RADEON™ 9000
User’s Guide
P/N 137-40442-10
Copyright © 2002, ATI Technologies Inc. All rights reserved.
ATI and all ATI product and product feature names 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 owners. Features,
performance and specifications are subject to change without notice. Product may not
be exactly as shown in the diagrams.
Reproduction of this manual, or parts thereof, in any form, without the express written
permission of ATI Technologies Inc. is strictly prohibited.
Disclaimer ..............................................................................................ii
Product Notice........................................................................................ii
MACROVISION....................................................................................ii
Features At A Glance .................................................................................. 2
Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience...................................... 3
HydraVision™ ....................................................................................... 4
Display Configurations................................................................................ 6
ATI Displays Tab......................................................................................... 7
ATI Color Tab ............................................................................................. 8
ATI Options Tab........................................................................................ 10
ATI Overlay Tab ....................................................................................... 11
Video Overlay ...................................................................................... 11
OpenGL® Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Set AGP Settings.................................................................................. 23
Fast Write ............................................................................................. 23
Retest All.............................................................................................. 24
Using TV Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
View your PC’s display on a TV.......................................................... 25
Connecting to a TV or a VCR .................................................................. 26
Starting Windows® with TV Display Enabled.................................... 27
Using SCART Connectors for European TVs ..................................... 28
How To Enable/Disable The TV Display ............................................ 28
iii
Using and Adjusting TV Out................................................................ 28
Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display.......................................... 29
Adjusting Monitor Display................................................................... 29
Viewing Text on a TV.......................................................................... 29
Reducing Edge Distortion .................................................................... 30
Changing Display Configurations........................................................ 31
Using Games and Applications ............................................................ 32
iv
1
Introduction
The RADEON™ 9000 graphics accelerator delivers
ground breaking 3D graphics performance.
• Designed and built by ATI Technologies Inc.
• Powered by the RADEON 9000 Visual Processing
Unit (VPU).
• Awesome 3D gaming performance.
®
• Support for OpenGL applications.
®
• Support for Direct3D applications.
• High resolution in 3D up to 2048x1536.
• Best performance for today’s and tomorrow’s
applications.
• Supports TV-Out to connect your PC to your TV or
VCR.
2
Features At A Glance
The RADEON 9000 provides high performance
acceleration for today's demanding 3D graphic
applications. Its main features includes:
• VIDEO IMMERSION™ which provides industry-
leading DVD playback and digital TV decode
capability.
• CHARISMA ENGINE™ II performs complex
transformation, clipping, and lighting calculations
faster than the CPU or 3D graphics chip.
• PIXEL TAPESTRY™ II which can apply 6
textures per pass to a complex 3D gaming scene.
• TV output support.
• TRUFORM™ technology which makes the curved
surfaces of 3D objects look smoother and more
life-like.
• SMARTSHADER™ technology which can
realistically create the visual properties of any
material, like glass, metal, wood, and produce 3D
depth by rendering the object’s shadows.
• SMOOTHVISION™ which provides users with
various degrees of jagged edge removal from 3D
images, allowing users to configure their own high
quality or high performance gaming experience.
3
ATI’s Catalyst
™
Software Suite
Multiple Displays and 3D Gaming Experience
ATI’s Catalyst Software Suite provides multiple
display functionality, and the advanced graphic
features, such as TRUFORM, for the ultimate 3D
gaming experience. For help on installing the
Guide.
The Catalyst Software Suite installs the ATI display
®
tabs. These tabs are accessed through the Windows
Display Control Panel, through the Advanced...
button located on the Settings tab. For a detailed
explanation of each ATI tab, refer to Catalyst™
Software Suite on page 7.
®
®
Direct3D and OpenGL
The Catalyst Software Suite also supports the latest
versions of Direct3D® and OpenGL®. Many new 3D
game titles, and the latest versions of older titles, will
virtually come to life as they utilize their advanced
®
Direct3D or OpenGL® features. Gamers can tweak
their settings for the ultimate experience in 3D image
quality or 3D gaming performance.
®
through the Windows Display Control Panel,
through the Advanced... button located on the
Settings tab.
For a detailed explanation of the Direct3D® and
OpenGL® tabs, refer to Direct3D® Control Panel
on page 13, and OpenGL® Control Panel on
page 18.
