers, select (Standard display types). Under

Display, choose VGA compatible display adapter.

5. Click OK. You may need to insert your Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM.

6. Click Close and OK as often as necessary to accept the changes.

7. Windows asks you if you want to restart your computer. Click No.

8. Shut down your computer. You are now ready to remove your old

graphics card and install your new Fire GL2 card.

Installing the Fire GL2 11

Opening the Computer Cabinet

Warning! Prevent static electric damage. Avoid touching any electronic components. Static discharge can cause severe damage to electronic equipment, but here are some easy ways to see that it doesn't happen:

⇒ Don't touch edge connectors or exposed circuitry. ⇒ If possible, ground your body. A metal power supply in your

computer is generally considered the best place to ground yourself.

⇒ Make as few movements as possible to avoid building up static

electricity from your clothing, carpets and furniture.

1. Switch off your computer and all external options (printer, display,

and others) and unplug all power cables from the electrical source.

Physically remove the power cable from the system and wait 15-30 seconds for Flea Power to dissipate. Damage can occur to add-in components if power is not physically disconnected from the system during installation procedures.

2. Remove the cover of the computer. Refer to the instructions in your

computer’s manual for more information.

Installing the Fire GL212

Installing the Card

To install your Fire GL2 AGP card, follow these steps:

1. Locate the AGP slot.

2. Remove the metal slot cover. Save the screw to secure the graphics

card later.

3. Hold the card by the edges and position it directly above the AGP

slot. AGP cards are designed to fit one way only. Be sure your card is properly aligned.

4. Insert your Fire GL2 card firmly into the AGP slot. Take care to

press it evenly and snugly into its slot. Do not force.

5. 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 a previously installed video adapter to secure the card in place.

Installing the Fire GL2 13

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