Asus MA3850 User manual

Splendid HD1
HDMI & Video upgrade card
User Guide

ii
E3485
First Edition V1
January 2008
Copyright © 2008 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any
means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written
permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless
such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the
product is defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS,
LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE),
EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY
DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR
INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE,
AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO
RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS
MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or
copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or explanation and to the
owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

iii
Contents
Contents ...................................................................................................... iii
Safety information ....................................................................................... v
1. Introduction ..................................................................................... 1
1.1 Package Contents.............................................................. 1
1.2 System Requirements........................................................ 1
1.3 Splendid HD1 Specifications summary.............................. 2
2. About Hardware .............................................................................. 3
2.1 Splendid HD1 Card layout ................................................. 3
3. Installing the Hardware................................................................... 4
3.1 Preparing Your Computer .................................................. 4
3.2 Installing the Splendid HD1 card........................................ 5
4. Installing Software .........................................................................11
4.1 Installing the Splendid HD1 Card driver............................11
4.2 Installing the ASUS GamerOSD driver .............................11
5. Splendid HD .................................................................................. 12
5.1 Launching Splendid HD ................................................... 12
5.2 Using Splendid HD........................................................... 12
6. ASUS GamerOSD .......................................................................... 19
6.1 Enabling ASUS GamerOSD............................................. 19
6.2 Setting ASUS GamerOSD ............................................... 20
6.3 Using ASUS GamerOSD ................................................. 22
6.4 Broadcasting games with ASUS GamerOSD .................. 26

iv
Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
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, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does 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 or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect 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.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

v
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical,
electronic equipment, and mercury-containing button cell battery) should not
be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic
products.
Safety information
• Before installing the device on a motherboard, carefully read all the manuals
that came with the package.
• To prevent electrical shock hazard or short circuits, switch off the power supply
before installing the device on a motherboard or connecting any singal cables
to the device.
• If the device is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service
technician or your retailer.
• Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected. If you
detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.
• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from
connectors, sockets and circuitry.
• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in
any area where it may become wet.
• Place the product on a stable surface.
• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified
service technician or your retailer.

vi

ASUS Splendid HD1 1
1. Introduction
1.1 Package Contents
• ASUS Splendid HD1 card
• ASUS Splendid HD1 support CD
• Coaxial cable
• DVI-to-HDMI adapter
• USB cable
• DVI cable
• User Guide
1.2 System Requirements
• Expansion slot for the Splendid HD1 card
• One graphics card
• One available 4-pin ATX power cable from computer’s power supply unit
• Microsoft®Windows®Vista/XP(32/64bit) / MCE2005
• Intel®Pentium® 4 1.4GHz or AMD Athlon 1400 CPU or faster CPU
• 256 MB DRAM system memory
• 60 MB available HDD space for driver installation package
• Optical Drive (CD/DVD) for software installation

ASUS Splendid HD1
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1.3 Splendid HD1 Specications summary
Supported resolution DTV resolution: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i up
to 1080p
PC resolution: graphics, XGA, SXGA, UXGA
Pixel rates 25MHz to 165MHz
I/O ports DVI-I In port
Coaxial S/PDIF Out port
DVI-I Out port (Splendid™ HD technology support)
4-pin USB Input header
Compatibility Compliant with HDMI 1.2, HDCP 1.1 and DVI 1.0
specifications
Digital audio input
interface
Audio sample rate: 32~192 kHz
Sample size: 16~24 bits
Up to four I2S interface supporting 8-channel audio
S/PDIF interface supporting PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS
digital audio transmission for up to192kHz
Compatible with IEC 60958 and IEC 61937
Audio down-sampling of 2X and 4X
HDCP Security Integrated/External pre-programmed HDCP keys at
customers' requests
Built-in HDCP engine increasing the robustness and
security of HDCP operation
Smart detection Monitor detection through Hot Plug Detection and
Receiver Termination Detection
*Specications are subject to change without notice.

