------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IBM Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator IBM Fire GL Series Video Driver for Windows 2000 Release 0300 Driver Version 5.00.2195.1093 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please read the entire contents of this document. Information in this file may not appear in printed documentation or online help. 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 List of Product Files 1.2 Installing the IBM Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator 2. INSTALLING THE IBM FIRE GL SERIES VIDEO DRIVER 2.1 Menu-controlled Video Driver Installation 2.2 Unattended Video Driver Installation 3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS 3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth 3.2 Choosing Monitors and Display Refresh Rates with Windows 2000 3.3 Adjusting the Monitors' Display 4. UNINSTALLING THE IBM FIRE GL SERIES VIDEO DRIVER 4.1 Menu-controlled De-installation 4.2 Unattended De-installation 5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION 5.1 Diamond Information Dialog 5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!) 6. NOTES, PROBLEMS, AND LIMITATIONS 7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES 8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES 1. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------- 1.1 List of Product Files ------------------------- The following files are in the \DIAMOND subdirectory of your video adapter device driver CD or harddrive: \INSTALL INSTALL.EXE Diamond Installer INST16.EXE Diamond Installer 16-Bit extension DMINSTAL.SYS Diamond Installer device extension _INSTALL.??? Diamond Installer resource extension COMPANY.INI Diamond Installer script SETUPNT5.IN Diamond Installer script UINSTNT5.IN Diamond Installer script READ-ME.TXT This file ( English ) READ-MEJ.TXT This file ( Japanese ) SETUP.BAT Command file for unattended installation UNINSTALL.BAT Command file for unattended de-installation \NT5 FIREGL1.INF Driver installation script FIREGL1.DL_ Display driver FGL1EXT.DL_ Display driver extension FIREGL1M.SY_ Miniport driver VERSION.TXT Information about current driver version DSMINFO.??_ Diamond Information control panel FGL1CFG.??_ Diamond Configuration control panel F1CFG???.HL_ Diamond Configuration control panel context help FGL1ADJ.??_ Diamond Adjustment control panel F1ADJ???.HL_ Diamond Adjustment control panel context help DSNTHSER.EX_ Diamond MultiScreen hook device driver FGL1DEL.EX_ Diamond driver uninstall utility FGL1OGL.DL_ OpenGL driver FGL1OGLS.CAB OpenGL driver FGL1OGL.DR_ Driver for 3D Studio MAX/VIZ MAXINST.EX_ 3D Studio MAX/VIZ driver install utility GETVPDC.EX_ IBM Vital Product Data Utility PMEMNT.SY_ IBM Vital Product Data Utility PMEMW.DL_ IBM Vital Product Data Utility WHATGRAP.EX_ IBM Vital Product Data Utility 816ON.REG IBM Function Utility 816OFF.REG IBM Function Utility FIREGL1.CAT MS certified CAT file where '??' or '???' stands for supported language identifiers (e.g., ENG/EN). 1.2 Installing the IBM Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator ---------------------------------------------------------- Your computer is shipped with the first/primary IBM Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator and its drivers factory-installed. Refer to the following directions and information only if you plan to install additional Fire GL Series, for example, for a multi-monitor configuration. Refer to the User's Guide of your computer to install the IBM Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator in your system. NOTE: If you want to install the Fire GL Series card to replace your existing graphics solution it may be helpful to set your display driver to standard VGA before you shut down your PC and remove a previously installed card. If you plan to set up a multi-monitor system: The provided drivers are designed exclusively to support Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerators with the Windows 2000 operating system. The drivers DO NOT SUPPORT any other type or brand of graphics card or operating system. 2. INSTALLING THE IBM FIRE GL SERIES VIDEO DRIVER ------------------------------------------------- Your computer system is shipped with the graphics software drivers for the Fire GL Series card pre-installed. You need the information in this section on re-installation of the basic driver software for Windows 2000 only if you are re-installing the operating system. For your convenience the following procedures describe how to install the graphics driver software. The Unattended Video Driver Installation as described in 2.2 allows to install (uninstall - see 4.2) the drivers and configure your display settings by command line editing. You can also set parameters for a 'silent' installation (no messages displayed during the installation). NOTE: Before installing the IBM Fire GL Series video driver, please close all open application programs and disable any anti-virus software that is running on your computer until the driver installation is complete! 2.1 Menu-controlled Video Driver Installation --------------------------------------------- 1. After Windows 2000 reboots, it detects your Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator and gives the message that new hardware was found. It then compiles a driver database. The 'Found New Hardware Wizard' appears. Click 'Cancel.' 2. Click the 'Start' button in the task bar, click 'Run' and then select 'Install.exe' from the hard drive or CD-ROM directory where the video driver files are stored. The 'Diamond Install' dialog appears. NOTES: You can find the factory-installed 'Diamond Install' dialog on your hard drive via Start > Programs > Diamond. Then click 'DIAMOND Install/Uninstall Utility.' The Diamond installation dialog displays in English if the language of your operationg system is not supported. 