Diamond Multimedia Technichal Support Team is dedicated to assist any issues that you may experience with a Diamond Multimedia product. We gathered all the technical questions that we are commonly asked. It is likely that your question has already been answered on our knowledgebase http://dmmsupport.com/index.php?action=kb
The PVR-660 came with all the necessary cables as well as some thoughtful accessories like the Coax extender and the S-video to composite adapter. The manual was accurate and easy to follow. It contained screenshots for just about every step outlined. We found the remote functional and ergonomic.
We’re always happy when installation goes smoothly, and the 660 installed without any hurdles. Set up was a breeze and we could watch TV as soon as the software finished scanning for channels.
The Electronic Programming Guide, while easy to use, lacked some important features found on most PVR systems, namely the ability to record a program based on title rather than timeslot. However, we don’t think it’s fair to expect a free service to provide the same functionality as subscription-based services.
Overall, we were quite pleased with the performance of the PVR-660. We didn’t experience any failures or glitches while viewing or recording TV, or while messing around with the Photo and Music modules.
We liked the integrated nature of the Total Media software but, while adequate in most respects, we found its functionality quite rudimentary at times. Several of the modules (namely Music and Photos) don’t offer anything beyond what is already available through Media Player or Picture and Fax Viewer. Windows Movie Maker provides more functionality than Total Media’s Video module in terms of editing.
On the other hand, we really liked the ability to use the 660 as a capture device for camcorders and even broadcast radio—two features that are even more notable considering its external, portable nature.
At anywhere from $107-$130, the 660 costs significantly more than its PCI-based siblings. As a rule, external peripherals almost always cost more than their internal counterparts, and the 660 provides no exception. However, we’ve seen PCMCIA-based tuner/capture cards from other manufactures for less than 1/2 of the price of the PVR-660. Although we haven’t evaluated the performance of these other solutions, we find the difference in price range striking. This tuner also does not access HD content.
We’ve given the 660 a value rating of “good” because it worked just as it was supposed to. Had we experienced any problems, we would have scored it significantly lower.
Pricing aside, the Diamond Multimedia PVR-660 performed as advertised and turned our laptop into a decent PVR. We particularly liked the fact that we didn’t have to pay a subscription fee to use the scheduling service, even if it lacked the most advanced features available through other services. The 660 put in a solid performance, and we experienced no issues either during installation or day-to-day use.
The following are steps for creating a new display group. As changes are made to the current display configuration, a message dialog appears prompting you to confirm your changes. Click Yes to proceed with the changes.
If the only displays eligible to be part of the group are currently running in extended desktop mode, a message dialog opens prompting you to first disable them. Click Yes to proceed with disabling the displays and creating a group. Otherwise, click No.
The dialog lists only the layouts that are applicable to your current display configuration. Layouts are listed according to the number of displays in a group and their corresponding shape, shown in width x height. For example, a 3 display (3 x 1) layout involves three displays arranged side-by-side.
Additional layouts can be made available by disabling extended displays, if applicable. If prompted by a message dialog, click Yes to disable all extended displays to allow for more layout options or click No to keep the existing choices.
A progress bar appears indicating that the display is being added to the group. Once added, the display is automatically enabled as a duplicated display and labeled with the desktop number for the group in the display palette.
Tip: If needed, click Cancel in the instruction area above the desktop arrangement area to cancel your action.
Tip: To remove a display from the group, right-click it in the display palette, and then select Remove in the context menu that appears.
If you choose to change the arrangement, the desktop for one display in the group is lit in blue while the others become black,
In the layout, click the grid position to be assigned to the display lit in blue. Once the display is assigned to the grid, it becomes black and the next display becomes lit. Assign all subsequently lit displays to its appropriate grid position in the same manner, and then click Done.
Tip: If needed, click Undo to discard the last display assignment.
Setting the desktop as primary allows full-screen applications to use the desktop of the display group.
The display group is now ready for use and an additional Display Group entry becomes available in the context menu for the desktop. In the display palette, each display in the group is labeled with the same desktop number. You can hover over a display in the group to view its corresponding position, indicated with dotted lines, in the group layout.
