VideoLogic GrafixStar 600 User manual

- 1 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 2
Installing GrafixStar600 ................................................................................ 3
The SmartTools for Windows95 .................................................................... 7
Technical details ........................................................................................... 15
Troubleshooting ............................................................................................ 17
Technical support .......................................................................................... 18
Index .............................................................................................................. 20

- 2 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Introduction
GrafixStar600, VideoLogics new video-graphics card provides you with high performance
graphics, with display sizes up to800x600 pixels with 16.7 million colors, 1152 x 864 pixels
with 65,536 colors, or 1600 x 1200 pixels with 256 colors, along with Smar tTools for
Windows95 which let you control the graphics and video display of your PC.
To run GrafixStar600 you need an IBM or fully compatible 486 PC or above which complies
with the PCI local bus specification and which has a spare PCI bus slot.
Before you begin installing your GrafixStar600 card, read the Readme file in the GS600
directory on the VideoLogic Software Library CD.
Conventions used in this guide
The following conventions are used throughout this document: bold text is used for anything
you type; italic is used for cross-references to other documents; small capital letters are used
for keyboard keys, for example, ENTER, SHIFT, CTRL .
Handling GrafixStar600
Like other adapter cards, GrafixStar600 can be damaged by electrostatic charges during
handling. To minimize the risk, follow these simple guidelines:
 Keep the card in its protective packaging until you are ready to install it.
 Just before handling the card, touch the metal frame of your computer with the back of
your hand to discharge any static electricity which may have built up on you or your clothes.
 Hold the card by the adapter bracket or by its edges; do not touch the printed circuit board.
 Do not place the card on top of your computer or on any other metal surface.
 Make sure that the card is not accidentally touched by anyone else.
 Handle the card with care to avoid damage to the fragile electronic components mounted on
the circuit board.

- 3 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Installing GrafixStar600
Installing the GrafixStar600 hardware
Note that if you are running Windows 3.1 or 3.11, Windows should be set for a standard VGA
display before you install the hardware.
Warning: Always switch off your computer before removing the cover and observe the
warnings specified in the manufacturers documentation.
The following diagram shows the connectors on the card.
feature connector
monitor
connector
PCI bus connector
GrafixStar 600
1. Switch off your computer, monitor, and any hardware devices such as printers connected
to your computer. Leave the power cable connected to the power outlet so that your
computer is grounded.
2. Disconnect your monitor cable from your computer.

- 4 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
3. Remove the computers cover. You may need to refer to the documentation supplied with
your computer for instructions on how to do this.
4. Remove your existing display card or disable your built-in graphics controller. Refer to the
documentation supplied with your computer for instructions on how to disable a built-in
graphics controller.
5. Locate an empty PCI bus expansion slot and remove the slot cover. Keep the screw, you
will need it later to secure the card.
6. Touch the bare metal chassis of your computer with the back of your hand to discharge
any static that may have built up on you or your clothes.
7. Align GrafixStar600 with the slot you have chosen. Firmly press the card into the slot.
You will need to use some pressure to push the card into position, but do not use
excessive force.
8. Secure GrafixStar600 using the screw that you removed previously.
9. Replace the cover of your computer.

- 5 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
10. Connect your monitor cable to GrafixStar600. All cables connected to GrafixStar600
should be properly shielded and comply with radio frequency interference standards.
11. Switch on your computer and your computer monitor.
Installing the GrafixStar600Windows95 software
The easiest way to install the GrafixStar Windows95 software is using the Display Properties
window:
1. Insert the CD or disk into your computer.
2. Open the Control Panel window. To do this, click Start, point to Settings and click Control
Panel.
3. Double click on the Display icon to open the Display Properties Window.
Note: You can go directly to the Display Properties window by clicking on the
Windows95 desktop with the right mouse button and choosing Properties from the
menu.
4. Choose the Settings page by clicking on the Settings tab.
5. Choose the Change Display Type button.
6. Make sure that the Monitor Type line contains the name of your monitor. If not, click the
Change button and select the name of your monitor from the list.
7. Click on the Change button for the Adapter Type.
8. Insert the GrafixStar CD into your computer and choose Have Disk from the Select Device
menu. Browse to the folder [disk]:\gs600\win95\disk1.
9. Select GrafixStar600 from the list and choose OK.
10. When the GrafixStar files have been copied to your PC, the Change Display Type window
is displayed again. Choose Close.

