Gigabyte Gv-rx385256h User manual

GV-RX385512H/

GV-RX385256H

RadeonTM HD 3850 Graphics Accelerator

User's Manual

Rev. 101

12MD-RX3850S-101R

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

Trademarks

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Due to rapid change in technology, some of the specifications might be out of date before publication of this this manual.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

Nov. 27, 2007

VGA Card

GV-RX385512H/GV-RX385256H

VGA Card

GV-RX385512H/

GV-RX385256H

Nov. 27, 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 ........................................................................................... 17

4. Troubleshooting Tips................................................................................................ 35

5. Appendix ................................................................................................................. 36

Resolutions and Color Depth Tables (In Windows XP) ........................................................ 36

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

- 4 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

1. Introduction

1.1. Features

• Powered by ATI HD RadeonTM 3850 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

• Supports PCI Express 2.0

• Integrated with 512 MB GDDR3 memory

(For GV-RX385512H only)

• Integrated with 256 MB GDDR3 memory

(For GV-RX385256H only)

• Supports DirectX 10.1

• Supports CrossFireTM

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

• Supports 2 Dual-Link DVI-I connectors

• Supports 2 D-Sub connectors (by adapters)

• Supports HDTV output (by adapter)

• Supports HDMI connector (by adapter)

1.2. Minimum System Requirements

•Hardware

- Intel®Pentium®4 or AMD AthlonTM

- 512 MB of system memory; 1 GB or more for best performance

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

- A power supply that provides at least 400-watt. The power supply should be with a

known brand and certified to conform to safety regulations. (For the list of certified power

supplies, go to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedpsu.)

•Operating System

- Windows®Vista

- Windows®XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)

- Windows®XP Professional x64 Edition

•CrossFireTM Configuration

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 PCI Express x16 slots and correct chipset driver

- Two GV-RX385512H or GV-RX385256H

- A power supply that provides at least 450-watt to ensure the power supply is designed

to accommodate a high-end graphics card with a peak dissipation above 100-watt. The

power supply should be with a known brand and certified to conform to safety regulations.

(For the list of certified power supplies, go to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedpsu.)

- Two CrossFire bridge interconnect cables

- 5 - Hardware Installation

2. Hardware Installation

2.1. Board Layout

CrossFire Connector

TV-Out

DVI-I Connector 1

DVI-I Connector 2

Analog LCD Monitor Analog Monitor

or DVI-I to D-Sub

Adapter

TV-Out

DVI-I

Connector 1

DVI-I

Connector 2

HDTV

NTSC / PAL TV Projector

Pb/AV Output

S-Video Output

Digital LCD Monitor

DVI Output

DVI-I to HDMI Adapter

D-Sub

Output

HDMI TV

- 6 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

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.

The entire Radeon HD 3800 series support HDMI output which can handle both audio and

video signals. However, audio output from the onboard audio controller or the external

sound card will be disabled when HDMI output is activated.

If no need for HDMI output function, set the onboard audio controller or the external sound

card to be the default Sound Playback device to obtain audio output from your system. For

more details, refer to page 16.

- 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.

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 connector of

the graphics card is securely inserted.

- 8 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

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. You can connect a monitor that supports

DVI-I function or use the DVI-I to D-Sub adapter to

connect a 15-pin D-Sub monitor. Or use the DVI-I to

HDMI adapter to connect an HDMI monitor. (Note:

Only the DVI-I Connector 2 supports the DVI-I to

HDMI 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

Connect a HDMI monitor via DVI-I to HDMI adapter

- 9 - Hardware Installation

GIGABYTE Video Adapter

(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.

Connect to the TV-Out port on

the graphics card.

S-Video Out HDTV Component

(Y+Pr+Pb)

AV Out

- 10 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

How to enable the ATI CrossFireTM technology?

Step 1:

Install two CrossFire graphics cards of the same chipset on a CrossFire-supported motherboard and

connect the graphics cards via two CrossFire bridge interconnect cables (Figure 1). Then users can

enable the CrossFire technology through the graphics card driver.

Two CrossFire bridge

interconnect cables.

Two CrossFire graphics cards of the same type.

(Example: GV-RX195P256D-RH)

Figure 1

Step 2:

After installing graphics card driver in operating system, access the ATI Catalyst Control Center (please

refer to Page 15). From the ATI Catalyst Control Center, enter the CrossFire menu and assure to select

the Enable CrossFire check box (Figure 2).

