XCLAIMTM VR User’s Guide Version 3.0 - September 1997 P/N: 107-70035-30 Rev. A Copyright © 1997, by ATI Technologies Inc. ATI, XCLAIM, ImpacTV, and Mac2TV are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Pricing, availability, features, performance and specifications are subject to change without notice. Product may not be exactly as shown in the diagrams.
Disclaimer While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, ATI Technologies Inc. assumes no liability to any party for errors or omissions contained in the Software or related documentation, any interruption of service, loss or interruption of business or anticipatory profits or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of the Software and related documentation. ATI Technologies Inc.
Table of Contents 1. Getting Started............................................... 1 Introduction.....................................................................1 What You'll Need ...........................................................2 Related Documentation .................................................2 2. Installing Your Hardware............................ 3 Using XCLAIM VRÕs Connectors.................................4 Installing your XCLAIM VR .........................................
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1 Getting Started Introduction XCLAIM VR is the ultimate 3D gaming and multimedia solution for your PCI Macintosh.
What You'll Need The XCLAIM VR card runs with the following minimum system requirements: ¥ Power Macintosh or Mac OS compatible with a PCI expansion slot ¥ Macintosh System software 7.5.5 or later ¥ Apple monitor or VGA-style monitor ¥ QuickTime 2.5 or later (included) ¥ QuickDraw 3D 1.5.1 or later (included) ¥ Minimum 16MB memory (QuickDraw 3D requires 16MB of memory) Related Documentation The README Þle summarizes the latest product revisions.
2 Installing Your Hardware XCLAIM VR Þts into connectors called expansion slots, inside your computer. Your Macintosh has one or more slots, each designed to accept Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) cards. ! NOTE WARNING ¥ The manufacturer assumes no liability for any damage, caused directly or indirectly, by improper installation of components by unauthorized service personnel. If you do not feel comfortable performing the installation, consult a qualiÞed technician.
! WARNING ¥ If your system hangs after installing the XCLAIM VR card, you may have an old graphics accelerator extension that is incompatible with XCLAIM VR. Restart your computer and hold down the SHIFT key during startup. This will disable all extensions from loading. Now you can update the graphics accelerator extension by installing the software included with your card. For more information about installing the software, see ÒInstalling SoftwareÓ on page 12.
Installing your XCLAIM VR 1. Turn off your computer, and disconnect the monitor cable. 2. Remove the computer cover. If necessary, consult your computer system manual for removal instructions. 3. Choose the PCI expansion slot you wish to use. 4. Touch the metal part of the power supply case. Touching the grounded portion of the power supply case will discharge your body’s static electricity.
5. Lower the auxiliary fan. To lower the fan, squeeze the sides to unlatch it. 6. Remove the metal access cover from the expansion slot you want to use. 1. To release the access port cover, pull the two levers next to the access port apart. 2. Slide the access port cover out and away from the access port.
7. Align the connector on the card with the PCI expansion slot and press Þrmly until fully seated. Connector Do not force the card. The card should fit snugly into the expansion slot. Connector PCI Expansion Slot If you plan to use multiple displays, you must install a card for each monitor. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each display. 8. Replace the auxiliary fan. 9. Replace the computer cover.
10. Connect the monitor cable to the card. Apple monitor port NOTE Your monitor must support AppleÕs Monitor Sense protocol, either directly or through an appropriate adapter. For more information, see ÒAbout Monitor SensingÓ on page 9. 11. To connect a video input source to your card, see ÒUsing XCLAIM VRÕs Video In ConnectorsÓ on page 27. To output your computerÕs display to TV or VCR, see ÒUsing XCLAIM VRÕs Video Out ConnectorÓ on page 30. Otherwise, you are ready to install the software.
About Monitor Sensing AppleÕs Monitor Sensing speciÞcation allows graphics cards to identify the attached monitor. During startup, the XCLAIM VR checks the status of three of the Þfteen pins on the Apple monitor port. It then auto-conÞgures itself according to the monitor sense code detected and enables all resolutions supported by the monitor. Since the XCLAIM VR relies on this sense code to correctly autoconÞgure during startup, the monitor must supply the appropriate sense code.
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3 Installing Your Software About ATI Software XCLAIM VR requires that several components be added to your System folder and to your Preferences folder. The XCLAIM VR Installer does this for you and installs the following: ATI Displays Control Panel The ATI Displays control panel lets you conÞgure your card and access software and hardware features. These features are described in the section ÒATI Displays Control PanelÓ on page 16.
Installing Software 1. Insert the XCLAIM VR installation disk into your disk drive. 2. Double-click on the XCLAIM VR Installer icon. The ATI splash screen and legal notice appears. 3. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen. Under most circumstances, you should click Standard Install. However, if you only want to install certain parts of the ATI multimedia software, click Custom Install.
