ATI Technologies X1900 - Radeon XTX 512 MB PCIE Video Card User manual

Radeon®X1900
CrossFireTM Edition
User’s Guide
P/N 137-40974-10
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Copyright © 2005, ATI TechnologiesInc. All rights reserved.
ATI, the ATI logo, and ATI product and product-feature names are trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or
registeredtrademarksoftheirrespective owners.Features,performanceandspecificationsaresubject
to change without notice. Product may not be exactly as shown in diagrams.
Reproduction of this manual, or parts thereof, in any form, without the express written permission of
ATI Technologies Inc. is strictly prohibited.
Disclaimer
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, ATI Technologies Inc.
assumes no liability with respect to the operation or use of ATI hardware, software or other products
and documentation described herein, for any act or omission of ATI concerning such products or this
documentation, for any interruption of service, loss or interruption of business, loss ofanticipatory
profits, or for punitive,incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing,
performance, or use of the ATI hardware, software, or other products and documentation provided
herein.
ATI Technologies Inc. reserves the right to make changes without further notice to a productor system
described herein to improve reliability, function or design. With respect to ATI products which this
document relates, ATI disclaims all express or implied warranties regarding such products, including
but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-
infringement.
Macrovision
Apparatus Claims of U.S. Patent Nos.4,631,603, 4,577,216, 4,819,098, and 4,907,093 licensed for
limited viewing uses only.
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owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation,
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Documentation Updates
ATI is constantly improving its product and associated documentation. To maximize the value of your
ATI product, you should ensure that you have the latest documentation. ATI’s documentation contains
helpful installation/configuration tips and other valuable feature information.
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LIMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
•Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions should
be read before the product is operated.
•Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be
retained for future reference.
•Heed Warnings - All warnings on the product and the operating
instructions should be adhered to.
•Compatibility - This option card is for use only with IBM AT or
compatible UL Listed personal computers that have Installation
Instructions detailing user installation of card cage accessories.
•Grounding - For continued protection against risk of electric shock
and fire, this accessory should be installed only in products equipped
with a three-wire grounding plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin.
This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet,
contact your electrician to replace the obsolete outlet. Do not defeat
the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.
•Secure Attachment - All card securement pins shall be completely
tightened as to provide continuous bonding between the option card
and the PC chassis.
•Lightning - For added protection for this product during a lightning
storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of
time, unplug it from the wall outlet, and disconnect the antenna or
cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning
and power-line surges.
•Power Lines - An outside antenna system should not be located in
the vicinity of overhead power lines or other light or power circuits, or
where it can fall into such power lines or circuits.
•Antenna Installation - When installing an outside antenna system,
extreme care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines
or circuits, as contact with them may be fatal.
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Table of Contents
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements 2
External Connections 3
Types of CrossFire™ Connections 3
Before You Begin 4
Record Your Serial and Part Numbers 4
Uninstall Previous Graphics Card Drivers 4
Installing Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installing CrossFire™ Graphics Cards 8
Installing CrossFire™ Ready Graphics card 10
Connecting devices for CrossFire™ 11
Using Multiple Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Display Configurations 13
Connecting Your Monitors for Multiple Display 13
Enabling Multiple Displays 16
Installing Software and Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Installing Drivers and Software in Windows® 17
Software Installation Prerequisites 17
Monitor Configuration 19
Installing the Catalyst™ Software Suite 20
Catalyst™ Control Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Launching Catalyst™ Control Center 23
Launching Catalyst™ Control Center Using the Start Menu 23
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Other Quick Launch Access Points 24
Help 25
Displays Manager 25
Video 26
Display Options 27
Color 27
Monitor Properties 28
Component Video Properties 28
Digital Panel Properties 28
Hotkeys Manager 29
Profiles Manager 29
Preferences 29
CrossFire™ 30
To access CrossFire™ 30
CrossFire™ FAQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Welcome to CrossFire™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
CrossFire™ Overview 39
Allowable CrossFire™ System Components 39
CrossFire™ Rendering Modes 39
SuperTiling 40
Scissor Mode 41
Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR) Mode 42
Super Anti-aliasing Mode 44
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Troubleshooting 47
Product Registration 51
Customer Care 51
Getting Additional Accessories 53
Compliance Information 53
FCC Compliance Information 53
Industry Canada Compliance Statement 54
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) Directive Compliance 54
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
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Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
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1
CHAPTER 1:
Getting Started
Congratulations on the purchase of your ATI Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM
Edition graphics card. We hope that you will enjoy countless hours of
trouble-free computing.