Additionally, the Desktop Area setting on the Desktop Properties > Mode page updates to show new desktop resolutions that can be applied to the group.
ATI Eyefinity Technology is closely aligned with AMD's implementation of DisplayPort providing the flexibility and upgradablity that modern user's demand. Up to two DVI, HDMI or VGA display outputs can be combined with DisplayPorts outputs for a total of six monitors , depending on the graphics card configuration and the operating system. Wider display connectivity is possible by using display output adapters that support active translation from DisplayPort to DVI or VGA.
A) Your onboard video has not been disabled, if you don’t have onboard video then you need to make sure to remove any existing video card and drivers.
B) The primary video display has not been changed to PCI/PCIE/AGP in the system BIOS (contact your pc manufacturer if you do not know how to make these changes).
C) The monitor cable has not been connected to the new video card.
A) You must have up to date chipset drivers for your motherboard
B) The latest drivers for the video card
C) Latest patches for the game you are playing.
Make sure your onboard video (integrated video card) is disabled inside your device manager. - If you do not know how to get into your device manager, and you are running WINXP/WIN2k- you can enter the device manager by going into your control panel, and double clicking on System and single click on Hardware/Device Manager. There should be a section called Display Adapters, you can click on the + sign to expand that device. Make sure there is a X on your integrated video card display name. (that indicates your onboard video is disabled)
A) You may need the latest drivers for the video card and it is also recommended to install the monitor manufacturer drivers.
B) The second display needs to be enabled by going to the control center for the video card properties.
A) You may need updated drivers for the video card.
B) You also need to make sure you have the latest chipset drivers for your motherboard.
C) The AGP slot on your computer has to be AGP 2.0 Compliant slot. (not made for use in AGP 1.0 3volt slots)
1) You have to enter in safe mode by hitting F8 right before you get to the Windows 2000 Logo Screen.
After you are in safe mode, you will enter Control Panel, System (icon), Hardware tab, Device manager.
Here are some screen shots on how to disable your onboard video for Windows 2000 Professional.
Control Panel
System Properties
Hardware Tab
Device Manager
Right click onboard video and select disable
Select yes after clicking on disable
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Now select YES to restart
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After Windows is done restarting, you will see your onboard with a RED X. That indicates that it's now disabled.
Yes, but this type of setup is not supported by Diamond Multimedia
A) The fan may be dirty and it may need some cleaning (dust).
B) The fan might be going out and you may need to replace the video card. Note: if you have your proof of purchase you may call Diamond for a replacement.
The ATI Proprietary Linux driver provides support for a wide variety of monitor configurations. The following fglrxconfig options can be used to configure displays:
§ Enable TV Out (if one of the displays is a TV)
§ Yes or No
§ Select Monitor configuration
§ See below for available configurations
§ Configure monitor arrangement (if more than one monitor is connected)
§ Horizontal: select whether screen 1 is left or right of screen 0
§ Vertical: select whether screen 1 is above or below screen 0
§ Set Primary and Secondary monitors
§ Secondary monitor may not have all the features of the Primary monitor
§ Choose available resolutions
§ These should not exceed the capabilities of your monitor
Simply run fglrxconfig and provide the desired answers at the appropriate prompts. Answer yes when asked to update the XF86Config-4 file. Your new settings should take effect the next time you start X.
Monitor Layout Configurations
The following Monitor configurations are available:
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Mode
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Screens
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Description
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Single Head
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1
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single display only, the second remains dark
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For Big Desktop and Dual Head modes, a vertical or horizontal orientation can be selected. In some cases, it is also possible to select which monitor will be Primary and which will be Secondary.
Some of these configurations allow for extremely large desktop resolutions. Please note the maximum resolutions for OpenGL operation are as follows:
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Resolution
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Family
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Boards
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2560x2560
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R300
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Radeon 9500-9800, FireGL Z1/X1/X2
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3D windows may corrupt or go blank if stretched beyond this limit.
