Diamond FIRE GL 1000 README Release 0998 This README file contains the following information: 1. General Information 2. System Preparation 3. Choosing a Monitor 3.1 Windows NT Refresh Rates 3.2 Windows 95 Refresh Rates 3.3 Windows 98 Compatibility 4. Known Restrictions 5. Diamond Multimedia: Support & Service 1. General Information ---------------------- IMPORTANT! Read this README file and all the documentation supplied BEFORE you continue the installation. These documents contain useful information that will help you complete the install procedure as quickly and easily as possible. Please be aware that you can use the full power of the Diamond FIRE GL 1000 only if the other components of your system, especially the graphic monitor that is being used, fully comply to the specifications for the Diamond FIRE GL 1000. (For example : You cannot use the 1280x1024 resolution that is supported by the FIRE GL 1000 with a monitor supporting only resolutions up to 1024x768). Dualscreen: Dualscreen Hardware Support is only available with the Fire GL 3000. 2. System preparation --------------------- Follow these steps before beginning the installation procedure: 1) If you are upgrading the graphics card in your system, return the display adapter settings back to 'Standard VGA', then remove the graphics card to be replaced from your PC. 2) Check the jumper settings on the card prior to installation in the PC. Your board is shipped with the following jumper settings as seen from the front: 1 2=3 = represents jumper present 1=2 3 Refer to the online user's manual or printed documentation (if applicable) for a detailed description. 3) Follow the hardware installation instructions provided with your card before beginning the software installation. If you plan on installing Diamond Autocad productivity tools ( BigFocus and 3DWin ), make sure that Autocad release 13 or higher is correctly installed first. 3. Choosing a Monitor ---------------------- For using the full power of your Diamond FIRE GL 1000 board, the graphics monitor you choose should be technically suitable for use with this board. 3.1 Windows NT Refresh Rates ---------------------------- To select refresh rates in Windows NT click on the 'Display' icon in the 'Control Panel'. 3.2 Windows 95 Refresh Rates ---------------------------- If your monitor is capable of displaying ergonomic refresh rates at the resolution you have selected, but Windows95 is using a lower refresh rate, use the Windows95 device manager to check the following device properties: For the Fire GL 1000, make sure that the device properties entry is set to maximum or the specific refresh rate required. For the monitor, make sure the device is set to reflect the monitor you are using, or a similar type, and make sure the properties are set to allow using the maximum allowable refresh rate. *** IMPORTANT *** Only use settings that your monitor supports. If you specify settings that exceed the ratings specified for your monitor, you may permanently damage the monitor! If you change the monitor, first check the ratings of the new monitor and, if necessary, reconfigure your settings accordingly! 3.3 Windows 98 Compatibility ---------------------------- This driver release has been tested for basic compatibility with Windows98. It has not been tested for multi-monitor operation. 4. Known Restrictions --------------------- (1) Boot problems The Diamond Fire GL 1000, as any other graphics board, uses a system interrupt. There may be problems because of other components in your system using the same interrupt, or fix-installed interrupts of the motherboard manufacturer - (booting problems). Please install your graphics board into another PCI slot, or, in the boot-setup, change the IRQ-value of the PCI slot and then reboot the system. (2) Due to a bug in the current 3DLabs Permedia chips, XOR text is not displayed correctly when the Fire GL 1000 is first installed in VGA compatible mode. This effect is only present until the Fire GL 1000 drivers are installed. (3) OpenGL Support. OpenGL hardware acceleration is not supported with this release under Windows95/98. (4) Some applications (3D Studio Max, 3D-Win, OpenGL-Demos..) support the advantage of the full hardware acceleration in True Color and High Color video modes only. To prevent color problems, you should switch off hardware accelaration when running in 256 color mode. (5) HEIDI installation. 3D Studio MAX must be properly installed on your system AND MUST HAVE BEEN STARTED AT LEAST ONE TIME before HEIDI can be installed using the installation procedure. (6) Motherboard Compatibility. The Diamond FIRE GL 1000 is designed for motherboards supporting the PCI v.2.0 (or higher) standard. This standard supports and correctly initializes multi- function devices like the FIRE GL 1000. If your motherboard BIOS does not correctly identify and initialize your graphics adapter, the software drivers proivided with the card will not function properly. A system BIOS update on your motherboard, available from your motherboard manufacturer or supplier, may remedy the problem. Alternatively, changing the setting in the check box entitled "Use PCI BIOS addresses" ( part of the driver properties ) may rectify the problem. (7) Bus Master Compatibility. Due to the PCI bridge design used by the on-board Delta chip, real time video display generated via PCI Bus Master boards may not function correctly with the Fire GL 1000. (8) DOS Video Mode Compatibility. The Fire GL 1000 provides limited backwards compatibility with DOS applications at resolutions up to 640x480. If a particular game or other application exhibits video display tearing, the DOS utility "VBETUNE.EXE" which is included in the DOS directory on this CD may alleviate the problem. This utility must be run once after starting in DOS-only mode ( not Win95 DOS box ) before running the application. 5. Diamond : Service & Support ------------------------------- Technical support for the installation and configuration of Diamond graphic boards and multimedia products, as well as software updates, or optional software packages, are available: - from the Diamond Mailbox - in the Internet - via the Diamond ExpertLine Refer to your manual for more information (addresses, phone numbers, etc).