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| Diamond ExpertTalk - Information compiled by the Diamond Tech Support Team |
IMPORTANT: Please consult the help files for installation/configuration of system, software and drivers as well the various sources of drivers.  - Questions - 
1-1
: Windows95: button for camera not active
1-2
: Windows95: video acceleration for AVI files not OK?
1-3
: Windows95: videos from Mitsumi FX400 CD ROM drive display
only 1-2 frames per second?
1-4
: Windows95: incorrect color display in video overlay?
1-5
: Windows95: When opening MPEG/DAT files via MediaStation
the message "MMSYSTEM296 ..." is displayed
1-6
: System does not boot up? ShowTime Plus VL is not detected?
Calling MediaStation you get the message: "MCI error:
file name not valid ... maximum of 8 characters..."
1-7
: Which Interrupts are used by these boards?
1-8
: Receiving TV with a satellite receiver
1-9
: Message: MCI driver cannot be loaded; MPEG/DAT files
are not playable (system hangs)
1-10
: MPEG microcode driver already loadable under DOS?
1-11
: Where can I get a newer version of the Xing MPEG Player?
1-12
: CDi/MPEG from CDROM won't replay or slow or unreadable
1-13
: ShowTime: Stuttering playback of AVI recordings or corrupted
screen? Video CD playback: flickering screen or green spots?
1-14
: Mediastation hangs while loading
(perhaps after reinstallation)
1-15
Windows does not start after ShowTime installation?
1-16
: Mitsumi mouse driver; Windows Configuration >256 Colors;
Errormessage: "Display driver cannot set to display mode..."
1-17
: Calling CAPTURE you get the error message:
"Warning: No frames captured. Confirm that ..."
1-18
: MediaStation error message:
"More global memory needed"
1-19
: No sound playing MPEG-Files
1-20
: No sound playing AVI-Files
1-21
: No sound running Video or TV?
1-22
: Error message regarding AVICAP.DLL when you record AVI files?
1-23
: Do I get sound in AVI file recordings?
1-24
: No video window available?
1-25
: Can't configure for 1024*768 at 75 Hz?
1-26
: Full-screen display for MPEG playback not possible?
1-27
: Error message: "ERROR video power not detected"
1-28
: DOS MediaStation - Error message: Unable to load font...
- Answers - 1-1 : Windows95: button for camera not active  Install the latest driver (see CompuServe or BBS). First install the basic software (GDC) and the BigWin driver for Windows 3.x (V7SETUP). Then install the BigWin driver for Windows 95 (V7SETUP with rotating globe) over this. 1-2 : Windows95: video acceleration for AVI files not OK? Windows 95 does not support the DCI hardware acceleration of Windows 3.1. This will however be available with the Direct Draw function for Windows 95 to be provided by Microsoft in 1996. Diamond will then offer a corresponding driver. 1-3 : Windows95: videos from Mitsumi FX400 CD ROM drive display only 1-2 frames per second? Video is not supported by all CD drives. Alternative: Edit your CONFIG.SYS to load the real mode DOS driver and in your AUTOEXEC.BAT call the win95 \windows\command\mscdex.exe file. Then deactivate the 32 bit drive access in Win95. 1-4 : Windows95: incorrect color display in video overlay? ShowTime: Install the latest MCISPEA.DRV driver version 1.21 (from Dec.95) Workaround: configure the Windows driver for Truecolor. Include SET GDC=xxx, where xxx is the path for your ShowTime files, in AUTOEXEC.BAT. 1-5 : Windows95: When opening MPEG/DAT files via MediaStation the message "MMSYSTEM296 ..." is displayed ShowTime: Requires actual drivers! STTEST produces no error messages and that the MPLAYER (DOS) functions! After a correct installation, the SYSTEM.INI file should contain the following section: [mci] MPEGVideo=mcispea.drv (if this entry is not there or the file mcispea.drv cannot be loaded you will see an error message mmsystem.286 ...) This means that the option SPEA MPEG + VideoCD should be there in the Windows MediaPlayer Device menu. If this is not the case then repeat the installation or edit your SYSTEM.INI file to include the line above. ShowTime: Install the latest MCISPEA.DRV driver version 1.21 (from