Tyan TACHYON G9000 User manual

i

Tachyon G9000 Series

Graphic Card

User’s Guide

Revision 1.0

Copyright Notice

The material in this document is the intellectual property of TYAN. While we take every care in the

preparation of this document, we cannot guarantee the correctness of all the content. Our

products undergo continual improvement and we reserve the right to make changes without

notice.

Trademarks

All trademarks used in this manual are the property of their respective owners.

VGA is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks belong to respective owners.

ii

Important Safety Precautions

Always read and follow these basic safety precautions carefully when handling any piece of

electronic component.

1. Keep this User’s Guide for future reference.

2. Keep this equipment away from humidity.

3. Lay this equipment on a stable, flat surface before setting it up.

4. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection; hence they protect the equipment from

overheating.

5. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V before connecting

the equipment to the power inlet.

6. Place the power cord in a way that people are unlikely to step on it. Do not place anything on

the power cord.

7. Always Unplug the Power Cord before inserting any add-on card or module.

8. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted.

9. Never pour any liquid into the opening that could damage the equipment or cause an

electrical shock.

10. If any of the following situations arise, get the equipment checked by a service personnel:

The power cord or plug is damaged

Liquid has penetrated into the equipment

The equipment has been exposed to moisture

The equipment has not functioned properly or in accordance with the User’s Guide

The equipment was dropped and damaged

The equipment has obvious signs of breakage

11. DO NOT LEAVE THE EQUIPMENT IN AN UNCONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT WITH A

STORAGE TEMPERATURE OF 600 C (1400F) OR ABOVE. IT MAY DAMAGE THE

EQUIPMENT.

FCC Information

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,

pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable

protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates

radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may

cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning

the equipment off and on. The user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more

of the following measures:

• Reorient the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connecting the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is

connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of 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.

Notice to user: Changes or modifications to this product not approved by the party

responsible for FCC compliance could void your authority to operate this equipment.

In order for an installation of this product to maintain compliance with the limits for a Class B

device, shielded cables must be used for the connection of any devices external to this product.

iii

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction...........................................................................................1

Overview ................................................................................................................. 1

Item Checklist......................................................................................................... 1

Specifications......................................................................................................... 2

System Requirement ............................................................................................. 2

Features .................................................................................................................. 3

Tachyon G9000 series ..................................................................................................... 3

CATALYST™ Software Suite................................................................................. 3

Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience............................................................... 3

Direct 3D

®

and OpenGL

®

............................................................................................... 4

HYDRAVISION™.......................................................................................................... 4

Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software .................................................5

Installing Hardware ................................................................................................ 6

To install your card.......................................................................................................... 6

Windows

®

“New Hardware Found” ...................................................................... 9

To identify new hardware in Windows

®

98, Windows

®

Me, Windows

®

2000 or

Windows

®

XP .................................................................................................................. 9

Installing the ATI Driver for Windows

®

98/Windows

®

Me/Windows

®

2000/ Windows

®

XP.................................................................................................................................... 9

Chapter 3 Multiple Displays(optional) ................................................................ 11

Connecting Your Monitor(s)................................................................................ 11

Display Configurations........................................................................................ 11

Chapter 4 CATALYST™ Software Suite .............................................................13

ATI Displays Tab .................................................................................................. 13

Enabling/Disabling Secondary Displays (optional) ...................................................... 13

Enabling Extended Desktop Mode (optional) ............................................................... 14

Dynamic Display Reassignment (optional)................................................................... 14

Virtually Repositioning Your Displays (optional) ......................................................... 15

ATI Color Tab........................................................................................................ 16

ATI Options Tab ................................................................................................... 18

ATI Overlay Tab.................................................................................................... 19

Video Overlay ............................................................................................................... 19

Chapter 5 Direct 3D

®

Control Panel ...................................................................21

D3D Settings......................................................................................................... 21

SMOOTH VISION Properties................................................................................ 23

Anisotropic Filtering Properties ......................................................................... 24

iv

Chapter 6 OpenGL

®

Control Panel.....................................................................25

Optimization Preference...................................................................................... 25

OpenGL settings .................................................................................................. 26

Chapter 7 Using TV Out.......................................................................................27

View your PC’s display on a TV................................................................................... 27

Connecting to a TV or a VCR .............................................................................. 27

Starting Windows

®

with TV Display Enabled .............................................................. 28