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2
System Requirements
Hardware • Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon®.
• 512MB of system memory; 1GB or more for best
performance.
• Optical drive for installation software (CD-ROM or
DVD-ROM drive).
• Specialized PCI Express® 450 watt or greater power
supply recommended. Consult your computer system
manual to ensure the power supply is designed to
accommodate a high-end graphics card with a peak
dissipation above 75 watts.
Operating
System • Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2).
• Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition.
• Windows® 2000.
•Windows®Vista.
Monitor • High-resolution MultiSync or multi-frequency monitors
or any other type of VGA monitor.
• Digital flat-panel (DFP) displays or digital CRT display.
CrossFire™
Compatibility If you are planning on using this graphics card as part of a CrossFire™ system, the following is required:
• A CrossFire™ certified motherboard with two (2) PCI
Express® X16 slots and correct PCIe™ chipset driver.
(See ati.com/crossfire for a list of CrossFire™
certified motherboards.)
• a CrossFire™ Edition graphics card from the same
product series that works as the Master graphics card.
More information on the requirements for each of these
components can be found within the CrossFire™ FAQ.
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Types of CrossFire™ Connections 3
External Connections
The following connection types are available on the baseplate of your
Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM Edition:
• DVI-I
• VHDCI
Types of CrossFire™ Connections
A CrossFire™ Master card will have one of two different types of
CrossFire™-specific connection: either a DMS-59™-based CrossFire™
connection or a VHDCI-based CrossFire™ connection. Both are connector
types capable of handling more data and display information than more
typical video connection types. Ensure that you are using the connector
appropriate for your CrossFire™ Master card.
The appropriate connector will attach to one of these types of connection
on the Master card, with the other end attaching to a DVI connection on the
Slave card.
The following illustration depicts the difference between the two
CrossFire™-specific connection types:
CrossFire™-Specific Master Card Connection Types
1DMS-59™ female connection
2VHDCI female connection
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4 Before You Begin
Before You Begin
Before you begin installing your new graphics card, please do the
following.
Record Your Serial and Part Numbers
The serial number and 102 part number printed on the graphics card are
required for registration. They are located on a sticker on the back of the
card.
Write the numbers, shown in bold above, down before installing your new
ATI product.
Uninstall Previous Graphics Card Drivers
To ensure the successful installation of your new Radeon®X1900
CrossFireTM Edition card, you must uninstall the drivers for the existing
graphics card before removing it from your computer.
To uninstall previous drivers
With your current graphics card still in your computer:
1Close all applications that are currently running.
2Navigate to the Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs.
3Select your current graphics card drivers and select Add/Remove.
The wizard will help you remove your current display drivers.
XSerial number (S/N)
Y102 part number (P/N)
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Before You Begin 5
Note: If the previously installed graphics card has any additional
software installed, it should also be removed at this point.
4Restart your system after the drivers have been removed.
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6 Before You Begin
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CHAPTER 2:
Installing Hardware
This chapter will guide you through the physical installation of your
Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM Edition graphics card.
The Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM Edition will always be the Master
graphics card due to its on-board compositing engine and the associated
VHDCI connector. For supported Slave graphics cards, see Allowable
CrossFire™ Display Configurations.
1Power Supply
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8 Installing CrossFire™ Graphics Cards
Note: The above illustration is an example only. The order of card
installation is dependent on the motherboard and may be different
than shown above.
Installing CrossFire™ Graphics Cards
The following set of instructions assumes that the PCI Express® Slave
graphics card has already been successfully installed in the secondary slot
(slot one), and that the primary slot (slot zero) is empty. If you have not
already done so, see the user’s guide that came with the graphics card for
installation instructions.
1Turn off the computer, monitor, and other peripheral devices.
2Unplug the computer’s power cord and disconnect all cables from the
back of your computer.
3Remove the computer cover.
If necessary, consult your computer’s manual for help in removing
the cover.
2Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM Edition Graphics Card (Master) Slot 0
3CrossFire™-Compatible Graphics Card (Slave) Slot 1
4Power Cables.
LConsult your system builder or OEM to ensure that your system has an
adequate power supply. A 550 watt or greater power supply is
recommended. PCI Express® compatible system comes with a
specialized 12V graphics card power connector.
