Drivers for Windows
Compressed Modes
User’s Guide
Version 1.1
NVIDIA Corporation
March 29, 2002
NVIDIA Drivers Compressed Modes User’s Guide Version 1.1
Published by
NVIDIA Corporation
2701 San Tomas Expressway
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Copyright © 2002 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Overview
The Reason for Compressed Modes
The Compressed Modes Process
C
OMPRESSED
The information in this document applies to NVIDIATM Display Drivers for Windows®
2000 and Windows XP, and explains how to use compressed modes for generating
available display modes.
Advanced NVIDIA graphics processors and software drivers have greatly increased the
number of possible display mode combinations. Compressed Modes is a method for
efficiently specifying any number of desired display modes without having to add huge
mode lists to the Windows registry.
The driver includes a number of standard modes that form the basis for the master mode
list. This list is refined according to the capabilities of the graphics adapter as well as the
monitor.
You can make further changes to the list by adding or subtracting modes, and specifying
this in the graphics adapter INF. The general steps involved are:
M
ODES
1 Refer to the default mode list. (See “Modes Included By Default” on page 4.)
2 For any graphics card, determine which modes you want to add and/or remove.
3 List the added or subtracted modes in the “Add registry” section of the adapter INF.
See “Adding and Subtracting Modes” on page 2 for instructions on creating the list to
be included in the INF.
See “Adding Mode Deltas to the INF” on page 3 for further details on the INF entry.
NVIDIA Corporation
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Adding and Subtracting Modes
Creating the Mode Delta String
For each graphics card, as many modes can be added or subtracted from the default list as
desired.
1 Specify each mode range as a string in the format :
X Resolution, Y Resolution, Color Depth Range, Refresh Rate
"
Range”
2 Separate multiple mode ranges with a semicolon “;”
3 To add the mode range, precede the string with an “A”.
• Mode ranges listed thereafter are also added, unless preceded by an “S”.
• If no “A” or “S” precedes the first range in the list, the mode (and those that follow)
are added by default.
4 To subtract the mode range, precede the string with an “S”.
• Mode ranges listed thereafter are also subtracted, unless preceded by an “A”.
• If no “A” or “S” precedes the first range in the list, the mode (and those that follow)
are added by default.
Specifying Ranges
To specify multiple color depths and refresh rates, use ranges instead of listing each value
individually.
Refer to Table 1.1 for guidance on how to use ranges when specifying color depths and
refresh rates.
Table 1.1
Range Option Entry Meaning Entry Meaning
Single Value
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
Bounded Range
Entire Range
Range Examples
Color Depth Example Refresh Rate Example
“16” 16 “75” 75
“16-” 16,32 “75-” 75, 85, 100, 120
“-16” 8, 16 “-75” 60, 70, 72, 75
“16-32” 16,32 “75-100” 75, 85, 100
“-” 8, 16, 32 “-” 60, 70, 72, 75, , 85,
100, 120
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NVIDIA Corporation
Adding Mode Deltas to the INF
Creating the INF Entry
For each graphics card, add the following entry under the “NVIDIA Add registry section”
of the INF:
HKR1,, ValueEntry, %REG_SZ%, "(mode delta 1);(mode delta 2); ...”
Where—
Compressed Modes
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•
ValueEntry
= one of NV4_Modes_Delta, NV5_Modes_Delta,
NV10_Modes_Delta, etc.
•
mode delta
[A or S] X Resolution, Y Resolution, Color Depth Range, Refresh Rate
"
Range”
= string data for each mode range, in the format
Mode Delta Example
HKR,, NV4_Modes_Delta, %REG_SZ%, "S 1280,768,-,-;1280,1024,32,120;A 864, 480,,60-75"
The INF entry above changes the mode list for NV4 graphics boards as follows:
• Subtract 1280x768, all bit depths, all refresh rates
• Subtract 1280x1024x32@120 Hz.
• Add 864x480, all bit depths, 60, 70, 72, and 75 Hz.
1. For Windows 2000—
“HKR” in the INF represents the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\nv4\\Device X
where X is one of 0, 1, 2, 3, ….
For Windows XP—
“HKR” in the INF represents the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Video\\GUID\\XXXX
where the “GUID” stands for an ID string and “XXXX” can be either 0000, 0001, 0002, etc.
The exact path represented by “GUID\\XXXX” is found in the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\hardware\\Devicemap\\Video\\Device\VideoX,
where “X” is one of 0, 1, 2, etc. If an NVIDIA card is the first or only card installed, the key is
Video0, which is the most common case.
NVIDIA Corporation
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Modes Included By Default
The refresh rates and resolutions listed below are subject to the graphics adapter's
capabilities and the capabilities of the monitor.
Default Resolutions
320 x 200,
320 x 240,
400 x 300,
480 x 360,
512 x 384,
640 x 400,
640 x 480,
800 x 600,
1024 x 768,
1152 x 864,
1280 x 768,
1280 x 960,
1280 x 1024,
1600 x 900,
1600 x 1024,
1600 x 1200,
1920 x 1080,
1920 x 1200,
1920 x 1440,
2048 x 1536
Default Color Bit Depths
In bits per pixel: 8, 16, 32
Default Refresh Rates
In Hz: 60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
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