Appian Hurricane Multiple Monitor Graphics Card User Guide
Copyright © 2001 Appian Graphics Corporation All rights reserved. This document may not be copied or otherwise reproduced without the prior written consent of Appian Graphics Corp. Printed in the USA. Text Part No. 780-00274-00 Appian Graphics, Hurricane, AGX1, AppianDX, AppianSync, HydraThread and HydraVision are trademarks and registered trademarks of Appian Graphics Corp. All other products and names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners.
How to Contact Appian Graphics In the United States (US), as well as Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), use the following information to get help fast: General 425-882-2020 (US) +44 (0)20 7499-2535 (EMEA) Sales 800-727-7426 (US) Technical Support 800-422-7369, 7am – 5pm PST (US) +44 (0)20 7499-2535 (EMEA) Fax 425-882-8618 (US) +44 (0)20 7495-7636 (EMEA) Address (US) Appian Graphics Corp. 18005 NE 68th Street, Suite A120 Redmond, WA 98052 Address (EMEA) Appian Graphics Ltd.
Contents Chapter 1 1 Introduction to Hurricane ............................................. 1 Included with the Hurricane ................................................2 Using Multiple Monitors .......................................................3 Chapter 2 4 Get Started.................................................................... 4 General System Requirements ............................................4 Prepare for Hardware Installation ........................................
Chapter 6 44 Troubleshooting .......................................................... 44 Frequently Asked Questions .............................................. 44 Uninstall Hurricane Drivers and HydraVision Software ........ 48 Appendix A 49 Regulatory Information .............................................. 49 FCC Compliance Statement .............................................. 49 Industry Canada Compliance Statement ............................ 50 CE Compliance Statement .....................
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Chapter 1 Introduction to Hurricane Thank you for purchasing the Appian Hurricane multiple monitor graphics card. This guide introduces you to Appian Hurricane architecture, performance capabilities and included software. This guide also contains an overview of HydraVision display management software, details about video support, and important technical information. Be sure to read this entire User Guide. The Hurricane provides dual-monitor support.
HydraVision display management software provides language support for Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. If you are running Windows in any of the above languages, HydraVision will automatically load the appropriate localized control panel or tab. If you are running Windows in a non-supported language, HydraVision and the local help files will be available in English only.
Using Multiple Monitors The Hurricane supports the use of multiple monitors in Windows 98/ME, Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0. Using a multiple monitor configuration is an efficient and cost-effective way to increase the size of your computer display area, commonly called the desktop. With multiple monitors, you can view a single application as a large window stretching across several monitors, or you can display different applications on each monitor.
Chapter 2 Get Started General System Requirements Ÿ A PC platform with a full-length PCI or AGP slot compliant with PCI revision 2.1 or higher, or AGP revision 2.0 or higher Ÿ Windows 98/ME, Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.
2. Disconnect all cables from the rear of your computer to give you more room to work. Note where each cable connects so you can reconnect it after installing the Hurricane card. 3. Remove the cover-mounting screws on the computer. If necessary, refer to your system instruction manual for information on removing the computer cover. 4. Carefully remove the cover from the computer. The system motherboard should now be in full view.
Hurricane Monitor Cabling The Hurricane card provides support for one DVI-I monitor or two VGA monitors using the supplied DVI-toVGA adapter. To connect the Hurricane card to the desired display devices, plug the monitor cable into the card (See Figure 1). To connect a DVI monitor to the Hurricane, use the supplied DVI-to-VGA adapter (Figure 2). To connect a VGA monitor to the DVI-I connector, attach the supplied DVI-to-VGA adapter to the DVI-I connector and plug your monitor cable into the adapter.
Once the cable installation is complete, you will be ready to load the provided device drivers and HydraVision display management software. To install the device driver for Windows NT 4.0, go to Chapter 3. To install the device driver for Windows 98/ME/2000, go to Chapter 4.
Chapter 3 Install and Use Software for Windows NT 4.0 This chapter explains how to install and use the Hurricane Windows NT 4.0 driver and HydraVision desktop management software. HydraVision consists of a Desktop Manager that tracks windows and dialog boxes, a graphical user interface (GUI) control panel that allows you to control multiple monitors running in a single system, and the Appian MultiDesk utility. $ NOTE: For general information regarding driver installation in Windows NT 4.
Install the Windows NT 4.0 Driver and HydraVision Software To install the Hurricane Windows NT 4.0 device driver and HydraVision software, perform the following steps: 1. Boot your system in VGA mode. From the boot menu, select Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0 [VGA Mode] at the prompt. 2. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings, then Control Panel. 3. Double-click the Display icon and select the Settings tab from the Display Properties dialog box. 4. Click the Display Type button. 5.