Using SCART Connectors for European TVs............................................................... 29

How To Enable/Disable The TV Display...................................................................... 29

Using and Adjusting TV Out......................................................................................... 30

How TV Display Cannot Be Used ................................................................................ 30

Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display................................................................... 30

Adjusting Monitor Display............................................................................................ 30

Viewing Text on a TV ................................................................................................... 31

Reducing Edge Distortion ............................................................................................. 31

Changing Display Configurations................................................................................. 32

Using Games and Applications ..................................................................................... 32

Appendix 1 --- Troubleshooting Tips ................................................................33

Appendix 2 --- Acronyms ...................................................................................34

Chapter 1 Introduction

http://www.tyan.com

1

Chapter 1

Introduction

Overview

The Tachyon G9000 series graphic accelerators deliver ground breaking 3D

graphics performance.

 Designed and built by TYAN Computer Corp.

 Powered by the RADEON™ 9000 series of Visual Processing Units

(VPU).

 Awesome 3D gaming performance.

 Support for OpenGL

®

applications.

 Support for Direct 3D

®

applications.

 High resolution in 3D up to 2048x1536.

 Best performance for today’s and tomorrow’s applications.

 Supports TV-out to connect your PC to your TV or VCR.

Item Checklist

Check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing

items, contact your retailer.

 Tachyon Graphic Card

 Tachyon Graphic Card User’s Guide

 Driver CD with WinDVD player

 Three cables support S-Video and TV-Output

 DVI to D-Sub adaptor (Optional)

Tachyon G9000 Series

2

Specifications

 ATI RADEON™ 9000 Pro - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU);

275 MHz Engine/275 MHz Memory clock speed.

ATI RADEON™ 9000 - 128-bit Visual Processing Unit (VPU); 250

MHz Engine/200 MHz Memory clock speed

 64MB of DDR memory

 Supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 @ 85Hz

 SMARTSHADER™ advanced shader technology,

SMOOTHVISION™ flexible anti-aliasing, CHARISMA ENGINE™ II

geometry engine, PIXEL TAPESTRY™ II rendering engine, VIDEO

IMMERSION™ II digital video features, and more

 Optimized for DirectX™ 8/8.1 and OpenGL 1.3

 Dual independent 400MHz DACs

 VGA, DVI and S-Video connectors; S-Video supports NTSC and PAL

 AGP 4X/2X/1X compatible

System Requirement

Computer System

 Pentium

®

4/III/II, Celeron™, AMD K6/ Athlon

®

or compatible

with AGP 2X, or AGP 2X/4X bus slot

 128MB system memory

 Installation software requires CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

 DVD playback requires DVD drive

 Sound Card supported by Windows

®

with available line input.

 Interactive Program Guide requires internet connection

 Remote control receiver requires available USB port

Expansion Slot AGP 2X/4X slot

Operating System Windows

®

98/SE, Windows

®

Me, Windows

®

2000, Windows

®

XP

Monitor

VGA, supporting minimum 640x480 resolution. A Plug-and-Play

monitor that supports VESA’s Display Channel specifications

(DDC1 or DDC2b) is required to take advantage of the

DDC1/DDC2b features.

The DVI-I interface on Tachyon G9000 series cards can be used to

attach a DVI display or an analog VGA monitor, using the supplied

DVI-I-to-VGA adapter.

HYDRAVISION™ technology supports DVI or CRT monitor and

television.

Chapter 1 Introduction

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3

Features

Tachyon G9000 series

The Tachyon G9000 series card provides high performance acceleration for

today's demanding 3D graphic applications. Its main features are:

 VIDEO IMMERSION™ II which provides industry-leading DVD

playback and digital TV decode capability

 CHARISMA ENGINE™ II which is the main VPU, providing the

necessary power to accelerate today’s 3D games and applications

 SMARTSHADER™ technology which can realistically create the visual

properties of any material, like glass, metal, wood, and produce 3D depth

by rendering the object’s shadows

 SMOOTHVISION™ which provides users with various degrees of

jagged edge removal from 3D images, allowing users to configure their

own high quality or high performance gaming experience

 PIXEL TAPESTRY™ II which provides even greater 3D rendering

power

 Dual monitor support (optional)

 TV output support

 Digital flat panel support (optional)

CATALYST™ Software Suite

Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience

ATI’s CATALYST™ Software Suite provides multiple display functionality,

and the advanced graphic features, such as SMARTSHADER™, for the

ultimate 3D gaming experience. For help on installing the CATALYST™

Software Suite, refer to the Installing the hardware and software.

