Installing your Fire GL 1000 Pro yourself

1. Pentium PC (or better), using PCI version 2.x bus
   
   
2. One free PCI bus system expansion slot
   
   
3. Windows 95 or Windows NT operating system
   
   
4. Screwdriver

Warning!

Prevent static electric damage. Static charges can cause severe damage to microcircuits, but here are some easy ways to see that it doesn't happen:

• Hold the graphics card by its edges only. Don't touch edge connectors or exposed circuitry.

• Leave the card in the anti-static protective bag until ready to install it in your computer.

• If possible, ground your body when handling the card. A metal power supply in your computer is generally considered the best place to ground yourself.

• Do not place the graphics card on a metal surface.

• Make as few movements as possible to avoid building up static electricity from your clothing, carpets and furniture.

Installing the Standard VGA driver

To avoid possible driver conflicts between your old and new graphics card, install the standard VGA driver for your operating system before installing the new card.

1. Click Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display.
   
   
2. Select the Settings tab and click the Change configuration button.
   
   
3. Click the Change button in the 'Graphics card' section and click Show all models.
   
   
4. Select Standard Display Adapter in the 'Manufacturer' section and Standard Display Adapter (VGA) in the 'Device' section.
   
   
5. Click OK, close any other windows, and restart Windows.
   

Note: The applications you want to install drivers for 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 the video mode from the Windows/DOS level.

• You cannot run more than one active VGA board in a PC.

• Refer to your motherboard or PC manual to find out if you have a system with a VGA display adapter built into the motherboard. If this is the case, you must disable the motherboard VGA display adapter before installing the Fire GL 1000 Pro.

• Today, most computer systems will automatically select a VGA on the graphics board with priority.

• Please check your motherboard or PC manual for more information.

If another graphics/VGA board was previously installed, it may be necessary to change the PC's hardware configuration. This is sometimes done by changing a jumper on the motherboard after removing the old board (check your motherboard or PC manual) although it is more common to change your PC's BIOS SETUP. Check your PC manual for information on its BIOS SETUP.

Warning!

Simultaneously using two active VGA/EGA units in one PC will inevitably lead to system failure!

Warning!

Prevent static electric damage. Static charges can cause severe damage to microcircuits, 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.
   
   
2. Remove the cover mounting screws and save them for later.
   
   
3. Remove the cover of the computer.

Install the card in a PCI expansion slot.

• Select a free expansion slot and remove its metal slot cover. Save the screw to secure the graphics card later.

• Hold the card by the edges and press it firmly into the expansion slot.

Installation in a PCI expansion slot

Note: The following step is very important in order to ground your graphics card properly.

• 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 the previously installed video adapter to secure the card in place.

• Check if you have any co-resident graphics adapters built into the motherboard.
  Notice the information in Checking for Existing Graphics / VGA Controllers if you have a co-resident graphics adapter.

• If you have a DVD or MPEG decoder card in your system, you may connect it to the YUV input connector (3) on your Fire GL 1000 Pro.

Note: A cable for DVD/MPEG card connection is not supplied with the Fire GL 1000 Pro. Please check if the appropriate cable is provided with your DVD/MPEG card and/or contact your supplier for advice.

• Check the documentation that came with your DVD/MPEG card to identify the corresponding connector on this device.

• Secure ribbon cables and gently push them down and out of the way before you replace the system cover.

• Replace the computer cover. Secure it with the screws you removed earlier.

• Reconnect any peripheral equipment cables you may have disconnected.

• Securely attach your monitor data cable to the 15-pin VGA output connector (1) on the board. The other end is hooked up to the monitor as described in the manual of the monitor manufacturer.

• If you want to use StereoGraphics’ SimulEyes VR stereo vision glasses (optional, not included in the Fire GL 1000 Pro package):

• Connect your SimulEyes VR stereo vision glasses to the 3 pin mini-DIN stereo sync connector (2) on the board.

If you have correctly installed the card, the operating system messages will then appear on your monitor when the boot procedure is finished.
If your system does NOT boot as it should,

• check again to see that the installation instructions were properly followed,

• check for interrupt conflicts - see Resolving Interrupt Conflicts, or

• refer to Fast Track to Technical Support.

Connecting your factory-installed Fire GL 1000 Pro

Note: A cable for DVD/MPEG card connection is not supplied with the Fire GL 1000 Pro. Please check if the appropriate cable is provided with your DVD/MPEG card and/or contact your supplier for advice.

