Gigabyte GV-N550OC-1GI User manual

GV-N550OC-1GI
NVIDIA®GeForceTM GTX 550 Ti GraphicsAccelerator
User's Manual
Rev. 101
12MM-N550-101R
Copyright
©2011GIGABYTETECHNOLOGYCO.,LTD
CopyrightbyGIGA-BYTETECHNOLOGYCO.,LTD.("GBT").Nopartofthismanualmaybereproducedortransmitted
in anyform withoutthe expressed,written permissionof GBT.
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Notice
Pleasedo notremove anylabels onthis graphicscard. Doingsomay voidthe warrantyof thiscard.
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VGA Card
GV-N550OC-1GI
Feb. 21, 2011
VGA Card
GV-N550OC-1GI
Feb. 21, 2011

- 3 -
Table of Contents
1.Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4
1.1.Features ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.2.Minimum SystemRequirements .................................................................................... 4
2.HardwareInstallation.................................................................................................. 5
2.1.BoardLayout ................................................................................................................. 5
2.2.HardwareInstallation......................................................................................................7
3.SoftwareInstallation.................................................................................................... 9
3.1.DriverandUtilityInstallation........................................................................................... 9
3.1.1. DriverInstallation.............................................................................................. 9
3.2. DisplayPropertiesPages .........................................................................................11
3.3. Accessing NVIDIA Control Panel............................................................................ 12
4.TroubleshootingTips................................................................................................ 20
5.Appendix ................................................................................................................. 21
5.1. How to Reflash the BIOS in MS-DOS Mode.............................................................. 21
5.2.ResolutionsandColorDepthTable(InWindowsXP)................................................... 22
5.3.RegulatoryStatements ................................................................................................. 24

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1. Introduction
1.1. Features
• Powered by NVIDIA®GeForceTM GTX 550 Ti Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
• Supports PCI Express 2.0
• Integratedwith1GBGDDR5memory
• SupportsDirectX®11
• SupportsNVIDIA®SLITM (ScalableLinkInterface) technology(Note1)
• Supports2Dual-LinkDVI-Iconnectors
• Supports1miniHDMIconnector
• SupportsHDCP(High-BandwidthDigitalContentProtection)technology
1.2. Minimum System Requirements
•Hardware
- 400-wattsystempowersupplyspecificationoraboveisrecommended
- Intel®Pentium®4 orAMDAthlonTM XPclassprocessoror higher
- 1GBsystemmemory (2GB recommended)
- Opticaldrivefor software installation(CD-ROM orDVD-ROMdrive)
•OperatingSystem
- Windows®7
- Windows®Vista
- Windows®XP
•SLITM Configuration
If you are planning on using this graphics card as part of an SLI system, the following
arerequired:
- AnSLIcertifiedmotherboardwithtwoPCIe x16 slots and correct chipset driver
- Two GV-N550OC-1GI forSLIconfiguration;
- Apowersupplywith 600-watt or aboveisrecommended
- AnSLIbridgeconnector
(Note 1) SLI technology requires a PCI Express motherboard with two x16 physical connectors.
Graphics cards working in an SLI configuration must be with the same model name
(e.g. GV-N550OC-1GI) and from the same vendor (e.g. GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY).

- 5 - Hardware Installation
2. Hardware Installation
2.1. Board Layout
Mini HDMI
Connector
DVI-I
Connector 1
DVI-I
Connector 2
Digital LCD Monitor
DVI Output
HDMI TV
Digital LCD Monitor
DVI Output
mini HDMI to HDMI adapter(optional)
SLI Connector
Mini HDMI Connector
DVI-I Connector 1
DVI-I Connector 2
Power Connectors

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Expansion cards contain very delicate Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To
protectthemagainstdamagefromstaticelectricity,youshouldfollowsome
precautions whenever you work on your computer.
1. Turnoffyourcomputer and unplug powersupply.
2. Useagroundedwriststrapbeforehandlingcomputercomponents.Ifyoudonot
haveone,touchbothofyourhandstoasafelygroundedobjectortoametalobject,
suchasthepowersupplycase.
3. Placecomponentsonagroundedantistaticpadoronthebagthatcamewiththe
componentswheneverthecomponentsareseparatedfromthesystem.
Thecardcontainssensitiveelectriccomponents,whichcanbeeasilydamagedbystatic
electricity,sothecardshouldbeleftinitsoriginalpackinguntilitisinstalled.
Unpackingandinstallationshouldbedoneonagroundedanti-staticmat.Theoperator
shouldbewearingananti-staticwristband,groundedatthesamepointastheanti-static
mat.
Inspectthecardcartonforobviousdamage.Shippingandhandlingmaycausedamage
toyourcard.Besure there are no shipping andhandlingdamagesonthe card before
proceeding.
DO NOTAPPLY POWER TO YOUR SYSTEM IF THE GRAPHICS CARD IS
DAMAGED.
In order to ensure that your graphics card can work correctly, please use
official GIGABYTE BIOS only. Using non-official GIGABYTE BIOS might
cause problem(s) on the graphics card.