Tachyon G9000 Series

4

The CATALYST™ Software Suite installs the ATI display tabs. These tabs

are accessed through the Windows

®

Display Control Panel, through the

Advanced... button located on the Settings tab. For a detailed explanation of

each ATI tab, refer to CATALYST™ Software Suite on page 13.

Direct 3D

®

and OpenGL

®

The CATALYST™ Software Suite also supports the latest versions of Direct

3D

®

and OpenGL

®

. Many new 3D game titles, and the latest versions of older

titles, will virtually come to life as they utilize their advanced Direct 3D

®

or

OpenGL

®

features. Gamers can tweak their settings for the ultimate

experience in 3D image quality or 3D gaming performance. ATI’s Direct 3D

®

and OpenGL

®

tabs are available through the Windows

®

Display Control

Panel, through the Advanced... button located on the Settings tab.

For a detailed explanation of the Direct 3D

®

and OpenGL

®

tabs, refer to

Direct 3D

®

Control Panel on page 21, and OpenGL

®

Control Panel on

page 25

HYDRAVISION™

In addition to the multiple display functionality available with ATI’s

CATALYST™ Software Suite, you can also use HYDRAVISION™ for

advanced multimonitor management.

Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software

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5

Chapter 2

Installing the

Hardware and Software

Installing your card consists of three, easy steps.

 Placing the card in your computer

 Installing ATI’s enhanced display drivers

 Attaching input and output cables and optional TV, VDR, camcorder, etc.

This chapter explains how to place the card in your computer, how to install the

software, and how to connect the input and output cables.

BEFORE installing your Card…

Turn off the power to your system, and discharge your body’s

static electric charge by touching a grounded surface — for

example, the metal surface of the power supply –- before

performing any hardware procedure.

The manufacturer assumes no liability for any damage, caused

directly or indirectly, by improper installation of any components by

unauthorized service personnel. If you do not feel comfortable

performing the installation, consult a qualified computer technician.

Damage to system components, the accelerator card, and injury to

yourself may result if power is applied during installation.

Uninstalling your current video card and driver

Before you install your Tachyon G9000 series card, it is important that you

remove the current video card and its driver. You can remove most video card

drivers form Windows

®

via an uninstall utility provided by the card’s

manufacturer---typically, this is an entry in the Programs menu. If no

manufacturer-provided uninstall utility is provided, you can remove the driver

by selecting it from the Add/Remove Programs menu in the Windows

®

control

Panel.

When the graphics card driver has been removed, the system should reboot.

Tachyon G9000 Series

6

1 Check the Display Properties page in Windows

®

to ensure that the driver

has been removed and the system is running the “Standard PCI Graphics

Adapter”(VGA) driver. If it is not, use the Change option in the Advanced

menu of the Display Properties page to change the driver.

2 Click StartÆSettingsÆControl PanelÆ Add/Remove Programs, and

remove all existing ATI software, such as ATI Display Driver, ATI DVD

Player, ATI HW DVD Player, ATI Video Player.

When the graphics card driver has been removed from Windows

®

, you can shut

down your computer and install your Tachyon G9000 series card.

Installing Hardware

Now that you have prepared your computer, you are ready to install your card.

If you are not sure whether your card is PCI or AGP, compare the bottom edge

of your card with the following illustration:

To install your card

1. Power off the computer and monitor, then disconnect the display cable

from the back of your computer.

2. Remove the computer cover. If necessary, consult your computer’s

Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software

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7

manual for help in removing the cover.

3. Remove any existing graphics card from your computer.

Or, if your computer has any on-board graphics capability, you may need to

disable it on the motherboard. For more information, see your computer

documentation.

4. Locate the AGP slot. If necessary, remove the metal cover from this slot;

then align your Tachyon Graphic Card with the AGP slot, and press it

in firmly until the card is fully seated.

Remember to

discharge

your body’s

static

electricity by

touching the

metal surface

of the

computer

chassis.

If the old

graphics card

sticks, rock it

gently from

end to end.

Remember to

save the

screw.

Grasp the

Tachyon

G9000 series

card by the

top edge and

carefully seat

it into the

correct slot.

Ensure that

the metal

contacts are

completely

p

ushed into

the slot.