14. You will now be prompted by Windows to restart your system. Click Yes. 15. Windows now restarts in single monitor mode. You can change the resolution and refresh rate for the Hurricane card from the Settings tab of the Display Properties dialog box. You can enable additional monitors from the Multi-Monitor tab of the Display Properties dialog box. $ NOTE: When selecting your analog display options, keep in mind that most applications require a color depth greater than 256 colors for optimal display.
Use HydraVision HydraVision software works with the Hurricane hardware and device drivers to create a seamless multiple monitor desktop. HydraVision allows multiple monitors connected to the Hurricane card to appear as one large display rather than several smaller ones. You can spread one application across all monitors or put a different application on each monitor. Figure 3. Dual Monitor Array The above figure shows four applications displayed on two monitors.
The Desktop Manager starts automatically with Windows. You can tell that HydraVision is running by the presence of the Appian icon in the Windows system tray. Figure 4. HydraVision System Tray Icon Right-click on this icon to access HydraVision features or help, or to unload the HydraVision Desktop Manager. In addition to accessing HydraVision from the system tray, you can also access HydraVision by right-clicking on the Windows desktop and selecting Properties. Figure 5.
Figure 6. Display Properties Dialog Box Example The above figure shows an example of the Windows Display Properties dialog box with the Appian HydraVision tabs. All the normal Display Properties tabs are still available, including the Settings tab, which allows you to change desktop resolution and color depth for analog displays. The HydraVision tabs (Multi-Monitor, Desktop Management and Hot Keys) allow you to modify your display options.
Along the bottom of each HydraVision dialog are four buttons: OK, Cancel, Apply and Help. ú OK implements the changes you’ve made in the Display Properties dialog box and exits the control panel. Changes take effect immediately unless you see a message prompting you to restart your computer. ú Cancel discards all changes made to any section of Display Properties and closes the dialog box. ú Apply implements your changes without closing the Display Properties dialog box.
Multi-Monitor Controls Figure 7. Multi-Monitor Dialog Example The Multi-Monitor dialog features a graphic representation of the current monitor array. You can drag the monitor illustrations to new locations in the diagram to change the array. You can also enable and disable monitors by double-clicking on the monitor number in the list box. If the Enable Individual Monitor Refresh Rates box is checked, you can select independent refresh rates for each monitor in the system.
Extended Display Settings Figure 8. Extended Display Settings Dialog Example Refresh rate settings: ú Monitor Model—From the drop-down menu, select the model and brand of the monitor(s) you are using so that HydraVision can automatically determine the appropriate refresh rate for your display. This prevents manual selection of a refresh rate that is not supported by your monitor(s).
ú Refresh Rate—HydraVision automatically determines the appropriate refresh rate for your monitor based on your model selection, as explained above. You may choose different refresh rates from the drop-down menu for each monitor. In general, a higher refresh rate improves display quality but lowers performance, because the graphics system can only do a fixed number of operations per second. The more time it spends redrawing the screen, the less time it has for other operations.
Desktop Management Controls Figure 9. Desktop Management Dialog Example The Desktop Management dialog lets you determine the behavior of pop-up windows and dialog boxes in a multiple monitor environment. Dialog Control: ú Enable dialog repositioning—Toggles dialog control on and off. When it is checked, you can choose to have dialog boxes appear on the parent application’s monitor (The parent application is the application that generated the dialog box.).
$ NOTE: Windows system logon and logoff messages cannot be repositioned and will always appear split across monitors unless the Boot to single monitor control is enabled (see below). Window control: ú Single monitor windows—When this box is checked, windows are sized no larger than a single monitor. Windows that are placed on monitor splits are automatically relocated to the monitor on which most of the window appears.
General: ú Application position memory—Check this box to “remember” the size and location of application windows when they are closed and reapply those settings when the application is reopened. ú Boot to single monitor—Check this box to boot your system in single monitor mode. This prevents system messages and the Windows splash screen from splitting across monitors during boot-up. The display will switch to multiple monitor mode after you log on and the Appian Desktop Manager loads.
Load/Unload Desktop Manager—This button restores or removes the HydraVision Desktop Manager. Unloading the Desktop Manager returns display settings to Windows defaults. You should only select this option if you do not want to use any multiple mo nitor dialog box and window controls or hot keys. $ NOTE: Unload applies to your current Windows session only. When Windows restarts, the Desktop Manager will reload. Load/Unload MultiDesk—This button restores or removes multiple desktop functionality.
Hot Keys Controls Figure 10. Hot Keys Dialog Example The Hot Keys dialog allows you to specify hot key shortcuts for common operations such as starting applications, snapping applications to designated monitors and changing display resolution. Create/Remove Hot Keys To create custom hot key sequences, select a Modifier key (Shift, Alt, etc.), a Hot key, and the Hot key function you want this key combination to perform. Click Add to enter your new combination in the Assigned hot keys list box.