4
HydraVision™
In addition to the multiple display functionality
available with ATI’s Catalyst Software Suite, you can
also use HydraVision for advanced multi-display
(CRT + TV) management. For more information on
HydraVision, please refer to the HydraVision User’s
Guide PDF located on your ATI Installation CD.
5
Connecting Your Monitor
The RADEON 9000 provides hardware support for
one VGA monitor. A TV can also be used to expand
your desktop by using the S-Video out.
Turn off computer before connecting monitor.
Plug the monitor cable into your card then turn
on the PC and monitor.
S-VID OUT
S-VIDEO OUT
CRT
STANDARD VGA
MONITOR CONNECTOR
VGA
CONNECTOR
FROM
MONITOR
6
Display Configurations
Your RADEON 9000 card provides support for TV
Out. The following table lists the different ways you
can connect displays to your card.
Display
Configuration
Connector(s) Used
Comments
One CRT
display
CRT- cathode ray tube
analog display
VGA connector
The S-Video Uut can also
support a composite
connection via the S-Video-
to-Composite adapter
One TV
S-Video Out
CRT display +
TV
VGA connector +
S-Video Out
7
Catalyst™ Software Suite
The following section provides an explanation of
each ATI tab available after installing the Catalyst
Software Suite.
Features presented in the following pages may not
be supported in all operating systems and/or may
i
ATI Displays Tab
Here you enable/disable TV Out. For complete
information see How To Enable/Disable The TV
Display on page 28.
Ratiometric Expansion
Your graphics accelerator card offers ratiometric
expansion (or digital panel scaling as it is commonly
known). This expands a low resolution image to fill a
higher resolution panel.
8
ATI Color Tab
The ATI Color tab is used to adjust the color settings.
You can change the red, green and blue display
colors. Desktop brightness and Game Gamma
(brightness in Direct3D® and OpenGL®) can also be
changed.
ATI Color Tab
This increases or decreases the brightness of your
desktop. The higher the gamma value, the higher the
brightness of your display.
Desktop
Brightness
This adjusts the selected color (red, green or blue check
button) by moving the color curve with your mouse.
Color Curve
Game Gamma
button
This accesses Game Gamma Properties.
Defaults
button
This allows you to reset the desktop brightness and
color settings to default values.
9
Clicking the Game Gamma button accesses the
Game Gamma Properties.
Game Gamma Properties
These controls allow you to increase or decrease the
color brightness of Direct3D and OpenGL games
played in fullscreen mode.
Red Green
Blue sliders
®
®
Uncheck this to adjust the RGB sliders individually.
Check this to adjust all three sliders at the same time.
RGB Lock
Defaults
button
This allows you to reset the Game Gamma settings to
default values.
10
ATI Options Tab
The ATI Options tab provides detailed driver
information and access to the card’s specifications.
You can also enable or disable the ATI taskbar icon.
ATI Options Tab
Provides the Catalyst version number, 2D version
number and the driver build information.
Version Information
Provides access to the Details tab which lists the
card’s hardware details and driver information.
Details button
Reactivate all
warning messages
This allows you to reactivate any disabled
graphics warning messages.
Unchecking this allows you to disable the ATI
taskbar applications and removes the ATI icon
from your system tray.
Enable ATI taskbar
icon application
Unchecking this allows you to remove the ATI icon
from your system tray without disabling the ATI
icon applications.
Show ATI icon on
taskbar
Quick resolution feature is accessible by left-
clicking the ATI icon in the system tray. Checking
this option disables the feature.
Disable quick
resolution feature
11
Fixes display corruption or no displayed image at
high resolutions on your DVI-I display. This setting
has no effect on cards using a DVI-I-to-VGA
adapter.
Reduce DVI
frequency on high-
resolution displays
ATI Overlay Tab
The ATI Overlay tab allows you to configure the
brightness, contrast, saturation, hue and gamma
properties of your video overlay.
Video Overlay
Video overlay allows for the viewing of full-motion
video on your PC. The video overlay controls are
automatically activated during playback of any video
file type that supports overlay adjustments.
12
ATI Overlay Tab
Use this slider to adjust the brightness of the video
image.