Step 3:

When the next confirmation dialog box appears (Figure 3), click Yes to complete the CrossFire

configurations.

Figure 2

Figure 3

- 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 Vista/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. 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.)

- 12 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

3.1.2. DirectX Installation

Install Microsoft DirectX to enable 3D hardware acceleration support for Windows Vista/XP to achieve

better 3D performance.

For software MPEG support in Windows Vista/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.

- 13 - Software Installation

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.

- 14 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

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. Step 3. Click the Yes button.

Step 5. Click the Finish button to restart the computer.

Then the driver installation is completed.

Setp 4. Click the Express or Custom icon. The system is installing the components.

- 15 - Software Installation

3.1.4. Taskbar Icon

After installation of the display driver, you will find an ATI Catalyst®Control Center icon in your

system tray. The ATI Catalyst®Control Center is used to configure all your graphics card settings.

Right-click the icon to enter the ATI Catalyst®Control Center (refer to Figure 1). Or you can right-click

on the desktop and select ATI CATALYST(R) Control Center (refer to Figure 2).

Figure 1

Figure 2

- 16 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

Configuring Audio Output

Configure the default audio output device based upon your needs.

Step 1:

Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices.

Using the picture to the left as the example, to set HDMI audio to be

the default Sound Playback device, in the Default device box,

select ATI HD Audio rear output. Otherwise, select Realtek HD

Audio output, which is the onboard audio controller.

Step 2:

In the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box, click the Audio tab.

- 17 - Software Installation

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.

(Note 1) The CRT+TV configuration requires that you connect your CRT display to the DVI-I

Connector 2 on the card using the DVI-I to D-Sub adapter to ensure normal operation.

(Note 2) To connect an HDMI monitor, you need to attach the DVI-I to HDMI adapter to the DVI-I

Connector 2 on the graphics card and then plug the HDMI monitor cable into the adapter to

ensure normal operation.

Display

Matrix

Model GV-RX385512H/256H

CRT+TV (Note 1) Yes

CRT+DVI Yes

CRT+CRT Yes

DVI+TV Yes

DVI+TV+CRT No

DVI +DVI Yes

HDMI+TV (Note 2) Yes

HDMI+DVI (Note 2) Yes

HDMI+CRT (Note 2) Yes

- 18 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

ATI Catalyst®Control Center Basic View :

The Basic View is the default view when ATI Catalyst Control Center is launched for the first time. This

interface provides access to the basic settings and advanced features of your ATI graphics products.

You can switch between Basic View and Advanced View at any time.

To access more settings in Basic View, click Basic,

and then click Next.

Easy Setup Wizards:

Choose a wizard from the central list and click Go for step-by-step assistance.



Avivo Video Converter

This wizard assists you to convert videos from one file format to another.

Step 1:

Select Avivo Video Converter, then click Go.

Step 2:

Select the video file to be converted.

Step 3:

In the Output Folder area, select the destination folder where the new file will be located. Click Next.

- 19 - Software Installation

Step 4:

In the Output Video Format list, select a file

format for the new file. If you wish to change the

name of the new file, enter the new name in the

Output File area. Finally, click Next to start

file conversion.

The video file has been successfully converted.



Setup my display configuration

This wizard allows you to configure display

setting for desktop viewing.

- 20 -GV-RX385512H/256H Graphics Accelerator

Quick Settings:

The Quick Settings page provides access to three main settings.



3D Quality

3D Performance and Quality Settings allows your

3D games and applications to get faster perfor-

mance and better quality with a more balanced

setting.



Video Playback

Use this option to optimize video playback in

different room environment or to select how

video playback appears on the second display.



Display Setup

This option allows you to configure your desktop,

including changing desktop resolution and desk-

top mode, setting up extended desktop (requires

more than one display), and rotating desktop

image to match new display orientation.

Information Center:

The Information Center page in Basic and Advanced View provides hardware and software information

about the installed graphics card.



Graphics Software

Provides software information including driver

version, CATALYST version, Direct 3D version

and so on.



Graphics Hardware

Provides hardware information including graph-

ics chipset, BIOS version, memory size, core

clock and so on.

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Gigabyte GV-RX385256H User manual

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