ATI Technologies FIRE GL1 User manual

User's Guide

2
DISCLAIMER
The manufacturer (MFR) reserves the right to make changes to this
document and the products which it describes without notice. The
MFR shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or
omissions made herein; not for incidental or consequential
damages resulting from the furnishing, performance, or use of this
material.
The MFR makes no representation that the interconnection of
products in the manner described herein will not infringe on
existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained
herein imply the granting of license to make, use or sell equipment
constructed in accordance with this description.
The PCI accelerators have been designed to support the PCI local
bus standards. Some computers use proprietary local bus circuitry
and therefore may not be fully compatible with the MFR’s local
bus cards. Although tested successfully in a wide variety of
computer systems, the MFR cannot be held responsible for any
incompatibilities which may occur between this card and the
system configuration you plan to use. We recommend that you
check with the dealer or distributor for your computer system
before installing your card.
© Copyright 1999 Fire GL Graphics. All rights reserved

Table of Contents
3
1A
BOUT FIRE GL1................................................... 5
HARDWARE FEATURES............................................................ 6
SOFTWARE FEATURES ............................................................. 6
PROFESSIONAL 3D RENDERING ............................................7
CARD LAYOUT ........................................................................8
2H
OW TO USE THIS MANUAL ................................ 9
MANUAL CONVENTIONS .......................................................9
3I
NSTALLING FIRE GL1............................................ 10
INSTALLING THE HARDWARE ................................................10
Preparing your Computer..........................................11
Opening the Computer Cabinet ..............................13
Installing the Card......................................................... 14
Reassembling Your Computer ..................................15
Connecting the Monitor Cable.................................16
After Installing the Card .............................................17
INSTALLING SOFTWARE..........................................................19
General Information ....................................................19
Software Installation for Windows NT4.0.............20
4F
IRE GL1SOFTWARE UTILITIES............................ 22
CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS ........................................ 23
Setting Resolution and Color Depth....................... 24
Choosing Monitors and Display Refresh Rates ....25
Adjusting the Monitor Display ..................................27
Setting Multiple Monitor Configuration..................31
MODIFYING APPLICATION PROFILES.....................................33
5R
EMOVING THE FIRE GL1DRIVERS ..................... 36

Table of Contents
4
6 TROUBLESHOOTING...............................................37
COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS ............................... 37
A TECHNICAL DETAILS ..............................................40
FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE ............................................. 40
Hardware........................................................................ 40
Software .......................................................................... 41
Hardware Performance .............................................. 42
PIN ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................... 42
VIDEO MODES.......................................................................... 43
BLOCK DIAGRAM .................................................................... 44
B GLOSSARY ...............................................................45
C TRADEMARKS ..........................................................57
D EMI COMPLIANCE INFORMATION ........................58

About Fire GL1 5
1ABOUT FIRE GL1
♦HARDWARE FEATURES
♦SOFTWARE FEATURES
♦PROFESSIONAL 3D RENDERING
♦CARD LAYO U T
Diamond Fire GL1 is based upon the IBM 256-bit Graphics
Rasterizer, integrating the functionality of a VGA controller, a
2D/3D Raster Engine with Geometry Pipeline Setup processor, and
a 250 MHz RAMDAC in a single package.
Diamond Fire GL1 delivers a balance of 2D power and superior 3D
acceleration providing power for professional 2D and 3D NT
graphics applications:
♦Mechanical Engineering Analysis (MEA)
♦Mechanical Computer Aided Design (MCAD)
♦Electrical Design Automation (EDA)
♦Digital Content Creation (DCC)
♦Animation
♦Visualization

6
HARDWARE FEATURES
♦IBM 256-bit Graphics Rasterizer
♦32 MB SGRAM used for unified framebuffer, Z-, Alpha-,
Overlay-, Window ID and Clip/Stencil buffers, and texture
storage
♦Single short form factor AGP and PCI versions
⇒AGP ATX/NLX bus, AGP2x version 2.0 compliant, with
sideband addressing
⇒PCI bus 32-bit 33/66 MHz version 2.1 compliant
♦100 MHz clock on raster engine and frame buffer
♦64 KByte BIOS FlashROM, reprogrammable by software
♦32-bit RGBαTrue color 2D and 3D acceleration
♦Accelerated, double-buffered 32-bit TrueColor up to
1920 x 1200, at 75 Hz refresh rates
♦24-bit Z- buffer, 4-bit double-buffer, 8-bit single-buffer
overlay
♦Video engine supports YUV conversion, point and bilinear
scaling
♦Standard blue 15-pin D-Type video output connector
SOFTWARE FEATURES
♦OpenGL 1.2 ICD
♦Supports Windows NT 4.0
♦Multiprocessor system support
♦Software driver supports up to 4 displays
♦DDC2B support on all operating systems