$ NOTE: Appian recommends that a modifier key be used with any function key (F1, F2, etc.) assigned as a hot key. This will prevent interference with the function of these keys in individual applications. To delete a hot key from the Assigned hot keys list box, highlight it, click Remove, and then click Apply. You can disable all hot keys listed in the Assigned hot keys list box by checking the Disable hot keys box near the bottom of the Hot Keys dialog.
Figure 12. MultiDesk Pop-Up Menu To switch to another defined desktop, select the appropriate desktop number from the pop-up menu. To enable, disable and name active desktops, select MultiDesk Properties from the pop-up menu. To arrange applications within active desktops, or to enable specific applications on all desktops, select Arrange MultiDesk from the pop-up menu. $ NOTE: This applies to your current Windows session only. When Windows restarts, MultiDesk will reload.
Chapter 4 Install and Use Software for Windows 98/ME/2000 This chapter explains how to install and use the Hurricane Windows 98/ME and Windows 2000 drivers and HydraVision desktop management software. $ NOTE: For general information regarding driver installation in Windows 98 and Windows 2000, please refer to your Windows documentation. Ö WARNING! To avoid possible conflicts, temporarily disable your virus protection software during installation of Hurricane software.
Install the Windows 98/ME Driver To install the Hurricane Windows 98/ME device driver and HydraVision software, perform the following steps: 1. Upon boot-up of the system, the Add New Hardware Wizard will appear. Click Next. 2. Select the Display a list of known drivers… option and click Next. 3. Insert the Appian Hurricane installation CD-ROM into the appropriate drive. 4. Click Have Disk. 5. Select the path to the Windows 98 driver files (.INF) using the Browse button. Click OK. 6.
Install the Windows 2000 Driver To install the Hurricane Windows 2000 device driver and HydraVision software, perform the following steps: 1. Upon boot-up of the system, Windows will automatically detect the new hardware and the Found New Hardware Wizard will appear. Click Next. 2. Select the Display a list of the known drivers… option and click Next. 3. Select Display Adapters and click Next. 4. Insert the Appian Hurricane installation CD-ROM into the appropriate drive. 5. Click Have Disk. 6.
Enable Additional Monitors Figure 13. Enable Additional Monitors Example To enable additional monitors, perform the following steps: 1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings, then Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Display icon. 3. Select the Settings tab. 4. Click the illustration of the monitor you wish to enable. 5. Check the Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor check box, then click Apply. 6. You can also change the screen area (resolution) using the Screen area slider bar.
Install Local Help Files Appian Help provides a choice between connecting to on-line help or to local HTML-based help. Local HTMLbased help files can be installed from the CD-ROM that shipped with your product package. If you wish to have local HTML-based help files accessible from the Help button of the HydraVision control panel, perform the following steps: $ NOTE: You must have an Internet browser installed on your system to view Appian help files. 1.
Use HydraVision The Windows 98/ME and Windows 2000 operating systems are designed to recognize multiple monitors in a single system. HydraVision installation enables the Appian Desktop Manager and adds the HydraVision display management software to your Windows Control Panel group, where it appears as additional tabs in the Display Properties dialog box. HydraVision and the Appian Desktop Manager are activated whenever Windows starts.
The HydraVision Desktop Manager allows you to modify your display options. You can access the Desktop Management and Hot Keys dialog boxes by clicking on the appropriate tab in the Desktop Manager. Along the bottom of each HydraVision dialog are four buttons: OK, Cancel, Apply and Help. ú OK implements the changes you’ve made in the HydraVision dialog and exits the Desktop Manager. Changes take effect immediately unless you see a message prompting you to restart your computer.
Desktop Management Controls Figure 16. Desktop Management Dialog Example The Desktop Management dialog lets you determine the behavior of pop-up windows and dialog boxes in a multiple monitor environment. $ NOTE: Depending on the operating system, not all the functions described in this section will be available.
Dialog control: ú Enable dialog repositioning—Toggles dialog control on and off. When it is checked, you can choose to have dialog boxes appear on the parent application’s monitor (The parent application is the application that generated the dialog box.). If the parent application or associated monitor cannot be located, the dialog box defaults to monitor 1. You can also choose to have dialog boxes appear on the monitor in which the cursor is located or to always appear on a specific monitor in the array.
ú Max child windows—Keeps windows generated by parent applications from splitting across monitors (A child window is a window residing within a parent application window.). The ability to keep child windows on a single monitor when maximized is extremely useful for editing multiple documents side by side in a parent application. $ NOTE: The Appian application title bar icon changes from a single square to two smaller squares when a window is in an Appian maximized state.
