ELSA ERAZOR X User manual

ELSA ERAZORTM X
ELSA ERAZORTM X²
Manual

© 1999 ELSA AG, Aachen (Germany)
While the information in this manual has been compiled with great care, it may not be deemed an assur-
ance of product characteristics. ELSA shall be liable only to the degree specified in the terms of sale
and delivery.
The reproduction and distribution of the documentation and software supplied with this product and the
use of its contents is subject to written authorization from ELSA.
ELSA is DIN EN ISO 9001 certified. The accredited TÜV CERT certification authority has confirmed ELSA
conformity to the worldwide ISO 9001 standard in certificate number 09 100 5069, issued on June 15,
1998.
This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of certain
U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other right
owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and
is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision
Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
Trademarks
Windows®, Windows NT®and Microsoft®are registered trademarks of Microsoft, Corp.
All other names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The
ELSA logo is a registered trademark of ELSA AG.
Subject to change without notice. No liability for technical errors or omissions.
Aachen, November 1999
21638/1199
ELSA AG
Sonnenweg 11
52070 Aachen
Germany
ELSA, Inc.
1630 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95112
USA

Preface
Thank you for placing your trust in this ELSA product.
In chosing the
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² , you have selected a graphics board which
is just as well suited to professional users as to ambitious players. The graphics proces-
sor on the board ensures high-speed generation of on-screen graphics making this board
ideal for advanced CAD and visualization applications as well as for fast animation.
ELSA products are subject to the highest of standards in production and quality control
which are the foundation for consistently high product quality.
This manual provides all the information you will need to get the best out of your ELSA
graphics board. For instance, which resolution is best for which monitor, or how is the
board upgraded? The accompanying ELSA utility programs are described, and you will
find detailed information about 3D acceleration.
ELSA products are subject to continual further development. It is therefore possible that
the information printed in this manual is not current in all respects.
In the README files on the ERAZOR X CD can always be found current information about
updates.
If you have further questions or need additional help, you can rely on our online services
which are available to ELSA customers. Look for information on the ELSA's website.
In very urgent cases the ELSA Hotline can be reached under the following number:
1-800-272-ELSA (3572)
or from outside the USA:
[phone]
or in the United Kingdom:
[phone]

Before you read on...
The installation of the ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²hardware and software drivers is
described in full in the Installation Guide which accompanies this manual. You should
refer to that document before attempting to install your board, and before reading this

ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
V
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² highlights ........................................................... 1
Video-out................................................................................................................. 1
What's in the box? .................................................................................................. 2
What hardware do I need? ..................................................................................... 2
CE conformity and FCC radiation standard............................................................. 2
After installing the drivers ........................................................................................... 5
Software installation from the CD.......................................................................... 5
The right settings.................................................................................................... 5
What are your options?...................................................................................... 6
What makes sense?........................................................................................... 6
Changing the resolution.......................................................................................... 7
Windows 95 and Windows 98........................................................................... 7
Windows NT 4.0 ................................................................................................ 9
Useful stuff and more .................................................................................................. 11
The Multimedia Player.......................................................................................... 11
Fine-tuning for performance freaks ...................................................................... 12
ELSA ChipGuard.................................................................................................... 13
Overclocking.......................................................................................................... 13
ELSAinfo................................................................................................................ 14
Video out with the
ELSA ERAZOR X².................................................................... 14
Connecting to the Video Outputs..................................................................... 14
Settings under Windows 9x............................................................................. 15
All about graphics ....................................................................................................... 17
3D graphics representation................................................................................... 17
The 3D pipeline ................................................................................................ 17
3D interfaces......................................................................................................... 19
What APIs are available?................................................................................. 20
Direct 3D .......................................................................................................... 20
OpenGL............................................................................................................. 21
Color palettes, TrueColor and gray scales............................................................ 21
VGA .................................................................................................................. 21
DirectColor ....................................................................................................... 22
VESA DDC (Display Data Channel) ....................................................................... 22
DDC2B .............................................................................................................. 23
DDC2AB............................................................................................................ 23
Technical data ............................................................................................................. 25

ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
VI
Characteristics of the graphics board .................................................................. 25
ELSA graphics board addresses ........................................................................... 25
Ports on the graphics board ................................................................................. 26
The VGA D-shell socket .................................................................................. 26
The S-Video connector .................................................................................... 26
Appendix .......................................................................................................................27
Declarations of conformity .................................................................................. 27
Warranty conditions ............................................................................................. 28
Glossary ........................................................................................................................ 31
Index .............................................................................................................................. 35

Introduction
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
1
Introduction
“Reading the manual is a waste of time.”A prejudice you are proving to be wrong right
now by reading this manual. And rightly so. In this case, it is really worth the effort.
Because the
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² has some smart features that are only
described here in the manual.
So only those who read the manual will truly be taken with this card. We'll make it as
short and easy as we can–promise.
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
highlights
쮿The latest 3D graphics technology with the NVIDIA GeForce 256 processor
쮿High-definition 3D—the latest games using DirectX7 use up to 4 times more poly-
gons at full speed!
쮿Witness nearly true-life player skins and objects!
쮿High-definition picture—high performance with up to 1900 x 1440 pixels, over
16 million colors and refresh rates of 200Hz provide an astounding picture—ideal
for 19" to 24" monitors
쮿32-MB graphics memory give you scope for image processing and huge textures
쮿ELSA SmartRefresh and ELSA SmartResolution provide optimal monitor settings
쮿Supports the 3D shutter glasses,
ELSA 3D REVELATOR
쮿Product support via Internet WWW site
쮿Six-years warranty
쮿This board complies with the CE and FCC regulations
Video-out
쮿Play games on the big TV screen
쮿Record games and applications to VCR
쮿Edit video directly on the TV
쮿High quality output with 10bit DAC and flicker filter

Introduction
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
2
What's in the box?
You will notice if your graphics board is missing. But you need to check that the box con-
tained all of the following:
쮿Graphics board
쮿Installation Guide
쮿Manual
쮿CD-ROM with installation and driver software and utilities
쮿CD-ROM with Direct3D demo programs
쮿CD-ROM with 3D games
쮿Only with video-equipped graphics boards:
Video adapter cable from S-Video (Hosiden) to Composite (Cinch)
If any part is missing please contact your dealer. ELSA reserves the right to vary the prod-
ucts supplied without prior notice.
What hardware do I need?
쮿Computer: Minimum requirements are a Celeron 300, Pentium II 300 or AMD K6
300 processor.
쮿Bus: The
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² is available as an AGP version. Your com-
puter must have an AGP bus.
쮿Monitor: The
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² works with the standard IBM VGA
compatible horizontal scan frequency of 31.5 kHz while booting and in DOS opera-
tion.
CE conformity and FCC radiation standard
CE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of the European
Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to elec-
tromagnetic compatibility (89/336/EEC) according to EN 55022 class B.
FCC
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device pursuant to Part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules.

Introduction
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
3
CE and FCC
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against radio frequency inter-
ference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy. It may interfere with to radio communications if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions. However, there is no guarantee that interfer-
ence will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference
to radio or television reception (this can be determined by turning this equipment off and
on), the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the follow-
ing measures:
쮿Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
쮿Increase the distance between this equipment and the receiver.
쮿Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit other than that to which the receiver
is connected.
쮿Consult your dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician.
쮿Caution: To comply with the limits for an FCC Class B computing device, always use
a shielded signal cable.
Caution to the user: The Federal Communications Commission warns the user that chan-
ges or modifications to the unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