- 6 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
11. A message appears telling you that you will have to restart Windows95 for the new
display type to take effect. Choose OK.
12. Windows95 restarts with the new GrafixStar Windows95 drivers. You are now ready to
install the Smart Tools for Windows95.
13. Choose Run from the Start menu.
14. Type [disk]:\gs600\win95\disk1\setup and choose OK.
15. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Installing GrafixStar600 for Windows 3.1
Note: before installing the GrafixStar600, make sure that you have configured Windows to
run with a standard VGA display. You can do this by using the Windows Setup from the Main
program group, choosing Change Systems settings from the Options menu and selecting VGA
from the display list box. You can also run the Windows Setup program from DOS. See the
Windows Users Guide for details on running Windows Setup from DOS.
To install the GrafixStar600 software for Windows 3.1:
1. Insert the CD into your system.
2. Type [disk]:\gs600\win31\disk1\setup and choose OK.
3. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
At the end of the setup procedure a dialog box will appear asking you to choose the display
mode that you want for your monitor, and will prompt you to restart Windows once you have
chosen a display mode. You can access this dialog to change your display mode by running
the Video Select program. This program is installed in the ET6000 program group by default.

- 7 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
The SmartTools for Windows95
The SmartTools are a new set of applications which let you get the most out of the powerful
capabilities of your graphics card, giving you more control over the appearance and behavior
of your Windows desktop.
The instructions in this chapter are intended to give you an overview of how the SmartTools
work. For more detailed instructions, refer to the online help supplied with the SmartTools.
There are three Smart applications, SmartTools, Smar tDisplay and SmartDesktop.
SmartTools
SmartTools lets you create toolbars for quicker access to your applications and documents.
With SmartTools you can:
 Use toolbars for the other Smart applications, and customize these toolbars to suit your
needs.
 Create toolbars for other applications, adding buttons for the programs, documents and
files you use most.
 Assign hotkeys for commands that you use most often.
SmartDisplay
SmartDisplay makes it easier and quicker for you to set up the properties for your monitor.
SmartDisplay gives you:
 A SmartDisplay Wizard, which guides you through a step-by-step procedure that helps you
find the ideal display settings for the kind of work you are doing.
 A SmartDisplay set up procedure for advanced users, which lets you select the display size,
color palette, refresh rate, desktop size, connectivity and monitor alignment for your
display.

- 8 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
SmartDesktop
SmartDesktop controls the size and behavior of your desktop.
With SmartDesktop you can:
 Set a virtual desktop that is larger than the display size.
 Control the way you move around the desktop and reach the off-screen portion of your
desktop.
 Change the display size at the touch of a button, allowing you to zoom in and zoom out
while you are working.
Using SmartTools
With SmartTools, you can customize the toolbars for the other Smart applications and create
toolbars of your own.
Starting SmartTools
To start SmartTools, press the Start button, choose Programs, then VideoLogic Smar tTools,
then Smar tTools, or use the Smar tTools shortcut icon on the Windows95 desktop.
The Smar tTools window contains three pages, Toolbar Properties, Customize Toolbars and
Customize Hotkeys.
Toolbar properties
With Toolbar Properties selected, you can
 Open and close existing toolbars by checking and unchecking them.
 Set the proper ties (Name, On Top, Tool Tips, Status Bar and Lock) for each toolbar.

- 9 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Customize Toolbars
With Customize Toolbars selected, you can:
 Create new toolbars and add them to the list of toolbars on the Toolbar Properties page by
dragging applications from the Applications list onto the desktop, or by dragging one of the
buttons in the commands list onto the desktop.
 Add buttons to toolbars by dragging them from the Commands list onto the toolbar, move
buttons by holding down the SHIFT key and dragging them along the toolbar, or remove
buttons by holding down the SHIFT key and dragging them off the toolbar.
 Add buttons for other applications to the Other Apps list and set properties for these
buttons.
Assigning hotkeys
With Customize Hotkeys selected, you can assign hotkey combinations to the commands you
use most often, using combinations of SHIFT, CTRL and ALT, plus the other keys on the keyboard.
Using SmartDisplay
SmartDisplay is an application that lets you select, customize and create display modes for
your monitor. If you have never set a display mode before, or if you need help in choosing
your settings, you should use the SmartDisplay Settings Wizard. If you are familiar with
setting display modes, you should use the Advanced Settings button.
Starting SmartDisplay
1. Select the Display Properties Control Panel either by right-clicking on the Windows
background and choosing Properties from the menu or by pressing the Start button,
choosing Settings, then Control Panels, then Display.
2. Click the SmartDisplay tab. The following window appears:

- 10 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Setting display modes using the Wizard
The Wizard takes you through a step by step procedure for setting up a display mode.
To use the Wizard:
1. Choose the SmartDisplay page on the Display Properties window.
2. Select the display mode you want to modify from the Display Modes list.
3. Click on the SmartDisplay Settings Wizard button.
4. Follow the instructions given by the Wizard.