3. Enter the path to which you want to install the driver software and click 'Next.' Then click 'Next' again. 4. When the 'INSTALLATION COMPLETE' message appears click 'Next' again. This will restart your computer. 5. After Windows 2000 reboots, the 'Found New Hardware' message displays. The 'Digital Signature Not Found' dialog prompts you 'Do you want to continue the installation?'. Click 'Yes'to install and start the drivers. The 'Found New hardware' message will appear one time for each Diamond Fire GL Series card installed in the system. Click 'Yes' each time it finds a Fire GL Series card. 6. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Settings, or right-click on the Windows desktop, and select 'Properties' and 'Settings'. Set the resolution (Screen area) and color depth, that best suit your requirements and your monitor's performance. NOTE: For a multimonitor configuration first click on the monitor icon that corresponds to the graphics accelerator you want to set. 5. Click OK. NOTES: If you have added Fire GL Series cards to your system for a multi-monitor configuration after the video driver is loaded, you do not need to install the video driver again for each card. The additional cards will be autodetected when Windows 2000 is rebooted the first time after the additional cards are installed. You can select the refresh rates individually for each monitor in the Windows 2000 'Monitor' dialog - see 3.2. 2.2 Unattended Video Driver Installation ---------------------------------------- If you prefer to configure your system by command line editing you may install the video drivers and set the monitor configuration of your primary display as follows: 1. Click the 'Start' button in the task bar, click 'Run' and then enter or browse to the INSTALL subdirectory on the hard drive or CD-ROM where the video driver files are stored. 2. Enter the following command: INSTALL -0[x] -1[y] -s[e] -r These are the command line options: -0[x] Resolution (horizontal) -1[y] Color Depth (in bit) -s[e] Silent Installation - no installation messages displayed during installation [e] no error messages displayed -r Restart system after installation Note: If you do not set the commmand line option -r, the system does not restart after the installation is complete. Valid Resolution/Color/Refresh combinations for the command line option are [y] -Color Resolution [x] -Resolution Depth (bpp) ---------- --------------- ----------------- 640x480 640 32 800x600 800 32 1024x768 1024 32 1280x1024 1280 32 1600x1200 1600 32 1792x1344 1792 32 1920x1200 1920 32 NOTES: 1) Monitor refresh rates are controlled by the Windows 2000 operating system. For information on setting the montior refresh rate, see section 3.2. 2) If an invalid entry is made for any of the above parameters, the operating system will boot up at 640x480x32bpp the first time after the driver is installed. Example: For a silent installation of the Fire GL Series video drivers, configuring your monitor for 1280x1024, TrueColor, and restart the system after installation, the command looks like this: INSTALL -01280 -132 -se -r Warning! Selecting a resolution or refresh rate that your monitor does not support can permanently damage the monitor. Check the documentation of your monitor and make sure that the monitor supports the selected resolution and refresh rate. 3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS ------------------------------ The following dialogs in the 'Display Properties' menu allows setting and adjusting the video settings to suit your requirements best. Settings: set resolution and color depth Settings/Advanced/Monitor: choose monitors and display refresh rates Settings/Advanced/Adjustment: adjusting the monitors' display To access the 'Display Properties' menu: 1. Start Windows 2000. 2. After Windows 2000 has finished starting, click on the START button, select 'Settings,' and then click on 'Control Panel.' 3. Double-click on the 'Display' icon. The 'Display Properties' window appears. Note: You can also display the 'Display Properties' window by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. 3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth -------------------------------------- Select the 'Settings' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window. Set the resolution (screen area) and color depth that best suit your requirements and your monitor's performance. NOTES: For multi-monitor configurations, drag the monitor icons to match the physical arrangement of your monitors. In a multi-monitor configuration click the corresponding monitor icon to set resolution and color depth individually for all monitors. Check the documentation of your monitors and make sure that each monitor supports the resolution and color depth setting selected for it. Use the Windows 2000 'Monitor' dialog (see 3.2) to select the display refresh rates individually for all monitors in a multi-monitor configuration. Use the Diamond 'Adjustment' dialog (see 3.3) to adapt the display of the monitors connected to the Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerators in your system. Refer to your Windows 2000 online help and documentation for further information on using the 'Settings' dialog. 