Dec.95) Workaround: configure the Windows driver for Truecolor. Include SET GDC=xxx, where xxx is the path for your ShowTime files, in AUTOEXEC.BAT. 1-6 : System does not boot up? ShowTime Plus VL is not detected? - Install board in a different slot or remove and re-insert it. In a VLB/PCI mixboard the ShowTime Plus VL has to be installed in a masterslot! - AMI Bios: use no lower version than 1.00.10.AX1 (BIOS update). - Disable Bios Option "Video Snoop Palette". - Award Bios: use Update from Version 4.50G Rel. 1404.0103. - Conflict with Adaptec 2940 controller or network board? (try Intel-NCR SCSI Controller Typ PCISCSINR.) - Enable System Bios Option "ISA Shared Memory". - Conflict with other drivers? (e.g. disable net installation). - Too little base memory after system start (> 575K) !!! - Other playback applications (e.g. Media Player) should not be active at the same time! - load MSCDEX.EXE /M:50 before SMARTDRV.EXE (see AUTOEXEC.BAT)!!! - SMARTDRV configuration: CONFIG.SYS: disable device=smartdrv...! AUTOEXC.BAT: disable smartdrv.exe or set to max. 1024! - Set environment variable "GDC" to the ShowTime installation directory. (e.g. SET GDC=C:\SPEA\GDC). 1-7 : Which Interrupts are used by these boards? In the PC's BIOS setup, an interrupt (for TV capture and for the hardware MPEG module) has to be assigned for the appropriate slot. Modern mainboards do this automatically. For some older mainboards the slot interrupts have to be assigned manually. If you use a 486 PCI mainboard please make shure that the mainboard BIOS supports PCI release 2.0. Please ask your dealer for a mainboard BIOS update. 1-8 : Receiving TV with a satellite receiver? If your satellite receiver tranforms the signal to one of the channels 34 to 38 it can be used with the TV boards. 1-9 : Message: MCI driver cannot be loaded; MPEG/DAT files are not playable (system hangs) Set the refresh rate to at least 72 Hertz. 1-10 : MPEG microcode driver already loadable under DOS? Call the file SOUND.BAT. 1-11 : Where can I get a newer version of the Xing MPEG Player? You can download the Xing MPEG player from CompuServe: GO XING In the window that appears, select the option "Download Xing MPEG Player" and follow the instructions from there. 1-12 : CDi/MPEG from CDROM won't replay or slow or unreadable. Install the latest software version (BBS, Internet) (or Version 3.15 of the MediaStation) Install the "old" DOS driver of the CD-ROM drive with the current MSCDEX driver of Windows95. Deaktivate the 32-Bit access for the harddisk (test). Install the CD-ROM drive as "master device" on "second IDE channel" (see system BIOS setup). Microsoft has released an updated version of the IOS.VXD file that corrects the MPEG speed problem on IDE CD-ROM drives. IOS.VXD Rel. 4.00.953 (3/19/96, 68,825 bytes). See our Mailbox - A - G - G (Other Software and Tools) for this file. Download the file IOSUPD.EXE. 1-13 : ShowTime: Stuttering playback of AVI recordings or corrupted screen? Video CD playback: flickering screen or green spots? Note: ShowTime contains no hardware compression for AVI recordings. Configure for one of the offered software compression types, not for full frame recording! SYSTEM BIOS - Chipset Setup: Set option "PCI posted write buffer" to DISABLED. SHOWTIME.INI > set "Normal Transfer" to 6 (see README file) 1-14 : Mediastation hangs while loading (perhaps after reinstallation) Delete MEDIASTA.MST (contains bitmaps) and in MEDIASTA.INI - Section [MediaStation] the programs 1 ... 99 or delete the entire file. 1-15 : Windows does not start after ShowTime installation? Please check whether your SYSTEM.INI file contains the following entry DEVICE=DVA.386 under the section [386enh] twice. If yes, then delete one of the entries. 1-16 : Mitsumi mouse driver; Windows Configuration >256 Colors; Errormessage: "Display driver cannot set to display mode..." Using the Mitsumi mouse driver 6.0 only 256 colors are available under Windows 3.1. Use the current (Microsoft) mouse driver. 