Introduction
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
4

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
5
After installing the drivers
In this chapter you will find descriptions of
쮿where you can find the software for operating your ELSA graphics board,
쮿the performance characteristics of your graphics board, and
쮿the most effective tuning for the combination of monitor and ELSA graphics board.
Software installation from the CD
The ELSA graphics board is normally supplied with software on a CD-ROM . You will find
all the utilities described in this manual on the Product CD—unless they are a component
of the operating system
.
Once you have successfully completed the steps described in the Installation Guide, your
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² is integrated into your computer system with installed
drivers. You are now likely to be familiar with the program ELSA CD setup. If the
autostart function for your CD-ROM drive under Windows has been switched off, the
setup program on the Product CD will not start automatically. It can be found and started
manually from the root directory of the CD and is called SETUP.EXE.
ELSA-Setup recognizes the operating system and the ELSA graphics board(s). First of all
select the language for the installation and then the components you wish to install.
The right settings
Our tip is: Invest a little time at this stage and you won’t regret it. Take your time to set
up your system just right. Your eyes will thank you for it, and you are guaranteed to have
more fun in front of your screen.
To set up your system properly, the following questions should be answered:
쮿What is the maximum resolution I can set on my system?
쮿Which color depth do I want to use?
쮿What value should I set for my display refresh rate?
To help you find the answers to these questions, this chapter has been divided according
to the operating systems available. Just look for the section about the operating system
you use. All the information you need is here and all the software you need, if not already
a part of your operating system, is on the Product CD.

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
6
What are your options?
The tables below show the maximum possible resolutions for the ELSA graphics board.
Note that these resolutions cannot be achieved under all operating conditions.
What makes sense?
There are some basic ground rules for you to follow when setting up your graphics sys-
tem. On the one hand, there are the ergonomic guidelines, although nowadays these are
met by most systems, and on the other hand there are limitations inherent to your sys-
tem, e.g. your monitor. The question of whether your applications need to run using large
color depths––perhaps even TrueColor––is also important. This is an important condition
for many DTP or CAD workstations. We recommend that games and “normal”Windows
applications are operated in HighColor with 65,536 colors.
“More Pixels, more fun”
This is an opinion which is widespread, but which is not entirely true under all circum-
stances. The general rule is that a refresh rate of 73Hz meets the minimum ergonomic
requirements. The resolution to be selected also depends on the capabilities of your mon-
itor. The table below is a guide to the resolutions you might select:
Max. Refresh Rate (Hz)
Color depth: 256 colors (8 bit) HighColor (16 bit) TrueColor (32bit)
1900 x 1440 60 –85 60 –85 60 –85
1600 x 1200 60 –120 60 –120 60 –100
1280 x 1024 60 –170 60 –170 60 –150
1152 x 864 60 –200 60 –200 60 –160
1024 x 768 60 –200 60 –200 60 –200
800 x 600 60 –200 60 –200 60 –200
640 x 480 60 –200 60 –200 60 –200
HighColor = 65,536 colors, TrueColor = 16.7 million colors
Monitor
size
Typical
image size
Minimum
resolution
Maximum
resolution
Ergonomic
resolution
17“15.5“- 16“800 x 600 1024 x 768 1024 x 768
19“17.5“- 18.1“1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 1152 x 864
20“/21“19“- 20“1024 x 768 1600 x 1200 1280 x 1024
24“21“- 22.5“1600 x 1000 1920 x 1200 1600 x 1000

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
7
Changing the resolution
You set the resolution of your graphics board in the Control Panel under Windows..
Windows 95 and Windows 98
The ' Settings' are automatically integrated into the Control Panel during the instal-
lation of the
WINman Suite . You can use these Settings to tweak your graphics system
for the best performance. The ' Settings' provide some great features. Once you
have specified the graphics board model and the monitor data, the program will automat-
ically detect which settings are possible and which are not. This means, for instance,
that it is impossible for you to select an incorrect refresh rate which might damage your
monitor.
햲Click on Start, then select Settings 왘Control Panel.
햳You will find the Display icon in the Control Panel. When you start this program,
you are shown a dialog box where you can modified the display settings.
햴Here you should click on the ' Settings' tab.
It is important to carry out the following settings or checks step by step:
쮿the monitor type
쮿the resolution of the monitor
image (Scheme, Data Set)
쮿the color depth, and
쮿the refresh rate.
' Settings' has all the options
for setting up the graphics board
for your monitor.
ELSA ERAZOR X