- 11 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Setting display modes using the Advanced Settings button
This procedure lets you choose the settings for your display mode. You should only use it if
you are familiar with setting display modes.
To set a display mode:
1. Choose the SmartDisplay page on the Display Proper ties window.
2. Select the display mode you want to modify from the Display Modes list.
3. Click on the Advanced Settings button.
This takes you to the SmartDisplay Advanced Settings window. This window has five pages:
Display for setting the display size, Desktop for setting the desktop size, Connectivity for the
type of connection to multimedia option cards, Screen for centering and resizing the display
on your monitor and Properties for creating and naming display modes.
Using SmartDesktop
SmartDesktop is an application which controls the appearance and behavior of your desktop.
You can use Smar t Desktop to set a virtual desktop, where the desktop size is larger than the
display size, and you can change the display size at the touch of a button, allowing you to
zoom in and zoom out while you are working.
To use the SmartDesktop functions, you use the toolbar for SmartDesktop, created using
SmartTools.
You can use the Smar tDesktop Properties page to set properties which control the way
SmartDesktop works.

- 12 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Maximize in DisplayMaximize on Zoom
Move Right
Move Down
Move Up
Move Left
Auto Pan
Property sheet
Scroll Lock
Smart Zoom
Zoom In
Zoom Out
The SmartDesktop toolbar
Using SmartTools, you can create a toolbar for running SmartDesktop.
To create a Smar tDesktop Toolbar:
1. Start Smar tTools.
2. Click on the Customize Toolbars tab.
3. Click on SmartDesktop in the applications list and drag it off the desktop.
The SmartDesktop toolbar appears as follows:

- 13 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Property Sheet accesses the SmartDesktop Display Properties page. This is described on the
next page.
Scroll Lock disables scrolling functions. This is useful if you are using a virtual desktop and
you want to work on a particular area of the desktop without accidentally moving to other
areas.
When you have SmartZoom selected, you can use all the virtual desktop functions: when you
zoom in or zoom out with Smart Zoom selected, only the display size changes; the desktop
size stays the same. You can also use the functions such as Scroll Lock, Auto Pan, Maximize
on Zoom and Maximize on Display to control the way your desktop behaves. If SmartZoom is
not selected, you can only use Zoom In and Zoom Out.
Zoom In and Zoom Out are use to change the size of your display. You can keep pressing the
Zoom In button until the display size reaches the smallest size available (640 x 480). You can
keep pressing the Zoom Out button until the display size reaches the largest size available
(this is set using SmartDisplay).
You can also use the Zoom Display Fully In and Zoom Display Fully Out functions to zoom
directly to the smallest and largest display sizes for your monitor. These functions are available
as hot keys and SmartTools menu items.
When Maximize on Zoom is selected, all maximized windows fit the new display size when
you zoom in or zoom out.
When Maximize in Display is selected, maximized windows fit the display size. When this is
not selected, maximized windows fit the desktop size.
If you have Auto Pan enabled, and you switch to a window which is currently off-screen (using
ALT+TA B , or using the taskbar), the screen scrolls automatically to the window you selected.
The Move Up, Move Down, Move Left and Move Right buttons on the toolbar move to the
parts of the desktop which are currently off-screen (when the desktop size is larger than the
display size). You can also move to these areas using the mouse.

- 14 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
The SmartDesktop Display Properties page
The SmartDesktop Properties page provides you with an alternative way of setting
SmartDesktop's characteristics.
To open the Smar tDesktop Display Properties page, select the Display Properties Control Panel
and click the SmartDesktop tab. The following page appears:
You can also set Schemes which are a useful way of saving combinations of SmartDesktop
functions. Each scheme that you create saves a different combination of SmartDesktop
settings that you can access again at any time.

- 15 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Technical details
Display modes
The display modes supported by GrafixStar600 are shown in the table below. If you have the
feature connector enabled, the number of display modes available may be reduced.
i = interlaced

- 16 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
1611
510 15
Monitor connector
GrafixStar600 uses a standard 15-way high density D socket. If your monitor uses a different
connector your monitor dealer will be able to supply an adapter. The pin-outs are as follows:
Power and temperature specifications
GrafixStar 600 operates at a nominal power rating of +5.5 Watts (6.8 Watts max), at
temperatures between 10ºC (50ºF) and 50ºC (122ºF).