4. When you see a message that the installation was successful, click restart. To complete the installation, you must restart your computer. Your system restarts. or To perform further installations, click Continue. The XCLAIM VR Standard Install window appears. or To return to Finder, click Quit. You need to manually restart your system to complete the installation of XCLAIM VR’s software.
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4 Multimedia Features Your XCLAIM VR is Þve multimedia products in one.
ATI Displays Control Panel The ATI Displays control panel provides access to the various multimedia features that XCLAIM VR has to offer. To open the ATI Displays control panel, select Control Panel from the Apple menu, then select ATI Displays. For detailed instructions on how to set up and use these features, please refer to the ATI Guide, which can be accessed through the ATI Displays control panel.
Display Details The Details window gives you information about speciÞc software components needed to enable each of XCLAIM VRÕs features. Check the Details window to determine the Þles and version numbers of the software components installed in your system folder during the installation process. The Details window also lists the Apple system software required for XCLAIM VR (QuickTime, QuickDraw 3D).
Popup Menu and Hot Keys remain inactive when dialogs appear on the screen. For example, while using the Monitors & Sound control panel, the Popup Menu and Hot Keys are disabled. Monitors The Monitors feature provides access to the standard Mac OS Monitors & Sound control panel. You can use this panel to select color depths and resolutions, and set up multiple monitors. For more information on this panel refer to the Mac OS Guide that comes with your computer.
ATI Guide The ATI Guide is an additional source of information when you are working with the ATI Displays control panel. It behaves similarly to the Mac OS Guide that comes with your computer. Access the ATI Guide by clicking on the Apple Guide icon on the ATI Displays control panel. The ATI Guide stays in front of other windows on the screen so the instructions are always visible. To move the ATI Guide window to another location, drag it by the title bar.
Viewing 3D Graphics XCLAIM VRÕs QuickDraw 3D Acceleration supports the following advanced 3D graphics capabilities: ¥ QuickDraw 3D RAVE Support ¥ Six perspectively correct texture mapping functions ¥ 16-bit z-buffering (a process that removes hidden surfaces) ¥ Flat and Gouraud shading ¥ Alpha blending and fog effects ¥ Video texture and texture lighting These features make it possible to quickly render 3D graphics, produce atmospheric effects, calculate light and color shading, and determine wh
Adjusting Texture Compression When running 3D graphics, 3D textures are loaded into the memory on your XCLAIM VR card. You can adjust the texture compression to compress the 3D textures in memory. Compressed textures take up less space so that more textures can be loaded. C ha ng e If you set your texture compression to None, you will get the best image quality but your 3D textures may take up a lot of memory.
Using the 3D Memory Monitor When you open 3D graphics on your Mac, run the 3D Memory Monitor to see how your XCLAIM VR has allocated 3D memory. To open the 3D Memory Monitor 1. Select Control Panels from the Apple Menu. 2. Select ATI Displays. 3. Click on the 3D Memory icon. When you open a 3D application window, you can see how the additional memory required for 3D graphics is allocated.
To reduce the memory allocated to Display memory: ¥ change the color depth from millions to thousands ¥ decrease your screen resolution Textures Texture indicates the number and size of texture maps loaded by 3D applications to add realism to 3D models and environments. Bitmap indicates the memory allocated to non-3D elements like 2D and video.
3D Quality Texture mapping helps provide realistic quality images by placing photo-realistic images or textures on a 3D object. When these textured objects appear in the High Quality setting, additional texture Þltering, or blending takes place. In some applications or games, this additional texture Þltering may not be desirable. For this reason, ATI provides the 3D quality option to toggle the 3D texture Þltering routines off and on.
3D Sync Your XCLAIM VR graphics accelerator provides superior 3D performance by performing many tasks in offscreen memory including graphic rendering. Depending on the 3D scene, the refresh rate of your computer monitor, and the game or application, you may notice some slight horizontal ßickering or ÒtearingÓ. This ßicker is caused by the different rates at which the display performs a complete screen redraw, and when the XCLAIM VR moves images located in offscreen memory to the display buffer.
Using QuickTime Playback XCLAIM VRÕs QuickTime playback acceleration allows you to stretch even the smallest movies to full screen size without compromising frame rate or image quality. XCLAIM VRÕs hardware scaler maintains the original quality of your QuickTime movie when scaling to a larger sizeÑeven full screen. XCLAIM VRÕs QuickTime playback acceleration displays in millions of colors, even if the current color depth setting is 256 colors or grayscale.