Tachyon G9000 Series

8

5. Replace the screw to fasten the card in place, and replace the computer

cover.

6. Plug the display cable into your card; then turn on the computer and

monitor. If your Tachyon Graphic Card came with a DVI connector, you

can connect a flat panel display to the appropriate connector

You are now ready to proceed with the installation of the driver.

Make sure

all cables

are

securely

connected.

Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware and Software

http://www.tyan.com

9

Windows

®

“New Hardware Found”

New hardware will be detected after you restart your computer. To finish

setting up your hardware click Yes when prompted to restart.

To identify new hardware in Windows

®

98, Windows

®

Me, Windows

®

2000 or Windows

®

XP

1. Windows

®

may launch the “Update Device Driver Wizard” to install the

Standard VGA Driver. If it does, follow the step-by-step instructions

below to allow Windows

®

to correctly identify your new hardware.

If the Wizard does not appear, proceed directly to Installing the ATI

Driver for Windows

®

98/Windows

®

Me/Winddows

®

2000/Windows

®

XP.

2. Click Next

3. Click Finish.

You are now ready to install the ATI driver. Proceed to Installing the ATI

Driver for Windows

®

98/Windows

®

Me/Windows

®

2000/Windows

®

XP, and

follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the installation.

Installing the ATI Driver for Windows

®

98/Windows

®

Me/Windows

®

2000/ Windows

®

XP

With Windows

®

98, Windows

®

Me, Windows

®

2000, or Windows

®

XP

running on your computer, you need to install the driver to take advantage of

the higher performance, resolutions, and special graphic features of the

Tachyon G9000 series card.

To ensure you install the latest driver, use the Driver CD that shipped with

your Tachyon G9000 series card.

To install DirectX

Install Microsoft DirectX 8.1(or later) to enable 3D hardware acceleration

support for Windows98/98SE or Windows ME to achieve better 3D

performance.

Tachyon G9000 Series

10

Note: For software MPEG support in Winindows98/98SE or Windows ME,

you must install DirectX first.

1. Insert the Driver CD into your CD-ROM drive.

If Windows

®

runs the CD automatically, proceed to step5.

2. Click StartÆ Run.

3. Type the following:

D:\TyanSoft.exe

(If D is not your CD-ROM drive, substitute D with the correct drive letter.)

4. Click OK

5. Click on Install Softwares.

6. Click on Install DirectX, then the installation Winzard begins

7. Click Yes to make sure you should install the DirectX

8. Click Ye s to the license agreement.

9. Click OK to restart your computer

To install the driver

1. Insert the Driver CD into your CD-ROM drive.

If Windows

®

runs the CD automatically, proceed to step5.

2. Click StartÆ Run.

3. Type the following:

D:\TyanSoft.exe

(If D is not your CD-ROM drive, substitute D with the correct drive letter.)

4.

Click OK

5. Click on Install Softwares.

6. Click on Install Graphics Drivers.

7. Choose the right product you want to install driver(such as Tachyon

G9000)

8. Choose the right platform which you are using, then the Installation

Winzard begins.

9. Click Next.

10. Click Yes to the license agreement.

11. Follow the Wizard’s on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

The Express installation option is recommended. The multimedia

components will automatically be installed, along with the ATI driver, by

selecting this option.

Chapter 3 Multiple Displays(optional)

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11

Chapter 3

Multiple Displays(optional)

Connecting Your Monitor(s)

The Tachyon G9000 series card provides hardware support for one VGA

monitor and one flat panel monitor, or two VGA monitors using a

DVI-I-to-VGA adapter. It also provides TV Output via an S-Video out and an

S-Video-to-Composite out connector.

Plug the monitor cable into your card (if you are running multiple monitors,

connect their cables to the appropriate connectors), then turn on the PC and

monitor(s).

To connect a flat panel directly to your card, use the DVI-I connector. To

connect a VGA monitor to the DVI-I connector, plug a DVI-I-to-VGA

adapter into the DVI-I connector, then plug your monitor cable into the

adapter.

When you use multiple monitors with your card, one monitor will always be

Primary. Any additional monitor(s) will be designated as Secondary.

Display Configurations

The following table lists the different ways you can connect displays to your

card.