- 7 - Hardware Installation
2.2. Hardware Installation
Now that you have prepared your computer, you are ready to install your graphics card.
Step 1.
Locate the PCI Express x16 slot. If necessary, remove the
metal cover from this slot; then align your graphics card with
the PCI Express x16 slot, and press it in firmly until the card is
fully seated.
Makesurethatthegoldedgeconnectorofthegraphicscardissecurely
inserted.
Step 2.
Replace the screw to fasten the card in place, and replace the
computer cover.
Step 3.
This graphics card provides two DVI-I digital connectors and
one mini HDMI connector. You can connect a monitor that sup-
ports DVI-I function. To connect a HDMI monitor,you need a
cable or adapter to connect from the mini-HDMI connector to a
HDMI monitor.
To Flat Panel Display
Connectaflatpanel
ConnectaHDMImonitor
ToHDMIMonitor

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How NVIDIA®SLITM (Scalable Link Interface) technology works:
In an SLI configuration, two SLI-ready graphics cards of the same model and the same manufacturers
are connected together via SLI bridge connector in a system that provides two x16 PCI Express slots
to scale graphics performance. The picture below shows that twographics cards are linked in parallel
in an SLI configuration.
SLI bridge connector
(provided by motherboard manufacturer)
Two SLI-ready graphics
cards of the same type.
(Example:
GV-N28-1GH-B)
SLI Configuration:

- 9 - Software Installation
3. Software Installation
Notice the following guidelines before installing the drivers:
1. First make sure your system has installed DirectX 9 or later version.
2. Make sure your system has installed the appropriate motherboard drivers (for the motherboard
drivers, please contact the motherboard manufacturer.)
3.1. Driver and Utility Installation
3.1.1. Driver Installation
After installing the operating system, insert the driver disk into your optical drive. The driver Autorun
screen is automatically displayed which looks like that shown in the screen shot below. (If the driver
Autorun screen does not appear automatically, go to My Computer, double-click the optical drive and
execute the setup.exe program.)
For software MPEG support in Windows XP, you must install DirectX first. Users who run
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or above do not need to install DirectX separately.
Step 1:
Click the Install Display Driver item.
Step 2:
Click the Next button.

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The system is installing the components.
Step 4:
Click the Finish button to restart the computer.
Then the driver installation is completed.
Step 3:
Click the Yes button.

- 11 - Software Installation
You can move the slider to change the resolution.
You can click the item to change the color quality.
Click the Advanced button for advanced settings.
3.2. Display Properties Pages
Display Settings (Resolutions and Color Quality for Windows)
To access Display Settings page, right-click on desktop and select Personalize, then the Personalization
windows will show up. Select Display Settings to adjust the screen resolution and color quality settings.

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Or you can right-click on the desktop and select Personalize, and then the Control Panel\Appearance
Personalization\Personalization window will show up. Select Display Settings. When the Display
Settings dialog box appears, click Advanced Settings.
After clicking the Advanced Settings button in Display Settings, you'll see the Generic PnP
Monitor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti Properties dialog box. Click the GeForce GTX 550 Ti tab
to access the NVIDIA Control Panel.
3.3. Accessing NVIDIA Control Panel
After installation of the display driver, right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. The
NVIDIA Control Panel is used to configure all your graphics card settings.
Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
On the GeForce GTX 550 Ti tab page, click Start the NVIDIA
Control Panel to launch the NVIDIA Control Panel.

- 13 - Software Installation
Select the view of the NVIDIA Control Panel that is
most appropriate for you.
Standard Settings
Advanced Settings
The following pages provide details on configuring
advanced settings.
In the NVIDIA Control Panel, select a category to
alter specific NVIDIA display settings.
The categories are:
3D Settings
Display
Video
In the NVIDIA Control Panel, change a view if you
want.
The supported modes are:
Standard
Advanced
Custom

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AdjustImageSettings with Preview
If you are unfamiliar with 3D technology or not
an advanced graphics user, use the Adjust
Image Settings with Preview page to preview
any changes you make for improved image
quality and rendering.
Manage3DSettings(Note 1)
The Manage 3D Settings page enables you to
establish default 3D settings to use for all your
Direct3D or OpenGL applications and to estab-
lish a unique set of 3D settings for a particular
game or application.
(Note 1) This item is present only in Advanced view mode.
3D Settings
Tasks in the 3D Settings pages allow you to do the following:
• Change the image and rendering settings of your 3D applications and games that utilize Direct3D and
OpenGL technology.
• Override the shipped clocked frequencies of your GPU and GPU memory to increase your GPU
performance.
• Assign specific 3D settings to a game so that these settings automatically load when a game is
launched.
Set PhysX confiquration
NVIDIA®PhysX®is a powerful physics engine
that can utilize GPU acceleration to provide
amazing real-time physics effects.