Brightness
Contrast
Use this slider to adjust the contrast in the video image.
Use this slider to adjust the vividness of the color.
Sliding it all the way to the left removes all color and
produces a black and white picture.
Saturation
Use this slider to adjust the pureness or tint of the red,
green and blue components of the color.
Hue
Use this slider to adjust the overall intensity of the video
image.
Gamma
Defaults
button
This allows you to reset the Overlay settings to default
values.
13
®
Direct3D Control Panel
Using this control panel, you can optimize the
display settings for your Direct3D® games.
Main and Custom Settings
In the Main Settings you can maximize overall
performance by moving the slider to the left, or you
can enhance overall image quality by moving the
slider to the right.
14
This allows you to emphasize what kind of application
experience you’d like to have. Moving the slider to the
left will maximize application performance, while moving
the slider to the right will provide excellent 3D image
quality. Moving this slider from one position to the next
changes the individual Custom Settings sliders found
below.
Main Settings
slider
When Custom Settings is checked, the Main Settings
slider is disabled, allowing you to move each individual
slider in the Custom Settings section below. Setting the
individual sliders gives you complete control over your
application experience. Using Custom Settings is
recommended for advanced users only.
Custom
Settings
checkbox
Anisotropic filtering uses a texture filtering technique
that blends multiple texture samples together. Selecting
Application Preference will result in high quality
textures, with a negligible reduction in the application’s
performance.
Anisotropic
Filtering
checkbox
The number of samples taken when anisotropic filtering
is performed can vary. By moving this slider to the right,
as the number of samples taken increases, the quality
Anisotropic
Filtering slider of the final image increases significantly. 16X provides
extremely detailed, crisp-looking images as a result of
the largest number of texture samples possible.
Anti-aliasing improves image quality by removing
jagged edges from 3D images, resulting in smoother,
Anti-aliasing
more natural-looking objects. Selecting Application
checkbox
Preference will result in high quality images, with a
negligible reduction in the application’s performance.
Selecting this decides whether your application should
use high quality or high performance textures. Moving
Texture
the slider to the right delivers the highest quality
Preference
experience. Moving the slider to the left emphasizes a
slider
high performance solution while still providing good
visuals.
15
This will allow you to choose the texture quality of the
mipmaps the application will use. Mipmaps are a
collection of different sized textures of the same image.
As the user moves closer to a 3D object the image
quality should increase, requiring a higher quality
texture of the same image. The base mipmap is the
highest quality texture, and all subsequent mipmaps are
smaller sized textures of the same image. Moving the
slider to the right selects a higher quality base mipmap,
delivering the highest quality application experience.
Moving the slider to the left selects a lower quality
mipmap, delivering the highest application performance.
Mipmap Detail
Level slider
Wait for vertical sync will lower the frame rate of full
screen games but reduce the image tearing that can
occur with the higher frame rate. Selecting Application
Preference allows the application to decide whether or
not it should display its frames at the refresh rate of the
monitor. Selecting Always Off allows the application to
run at its highest possible frame rate, regardless of the
monitor’s refresh rate which is typically less than the
frame rate at which the application will run.
Wait for
Vertical Sync
Compatibility
Settings
button
This button allows you to access advanced settings that
can solve compatibility issues for a few specific
Direct3D® applications.
This button allows you to reset the Direct3D® settings to
default values.
Defaults
16
Direct3D® Compatibility Settings
This will enable W-Buffer support for 3D games. It is
recommended to disable this for games that do not
support this feature. Certain applications require the
increased precision of W-Buffering and will exhibit
artifacts unless the W-Buffer is enabled.
Support W-
buffer
Z-Buffer Bit Depth can be 16 bits, 24 bits, or 32 bits. 16
and 24 are selected by default to achieve optimum
performance. Very few applications require a 32 bit Z-
Buffer, so in most cases this feature should be disabled.
Support 32-bit
Z-buffer depth
17
When applications use both dithering and alpha
blending, visual artifacts can occur. This option allows
you to select how the application should handle both
features at the same time. In most cases Error
Diffusion will handle this situation quite well, but there
are a few cases where selecting Ordered may be
necessary.