3.2 Choosing Display Refresh Rates with Windows 2000 ---------------------------------------------------- Select the 'Monitor' dialog via Display Properties > Settings > Advanced > Monitor. For a multi-monitor configuration click the corresponding monitor icon in the 'Settings' dialog before clicking the 'Advanced' button. In the 'Monitor Settings' section set the refresh rate for each monitor connected to the Graphics Accelerator(s) in your system. Warning! Selecting a refresh rate that your monitor does not support can permanently damage the monitor. Check the documentation of your monitor and make sure that the monitor supports the selected resolution and refresh rate. NOTE: Refer to your Windows 2000 online help and documentation for further information on using the 'Monitor' dialog. 3.3 Adjusting the Monitor's Display ----------------------------------- Select the Diamond 'Adjustment' dialog via Display Properties > Settings > Advanced > Adjustment. For a multi-monitor configuration click the corresponding monitor icon in the 'Settings' dialog before clicking the 'Advanced' button. For each Fire GL Series Graphics Accelerator in your system you can adjust the display of the connected monitor. You can find more information on adjusting the monitor's display in the context sensitive online help. A. Monitor Tuning With the buttons in the 'Move' and 'Size' sections you can tune the position and size of the monitor's display for the indicated resolution and refresh rate. NOTE: Use the hardware setting controls on your monitor, if available, to adjust your display size or position - instead of the software controls in 'Adjustment - Monitor Tuning.' Check the documentation of your monitor for information on your monitor's hardware controls. NOTE: Resizing the display slightly changes the actual refresh rate. If you operate a fixed-frequency monitor check the documentation of your monitor for information on refresh rate tolerances. Sync Polarity: If you do not get a satisfactory display with the default sync polarity setting for the current resolution, you may try and change the settings. Undo: Click this button to undo the last change you made (i.e. when you clicked 'Apply'). Default: Click this button to set the 'Monitor Tuning' to the manufacturer's default settings. NOTES: Press the ESC key on your keyboard to undo the changes if your monitor has lost synchronization. If you change the resolution (in 'Settings') and/or the refresh rate (in 'Monitor'), you may need to re-adjust the monitor's display. B. 'Gamma Correction': Adjust the montior's gamma correction for optimal brightness with the red, green and blue slider bars. NOTE: You cannot adjust 'Gamma Correction' for 256-color modes. When these sliders are changed the gamma correction table modifies each pixel's color value. The brightness produced at the face of the display is proportional to the input voltage raised to the power gamma. This nonlinearity must be compensated to achieve correct reproduction of the image's brightness. The effect of display gamma is to darken the midtones relative to the dark and light regions. The gamma correction adjustment affects the entire screen display. The possible setting range is 0.3 - 4.0. The default setting is 1.0. With 'Link sliders' selected, the three sliders move together as you drag any individual slider. With the check box unchecked, you can adjust colors individually by dragging the applicable slider. Click the '>1<' button - for each color - to set the gamma correction to the default value of 1.0. C. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your monitor settings. D. Repeat steps A through C for each monitor you want to set up. 4. UNINSTALLING THE IBM FIRE GL SERIES VIDEO DRIVER --------------------------------------------------- This section describes how to properly remove your IBM Fire GL Series software from your system should you need to do so. NOTE: Before removing the IBM Fire GL Series video driver, please close all open application programs and disable any anti-virus software that is running on your computer until the driver de-installation is complete! 4.1 Menu-controlled De-installation ----------------------------------- 1. From the 'Start' menu, go to Start > Programs> Diamond, then click 'DIAMOND Install(Uninstall) Utility'. The 'Diamond Install' dialog appears. 2. Click 'Remove the product' and select the 'Diamond Fire GL Series' card. Note: Make sure that only those components are selected that you want to remove now. (Click 'Back' and 'Add/Remove components' to select specific software components for removal). Then click 'Next.' 3. Click 'Next' to remove the software and shut down your computer. 4.2 Unattended De-installation ------------------------------ This section describes the unattended, command line driven de-installation of the IBM Fire GL Series video driver. 1. Click the 'Start' button in the task bar, click 'Run' and then enter or browse to the INSTALL subdirectory on the hard drive or CD-ROM where the video driver files are stored. 2. Enter the following command: INSTALL -u[s] -r These are the command line options: -u[s] Driver de-installation [s] silent - no messages displayed during de-installation -r Shut down system after de-installation Note: If you do not set the commmand line option -r, the system does not shut down when the driver de-installation is complete. Example: For a silent de-installation of the Fire GL Series video driver and shut down of the system, you would type the following: INSTALL -us -r 5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION ----------------------------------------- 5.1 Diamond Information Dialog ------------------------------ Check the Diamond 'Information' dialog in Display Properties > Settings > > Advanced > Information' for detailed hardware and driver information on each Fire GL Series card. This data may be helpful when contacting TechSupport. You can display the Diamond 'Information' dialog by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then click 'Settings' > 'Advanced' and select the Diamond 'Information' tab. 5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!) ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 settings. Select the Diamond 'Configuration' dialog via Display Properties > Settings > > Advanced > Configuration. You can find more information on the settings in the Diamond 'Configuration' dialog in the context sensitive online help. You can display the Diamond 'Configuration' dialog by right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then click 'Settings' > 'Advanced' and select the Diamond 'Configuration' tab. For some of the most popular applications the optimal configuration profile is factory-set by default. Select the application from the list in the 'Configuration Profiles' section. This will change the necessary Windows 2000 registry settings. Click 'Apply' and then restart Windows 2000 if a message pops-up requiring you to do so. 1. Click the 'Add' button in the 'Configuration Profiles' section and enter the new application for which you want to set the configuration parameters. 2. To modify the configuration settings of a specific application, for example, Softimage, select the application from the list in the 'Configuration Profiles' section and click the 'Modify' button. 3. In the 'Settings' section select or clear the following checkboxes according to your requirements: Overlay Planes 4-Bit double-buffered Use 4 bit double-buffered overlay planes in the depth buffers. The driver exports pixelformats with 4-bit double-buffered overlay planes for OpenGL applications. 8-Bit single-buffered Use 8 bits of each 32-bit frame buffer pixel as single-buffered overlay planes. Force copy swap Force blit copy from back to front buffer. Wait for vertical retrace Buffer swap 'synched' to vertical retrace. This improves the picture quality but reduces the view performance in, for example, benchmark testing. 4. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your Configuration settings. 6. NOTES, PROBLEMS, AND LIMITATIONS ----------------------------------- 1] Windows 2000 has a shadow on the mouse cursor. The shadow for the mouse cursor is done with a feature called cursor alpha blending. This feature is not supported in hardware on the Fire GL1 video adapter. Since the Fire GL video chip does not support alpha blending for the mouse cursor, Windows 2000 disables the hardware cursor and uses the software cursor. This can lead to flickering around the mouse cursor. To workaround this restriction, the mouse cursor shadow can be disabled with the Mouse selection in the Windows 2000 control panel. 2] If SolidDesigner is run with the Fire GL Series video adapters, SolidDesigner must be selected from the Diamond Configuration tab of the Display Properties windows. Otherwise, the quality of line edges can be poor with color bleeding occurring. This is caused by the fact that SolidDesigner searches for OpenGL V1.1 support and the Fire GL Series driver reports that it supports OpenGL V1.2. A future version of SolidDesigner will correct this bug. 3] QuickTime V3.0 will not run on the IBM Fire GL Series video adapters. This is due to a bug in QuickTime V3.0. Apple plans on fixing the bug in the next release of QuickTime. 4] When playing an AVI file on the IBM Fire GL1 adapter, the sound may be intermittent and the screen jumpy at resolutions of 1600x1200 or higher. This occurs because there is not enough off-screen memory left over for the application. 7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES ------------------------------------------ Video driver updates can be obtained from IBM at the following web location: http://www.pc.ibm.com/ -Select your country and do a search on "drivers" For technical problems, contact the IBM HelpDesk at 1-800-772-2227 8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES ---------------------------------------------------------- The resolutions and refresh rates supported by the Fire GL Series cards are dependent on the monitor that is selected. Check the documentation of your monitors and the 'Monitor' dialog for information on supported resolutions and maximum vertical refresh rate for each of your monitors. You can display the Windows 2000 'Monitor' dialog by right-clicking the Windows desktop and selecting 'Properties'. Then click 'Settings' > > 'Advanced' and select the 'Monitor' tab. The table below shows the screen resolution, pixel size, horizontal line rate and refresh rate for ALL modes supported under the Windows 2000 operating system, all modes provide full screen double buffering using the OpenGL API. +==========+=======+=======+===================+ |Resolution| Color | Alpha | Refresh Rate | | | Bits | Bits | (Hz) | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ | 640x480 | 24 | 8 | 60, 72, 75, 85 | | 800x600 | | | | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1024x768 | 24 | 8 | 60, 70, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1280x1024 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1600x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 70, 75, 85 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1792x1344 | 24 | 8 | 60 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ |1920x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75 | +----------+-------+-------+-------------------+ | | +-------+- This combination appears as 32bpp or TrueColor in the Display Properties -Settings tab --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- All product names listed are trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. 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