Gigabyte Gv-nx88t512h-b User manual

GV-NX88T512H-B

GeForceTM 8800 GT Graphics Accelerator

User's Manual

Rev. 101

12MD-NX88T5B-101R

in any form without the expressed, written permission of GBT.

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Third-party brands and names are the properties of their respective owners.

Notice

Please do not remove any labels on this graphics card. Doing so may void the warranty of this card.

Due to rapid change in technology, some of the specifications might be out of date before publication of this this manual.

The author assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions that may appear in this document nor does the author

make a commitment to update the information contained herein.

Macrovision corporation product notice:

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property

rights. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other

limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

Oct. 25, 2007

VGA Card

GV-NX88T512H-B

VGA Card

GV-NX88T512H-B

Oct. 25, 2007

- 3 -

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4

1.1. Features ......................................................................................................................... 4

1.2. Minimum System Requirements .................................................................................... 4

2. Hardware Installation.................................................................................................. 5

2.1. Board Layout ................................................................................................................. 5

2.2. Hardware Installation ......................................................................................................7

3. Software Installation ...................................................................................................11

3.1. Windows®XP Driver and Utilities Installation ................................................................ 11

3.1.1. Operating System Requirements ............................................................................... 11

3.1.2. DirectX Installation ........................................................................................................ 12

3.1.3. Driver Installation ......................................................................................................... 13

3.1.4. Taskbar Icon ................................................................................................................. 15

3.1.5. Display Properties Pages ........................................................................................... 16

3.1.6. nView Properties Pages (Note) ....................................................................................... 27

3.2. Windows®2000 Driver Installation ................................................................................ 32

4. Troubleshooting Tips................................................................................................ 33

5. Appendix ................................................................................................................. 34

5.1. How to Reflash the BIOS in MS-DOS Mode .............................................................. 34

5.2. Resolutions and Color Depth Table (In Windows XP) ................................................... 35

Regulatory Statements ................................................................................................. 37

(Note) This item will show up when you connect two monitors.

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1. Introduction

1.1. Features

• Powered by NVIDIA®GeForceTM 8800 GT Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

• Supports PCI Express 2.0

• Integrated with 512 MB GDDR3 memory

• Supports DirectX 10

• Supports NVIDIA®SLI TM (Scalable Link Interface) technology (Note)

• Supports AV / S-Video / TV-Out and HDTV output

• Supports 2 DVI-I connectors

• Supports 2 D-Sub connectors (by adapter)

• Supports HDTV output (by adapter)

• Supports HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) technology

1.2. Minimum System Requirements

•Hardware

- Intel®Pentium®4 or AMD AthlonTM

- 128 MB of system memory; 2 GB or more for best performance

- Optical drive for software installation (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive)

- A power supply with 450-watt is recommended

•Operating System

- Windows®XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)

- Windows®XP Professional x64 Edition

- Windows®2000

•SLI TM Configuration

If you are planning on using this graphics card as part of an SLI system, the following

are required:

- An SLI certified motherboard with two PCI Express x16 slots and correct chipset driver

- Two GV-NX88T512H-B

- A power supply with 1000-watt or above is recommended

- An SLI bridge connector

(Note) 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-NX88T512H-B) and from the same vendor (e.g. GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY).

- 5 - Hardware Installation

2. Hardware Installation

2.1. Board Layout

SLI Connector

TV-Out

DVI-I Connector 1

DVI-I Connector 2

HDTV

NTSC / PAL TV Projector

Digital LCD Monitor

Analog LCD Monitor Analog Monitor

Pb/AV Output

S-Video Output

DVI Output

D-Sub Output

DVI-I to D-Sub

Adapter

TV-Out

DVI-I

Connector 1

DVI-I

Connector 2

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Expansion cards contain very delicate Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To

protect them against damage from static electricity, you should follow some

precautions whenever you work on your computer.

1. Turn off your computer and unplug power supply.

2. Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components. If you do not

have one, touch both of your hands to a safely grounded object or to a metal object,

such as the power supply case.

3. Place components on a grounded antistatic pad or on the bag that came with the

components whenever the components are separated from the system.

The card contains sensitive electric components, which can be easily damaged by static

electricity, so the card should be left in its original packing until it is installed.

Unpacking and installation should be done on a grounded anti-static mat. The operator

should be wearing an anti-static wristband, grounded at the same point as the anti-static

mat.

Inspect the card carton for obvious damage. Shipping and handling may cause damage

to your card. Be sure there are no shipping and handling damages on the card before

proceeding.

DO NOT APPLY 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.

To remove the existing graphics card:

Step 1.

Power off the computer and monitor, then disconnect

the display cable from the back of your computer.

Step 2.

Remove the computer cover. If necessary, consult

your computer's manual for help in removing the

cover.

Step 3.

Remove any existing graphics card from your

computer.

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To install your new graphics card:

Step 1.

Locate the PCI Express x16 slot. If necessary, re-

move 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.

* Please make sure that the gold edge connectors of

the graphics card is securely inserted.

Step 2.

Replace the screws to fasten the card in place, and

replace the computer cover.

Step 3.

Plug the display cable into your graphics card; then

turn on the computer and monitor. To connect a flat

panel directly to your graphics card, use the DVI-I

connector. To connect a D-Sub monitor to the DVI-I

connector, plug the DVI-I to D-Sub adapter into the

DVI-I connector, then plug the monitor cable into the

adapter.

After installation, remember to connect the power cable to your graphics

card, or the system will not boot. Do not touch the card when it's operating

to prevent system instability.

You are now ready to proceed with the installation of the graphics card driver. Please refer to next

chapter for detailed instructions.