About Fire GL1 7
♦Supports Streaming SIMD Extensions (70 New Instructions) in
the new Intel Processors
♦Customized application settings for individual ISV applications
♦Multithreaded OpenGL pipeline and ThreadSafe OpenGL 1.2
ICD support for dual processors.
♦Multihead display driver supports up to 4 screens
♦DDC2B monitor support on all operating system platforms
PROFESSIONAL 3D RENDERING
♦Full OpenGL 1.2 feature set
♦Gouraud shading
♦Bilinear and trilinear MIP-mapping
♦Alpha blending
♦Fogging and depth cueing
♦Anti-aliased lines and sorted polygons
♦Scissoring and stippling
♦Overlay and stencil buffers
♦Z-buffering
For more information on features and performance of your Fire
GL1please refer tothe sectionTechnical Details.
Important — You must be running Windows NT 4.0, updated with
Service Pack 4 (or newer) prior to installing the Fire GL1 drivers.
The Service Pack is available from Microsoft's web page,
www.microsoft.com. For most languages you can perform the
Service Pack 4 update from the SuperCD when you run the Quick
Start utility.

8
CARD LAYOUT
Fire GL1 with AGP bus interface
1 IBM 256-bit Graphics Rasterizer
with fan
4 Flash BIOS PROM
2SG-RAMchips
- also on solder side
5 Oscillator
3 DB-15 monitor connector 6 3.3V/5V voltage supply support with
heatsink
Fire GL1 with PCI bus interface

How to Use this Manual 9
2HOW TO USE THIS
MANUAL
For your convenience, this online User’s Guide has been formatted
as an Adobe®Acrobat®PDF file. This format gives you great
flexibility when using this documentation. You can easily print
this manual to access it off-line; it will look like any standard
document with a table of contents and page numbers. You can
also read it online—important links, such as table of contents
entries, worldwide web, and email addresses are active.
This manual might be displayed with slightly-reduced
magnification in your Reader. If you experience any difficulty
reading certain image files online, use the Reader’s Zoom To
feature from the View menu and increase the magnification to
about 133%.
For printing the User’s Guide, a print resolution of 600 dpi is
recommended.
MANUAL CONVENTIONS
Your Fire GL1 User’s Guide is organized in a standard, familiar
way. A few icons are used to point out important information:
This icon marks useful tips or important operational notes.
This icon is a warning about possible electrical/software hazards or
problems.
Hypertext links are active. If you are reading this manual online,
place your mouse cursor over Table of Contents entries or main
headings. If the hand icon changes to a pointing index finger,
simply click and you will move to that place in the document.
Some email or World Wide Web addresses inside this manual may
be active as well. Go directly to a Web, FTP site, or email program
simply by clicking on an active link.

10
3INSTALLING FIRE GL1
♦INSTALLINGTHE HARDWARE
♦INSTALLING SOFTWARE
INSTALLING THE HARDWARE
Notes:
♦If you plan to set up a multi-monitor system you must install
the primary display adapter and the drivers first, before
installing additional graphics cards.
With the drivers provided you can operate a maximum of four
Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerators. The drivers are designed
exclusively to support Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerators with the
Windows NT 4.0 operating system (updated with Service
Pack 4 or higher). The drivers DO NOT SUPPORT any other
type or brand of graphics card or operating system.
♦Your Fire GL1 may be either an AGP or PCI type. Follow the
instructions for the specific card that you purchased.
♦Please note that the illustrations provided in this section are
for instructional use only; the card shown may look different
than the one you purchased.