Display

Configuration

Connector(s) Used Comments

One CRT display

VGA connector OR DVI-I

connector with DVI-I-to-

VGA adapter

CRT- cathode ray tube analog

display

One DFP display DVI-I connector DFP - digital flat panel display

One TV TV Output

Cards with S-Video out also

support Composite out via an

S-Video-to-Com

p

osite ada

p

te

r

.

Tachyon G9000 Series

12

Cards with Composite out DO

NOT support connection to TVs

with S-Video Input.

CRT display + TV

VGA connector + TV

Output

Unsupported configuration if the

CRT display is attached to the

DVI-I connector via a DVI-I-to-

VGA adapter

DFP display + TV

DVI-I connector + TV

Output

CRT display + DFP

display

VGA connector + DVI-I

connector

CRT display + CRT

display

VGA connector + DVI-I

connector with DVI-I-to-

VGA adapter

The DVI-I connector can

support a CRT display using a

DVI-I-to-VGA adapter

CRT display + DFP

display + TV

VGA connector + DVI-I

connector + TV Output

The TV display will “clone” the

image of one of the other two

displays.

CRT display + CRT

display + TV

UNSUPPORTED

CONFIGURATION

Chapter 4 CATALYST

TM

Software Suite

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13

Chapter 4

CATALYST™ Software Suite

The following section provides an explanation of each ATI tab available after

installing the CATALYST™ Software Suite.

○

i

Features presented in the following pages may not

be supported in all operating systems and/or may

appear differently.

ATI Displays Tab

The ATI Displays tab provides the multi monitor features. Here you can

enable /disable display devices and swap the assignment of Primary and

Secondary displays.

Enabling/Disabling Secondary Displays (optional)

1. Access the Windows

®

Control Panel. Double-click Display.

Tachyon G9000 Series

14

2. Click on the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button.

3. Click on the ATI Displays tab.

4. Click the enable/disable button for the display device you want to

enable/disable.

5. Click OK or Apply to save the changes.

Enabling Extended Desktop Mode (optional)

1. Access the Windows

®

Control Panel. Double click Display.

2. Click on the Settings tab.

3. Click the monitor icon for the display onto which you want to extend your

desktop.

4. Click Yes to enable the selected display.

5. Checkmark the Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor check

box (Windows

®

may automatically place it there).

6. Click OK or Apply to save the changes.

Dynamic Display Reassignment (optional)

You can change the assignment of your Primary and Secondary display on

the fly, without rebooting. However, before you can change the assignment of

the Primary display, at least one Secondary display must be enabled, and

Extended Desktop mode must be enabled.

To enable a Secondary display, refer to the section Enabling/Disabling

Secondary Displays (optional).

To enable Extended Desktop Mode, refer to the section Enabling Extended

Desktop Mode (optional).

1. Access the Windows

®

Control Panel. Double click Display.

2. Click on the Settings tab and then the Advanced... button.

3. Click on the ATI Displays tab

Windows

®

XP, Windows

®

Me, Windows

®

98SE

Chapter 4 CATALYST

TM

Software Suite

http://www.tyan.com

15

The ATI Displays tab shows you the display(s) that are active. The Primary

display has the

button depressed. To change the display assignment, you

can click the Primary display’s button

or you can click the

button

of the other display device.

Windows

®

2000 and Windows

®

NT4.0

Clicking on the

button will reassign the Primary and Secondary

monitors.

Clicking on the

button creates a clone or mirror image of the Primary

display onto the Secondary display.

4. Click OK or Apply to save the changes.

Virtually Repositioning Your Displays (optional)

1. On the Settings tab, click and drag the appropriate monitor icon to the

desired position. For example, the secondary display can be dragged to the

left of the primary display, allowing it to be virtually on the left, as shown

below.

2. Click OK or Apply to save the changes.

Tachyon G9000 Series

16

Ratiometric Expansion

The Tachyon G9000 series card offers ratiometric expansion (or digital panel

scaling as it is commonly known). This expands a low-resolution image to fill

a higher resolution panel. However, ratiometric expansion is only available on

the Primary display.

Therefore, if a flat panel display (FPD) is set as Secondary, the Extended

Desktop mode is disabled and the resolution is less than the FPD’s native

resolution. This causes the FPD to default to center mode.

ATI Color Tab

The ATI Color tab is used to adjust the color settings. You can change the red,

green and blue display colors. Desktop brightness and Game Gamma

(brightness) can also be changed.

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Tyan TACHYON G9000 User manual

Tyan TACHYON G9000 User manual

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