Alpha
dithering
method
Enabling this allows applications to use this kind of
texture format. There are a few applications that can
only support a limited number of texture formats. By
selecting Disabled, the driver will not support DTX
texture formats, thus reducing the number of texture
formats supported.
Support DTX
texture
formats
This may eliminate problems with some D3D games
which display vertical and horizontal lines around
textures, or text that appears incorrect. However, this
setting should only be used if you are experiencing the
symptoms mentioned, as it may cause problems with
other games.
Alternate pixel
center
Defaults
button
This button allows you to reset the Direct3D®
Compatibility Settings to default values.
18
OpenGL® Control Panel
Using this control panel, you can optimize the
display settings for your OpenGL® games.
Main and Custom Settings
In the Main Settings you can maximize overall
performance by moving the slider to the left, or you
can enhance overall image quality by moving the
slider to the right.
19
This allows you to emphasize what kind of application
experience you’d like to have. Moving the slider to the
left will maximize application performance, while moving
the slider to the right will provide excellent 3D image
quality. Moving this slider from one position to the next
changes the individual Custom Settings sliders found
below.
Main Settings
slider
When Custom Settings is checked, the Main Settings
slider is disabled, allowing you to move each individual
slider in the Custom Settings section below. Setting the
individual sliders gives you complete control over your
application experience. Using Custom Settings is
recommended for advanced users only.
Custom
Settings
checkbox
Anisotropic filtering uses a texture filtering technique
that blends multiple texture samples together. Selecting
Application Preference will result in high quality
textures, with a negligible reduction in the application’s
performance.
Anisotropic
Filtering
checkbox
The number of samples taken when anisotropic filtering
is performed can vary. By moving this slider to the right,
as the number of samples taken increases, the quality
Anisotropic
Filtering slider of the final image increases significantly. 16X provides
extremely detailed, crisp-looking images as a result of
the largest number of texture samples possible.
Anti-aliasing improves image quality by removing
jagged edges from 3D images, resulting in smoother,
Anti-aliasing
more natural-looking objects. Selecting Application
Preference will result in high quality images, with a
negligible reduction in the application’s performance.
Selecting this decides whether your application should
use high quality or high performance textures. Moving
the slider to the right delivers the highest quality
experience. Moving the slider to the left emphasizes a
high performance solution while still providing good
visuals.
Texture
Preference
slider
20
This will allow you to choose the texture quality of the
mipmaps the application will use. Mipmaps are a
collection of different sized textures of the same image.
As the user moves closer to a 3D object the image
quality should increase, requiring a higher quality
texture of the same image. The base mipmap is the
highest quality texture, and all subsequent mipmaps are
smaller sized textures of the same image. Moving the
slider to the right selects a higher quality base mipmap,
delivering the highest quality application experience.
Moving the slider to the left selects a lower quality
mipmap, delivering the highest application performance.
Mipmap Detail
Level slider
Wait for vertical sync will lower the frame rate of full
screen games but reduce the image tearing that can
occur with the higher frame rate. Selecting Application
Preference allows the application to decide whether or
not it should display its frames at the refresh rate of the
monitor. Selecting Always Off allows the application to
run at its highest possible frame rate, regardless of the
monitor’s refresh rate which is typically less than the
frame rate at which the application will run.
Wait for
Vertical Sync
Compatibility
Settings
button
This button allows you to access advanced settings that
can solve compatibility issues for a few specific
OpenGL® applications.
This button allows you to reset the OpenGL® settings to
default values.
Defaults
21
OpenGL® Compatibility Settings
Force Z-buffer
depth
This allows you to explicitly set the Z-Buffer depth. Most
applications will work best when Disabled is selected.
When applications use both dithering and alpha
blending, visual artifacts can occur. This option allows
you to select how the application should handle both
features at the same time. In most cases Error
Diffusion will handle this situation quite well, but there
are a few cases where selecting Ordered may be
necessary.
Alpha
dithering
method
Enabling this feature allows rapid updates of those
portions of your screen that have changed. Note that
most applications will not be affected by activating this
feature.
Support KTX
buffer region
extension
Defaults
button
This button allows you to reset the OpenGL®
Compatibility Settings to default values.