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
8
Choosing the monitor
If your monitor supports DDC, the preset values will be displayed under 'Scheme'. If this
is not the case, click on Change... to call up the database of monitor types. You will be
presented with a list of monitor manufacturers and monitor models. If your manufacturer
is present, click on the entry and then select your model. If your monitor is not listed,
there are two options. One option is to select the '_Standard monitor' from the list of
manufacturers and then select the resolution you wish to work with.
A second option requires information about the technical specifications for your monitor.
Consult your monitor manual to ensure that you have the correct information. Click on
Change... in the 'Monitor type database' window. In addition to the information regard-
ing the monitor manufacturer, and the model designation, you will have to enter the fre-
quency ranges for the horizontal and vertical scan frequencies and specify the diagonal
size of your monitor.
Check your entries for the image frequencies carefully, as otherwise you might damage
your monitor
. Look these up in your monitor manual or consult the monitor manufacturer.
ELSA SmartRefresh and ELSA SmartResolution
Click on the Details button in the ' Settings' to open a dialog where you can adjust
the refresh rates and video timings individually. In addition you can change the resolu-
tion in steps of 32 pixels. The graphics mode fine-tuning tool is especially for screens in
If your monitor type is not listed in the
monitors database you can enter the
monitor manufacturer and model type
here.
The vertical and horizontal frequency
ranges and the diagonal size of the
screen are the important settings.

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
9
portrait or wide-angle format, or with the 4:3 aspect ratio. In such cases it is clearly
advantageous to have the option of freely-selectable values.
Windows NT 4.0
The settings for the graphics driver are included in the Control Panel under Windows NT
4.0. Use the command sequence
Start 왘Settings 왘Control Panel
to call the dialog window where you should find the icon for Display. Double click on
this symbol to open the window with its various tabs. Click on the 'Settings' tab.
You can select the possible settings for 'Color palette', 'Font size', 'Resolution' and 'Dis-
play frequency' from this dialog box. The available selection is determined by the ELSA
driver you have installed. You should always check the configuration you have selected
by clicking on the Test button.
You will find further information on how to customize your graphics settings under Win-
dows NT 4.0 in your system manual.
Free choice: Resolution
and refresh rates can be
freely adjusted.
Note: The set-
tings for the moni-
tor timings should
only be changed
by specialists.

After installing the drivers
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
10

Useful stuff and more
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
11
Useful stuff and more
Apart from the ELSA drivers, the CD also contains additional programs and utilities for
use with the
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X² , a selection of which we will introduce
here. Information about other programs can be taken from the README files on the CD.
The Multimedia Player
Until now, a variety of programs for the playback of CDs, videos and other media was
available under Multimedia in the Accessories folder of the Windows start menu. These
have now been succeeded by the Microsoft Multimedia Player. It handles the most com-
mon multimedia formats, all under one common user interface—regardless of whether
the data is coming from the Internet or the local hard disk. The Multimedia Player is
responsible for the playback of RealAudio and RealVideo, as well as WAV, AVI and
Quicktime files.
After the installation, the file extensions of media files are permanently associated with
the Multimedia Player. You can thus double-click the media files in the Windows
Explorer or My Computer folder to conveniently launch the Player and start the playback.
The use of the Multimedia Player is intuitive, and it includes a comprehensive help func-
tion to clarify questions or solve problems while working with the program.
Video playback or Internet live radio: The
Microsoft Multimedia Player handles all
common multimedia formats.