ASUS Splendid HD1 3
2. About Hardware
2.1 Splendid HD1 Card layout
13
1
3
2
4
5
No Item Description
1 DVI-I In port This port connects to a graphics card with DVI-I output
support.
2Coaxial S/PDIF Out
port
This port connects to an external digital decoder or digitalconnects to an external digital decoder or digital
speaker system, Home Theater system, AV receiver for
digital audio output including PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, or
WMA-Pro.
3DVI-I Out port
(Splendid™ support)
This port connects to a monitor with DVI/HDMI output
support.
4 USB Input header Connects to the USB connector on your motherboard
using a USB cable.
5 ATX power connector This connector is for an ATX power supply plug.

ASUS Splendid HD1
4
3. Installing the Hardware
3.1 Preparing Your Computer
1. Power off your computer and disconnect the power cord.
2. Open the computer chassis.
3. Remove the metal cover of an available PCI Express x1 expansion slot.

ASUS Splendid HD1 5
3.2 Installing the Splendid HD1 card
Securing the Splendid HD card:
1. Carefully insert the Splendid HD1 card into the PCI Express x1 slot. Ensure
that the card sits properly in place.
2. Secure the card with a screw or a metal bracket.
Connecting cables:
1. Connect one end of the USB cable to the USB port of the card and connect
the other end to a USB connector on your motherboard.
2. Connect a 4-pin ATX power cable to the ATX power connector on the card.
The Splendid HD1 requires additional power to work. Ensure that you connect
the ATX power connector to the card to provide ample power.
3. Using the bundled coaxial cable, connect one end to the S/PDIF port on
Splendid HD1 and connect the other end to the S/PDIF out port of your
motherboard.
12
USB cable
ATX power cable
USB connector on
the motherboard
Coaxial cable
Coaxial SPDIF Out port

ASUS Splendid HD1
6
2. Connect your monitor with the Splendid HD1 using a DVI cable. Plug one end
of the DVI cable to the yellow-colored DVI-I port on the Splendid HD1 and
connect the other end to your monitor.
1
1
DVI cable
(bundled)
Splendid HD1
graphics card
1
1
Splendid HD1
DVI signal
3.2.1 Connecting to a graphics card with DVI support and monitor
with DVI port
1. Using the bundled DVI cable, connect the Splendid HD1 with your graphics
card.

ASUS Splendid HD1 7
graphics card
1
1
Splendid HD1
DVI signal
graphics card
3.2.2 Connecting to graphics card with DVI support and monitor
with HDMI port
1. Using the bundled DVI cable, connect the Splendid HD1 with your graphics
card.
1
1
HDMI cable
(not bundled)
Splendid HD1
DVI-to-HDMI
adapter
(bundled)
HDMI port
HDMI
2. Plug the DVI-to-HDMI adapter into the yellow-colored DVI-I Out port, then
connect the adapter and the monitor with an HDMI cable.
• HDMI output supports the following resolutions only:
480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p. You may lose audio output if
you use resolutions other than resolutions listed above.
• Use the DVI-to-HDMI adapter that comes with the Splendid HD1 card
package.

ASUS Splendid HD1
8
3.2.3 Connecting to a graphics card with HDMI support and
monitor with HDMI port
1. Using the bundled DVI cable, connect the Splendid HD1 with your graphics
card.
1
1
Splendid HD1
HDMI signal
graphics card
3. After hardware installation is complete, select the audio source from the
Windows®desktop by clicking Start > Control Panel > Sounds, Speech,
and Audio Devices > Sounds and Audio Devices Properties.
4. Click the Audio tab, then click the Sound
playback dropdown list to select the onboard
audio source.
5. Restart your computer.
6. Select the sampling rate that corresponds
to (or exceeds) your playback sources for
optimal audio fidelity. Refer to page 14 for
details on audio settings.

ASUS Splendid HD1 9
2. Plug the DVI-to-HDMI adapter into the yellow-colored DVI-I Out port, then
connect the adapter and the monitor with an HDMI cable.
1
1
HDMI cable
(not bundled)
Splendid HD1
DVI-to-HDMI
adapter
HDMI port
HDMI
Use the DVI-to-HDMI adapter that comes with your graphics card package.
3. After hardware installation is complete, select the audio source from the
Windows®desktop by clicking Start > Control Panel > Sounds, Speech,
and Audio Devices > Sounds and Audio Devices Properties.
4. Click the Audio tab, then click the Sound
playback dropdown list to select the graphics
card audio source.
5. Restart your computer.