The various monitor layout configurations have the following features and limitations:
Single Head
§ Single monitor operation only
§ If a second monitor is connected, it remains dark
§ Only mode available if you have only one monitor connected
§ Only mode in which Quad Buffer Stereo will work properly
§ The only mode in which full overlay support will be available
Clone Mode
§ Contents of primary monitor are duplicated on the second monitor
§ If one of the monitors cannot display the selected resolution:
§ A lower resolution is automatically selected for that monitor
§ It will behave as a virtual desktop at the original resolution
§ The smaller screen will pan as the mouse moves around
Big Desktop
§ A single desktop is stretched across both monitors
§ Monitors may overlap by a configurable number of pixels
§ Both monitors have to operate with the same video mode settings
§ Both screens use a single framebuffer and only one window manager
§ The smaller display will NOT autoscroll as in Clone Mode
§ Big Desktop can be configured for Horizontal or Vertical operation
Dual Head
§ Independent displays and video modes are possible for each monitor
§ Each monitor uses a separate framebuffer and separate instance of XFree86
§ Items CANNOT be dragged from one screen to the other
§ It is possible to run two separate window managers in this configuration (one on each monitor)
The information in this article applies to the following configurations:
· ATI RADEON X300/X600/X800 series PCIe graphics card
· ASUS Intel 915/925 or nForce4 based motherboard
In some instances, when PEG Link Mode is set to a value other than Slow within the BIOS setup, users may experience system instability resulting in graphics corruption, video memory or VPU Recover errors.
ASUS has recently introduced a new BIOS feature called PEG Link Mode. This feature is available for both AMD and Intel based motherboards and allows the user to increase the engine and memory clocks on the graphics card.
The five user configurable options are:
· Auto
· Slow
·
· Fast
· Faster
By default the feature is set to Auto, which is the same as "Normal". However, the
The PEG Link Mode value must be set to "Slow" in order to disable the overclocking feature, and allow for proper functionality. To set the PEG Link Mode to Slow, please refer to the steps below:
· Enter System BIOS
· Open Advanced menu -> open the Chipset menu
· Locate PEG Link Mode
· Change setting to Slow
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
· RADEON X1900 graphics card
Owners of a RADEON X1900 series graphics card may encounter difficulties installing or getting the graphics card to run stable. This may be caused by a low power or current drawn into the graphics card. Sharing the same power connection with other PC peripheral devices may also cause this problem. If you encounter such difficulties please review the following information:
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
· Radeon® X1300 AGP Series
· Radeon® X1500 AGP Series
· Radeon® X1600 AGP Series
It has been reported that the Radeon X1300 and Radeon X1600 Series AGP boards are not posting in some Dell models.
ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.
Text appears blurry on TV
Text or fonts that are crisp when displayed on a VGA or SVGA computer monitor may appear fuzzy or blurry when displayed on a TV set or composite monitor.
This is a limitation of the TV set and the analog video signal. Recommendations for improving the display appear at the end of this document.
Technical Details:
The video circuitry in the most modern TV set is designed to handle video signals which adhere to the NTSC (or PAL) broadcast standards. The NTSC and PAL broadcast (RF transmission) standards impose a limit on the bandwidth of the video signal of about 6 to 10 megahertz. Video Bandwidth is, effectively, the highest frequency analog signal a monitor can handle without distortion. Video Bandwidth limits the sharpness of intensity and color changes on the screen. A high bandwidth means smaller visible details.
Text and 2D computer graphic images, by their nature, have a much higher video bandwidth requirement than does a typical TV image. As an example, even the least expensive VGA (640x480) computer monitor has a Video Bandwidth of about 30 megahertz (3 to 4 times that of a TV set).
When text or computer graphic images are displayed on a TV set the fine detail (text) which is sharp and clear on the PC monitor will appear fuzzy on the TV because the TV is not capable of responding to the high frequencies in the computer image. (The TV was designed to display movies and pictures, NOT text.)