To check the format of a video NOTE 1. Open the movie using Apple Movie Player. 2. Select Get Info. 3. From the 1st pull down menu, select Video Track. 4. From the 2nd pull down menu, select Format. 5. Read the format type. Remember, only Cinepak and Indeo formats use XCLAIM VRÕs QuickTime acceleration and hardware scaler. Some multimedia titles on CD-ROM incorporate QuickTime clips that do not allow movies to be stretched during playback.
4. Looking at the back of your computer, locate your XCLAIM VR card. 5. Using an S-Video or Composite cable, attach one end of the cable to the video in of your XCLAIM VR card and the other to the video out of your VCR. 6. Turn on your computer and your VCR. Using XCLAIM VR’s Video Capture with Third Party Applications XCLAIM VRÕs video input can be used with any third party application that supports QuickTime capture through video digitizer components.
6. Ensure that the Input matches the type of video source (Composite or S-Video) you have connected to XCLAIM VR. Optimizing Video Capture The quality of your capture depends on the quality of the video source and the type of system you are using to capture. Follow these suggestions to ensure that you are getting the best capture possible: ¥ turn off virtual memory ¥ disable your network and Þle sharing capabilities (i.e.
Make sure that you have the available hard disk space you need to capture your video. If you capture 15 seconds of video at 30 frames per second with a window size of 320 x 240, you need about 60 MB of hard disk space. After you have captured your video, you can use postcompression to decrease its size. A typical 60 MB video capture will compress to about 10 MB using the Cinepak post-compression format.
4. Connect the video out adapter to the Video Out of your XCLAIM VR card. (See diagram below.) Composite Connector Video Out Connector Video Out Adapter S-Video Connector 5. Determine if your TV has an S-Video or Composite video input connection. 6. Attach one end of an S-Video or Composite cable to the video out adapter and the other to the video in connector of your TV.
To connect your computerÕs display to a VCR to record to video tape 1. Turn off your computer and VCR. 2. Ensure your XCLAIM VR card is installed correctly. 3. Looking at the back of your computer, locate your XCLAIM VR card. 4. Connect the video out adapter to the Video Out of your XCLAIM VR card. (See diagram below.) Composite Connector Video Out Connector Video Out Adapter NOTE S-Video Connector 5. Determine if your VCR has an S-Video or Composite video input connection. 6.
7. Turn on your computer, VCR, and TV. If you are connecting your XCLAIM VR card to a VCR, make sure that your VCR is connected to a television that you can use as your computerÕs display. For information about connecting a television to your VCR, see the documentation supplied with your VCR. NOTE Now that you have connected your XCLAIM VR card to a VCR, you need to enable Mac2TV. Enabling Mac2TV WARNING ! ¥ When you initially turn on Mac2TV Video Out, your monitor display is dimmed.
ATI Displays Control Panel 1. Open the ATI Displays control panel. 2. Click on the Mac2TV icon 3. In the Video Output box, click Video Output On. A message appears to warn you that your monitor will be dimmed. 4. Click OK. A message appears on your TV stating that your display has been successfully switched to TV. 5. Click OK. If you do not click OK to the message on the TV, your display will return to your monitor after a few seconds.
Monitors & Sound control panel 1. Open the Monitors & Sound control panel. 2. Select the video output resolution and frequency you want to use. With Mac OS 7.6 and later, Video out modes are displayed with the type of signal (PAL, Simulscan, or NTSC) appended to the resolution. A message appears stating that your monitor settings have changed. 3. Click OK If you do not click OK to the message on the TV, your display will return to your monitor after a few seconds. Control Strip 1.
Changing Display Configurations Starting your Mac with Mac2TV enabled If you have Mac2TV display enabled when you shut down, the next time you startup your TV is your display. If you shut down with Mac2TV enabled, and remove the connection to the TV, the next time you startup the ATI software switches the video signal to your computer monitor. Using a TV as your only display If you are using television display only, disconnect your monitor from your XCLAIM VR card.
To set the video out preferences, click the Mac2TV icon on the ATI Displays Control Panel. Saturation, hue, and brightness are the three qualities which constitute what we normally refer to as ÒcolorÓ. ¥ Saturation is the amount of color present that distinguishes pale or washed-out colors from vivid ones. ¥ Hue, often used as a synonym for ÒcolorÓ, is the quality that distinguishes among red, green, yellow, and so on.
Color Blender adjusts the overall color shifts inherent in NTSC and PAL signals. On some televisions and video output devices, this color shift is more apparent than on others. The minimum adjustment is automatically determined by the XCLAIM VR card depending video mode and resolution, TV standard, and vertical size of the video signal.
To change your font size 1. Click the Apple menu. 2. Select Control Panels. 3. Select Views. 4. Choose a larger font size. Control Strip Modules XCLAIM VR includes a set of control strip modules which allow you to view video signals as you desktop image. ATI Desktop Video Mute Channel Up Channel Down There are several settings used within the ATI Desktop Video module. ¥ ATI Desktop Video - allows you to select the input device and type of TV signal used.