Installing Fire GL1 11
System Requirements and Tools
To use this card, you must have the following:
♦a motherboard with free PCI/AGP 1.X slots for the number of
Fire GL1 cards you want to install.
♦a Pentium II PC (or better)
♦Windows NT 4.0 operating system with Service Pack 4 (or
newer)
♦A screwdriver to remove and reinstall the PC cover screws and
card mounting screws. See your PC manual for specific
requirements.
♦SuperCD CD-ROM for Fire GL1
Preparing your Computer
Before removing your old card…
If you are installing your Fire GL1 in place of a card from another
manufacturer, we recommend that you de-install the old card first.
Do the following:
♦Use the uninstall program for your existing card, if one is
available. Consult the documentation for your old card if
necessary.
♦If no uninstall program is available, install the standard VGA
driver via the Display Properties applet. For more
information refer to the following section, titled Installing the
Standard VGA Driver.

12
It is recommended that you set your display driver to Standard
VGA before you shut down your computer and remove the
installed (AGP, PCI, or ISA) VGA card.
Some systems have an integrated graphics solution on the
motherboard. Please refer to the manual or contact your
motherboard manufacturer to determine how to disable your on-
board graphics.
The applications for which you want to install drivers 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 its video mode from
the operating system level.
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.
Windows NT 4.0
To set your display to Standard VGA under Windows NT 4.0:
1. From the Start menu, go to Start > Settings > Control
Panel, then double-click on Display. The Display Properties
sheet appears.
2. Click the Settings tab; then click the Display Type button.
3. Under Adapter Type, click the Change button. The Change
Display window appears.
4. Under Manufacturers, select (Standard display types).
Under Display, choose VGA compatible display adapter.
5. Click OK. You may need to insert your Windows NT 4.0 CD-
ROM.

Installing Fire GL1 13
6. Click Close and OK as often as necessary to accept the
changes.
7. Windows asks you if you want to restart your computer. Click
No.
8. Shut down your computer. You are now ready to remove your
old graphics card and install your new Fire GL1 card.
Opening the Computer Cabinet
Warning! Prevent static electric damage. Avoid touching any
electronic components. Static discharge can cause severe damage
to electronic equipment, 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.
Physically remove the power cable from the system and wait
15-30 seconds for Flea Power to dissipate. Damage can occur
to add-in components if power is not physically disconnected
from the system during installation procedures.
2. Remove the cover of the computer. Refer to the instructions in
your computer’s manual for more information.

14
Installing the Card
To install your Fire GL1 PCI or AGP card, follow these steps:
1. Locate the AGP or an available PCI slot.
View of the AGP slot (dark color)View of a PCI slot (light color)
2. Remove the metal slot cover. Save the screw to secure the
graphics card later.
3. Hold the card by the edges and position it directly above the
AGP or PCI slot. AGP and PCI cards are designed to fit one
way only. Be sure your card is properly aligned.
4. Insert your Fire GL1 card firmly into the AGP or PCI slot. Take
care to press it evenly and snugly into its slot. Do not force.
5. 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 a
previously installed video adapter to secure the card in place.

Installing Fire GL1 15
Installation in an AGP or PCI expansion slot
a
c
b
aFireGL1card
b Card edge connector
c Expansion slot
Reassembling Your Computer
♦Secure ribbon cables and gently push them down and out of
the way before you replace the system cover.
♦Replace the computer cover.
♦Reconnect any peripheral equipment cables you may have
disconnected.

16
Connecting the Monitor Cable
Securely attach your monitor's data cable to the 15-pin VGA
output connector (3) on the card. Attach the cable to the monitor
according to the monitor's instructions.
Fire GL1 with AGP bus interface
3
Fire GL1 with PCI bus interface
3

Installing Fire GL1 17
After Installing the Card
If you have correctly installed the card, operating system messages
will appear on your monitor when the boot procedure is finished.
To enjoy the full benefits of your new Fire GL1 card in your PC,
you will need to install a package of basic drivers. Refer to Installing
Software.
To enable and set up a multi-monitor configuration use the
MultiScreen dialog in the Display Properties menu after you
have installed the FireGL1 drivers.
If your system does NOT boot as it should...
♦Check again to verify that the installation instructions were
properly followed.
♦Check that the system BIOS has assigned a system interrupt to
the AGP or PCI slot where the card is installed.
⇒Check the system configuration utility of your operating
system for the interrupt assignments.
⇒Inspect your system BIOS setup for an option that says
"Assign IRQ to VGA" or something similar and ensure that
this option is enabled.
♦Some older ISA legacy add-in cards (with jumpers, non-Plug-
n-Play) may cause a conflict if they are not configured in the
ESCD (extended system configuration data) area of the system
BIOS. Please refer to your computer’s User’s Guide for
information on using the ISA Configuration Utility ICU to add
legacy card resource requirements to the system.
♦Contact the Technical Support.