22
23
SMARTGART™
SMARTGART is a suite of testing and diagnostics
tools that perform a variety of bus tests to determine
the optimal settings for your ATI graphics accelerator
installed in your computer.
SMARTGART automatically configures your
graphics device to the optimal settings.
SMARTGART does not actually disable any AGP
functionality in your computer’s hardware. It simply
instructs the ATI CATALYST driver not to use a
specific AGP function if that specific AGP function
hasn’t passed the SMARTGART diagnostics test.
Changing the AGP settings could result in
system instability.
Set AGP Settings
Experienced users can manually change the AGP
speed. You will need to reboot your computer for this
change to take effect.
The possible AGP speed is dependent on the
motherboard chipset and design. Your computer’s
available AGP speeds are shown in the
SMARTGART dialog.
Fast Write
Fast Write allows the CPU to transfer data directly to
the graphics accelerator.
By default, this feature is set to ON providing your
motherboard’s chipset supports Fast Writes.
Some motherboard specifications may claim chipset
support for Fast Writes but may not be compatible
with many different graphics accelerators.
24
This setting is disabled for many computers because
the motherboard is not capable of supporting this
feature.
Retest All
Click this button to retest all graphic bus capabilities.
All tests and diagnostics are initiated immediately
following a system restart.
Any settings that have previously been set to Off will
be turned on, providing the test passes.
Problems can arise if the user enables a secondary
graphics accelerator (in a multiple monitor
environment) after the operating system has loaded.
The problem exists because the secondary graphics
card is enabled after the SMARTGART diagnostic
i
test have been run. To ensure system stability you
should restart the computer after the secondary
graphics accelerator is enabled so that both graphics
accelerators can be tested with SMARTGART.
25
Using TV Out
View your PC’s display on a TV
Your RADEON 9000 has TV Out capability. You can
attach your card to a TV and monitor at the same
time. Or you can connect it to your VCR and record
your monitor’s display.
TV display is ideal for playing games, giving
presentations, watching movies, and browsing the
Internet. The following tips will help you get the
most out of your TV Out feature.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
for European Customers
Some PC monitors in Europe cannot be used
simultaneously with TV display. When you enable TV
display in Europe, the refresh rate for the monitor and TV is
set to 50Hz. Some monitors may not support this refresh
rate and could be damaged.
•
Please check the documentation supplied with your
monitor to see if your monitor supports a refresh rate of
50Hz.
If your monitor does not support 50 Hz (or if you
are not sure), then turn off your monitor before
turning on your PC when using your TV as a
display.
For information on disabling TV display, see How To
Enable/Disable The TV Display on page 28.
Some TVs in Europe may use a SCART connection. If you
use SCART, please read Using SCART Connectors for
European TVs on page 28 before attempting to connect
your PC to your European TV.
26
Connecting to a TV or a VCR
To connect your graphics accelerator card to a TV or
a VCR, use a S-Video cable. However, most TVs
(and VCRs) have a Composite video input, in which
case you can use the supplied S-Video-to-Composite
video adapter. If your TV has cable input only, you
can connect your card to your TV through your VCR
or an RF modulator (available in most electronics
stores).
Connecting S-Video Out to a TV or VCR
1 Turn off your PC and your TV (or VCR).
2 Ensure your card was installed correctly as per
the Getting Started Guide.
3 Determine if your TV (or VCR) has a S-Video or
Composite video connection.
4 Looking at the back of your PC, locate your S-
Video Out. Using a S-Video cable or the supplied
adapter, attach one end of the cable to your
graphics card and the other to your TV (or VCR).
Refer to the illustration for further help.
5 Turn on your PC and your TV (or VCR).
27
S-Video Out
S-Video In
OR
Composite In
PC
S-Video Cable
TV or VCR
NOTE: Newer TVs may have
the Video Input on the front
panel
OR
S-Video-to-Composite Adapter
®
Starting Windows with TV Display Enabled
The TV screen may become scrambled during the
®
initial Windows logo display. This is only a
temporary effect and your screen will be restored
within a few seconds.
During start up, your graphics accelerator card will
go through a sequence of mode settings, during
which your TV display will remain blank. This
process takes only a few seconds and helps program
the TV display.