To TV / VCR To Flat Panel Display

Connect a flat panel

Connect a D-Sub monitor via DVI-I to D-Sub adapter

- 9 - Hardware Installation

GIGABYTE Video Adapter

Connect to the TV-Out port on

the graphics card.

S-Video Out HDTV Component

(Y+Pr+Pb)

AV Out

(1) Connecting HDTV

Connect your HDTV cables to the video adapter according to

the corresponding color.

(Y= Green, Pr= Red, Pb= Blue)

(2) Connecting S-Video

If your TV has a S-Video connection, connect the S-Video

cable from your TV to the S-Video Out port on the adapter.

(3) Connecting AV Output

If your TV has a Composite video connection, you can connect

the RCA cable from your TV to the AV Out port on the adapter.

- 10 -GV-NX88T512H-B Graphics Accelerator

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 two graphics 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-NX88X768H-RH)

- 11 - Software Installation

3. Software Installation

In this manual, we assume that your CD-ROM drive letter to be Drive D:

The installation of Windows 2000 / Windows XP drivers is very simple. When you insert the driver CD

into your CD-ROM drive, you can see the autorun window (if it does not show up, run "D:\setup.exe").

Then you can follow the instructions to setup your graphics card driver. (Please follow the subsection

"3.1.3 Driver Installation" to install the driver for your graphics card.)

3.1. Windows®XP Driver and Utilities Installation

3.1.1. Operating System Requirements

Notice the following guidelines before installing the drivers:

1. Fist make sure your system has installed DirectX 9.0c or later version.

2. Make sure your system has installed the appropriate motherboard drivers (for the motherboard

drivers, please contact the motherboard manufacturer.)

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3.1.2. DirectX Installation

Install Microsoft DirectX to enable 3D hardware acceleration support for Windows 2000 or Windows XP

to achieve better 3D performance.

For software MPEG support in Windows 2000 or 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.

When the autorun window shows up, click the

Install DirectX 9 item.

Step 2. Choose I accept the agreement

and click the Next button.

Step 3. Click the Next button.

The system is installing the components. Step 4. Click Finish to restart computer.

Then the DirectX 9 installation is completed.

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3.1.3. Driver Installation

A. New Hardware Found

When the graphics card is inserted into your computer for the first time, the operating system will detect

the graphics card automatically and display a New Hardware Found message. The following are step-

by-step installation instructions.

Step 1: Found New Hardware Wizard: Video Controller (VGA Compatible)

Click the Next button to install the driver. (Insert the

driver CD-ROM that came with your graphics card.)

Or click the Cancel button to install the driver from

the autorun window.

Step 2: Found New Hardware Wizard: Searching and Installing

The wizard will search for the driver and install it automatically.

Step 3: Found New Hardware Wizard: Finish

Click the Finish button to finish the installation.

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B. Driver Installation (Autorun Window)

Insert the driver CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. The autorun window will appear. If it does not show

up, please run "D:\setup.exe".

Step 1.

When the autorun window shows up, click the

Install Display Driver item.

Step 2. Click the Next button. The system is installing the components.

Step 3. Click the Finish button to restart the computer.

Then the driver installation is completed.

- 15 - Software Installation

3.1.4. Taskbar Icon

After installing the graphics card driver, you will find an NVIDIA icon in your system tray. Click this

icon to open the control panel.

Right click the icon.

You can adjust the properties of

the graphics card here.

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3.1.5. Display Properties Pages

To access Display Properties pages, right-click on desktop and then select Properties. The Display

Properties dialog box shows the information of display adapter, color, the range of display area, and

the refresh rate.

Settings (Resolutions and Color Quality for Windows)

You may adjust the screen resolution and color quality settings in this dialog box.

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

NVIDIA Control Panel

After pressing the Advanced button in Settings, you'll see the Plug and Play Monitor and NVIDIA

GeForce 8800 GT Properties dialog box. Click the GeForce 8800 GT tab. (You can also click the

NVIDIA icon in your system tray and select NVIDIA Control Panel.)

Access the GeForce 8800 GT tab page to launch the NVIDIA

Control Panel.

All of the NVIDIA control panels have been consolidated

into a single application, the NVIDIA Control Panel. Click

the Start the NVIDIA Control Panel button to open the

NVIDIA Control Panel.

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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 & Television

In the NVIDIA Control Panel, change a view if you

want.

The supported modes are:

Standard

Advanced

Custom

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.

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(Note) This item is present only in Advanced view mode.

Adjust Image Settings 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.

Manage 3D Settings (Note)

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.

Monitor Temperature Levels

To monitor the current temperature of your

NVIDIA GPU using NVIDIA nTune utility, please

visit NVIDIA's official web site for more infor-

mation about nTune.

- 19 - 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:

• Run display optimization wizard

• Move CRT screen position

• Change resolution

• Adjust desktop color settings

• Rotate display

• Manage custom resolutions (Note 1)

• Run multiple display wizard (Note 2)

• Set up multiple displays

(Note 1) This item is present only in Advanced view mode.

(Note 2) This item will show up when you connect two monitors.

Run Display Optimization Wizard

This wizard helps you adjust your displays

for optimal viewing and repersentation of

colors.

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Move CRT Screen Position

You can use your mouse (by clicking on the

arrow keys on this page) or the arrow keys

on your keyboard to adjust the position of your

desktop to better fit your display. This is a

useful alternative to using the controls (buttons)

on your actual physical display.

Change Resolution

Using the Change Resolution controls, you

can change the color setting, reduce screen

flickering, or adjust the amount of information

appearing on your display.

Adjust Desktop Color Settings

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.

Table of contents

Gigabyte GV-NX88T512H-B User manual

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