1-17 : Calling CAPTURE you get the error message: "Warning: No frames captured. Confirm that ..." Install only "VIDEO for WINDOWS" Rel. 1.1e from the SHOWTIME software version >=0595! Does MSTATION run correctly under DOS? Important: for various PCI (ASI) motherboards, INT A and a free IRQ (e.g. IRQ 15, 12, 11, 10) have to be assigned to a PCI slot. On some motherboards INT A is defined for a certain slot. Please see the system BIOS setup for this configuration, set the options "PCI IRQ achieved by: Level" and "1st available IRQ:15" and install the board in the "INT A" slot. For VL-boards IRQ 9 should be used! In some cases, this configuration has to be set by jumper on the motherboard in addition to the system BIOS setup! Please consult the motherboard manual. Sony CD-ROM 55E drive: Use driver update Rel. 2.19. Important: Always use the latest CD-ROM driver! 1-18 : MediaStation error message: "More global memory needed" Close all applications and MediaStation and then call MST again. 1-19 : No sound playing MPEG-Files - MPEG file possibly contains no audio track! - Connect speakers to the audio output connector of the ShowTime. - Call (DOS) SOUND.BAT (see GDC directory). - Windows Mediaplayer: Run MPEG-File and set the audio level to max. in the Menu OPTION CONFIGURE. MediaStation: Set audio level to max.; switch off the mute button. 1-20 : No sound playing AVI-Files Is not supported by the board. An additional sound board is required. 1-21 : No sound running Video or TV? The analog sound recording cannot be played back via the SPEA SHOWTIME. For sound playback connect the audio output of the video recorder or TV with the sound board via the AUX/Line/Micro Input connector. 1-22 : Error message regarding AVICAP.DLL when you record AVI files? Install only "VIDEO for WINDOWS" Rel. 1.1e from the SHOWTIME software version >=0595! Does MSTATION run correctly under DOS? Important: for various PCI (ASI) motherboards, INT A and a free IRQ (e.g. IRQ 15, 12, 11, 10) have to be assigned to a PCI slot. On some motherboards INT A is defined for a certain slot. Please see the system BIOS setup for this configuration, set the options "PCI IRQ achieved by: Level" and "1st available IRQ:15" and install the board in the "INT A" slot. For VL-boards IRQ 9 should be used! In some cases, this configuration has to be set by jumper on the motherboard in addition to the system BIOS setup! Please consult the motherboard manual. Sony CD-ROM 55E drive: Use driver update Rel. 2.19. Important: Always use the latest CD-ROM driver! 1-23 : Do I get sound in AVI file recordings? In principle not with the MediaStation, but .... MS Video for Windows (Full Version): Parallel sound recording only via a separate sound board. 1-24 : No video window available? Select the corresponding Video input via VIDCap or MediaStation (ADVANCED SETTINGS): Choose between Composite or SVHS. 1-25 : Can't configure for 1024*768 at 75 Hz? The 75 Hz refresh rate is a special SPEA ergo mode that the standard Tseng driver does not offer (this offers a maximum of 70Hz). This mode does not conform to the standardized VESA timing modes as it exceeds the bandwidth specified for the Tseng ET4000/W32p. As it is therefore not a standard timing mode, we can not guarantee that it will function with every monitor available on the market. We regret that it is not possible for us to test every monitor available at our works and therefore recommend that you select the 70Hz option. 1-26 : Full-screen display for MPEG playback not possible? Select a smaller resolution. The image size depends on the size with which the video was created. It can be zoomed (at most) to about double the size (for physical reasons). 1-27 : Error message: "ERROR video power not detected" Was another graphics board with a Weitek processor installed before (e.g. STORM PRO)? Remove the Weitek driver entries from the SYSTEM.INI file, reconfigure the board to VGA and reinstall the SHOWTIME drivers. 1-28 : DOS MediaStation - Error message: Unable to load font... Install all programs of the SPEA SHOWTIME PLUS in one directory an make sure that the environment variable GDC is set. eof |
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