LWARNING - Wait approximately 20 seconds after unplugging the
power cord before disconnecting a peripheral or removing a
component from the motherboard to avoid possible damage to the
motherboard.
LWARNING - Discharge your body’s static electricity by touching the
power supply or the metal surface of the computer chassis. Otherwise,
you may damage your system.
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Installing CrossFire™ Graphics Cards 9
4Unscrew or unfasten and remove any non-CrossFire™ supported
graphics card from your computer.
5Locate the primary (slot 0) PCI Express® slot on the motherboard. If
necessary, remove the metal backplate cover from the case housing.
Note: To determine the primary PCI Express® slot consult your
motherboard’s manual. For the latest information on the best
configuration, consult:
ati.com/crossfire
6Align your CrossFire™ Master card in the slot and press firmly until
the card is fully seated.
7Connect the power cable to the 6-pin Molex power connection on the
graphics card.
8Screw in or fasten the graphics card securely. Make sure the cables
are not interfering with anything inside the computer (for example, a
cooling fan) and replace the computer cover.
9Reconnect any cables you have disconnected and plug in the
computer’s power cord.
10 Turn on the monitor, and then your computer.
LImportant - To ensure proper ventilation for your Radeon®X1900
CrossFireTM Edition graphics card, also remove the metal backplate
cover to the adjacent PCI Express® slot.
LImportant - Ensure that both cards are properly seated and are not
in direct contact with each other to prevent either card from
overheating.
LYour computer will beep, possibly show a warning message on your
display, and the boot process will stop if the graphics card is not correctly
connected to the power supply.
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10 Installing CrossFire™ Ready Graphics card
Installing CrossFire™ Ready Graphics
card
If you haven’t already done so, install your CrossFire™ Ready slave card
now.
1Turn off the computer, monitor, and other peripheral devices.
2Unplug the computer’s power cord and disconnect all cables from the
back of your computer.
3Remove the computer cover.
If necessary, consult your computer’s manual for help in removing
the cover.
4Unscrew or unfasten and remove any non-CrossFire™ supported
graphics card from your computer.
5Locate the secondary (slot 1) PCI Express® slot on the motherboard.
If necessary, remove the metal backplate cover from the case housing.
Note: To determine the secondary PCI Express® slot consult your
motherboard’s manual. For the latest information on the best
configuration, consult:
ati.com/crossfire
LWARNING - Wait approximately 20 seconds after unplugging the
power cord before disconnecting a peripheral or removing a
component from the motherboard to avoid possible damage to the
motherboard.
LWARNING - Discharge your body’s static electricity by touching the
power supply or the metal surface of the computer chassis. Otherwise,
you may damage your system.
LImportant - To ensure proper ventilation for your Radeon®X1900
CrossFireTM Edition graphics card, also remove the metal backplate
cover to the adjacent PCI Express® slot.
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Connecting devices for CrossFire™ 11
6Align your CrossFire™ Master card in the slot and press firmly until
the card is fully seated.
7Connect the power cable to the 6-pin Molex power connection on the
graphics card.
8Screw in or fasten the graphics card securely. Make sure the cables
are not interfering with anything inside the computer (for example, a
cooling fan) and replace the computer cover.
9Reconnect any cables you have disconnected and plug in the
computer’s power cord.
10 Turn on the monitor, and then your computer.
Connecting devices for CrossFire™
Your Radeon®X1900 CrossFireTM Edition provides hardware support for
one DVI-I monitor or one VGA monitor using the supplied DVI-I-to-VGA
adapter. It also has a VHDCI connector for connection to a supported PCI
Express® graphics card for CrossFire™ support. For supported Slave
graphics cards see Allowable CrossFire™ System Components.
The following illustration shows how to connect your ATI CrossFire™
Edition Master graphics card to your PCI Express® Slave graphics card:
LImportant - Ensure that both cards are properly seated and are not
in direct contact with each other to prevent either card from
overheating.
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12 Connecting devices for CrossFire™
1CrossFire™ Edition Graphics Card (Master)
2CrossFire™-Compatible Graphics Card (Slave)
3VHDCI Connection and CrossFire™ Interconnect
Cable
4DVI-I Adapter connects to Slave graphics card
5DVI-I Adapter connects to display device
6DVI-I-to-VGA Adapter to CRT Display (optional)
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