- 15 - Software Installation
Display
A variety of display features enable you to further manipulate and configure your display settings to
optimize the use of your displays. Tasks in the Display pages allow you to do the following:
• Move CRT screen position
• Change resolution
• Adjust desktop color settings
• Rotate display
• Manage custom resolutions(Note)
• Set up multiple displays
ChangeResolution
Using the Change Resolution controls, you
can change the color setting, reduce screen
flickering, or adjust the amount of information
appearing on your display.

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AdjustDesktopColorSettings
Use this page to set the contrast, sharpness,
and color depth (Digital Vibrance) of the im-
ages on your desktop. These changes will
not affect any video playback. To change video
color settings, go to Adjust Video Color Set-
tings under the Video and TV section from the
Start page.
RotateDisplay
The NVIDIA Rotate features enable you to
changetheorientation of yourdesktoptoportrait,
landscape, and inverted modes. This is use-
ful if you have rotated your physical display
and need to rotate the desktop to match the
orientation of your display.
(Note) This item is present only in Advanced view mode.
AdjustDesktopColorSettings
You can adjust desktop color settings for your
displays or enhance picture quality if you are
using televisions.

- 17 - Software Installation
Set Up Multiple Displays
NVIDIA nView technology enables you to view
your desktop in one of several multi-display
modes to make the best use of the displays
(monitors) that are connected to your computer.
Dual-Monitor Setup
You can set the display to output from two monitors on the Set Up Multiple Displays page.
Select your preferred nView display modes here.
• Only use one display (Single)
• The same on both display (Clone)
• Configured independently from each other
(Dualview)
• As one large horizontal desktop (Horizontal span)(Note)
• As one large vertical desktop (Vertical span)(Note)
(1) The same on both display (Clone)
Clone mode indicates that both displays in the
display pair show images of the same desktop.
Clone Mode
(Note) This item is present only in Windows XP.
(2) Configured independently from each other
(Dualview)
Dualview mode indicates that both displays in the
display pair function as one virtual desktop. Unlike
Horizontal Span or Vertical Span mode, Dualview
treats each display as a separate device. This
means that the taskbar will not be stretched across
displays and 3D applications are not accelerated
as efficiently as when the application spans
displays.
Dualview Mode

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(4) As one large vertical desktop
(Vertical span)(Note 1)
Vertical Span mode indicates that both displays in
the display pair function as one tall virtual desktop.
The height of each display is half the height of the
total virtual desktop height.
Vertical Span Mode
(3) As one large horizontal desktop
(Horizontal span)(Note 1)
Horizontal Span mode indicates that both displays
in the display pair function as one wide virtual
desktop. The width of each display is half the
width of the total virtual desktop width.
Horizontal Span Mode
(Note 1) This item is present only in Windows XP.
(Note 2) By a DVI-to-D-Sub adapter.
Display
Matrix Model GV-N550OC-1GI CRT(Note 2)+HDMI Yes
CRT+DVI(Note 2) Yes
DVI+HDMI Yes
DVI+HDMI+CRT No
DVI +DVI Yes
CRT+CRT(Note 2) Yes

- 19 - Software Installation
Video & Television
Video and television features are similar to those for analog for optimal viewing. Tasks in the Video &
Television pages allow you to do the following:
• Adjust your television picture quality and video color settings for the best possible viewing in its
environment.
• Change the position and size of the desktop video to best fit your television screen.
AdjustVideoColorSettings
Use the controls on this page to fine tune the
color settings for video content on your display.
Select one of the test images to monitor your
changes. For best results, play a video while
you make adjustment to view the changes as
they happen.
AdjustVideoImageSettings
Use the controls on this page to fine tune the
image settings for video content on your
display. You can choose to use inverse
telecine, adjust edge sharpness, or apply noise
filtering. For best results, play a video while
you make adjustment to view the changes as
they happen.
Note:
Support for some features under Windows Vista is
in development and may not be available with
your ForceWare graphics driver version. Consult
the release notes for updated information on
supported features.

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4. Troubleshooting Tips
The following troubleshooting tips may help if you experience problems. Contact your dealer or
GIGABYTE for more advanced troubleshooting information.
Check that the card is seated properly in the PCI Express x16 slot.
Ensure that the display cable is securely fastened to the card's display connector.
Make sure that the monitor and computer are plugged in and receiving power.
If necessary, disable any built-in graphics capabilities on your motherboard. For more
information, consult your computer's manual or manufacturer.
(NOTE: Some manufacturers do not allow the built-in graphics to be disabled or to become the
secondary display.)
Make sure you selected the appropriate display device and graphics card when you install
the graphics driver.
Restart your computer.
Press <F8> on your keyboard after system starts up. When the Windows Advanced Options
Menu appears, select Safe Mode and press <Enter>.
After getting into Safe Mode, in Device Manager check whether the driver for the graphics card
is correct.
For more assistance, use the Troubleshooting Guide located in the Windows Help or contact
your computer manufacturer.
If you are not able to find the desired monitor color/resolution settings:
The color and screen resolution options available for selection depend on the graphics card
being installed.
If necessary, adjust your monitor's setting using monitor's adjust panel to make the screen
look focused, crisp, and sharp. (Please refer to the monitor's manual.)