28
Using SCART Connectors for European TVs
(Right = red)
(Left = white)
Audio In
Connect to PC
Audio Out
Connect to
TV or VCR
Audio Cable
Video Adapter Cable
Connect to PC
S-Video Out
SCART
Composite Video-In (yellow)
CONNECTOR
The SCART connector supports only the Composite
video format, which means you will have to use the
S-Video-to-Composite Video Adapter Cable. The
above illustration shows how to connect your PC to a
European TV using the SCART. If your European
TV does support S-Video input, you should use an
S-Video cable (available in most consumer electronic
stores) rather than the SCART connector.
How To Enable/Disable The TV Display
®
1 Access the Windows Control Panel. Double-
click Display.
2 Click on the Settings tab and then the
Advanced... button.
3 Click on the ATI Displays tab. Click on the TV
button.
4 Click the enable/disable button.
5 Click OK or Apply to save the changes.
Using and Adjusting TV Out
For information about how to use TV display, right
click the ATI taskbar icon, point to Help, then point
to ATI Television Display.
29
Using a Monitor vs. Using the TV Display
Using your TV for your PC’s display is ideal for
playing games, giving presentations, watching
movies, and browsing the Internet. However, the
display on your monitor may change or looked
squashed. This occurs because the display adjusts to
fit the dimensions of your TV. To correct the
monitor’s display, use the monitor’s control buttons
to adjust its display size and position.
Some single frequency monitors may not work with
TV display enabled. If you experience problems
when TV display is enabled, disable TV display to
restore your monitor’s display.
Adjusting Monitor Display
The size of the display on your monitor may be
smaller and not perfectly centered when you have TV
display enabled. These effects are caused by the
changes required to provide a proper display on the
TV.
Use the controls available on the Adjustments tab on
the Monitor Properties page (accessible by clicking
on the Monitor button on the ATI Displays tab) to
adjust the display on your monitor only. Click on the
TV button to adjust the TV display only.
Viewing Text on a TV
A TV is designed primarily to show moving, rather
than static, images. The large dot pitch of a TV
(which is fine for moving video) will yield poor
quality static images such as text.
The small text sizes commonly used for PC desktops
can appear blurred or unclear on a TV. You can
compensate for this by using larger fonts.
30
To Use Larger Display Fonts
®
1 Access the Windows Control Panel. Double-
click Display.
®
2 For Windows XP, click the Appearance tab.
®
®
For Windows Me and Windows 2000, click
the Settings tab, the Advanced... button, then the
General tab.
3 In the Font Size box, select the size you want
your displayed fonts to be.
4 Click Apply. If prompted, click Yes to restart
your PC.
Reducing Edge Distortion
When using a TV for your PC’s display, you may see
some edge distortion on the left and right side of your
TV screen. This effect depends on your TV and the
PC application you are running.
To reduce edge distortion, you can increase the TV
display’s horizontal size.
To Increase the Horizontal Size
®
1 Access the Windows Control Panel. Double-
click Display.
2 Click on the Settings tab and then the
Advanced... button.
3 Click on the ATI Displays tab.
4 Click on the TV button.
5 Click the Adjustments tab.
6 In the Screen Size section, click on the plus (+)
button beside the horizontal arrowheads
to
increase the horizontal size of the TV display.
31
7 Click OK or Apply to save the changes you have
made.
You can also reduce edge distortion by increasing the
TV’s contrast.
To Increase the TV Contrast
®
1 Access the Windows Control Panel. Double-
click Display.
2 Click on the Settings tab and then the
Advanced... button.
3 Click on the ATI Displays tab.
4 Click on the TV button.
5 Drag the Contrast slider to the right to increase
the contrast.
6 Click OK or Apply to save the changes you have
made.
Changing Display Configurations
If you move your PC to a place where you are using
TV display only, make sure that you have the TV
display feature enabled.
You can set your display resolution as high as 1024 x
768. However, higher resolutions will result in a
virtual desktop. If a TV is your only display device
and a higher mode is selected, the display on your
TV will disappear.
32
Using Games and Applications
Some older games and applications may program
your graphics accelerator card directly, to run under a
specific display mode. This may cause your TV
display to turn off automatically or become
scrambled (the PC monitor will not be affected).
Your TV display will be restored once you exit the
game or if you restart your PC.
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