ASUS Splendid HD1
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3.2.4 Connecting to two monitors
If you use two monitors, always connect the primary monitor to the Splendid
HD1 card to ensure the correct signal transmission.
1. Using a DVI cable, connect the primary DVI-I out port of your graphics card to
the DVI in port of the Splendid HD1.
2. Connect one end of the DVI cable to the primary monitor and connect the
other end to the yellow-colored DVI-I out port of the Splendid HD1.
3. Using another DVI cable, connect one end of the DVI cable to the secondary
monitor, then connect the other end to the DVI-I out port of your graphics
card.
1
1
graphics card
Splendid HD1
Primary monitor
Secondary monitor
DVI cable
DVI cable
DVI cable
Primary DVI-I
Out port of the
graphics card
Slave DVI-I
Out port of the
graphics card

ASUS Splendid HD1 11
4. Installing Software
4.1 Installing the Splendid HD1 Card driver
1. After you have installed the Splendid HD1 card, turn on your computer.
Windows®automatically detects the Splendid HD1 card and searches for
device drivers. When prompted for the drivers, click Cancel.
2. Insert the support CD into the optical drive. If Autorun is enabled in your
system, the setup starts automatically. If not, run setup.exe from your
support CD.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation.
4. The following screen is displayed after the installation is completed.
4.2 Installing the ASUS GamerOSD driver
1. From the support CD menu, double-click the ASUS GamerOSD to start
installation.
2. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete installation.
3. When installation is completed, click Finish.

ASUS Splendid HD1
12
5. Splendid HD
Splendid HD is a utility that upgrades the visual performance for your LCD monitor
or LCD TV with the advanced HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia interface) output.
5.1 Launching Splendid HD
If the Splendid HD utility is correctly installed, you will find the blue-colored
Splendid HD icon on the taskbar.
Double-click the icon to launch the utility and
display the Splendid HD main screen.
The Splendid HD icon turns red if the Splendid HD1 card is not detected.
To solve this problem, do the following:
1. Ensure that the USB cable is plugged to the 4-pin USB connector on the
motherboard.
2. Restart the utility.
5.2 Using Splendid HD
Main menu
The Splendid HD main menu allows you to view the status of the utility
configurations. Click the LCD monitor / LCD TV icon depending on which display
you use.
Click if your
display is an
LCD TV
Click if your
display is an
LCD monitor
Audio setting
Utility switch
Click All Mode On/Off to enable or disable this utility. The utility is enabled when
the utility switch is set to All Mode Off, and the full window is displayed.

ASUS Splendid HD1 13
The Splendid HD utility provides three modes that allow you to change the
configurations according to different viewing conditions, such as viewing photos,
watching movies, and playing games.
Click ON / OFF to enable or disable the mode you like.
Three major modes
Full window
Demo button
ON/OFF buttons

ASUS Splendid HD1
14
S/PDIF output sample rate setting in your
playback source.
Audio sample rate setting in the Splendid
HD utility
Audio setting
Click to configure the audio format and sample rate.
• Click the Sample Rate list down arrow to select the sample rate that
corresponds to (or exceeds) your playback sources for optimal audio fidelity.
The Splendid HD1 card supports sample rates up to 192 KHz.
• Click the Format dropdown list to select the audio format from PCM and
Non-PCM.
Set the audio format in the Splendid HD1 utility to PCM when using 2 speakers
only (such as TV speakers), or to Non-PCM when watching contents with Dolby
Digital or DTS Surround audio on multi-channel Dolby/DTS decoder amplifiers.
Make sure to match Splendid HD1’s audio sample rate to your soundcard’s
output sample rate, such as 44.1K, 48K, 96K, or 192K. Otherwise, the HDMI
audio from Splendid HD1 will not function properly.