ú Enable individual application settings—Check this box to specify desktop management settings for individual applications. You can access these settings by clicking on the down arrow of the Appian icon in the application title bar or by pressing the Individual Application Settings button in the Desktop Management dialog.
Load/Unload MultiDesk—This button restores or removes multiple desktop functionality. $ NOTE: Unload applies to your current Windows session only. When Windows restarts, MultiDesk will reload. Individual Application Settings—This button allows you to specify, enable and disable desktop management settings for individual applications. $ NOTE: These settings override the global settings defined in the Desktop Management dialog.
Hot Keys Controls Figure 17. Hot Keys Dialog Example HydraVision allows you to specify hot key shortcuts for common operations such as starting applications, snapping applications to designated monitors and changing display resolution. Create/Remove Hot Keys To create custom hot key sequences, select a Modifier key (Shift, Alt, etc.), a Hot key, and the Hot key function you want this key combination to perform. Click Add to enter your new combination in the Assigned hot keys list box.
$ NOTE: Appian recommends that a modifier key be used with any function key (F1, F2, etc.) assigned as a hot key. This will prevent interference with the function of these keys in individual applications. To delete a hot key from the Assigned hot keys list box, highlight it, click Remove, and then click Apply. You can also disable all hot keys listed in the Assigned hot keys list box by checking the Disable hot keys box near the bottom of the Hot Keys dialog.
Figure 19. MultiDesk Pop-Up Menu To switch to another defined desktop, select the appropriate desktop number from the pop-up menu. To enable, disable and name active desktops, select MultiDesk Properties from the pop-up menu. To arrange applications within active desktops, or to enable specific applications on all desktops, select Arrange MultiDesk from the pop-up menu. The MultiDesk functionality can be removed by selecting Unload Appian MultiDesk from the pop-up menu.
Chapter 5 Technical Information Monitor Cables and Connector Pinouts This section contains information about the connectors on your Hurricane card, as well as information about the connectors on the analog adapters.
DVI Connector Pinouts Figure 20 and Table 1 indicate pinouts for the standard DVI connectors on the Hurricane card. Digital displays use this type of connector. Figure 20.
DB-15 Connector Pinouts Figure 21 and Table 2 indicate pinouts for the standard DB-15 connector on the Hurricane and analog adapters. Most analog monitors use this type of connector. 5 4 3 10 9 2 8 1 7 6 15 14 13 12 11 Figure 21.
Functional Specifications Ÿ ATI Radeon VE graphics processor Ÿ Dual 300 MHz DAC Ÿ PCI or AGP bus interface ú PCI 2.1 and 2.2 compliant ú AGP revision 2.0 compliant Ÿ DDWG/DVI-i compliant Ÿ Driver support ú Windows NT 4.
Chapter 6 Troubleshooting If you have a problem with your Hurricane card and don’t find the solution in this User Guide, please contact Appian Technical Support at 800-422-7369 or support@appian.com. You can also visit the technical support section of the Appian web site at www.appian.com for the latest product support information, additional frequently asked questions and solutions to common installation and usage problems.
What if the Windows operating system warns that the graphics card is not configured properly? Ÿ Check the driver installation and ensure that all software corresponds to the operating system and is correctly loaded. Ÿ Reinstall the Hurricane driver. Ÿ Make sure drivers and utilities from previously installed graphics cards are removed/uninstalled from the system. 1. Select Start|Settings|Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs. 2.
What if nothing displays on the monitor(s) connected to the Hurricane card? Ÿ Be sure the Hurricane card is properly seated in the PCI or AGP expansion slot and that cables are secure and properly connected. Ÿ Make sure the monitor is receiving power. Ÿ Check the pins on the monitor and cable connector(s) to ensure none are broken or bent. Ÿ The brightness or contrast controls on your monitor may not be adjusted correctly. Check and readjust these controls.
Why do application boxes always appear on the primary monitor, when my application is on another monitor? In Windows 2000, most Microsoft Windowscompatible programs are multiple-monitor aware. However, many legacy applications are not. Some legacy applications will display their dialog boxes split either across two monitors, or only on the primary monitor, regardless of which monitor that application is running on.
Uninstall Hurricane Drivers and HydraVision Software If you need to reinstall the Hurricane device drivers or HydraVision software for any reason, be sure to uninstall the driver and HydraVision files first. To uninstall the device drivers or HydraVision software, perform the following steps: $ NOTE: In Windows NT 4.0, you must be logged on as an administrator to successfully run the Appian uninstall utility. 1.
Appendix A Regulatory Information FCC Compliance Statement This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference with radio communications.
Changes or modifications to this device not expressly approved by Appian Graphics may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. Industry Canada Compliance Statement This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numerique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigencies du Reglement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.