Aside from the electronic limitation of limited bandwidth there is also the issue of DOT PITCH. Computer monitors will have a specification for DOT PITCH which describes the distance between the phosphor dots. This specification is generally listed in millimeters, with values of .28mm, .26mm and .24mm being common. The closer the dots are together (the smaller they are) the more detail an image can contain. (The red, green and blue, phosphor dots on the inside of the monitor screen are the elements that glow and actually produce the visible image.) TV sets do not generally have a DOT PITCH specification but close visual inspection of the front of a TV screen will quickly reveal quite large dots (or stripes for TRINITRON tubes) as compared to the dots on a computer monitor.
Blurry fonts on television are really a limitation of the TV set and the analog video signal. One or more of the following may help to improve the situation:
§ Use an S-VIDEO connection, instead of a COMPOSITE hookup. S-VIDEO tends to provide a clearer image.
§ Increase the size of the fonts being displayed. Font sizes of 18 points or higher may be required in order to yield acceptable results.
§ Try to avoid strong contrasts (such as black on white or white on black). Colour scheme and contrast level play a large part in the appearance of text on a television.
§ Try adjusting the brightness, contrast (sometimes called "picture") and sharpness settings on the TV.
The information in this article applies to the following configurations:
§
An error "Cli.exe - Application error - The application failed to initialize properly" will occur after installing and launching
The
Microsoft's .Net is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=262D25E3-F589-4842-8157-034D1E7CF3A3&displaylang=en
System hang while enabling display device in CrossFire mode
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
Users of CrossFire Edition graphics card may encounter difficulties attempting to enable more displays when CrossFire mode is on, and may cause the system to hang.
ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.
System hang while enabling display device in CrossFire mode
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
Users of CrossFire Edition graphics card may encounter difficulties attempting to enable more displays when CrossFire mode is on, and may cause the system to hang.
ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available. (www.ati.com)
Blank screen when launching Quake III Arena fullscreen
This issue affects the RADEON MAC EDITION when using the January 7, 2002 ATI Retail Update.
After installing the update, launching Quake III: Arena in fullscreen mode will cause all displays to blank out. Audio continues functioning normally.
Forcing a restart should restore the display.
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To correct this issue, obtain and install the latest RADEON MAC EDITION MacOS 9 Display Drivers.
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Battlefield 2: The game may exit to the Windows desktop after the game logo is displayed.
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§ Total Battlefield 2
§ Radeon 9200/9250 series
§ Windows XP
After the BF2 game logo is displayed, a VPU Recovery message appears and then exits to the Windows Desktop.
To resolve this issue, download and install Catalyst 6.3 or later.
SpyHunter - Select "Optimum" Quality setting in Direct 3D control panel causes in-game freezing/flashing
This issue affects the following system configurations:
§ RADEON 8500 Series
§ RADEON 9000 Series
§ Spy Hunter
If the Direct 3D quality slider is set to "Optimum Quality" and Spy Hunter is launched, the application will freeze/flash.
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To resolve this issue, download and install CATALYST 4.3 Display Drivers or higher.
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DVD movies do not start from the beginning upon rotating the display
The information in this article applies to the following configurations:
§ DVD Player in
Upon rotating the display during the playback of a DVD, the movie does not start from the beginning as expected. The movie starts off where it was last played, as though Bookmarks are enabled.
This behaviour is by design. The DVD movie should start from the beginning only upon stopping and restarting the movie.
DVD playback may become corrupt running in extended desktop at 480i on the secondary display
Enabling extended desktop mode followed by playing a DVD at 480i no longer results in corruption being noticed when moving the playback window to the secondary display device
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To correct this issue, download and install Catalyst 5.12 or higher.
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Poor video quality playing an HQV DVD in WinDVD 5.0 using an ATI Radeon X1800 series under Windows XP
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§ WinDVD 5.0
§ Radeon X1800 series
§ Windows XP
Playing an HQV DVD using the WinDVD 5.0 player on systems containing an ATI Radeon X1800 series, and running the Windows XP operating system may result in Poor video playback quality being noticed.
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To correct this issue, download and install Catalyst 5.12 or higher.
