Gigabyte Gv-rx55hm256p8-rh User manual

Apr. 28, 2006

VGA Card

GV-RX55HM256P8-RH

VGA Card

Apr. 28, 2006

GV-RX55HM256P8-RH

without the expressed, written permission of GBT.

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Please do not remove any labels on VGA card, this may void the warranty of this VGA card

Due to rapid change in technology, some of the specifications might be out of date before publication of this booklet.

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commitment to update the information contained herein.

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User's Manual

Rev. 101

12MD-RX55HM8R-101R

GV-RX55HM256P8-RH

Radeon X550 Graphics Accelerator

* The WEEE marking on the product indicates this product must not be disposed of with user's other household waste

and must be handed over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment!!

* The WEEE marking applies only in European Union's member states.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 3

1.1. Features ..................................................................................................... 3

1.2. Minimum System Requirement ..................................................................... 3

2. Hardware Installation ........................................................................... 4

2.1. Board Layout .............................................................................................. 4

2.2. Hardware Installation ................................................................................... 6

3. Software Installation ............................................................................ 8

3.1. Windows®XP Driver and Utilities Installation ................................................. 8

3.1.1. Operating System Requirement ................................................................................... 8

3.1.2. DirectX Installation .......................................................................................................... 9

3.1.3. Driver Installation .......................................................................................................... 10

3.1.4. Utilities on Driver CD ................................................................................................... 12

3.1.5. Taskbar Icon ................................................................................................................. 15

3.1.6. Display Properties pages ............................................................................................ 18

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

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

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

5.1. How to Reflash the BIOS ........................................................................... 34

5.1.1. Reflash BIOS in MS-DOS mode ................................................................................. 34

5.1.2. Reflash BIOS in Windows mode ................................................................................ 34

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

Introduction- 3 -

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1. Introduction

1.1. Features

•Powered by ATI X550 with HyperMemoryTM Technology Visual Processing

Unit (VPU)

•Supports the newest PCI Express x 16

•Supports 256MB Video memory (Local on-board memory is 128MB DDRII)

•Supports DirectX 9.0

•Supports TV-Out connector

•Supports DVI-I connector

•Supports AV / S-Video and HDTV output

•Supports TV-Out and D-Sub connector

1.2. Minimum System Requirement

•IBM®or 100% PC compatible with Pentium®III 650MHz or AMD Athlon 650MHz

class processor or higher

•One PCI Express x 16 slot

•Operating Systems Windows®2000 / Windows®XP

•64MB system memory

•50MB of available disk space for full installation

•CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

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TV-Out

VGA Monitor

Connector

(15-pin)

DVI-I Connector

NTSC / PAL TV

Projector

Analog LCD Monitor Analog Monitor

VGA Output

Analog LCD Monitor

Digital LCD Monitor

DVI Output

DVI-I to D-Sub

Adapter

VGA Output

S-Video Output

HDTV

Pb/AV Output

2. Hardware Installation

2.1. Board Layout

TV-Out

VGA Monitor Connector

(15pin)

DVI-I Connector

Hardware Installation- 5 -

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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 IT HAS BEEN DAMAGED ON

THE CARD.

In order to ensure your graphics card working correctly, please use official

Gigabyte BIOS only. Use none official Gigabyte BIOS might cause problem

on the graphics card.

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2.2. Hardware Installation

Installing Your Graphics card.

Now that you have prepared your computer, you are ready to install your graphics accelerator

card.

To install your graphics accelerator card:

1. Power off the computer and monitor, then

disconnect the display cable from the back

of your computer.

2. Remove the computer cover. If necessary,

consult your computer's manual for help in

removing the cover.

3. Remove any existing graphics card from

your computer.

Or, if your computer has any on-board

graphics capability, you may need to disable

it on the motherboard. For more information,

see you computer

documentation.

Hardware Installation- 7 -

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5. Replace the screw to fasten the card in place,

and replace the computer cover.

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

to next chapter for detailed instructions.

4. Locate the PCI Express x 16 slot. If

necessary, remove the metal cover from this

slot; then align your graphics card with the

PCI Express x 16 slot, and press it in firmly

until the card is fully seated.

To Flat Panel Display To TV or VCR To VGA Monitor

6. Plug the display cable into your graphics

card; then turn on the computer and monitor.

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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 guides to setup your graphics card driver.

(Please follow the subsection 3.1.3 "Driver installation" to install the driver for your graphics

accelerator.)

3.1. Windows®XP Driver and Utilities Installation

3.1.1. Operating System Requirement

•When loading the graphics card drivers for the system, please make sure your system

has installed DirectX 9 or later version.

•If you install the graphics card drivers for the motherboard, which consist of SIS, or VIA

chipsets, please install the appropriate driver program for that motherboard. Or please

contact your motherboard nearest dealer for motherboard driver.