- 17 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Troubleshooting
This chapter provides solutions to the problems that can happen when installing and using
GrafixStar600 which lead to the PC or Windows being unable to start. For more detailed
troubleshooting information refer to the file readme.txt in the GS600 directory on the
VideoLogic Software Library CD.
Problem: After installing GrafixStar600, my PC does not start.
Solution: Your old graphics controller or graphics card is still active. Remove the old card or
disable your graphics controller, referring to your PCs documentation for
instructions on how to do this.
Your GrafixStar600 card is not seated properly in your PC. Check that the
connectors at the bottom of the card are fitted properly into the PCI slot. In some
cases, you may need to move the card into another slot.
Problem: My screen is blank (black) when Windows95 has loaded.
Solution: The Hardware Acceleration bar in the Graphics section of the System Properties
Performance page has been set to None. Change this to Full.
Problem: My screen is blank, flickering, or corrupted.
Solution: You have the wrong monitor type selected in Display Properties, and it cannot
support the selected refresh rate. To select the correct monitor type, shut down
Windows95, choosing Restart the computer. (If you cant see the screen, use
ALT+F4, DOWN ARROW, ENTER.) When the Starting Windows95 message appears, press
the F8key and choose Safe Mode. When Windows95 has started, choose a
different monitor in Display Properties, or choose a lower refresh rate.

- 18 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Technical support
If you have a problem with your GrafixStar600 card, go though the steps below to get your
system running again as quickly as possible. There are two sequences, depending on whether
you are in USA, Canada and South America or elsewhere in the world.
USA, Canada and South America
1. Check the Troubleshooting information on page17 and in the readme in the GS600
directory on the CD. They contain lists of likely problems and solutions.
2. Dial 800 203 8587 for our FaxBack service where you will find a constantly updated list of
common questions and answers, as well as a list of the latest software versions available.
3. Contact us online using one of the following services.
- Internet web site: http://www.videologic.com
- Internet FTP site: ftp://ftp.videologic.com
- Microsoft Network: Go to VideoLogic
- CompuServe: GO VIDEOLOGIC
- Bulletin board: 415 875 7748 (to 28800 baud, 8-N-1)
4. Contact your original supplier for technical help.
5. Call our customer support group at 415 875 0606. To help us help you quickly and
efficiently, please have as many details of your system as possible to hand before you call.
For further information on VideoLogic products and services, or to order your extra memory,
contact us at the following address:
VideoLogic Inc., 1001 Bayhill Drive, Suite 310, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA.
Telephone: [phone].
Fax: [phone].
e-mail: [email protected]

- 19 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Outside USA, Canada and South America
1. Check the Troubleshooting information on page17 and in the readme in the GS600
directory on the CD. They contain lists of likely problems and solutions.
2. Dial +1800 203 8587 for our FaxBack service where you will find a constantly updated
list of common questions and answers, as well as a list of the latest software versions
available.
3. Contact us online using one of the following services.
- Internet web site: http://www.videologic.com
- Internet FTP site: ftp://ftp.videologic.com
- Microsoft Network: Go to VideoLogic
- CompuServe: GO VIDEOLOGIC
- Bulletin board (UK): [phone] (to 28800 baud, 8-N-1)
- Bulletin board (Germany): [phone] 371257 (to 28800 baud, 8-N-1)
4. Contact your original supplier for technical help.
5. Call our customer support group at +441923271300. To help us help you quickly and
efficiently, please have as many details of your system as possible to hand before you call.
For further information on VideoLogic products and services, or to order your extra memory,
contact us at one of the following addresses:
VideoLogic Limited, Home Park Estate, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, WD4 8LZ, UK.
Telephone: [phone]
Fax:[phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
VideoLogic GmbH, Max Planck Str. 25, D-63303 Dreieich, Germany.
Telephone: [phone].
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]

- 20 -
GrafixStar600 User Guide
Index
B
bus type required 2
C
colors supported in each mode 15
D
display mode table 15
F
FaxBack service 18, 19
feature connector location 3
G
GrafixStar 600, illustration 3
GrafixStar 600, installing 3
H
handling GrafixStar 600 2
hardware, installation 3
hardware, requirements 2
hotkeys 9
I
installing GrafixStar 600 hardware 3
installing Windows 3.1 software 6
installing Windows 95 software 5
M
mode table 15
monitor connector pin-outs 16
O
operating temperature 16
P
PC requirements 2
PCI bus slot 4
pin-outs of monitor connector 16
power consumption 16
S
SmartDesktop 1115
SmartDisplay 911
Smar tTools 89
software installation 5, 6
support 18, 19
system requirements 2
T
technical support 18, 19
toolbars 8
troubleshooting 17
V
VideoLogic, addresses 18, 19