 

Click here if you do not connect a DVD/MPEG card

Warning!

Prevent static electric damage. Static charges can cause severe damage to microcircuits, 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.
   
   
2. Remove the cover mounting screws and save them for later.
   
   
3. Remove the cover of the computer.

Check the documentation that came with your DVD/MPEG card to identify the corresponding connector on this device.

• Secure ribbon cables and gently push them down and out of the way before you replace the system cover.

• Replace the computer cover. Secure it with the screws you removed earlier.

• Reconnect any peripheral equipment cables you may have disconnected.

• Securely attach your monitor data cable to the 15-pin VGA output connector (1) on the board. The other end is hooked up to the monitor as described in the manual of the monitor manufacturer.

• If you want to use StereoGraphics’ SimulEyes VR stereo vision glasses (optional, not included in the Fire GL 1000 Pro package):

• Connect your SimulEyes VR stereo vision glasses to the 3 pin mini-DIN stereo sync connector (2) on the board.

if you have an AGP card ...

Note: There is no connector for stereo vision glasses on the AGP-NLX cards

• Please switch on your monitor before you switch on your computer. Doing it the other way round could damage your monitor.

• Note that your monitor is running in standard modes and that higher refresh rates etc. are not available at this stage of the installation! It is necessary to run tuning programs, or tuning utilities of the operating system, in order to optimize the board's output signals for use with specific monitors.

• The board has been designed to 'plug & play' without any modifications being made to the default switch or jumper settings. However, if it appears that the card is not performing optimally, refer to the section Troubleshooting for more information.

• In order to use your card in your PC it is necessary to install a package of basic programs, regardless of the operating system you use. Refer to Installing Software for Fire GL 1000 Pro.

To support the special graphics processor on the Fire GL 1000 Pro the system BIOS will automatically assign a system interrupt to the PCI or AGP slot where the Fire GL 1000 Pro is installed. However, there may be problems if a system interrupt is used for more than one device. In case of problems:

• check your computer's BIOS SETUP, or the system configuration utility of your operating system, for the interrupt assignments. Refer to your PC manual for information on its BIOS SETUP and if possible

• change the interrupt assignment for the Fire GL 1000 Pro, or

• change the interrupt assignment for any other device sharing the interrupt with the Fire GL 1000 Pro

• try to manually change the interrupt assignment for any other device sharing the interrupt with the Fire GL 1000 Pro. Check the documentation supplied with these devices for information on hardware switches for interrupt setting.

This board offers high performance resolutions, refresh rates and colors. Ergonomic refresh rates up to 120 Hz provide absolutely flicker-free performance.

The board is optimally configured to be combined with high-resolution MultiSync or multi-frequency monitors.
Of course the board can also be connected to other VGA monitors.

Please be aware of the fact that you can only get use of the full power of the graphics board if the horizontal (kHz) and vertical (Hz) refresh rates of your monitor are as high as required by the graphics card.

Example: The technical specifications of a MultiSync monitor could be as follows: max. resolution 1280 x 1024; max. horizontal frequency 65 kHz; max. vertical frequency (refresh rate) 90 Hz.

If you wish to use a specific video mode, then all three of the above mentioned parameters may not exceed the specifications of this monitor.

In our example, the mode 1024 x 768 with a horizontal frequency of 60.0 kHz and a refresh rate of 75 Hz may be selected, whereas the next higher refresh rate of 85 Hz (at the same resolution) is not possible, as the required horizontal frequency is 68.7 kHz in this case, which exceeds the specifications of the monitor.

Warning!

If you operate your monitor at frequencies higher than those for which it is designed, you may permanently damage the monitor.

Before you start to change the refresh rate, check your monitor manual for its technical data (horizontal and vertical refresh rate, possible resolutions).

Set your monitor to analog mode. You may need a new cable or a 9- to 15-pin cable adapter to use this mode.

Check your monitor owner's manual for further information.

Note: If you can switch the impedance values on your monitor, the recommended settings are:

• R, G, B video input: 75 Ohm
• Synch: 2 Ohm

You may try other 'Synch' settings if you cannot achieve a stable video image.
If the impedance setting options are just 'High' and 'Low', try which setting gives the most satisfactory monitor display.