Software Installation- 9 -

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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.

0Note: 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 autorun window show 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.

Step 4. Click Finish to restart computer.

Then the DirectX 9 installation is completed.

Installing the components.

Click the Install DirectX 9 item.

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3.1.3. Driver Installation

A. New hardware found

After the graphics card is inserted into your computer at the first time, the windows will

automatically detect a new hardware in the system and pop out a "New Hardware Found"

message. The following is the step-by-step installation guide.

Step 1: Found new hardware wizard: Video controller (VGA Compatible)

Click the Next button to install the driver. (There is

a driver CD disk that came with your graphics

accelerator, please insert it now.)

Or click the Cancel button to install the driver from

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.

Software Installation- 11 -

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B. Driver installation (Autorun Window)

Insert the driver CD disk into your CD-ROM, and then you can see the AUTORUN window.

If it does not show up, please run "D:\setup.exe".

Click the Install Display Drivers (Radeon

X550 Series) item.

Step 1. When autorun window show up, click the

Install Display Drivers (Radeon X550 Series)

item.

Step 2. Click Next button. Step 3. Click Yes button.

Setp 4. Click Express or Custom icon.

Step 5. Click the Finish button to restart computer.

Then the driver installation is completed.

Windows installings the components.

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Step 3. Enter your name and company.

Step 4. Click the Finish button to restart computer.

Then the V-Tuner2 installation is completed.

Step 2. Click the Next button.

Click the GIGABYTE Utility item.

3.1.4. Utilities on Driver CD

Insert the driver CD disk into your CD-ROM, and then you can see the AUTORUN window.

If it does not show up, please run "D:\setup.exe".

zInstall GIGABYTE Utility (V-Tuner2):

Software Installation- 13 -

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zInstall Hydravision :

Step 2. Click the Next button.

Click the Hydravision Install item.

Step 3. Click the Yes button.

Step 4. Click the Next button.

Step 6. Click the Finish button to restart computer.

Then the Hydravision Install is completed.

Step 5. Click the Next button.

Windows installings the components.

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V-Tuner 2

V-Tuner 2 lets you adjust the working frequency of the graphic engine and video memory

(Core Clock and Memory Clock).

Adjust core

speed

Displays core clock status Displays memory clock status

Adjust memory

speed

Select choice of skinOpen Help page

Software Installation- 15 -

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3.1.5. Taskbar Icon

After installation of the display drivers, you will find a GIGABYTE icon on the taskbar's

status area. Right-clicking this icon opens the GIGABYTE control panel, showing a menu

composed of shortcut of the graphics card's enhanced and other functions.

You may click the "Display Properties" item, and then click Settings. Click "Advanced" after

clicking Settings. Click the appropriate tab to change your display settings.

Right-click the icon.

You can link to GIGABYTE website for updated information about the

graphics accelerator, latest drivers, and other information.

Click the VGA Information

item into the "VGA Info" and

"Color Adjust" tabs.

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VGA Information

VGA Info lists the relevant information about your card.

Color Adjust

Color Adjust allows you to make color adjustments, such as brightness, contrast and

gamma values for each or all of RGB colors.

Software Installation- 17 -

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ATI CATALYSTTM Control Center:

After installation of the display drivers, you will find an ATI CATALYSTTM Control Center icon on

the taskbar's status area. The ATI CATALYSTTM Control Center is used to configure all your graphics

card settings. Right-click the icon to enter the ATI CATALYSTTM Control Center (refer to Fig. 1). Or

you can right-click on the desktop to select Properties>Settings> Advanced> ATI CATALYST Control

Center tab and press ATI CATALYST(tm) Control Center button (refer to Fig. 2).

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

HYDRAVISIONTM :

HYDRAVISION has everything you need to manage increased amounts of information across your

computer desktop. It allows you to quickly and easily tailor your computer desktop to the way you

work. You can:

• arrange and rearrange monitors. • assign Hot Key shortcuts.

• create up to 9 virtual desktops. • add special effects to windows and menus.

You can right-click on ATI CATALYSTTM Control Center icon to select HYDRAVISIONTM.

HYDRAVISIONTM Properties to set the HYDRAVISION (refer to Fig. 3).

Fig. 3

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3.1.6. Display Properties pages

To access Display Properties pages, right-click the GIGABYTE icon on the taskbar and

select Display Properties or 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 depth for Windows)

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

Click the Advanced button for adapter and setting.

You can move the slider to change the resolution.

You can click the item to change the color quality.

Display

Matrix

Model GV-RX55HM256P8-RH

CRT+TV Yes

DVI+TV Yes

DVI+TV+CRT Yes

Table of contents

Gigabyte GV-RX55HM256P8-RH User manual

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