Adding XCLAIM TV Maximize the power of your Macintosh and revolutionize your TV viewing experience by adding ATI XCLAIM TV to XCLAIM VR. With XCLAIM TV, your Mac OS computer can receive a television signal and display it on your monitor while you work. Or, let your computer watch television for you. XCLAIM TV features intelligent television functionality, including the ability to zoom in on the action, monitor your favorite channels simultaneously and record transcripts.
A Troubleshooting Tips Before Contacting Customer Support If you have a general question, or encounter problems with your card, please review this information completely before contacting Customer Support. You can create a problem report from the ATI Displays control panel. Please refer to the ATI Guide for instructions on generating this problem report, and for general troubleshooting tips not covered in this section.
I am using a monitor adapter to supply the sense code, but I only get one resolution, even though I have a multiscan monitor. Why? ¥ If the adapter is conÞgurable, you need to adjust it to one of the multiscan options that best matches your monitor. If the adapter is not conÞgurable, you need a new adapter with the proper sense code for a multiscan monitor. I have a monitor with three BNC connectors.
Can the XCLAIM VR work in all Power Macintosh computers? ¥ No, the XCLAIM VR only works with PCI-based Power Macintosh computers. The minimum system requirements for the XCLAIM VR are listed in ÒWhat You'll NeedÓ on page 2. Where can I get a memory module upgrade for my XCLAIM VR card? ¥ Memory upgrade modules are available either from your dealer, or they can be purchased directly from ATI. For information about contacting ATI, click the ATI icon in the Displays control panel.
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B Specifications Video Mode Table This video mode table lists the color depth capabilities for the supported resolutions on the 4MB and 8MB XCLAIM VR cards. Please consult your monitorÕs speciÞcations to determine which resolutions are available with your display. Color depth is measured in bits per pixel (bpp): ¥ 8 bpp = 256 colors ¥ 16 bpp = thousands (32,768 colors) ¥ 32 bpp = millions (16.
3D Mode Table The 3D mode table measures the number of full screen 3D windows that are possible to display at a given resolution. For example, a value of 2.75 means that there is enough memory left over in the current mode to run 2 full screen 3D windows and another at 3/4 the size of full screen. A value of 0.40 means that largest 3D window will be just less than 1/2 the size of full screen. In the following table, 3D windows are considered to use a back buffer and Z buffer and no texture compression.
Memory Upgrade If you currently have a 4MB XCLAIM VR card, you can upgrade to 8MB by adding a 4MB SGRAM upgrade module. By adding additional memory you do not gain additional 2D resolutions or color depths since a 4MB XCLAIM VR card provides 32-bit colors in all supported resolutions. However, adding an additional 4MB of RAM allows you to open additional 3D windows and store additional 3D textures. To obtain a memory module upgrade, please contact ATI or your dealer.
Specifications System Requirements ¥ Power Macintosh or Mac OS compatible computer with a PCI slot Operating System NOTE ¥ Macintosh System software (version 7.5.5 or higher) ¥ QuickTime (version 2.5 or higher) ¥ QuickDraw 3D (version 1.5.1 or higher) Nexus GA and ATI Multimedia components are Mac OS 8 compatible. Graphics Controller ¥ ATI 3D RAGE PRO Ñ 64-bit graphics and multimedia accelerator chip. Video Display Buffer ¥ 4MB SGRAM memory upgradeable to 8MB. ¥ 64-bit memory interface.
Display Connector ¥ Apple Connector - Apple DB-15 Other Connectors ¥ S-Video In connector ¥ Composite In connector ¥ Video out adapter for S-Video and composite video out Video Interrupt ¥ PCI interrupt request enabled; interrupt is auto conÞgured by system. Power ¥ +5V +/- 5%, @ 1.3A typical. Environment ¥ Ambient Temperature: 50° to 122° F (10° to 50° C) operation. 32° to 162° F (0° to 70° C) storage. ¥ Relative Humidity: 5% to 90% non-condensing operation. 0% to 95% storage.
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C Compliance Information FCC Compliance Information This device is in conformity with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation of this product is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. 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.
Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help. ¥ The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to ensure compliance with FCC regulations. ¥ Changes or modiÞcations to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.
Directive EMC 89/336/CEE et amendement 92/31/CEE, dispositif numŽrique de Classe B EN 50081-1, Norme sur les Žmissions gŽnŽriques pour les produits domestiques, commerciaux et industriels lŽgers (EN 55022/CISPR 22, Limites et mŽthodes de mesure des caractŽristiques d'interfŽrences radiophoniques, MatŽriel des technologies de l'information) Mise en garde: ceci est un produit de Classe B.
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