18
Additional Instructions
♦Switch on your monitor before you switch on your computer.
Failing to do so 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! After you have successfully installed the Fire GL1
drivers, use the dialogs in the Display Properties menu allow
to adjust the video settings.
♦The board has been designed to take advantage of 'plug–n-
play' without requiring additional installation or configuration.
Please refer to the Troubleshooting section for more information,
if it appears that the card is not performing optimally.
Monitor Compatibility
This graphics solution offers high-performance resolutions, refresh
rates and color depths. It is optimally configured to be combined
with high-resolution MultiSync or multi-frequency monitors. You
can also connect the Fire GL1 to other VGA monitors.
Note: You can use the full power of the graphics card only if your
monitor supports the horizontal (kHz) and vertical (Hz) refresh
rates as required by the graphics card.
Warning! Be sure the refresh rates you select are compatible with
your monitor. Incompatible refresh rate selection may damage
your monitor. Refer to your monitor's documentation for
recommended refresh rates.
If you can switch the impedance values on your monitor, use the
following recommended settings:
R, G, B video input: 75 Ohm
Synch: 2.2 kOhm
Try other 'Synch' settings if you cannot achieve a stable video
image.
If the impedance setting options are 'High' and 'Low' only, try the
setting that provides the most satisfactory monitor display.

Installing Fire GL1 19
INSTALLING SOFTWARE
Now that you have installed the Fire GL1 hardware and rebooted
your computer, complete your installation using the following
directions for your operating system.
You will need to install a package of basic drivers
♦if you install the card to your system
♦if you are re-installing or upgrading your operating system
Important — You must have Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack
4 installed prior to installing the Fire GL1 drivers. The Service Pack
is available from Microsoft's web page, www.microsoft.com. For
most languages you can also perform the Service Pack 4 update
from the SuperCD when you run the Quick Start utility.
To install or remove the Fire GL1 drivers, you need administrator
rights or you must be logged on as a user with administrator rights
under Windows NT.
General Information
Before installing the Diamond Fire GL1 video driver, close all open
applications and disable any anti-virus software that is running on
your computer until the driver installation is complete!
To install or uninstall the Fire GL1 drivers, you need administrator
rights or you must be logged on as a user with administrator rights
under Windows NT.
The Diamond installation dialog will display in English if your
operating system’s language is not supported.
Note: If you have added Fire GL1 cards to your system for a
multi-monitor configuration you do not need to install the
software drivers again for each card. Go to MultiScreen in the
Display Properties menu to enable and set up your multi-
monitor configuration.

20
Tips and Hints
The software installation procedure later in this chapter describes
how to install the drivers for your graphics card after you have
installed the new card for the first time and have rebooted your
computer.
This section offers some additional tips if you want or need to
install the graphics card drivers in a special working scenario, for
example, if you have re-installed your operating system, or if you
want to perform a manual installation.
♦You can always install the drivers using the Quick Start utility
on the SuperCD.
The Quick Start utility will start automatically, if you insert the
SuperCD into your CD-ROM drive after the operating system
has started. If your CD-ROM auto-run is not enabled and/or
the Quick Start program does not start automatically:
Click the Start button in the task bar, click Run, and then
select START.EXE from the root directory of the SuperCD.
Select Readme from the SuperCD Fire GL1 start menu to
display a readme file. Refer to this file for additional and ‘last
minute’ information. Information in this file may not appear in
printed documentation or online help
♦You must be running Windows NT 4.0, updated with Service
Pack 4 (or newer) before installing the Fire GL1 drivers. For
most languages you can perform the Service Pack 4 update
from the SuperCD when you run the Quick Start utility.
Software Installation for Windows NT4.0
1. Run the Quick Start utility. The Quick Start utility will start
automatically, if you insert the SuperCD into your CD-ROM
drive after the operating system has started. If your CD-ROM
auto-run is not enabled and/or the Quick Start program does
not start automatically:
Click the Start button in the task bar, click Run, and then
select START.EXE from the root directory of the SuperCD.