Useful stuff and more
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
12
Fine-tuning for performance freaks
After installing the ELSA graphics drivers under Windows 95 and Windows 98 you will
find a new tab in the 'Display Properties': The ' 3D Settings'
Because Windows 98 allows the operation of multiple graphics boards, the 3D Settings
for the ERAZOR are to be found in another location. Under 'Display Properties' select in
turn:
'Settings' 왘Advanced... 왘' 3D Settings' .
These settings let you set up the optimal games performance on your system. In most
cases you don’t need to adjust anything. Once in a while if you see display errors on
screen or if there are problems with the speed, you can adjust the driver settings. The
settings which are optimal for any game can saved under an identifiable name and
quickly recalled without having to restart your system.
Experimentation pays! Give your combatant a little extra “zip”and optimize his chances
against the competition. If the descriptions here are too cryptic, just take a look at the
glossary in this manual or use the comprehensive help system. Simply click on the ques-
tion mark at the top right-hand corner of the dialog window, and then click on the item in
question. If you accidentally dump your system into the crawler-lane, just click on the
emergency button Restore Defaults. The standard settings will be called into action.
The question mark provides the answers! If you want more infor-
mation about any setting, just click on this symbol and then sel-
ect the area in the dialog about which you want to know more .

Useful stuff and more
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
13
ELSA ChipGuard
ERAZOR X
ELSA ChipGuard is your reliable helper
in the background. It is most useful
when you want to use the ELSA ➞over-
clocking tool to tease more than the
“allowed“performance out of your
graphics board.
ChipGuard continually monitors the
temperature of the chip during use. As
soon as the temperature exceeds a crit-
ical value (approximately 100°Celsius),
the clock rate of the chip and memory is
automatically reduced to a non-critical
value below the default settings. After a
reboot the normal settings are active.
This protects the chip from thermal failure.
ELSA ChipGuard is installed automatically along with the drivers. It is started whenever
Windows ist started. ChipGuard functions fully automatically.
Despite its important role, ELSA's ChipGuard remains in the background. When the hard-
ware is functioning, a green dot is displayed in the start menu. The dot becomes red as
soon as the hardware reaches a critical condition. If the fan is not working properly when
checked at startup, a window opens to notify the user that the fan is either working too
slowly, or not at all.
Overclocking
The overclocking tool enables you to
increase the values for memory clock and
core clock in order to push the performance
of the graphics board
If you like to increase these values please
be careful! In any case you should do it in
little steps (1MHz). Changing the settings
becomes active when you click the button
Accept.
The first sign when putting great strain on
the graphics board are pixel errors, which

Useful stuff and more
ELSA ERAZOR X and ERAZOR X²
14
you can easily notice on your monitor. If the values are too high the ➞ELSA ChipGuard
becomes active.
ELSAinfo
Use ELSAinfo to investigate your system.
In addition to the details about your
graphics board you will find information
about your computer system, the DirectX
and OpenGL driver versions and the ELSA
software you have installed. This infor-
mation provides a basis for generating a
report that can be of use in case you
require support. This collection of infor-
mation provides the ELSA Support with all the information they need to guarantee you
fast and relevant help.
Video out with the
ELSA ERAZOR X²
Connecting to the Video Outputs
Apart from the VGA socket for connecting your computer’s monitor, the graphics board
features an additional video output socket. You can connect video players or recorders
equipped with an S-Video input or with a Cinch socket (composite input). You can use the
supplied adapter for this. Be sure to check the Connector settings for the Video-Out.
Connection to a TV Set
You can connect any normal TV set to the graphics board. Refer to the operating manual
for your television to find out which video standards it supports, or ask your TV dealer.
You can connect PAL or NTSC devices to the graphics board.
Some VCRs and TV sets provide only a SCART connector for video input. To connect the
graphics board to the device you will need a SCART-to-S-Video/composite adapter which
Hosiden plug
Plug for connecting video signal sources and video players or recorders to the
graphics board. Your graphics board is supplied with a special adapter
(Hosiden plug ➞ Cinch socket) for supplying composite inputs with S-Video
signals.
Cinch socket
With the adapter’s Hosiden plug connected with the S-Video output of the
graphics board, you can use a Cinch cable from a video player or recorder and
connect this to the Cinch socket on the adapter.