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Captured Video Clips are Choppy
This information applies to the following:
§ any ATI product with TV or video input features
§ when used with any software for capturing video clips from a video or broadcast signal
When attempting to play back a captured video clip, the image may appear choppy or distorted.
Before You Start
Whenever you are capturing video, please make sure of the following:
§ No other applications should be running
§ Do not open or close the CD tray
§ Refrain from moving the mouse around
Hardware Considerations
The following hardware factors have been known to affect video capture quality:
§ CPU speed/performance
§ Physical RAM available
§ Hard Drive speed (preferably 7200 rpm or better)
Upgrade any of these and you should be able to achieve higher capture quality. Downgrade any one of them and you may have to lower your capture settings to keep from dropping frames.
Which Capture Settings to Use?
To find the ideal capture settings for your system, proceed as follows:
§ Perform an initial test capture using the default settings recommended by your capture software
§ Play back the video clip you just captured
§ Select a particular capture setting (see below)
§ If the video clip played fine in step 2, then raise the setting one notch and test again
§ If it appeared choppy or distorted, lower the setting and test again
§ Once you have found the ideal position for this setting, leave it
§ Focus on a different setting and continue testing
Select from the following video or audio settings,
§ VIDEO: Resolution (window size), Framerate (fps), Color Depth (Number of Colors)
§ AUDIO: Sample Rate (kHz), Sample Size (8 or 16 bit), Number of Channels (mono or stereo)
§ other settings may be available, depending on your system and software
You may continue testing in this manner until you have discovered the best capture settings your system can maintain.
As each system configuration uses different hardware and software, ATI Customer Care has no information on exactly which configurations can use which capture settings without dropping frames.
ASUS P5A motherboard: system hangs after installing ATI drivers
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ASUS has released a BIOS upgrade which should resolve this issue. Current BIOS updates for the ASUS P5A motherboard can be found on the ASUS web site. Please read and understand all the instructions for upgrading your BIOS prior to attempting the procedure. |
If you continue to experience problems, please report the following details to ATI Technical Support:
· Motherboard make and model number
· Which drivers or patches were installed into the operating system (most motherboards come with a CD that includes bus master drivers and other patches)
· A completed ATI Problem Report showing operating system information, ATI drivers installed and the BIOS part number for your graphics product
· ATI (102) assembly number from the back of the graphics board (if possible)
High CPU Usage with VSYNC turned on in OpenSceneGraph
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
· OpenSceneGraph tool kit
· Catalyst 5.10 and higher display driver
· Windows XP
· RADEON 9500 series graphics card and higher
With VSYNC enabled via the
A special driver has been made available to correct this symptom. Please note that this driver is not supported by ATI Customer Care. All feedback should be reported via the Catalyst Crew Driver Feedback Program
Windows boots correctly but hangs/freezes after 3 or 4 minutes of operation
On the first system restart after installing an ATI Enhanced display driver for an ATI AGP graphics adapter, the following issue may occur:
Refer to the following sections for possible causes.
Appropriate motherboard chipset drivers are not present on the system
Not only do you need display drivers for your AGP graphics card, you also need drivers for your motherboard, which enable AGP functionality for the motherboard chipset. These drivers are provided by your motherboard manufacturer, on their website and/or on CD. For additional details, please read:
CMOS setup options are set incorrectly
To read our advice regarding CMOS options, please see:
Updated system BIOS may be needed
Please check with your motherboard manufacturer to ensure that you have the latest BIOS for your motherboard. BIOS updates often address hardware and compatibility problems.
Motherboard has been replaced, but Windows has not been re-installed
If you've changed your motherboard, but not your hard drive, then we strongly recommend that you re-install Windows.
Some Windows versions (e.g. Windows 95/NT 4) do not support AGP by default
For details, please see:
If you continue to experience difficulties:
If the recommendations above do not help to correct the problem, please complete an ATI Problem Report and send it to us.
Please be sure to include details regarding:
AutoCAD 2006: Corruption may be noticed when moving the mouse pointer around the desktop area with Radeon X800 PRO
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§ AutoCAD 2006
§ Radeon X800 PRO
Users may notice remnants of the mouse pointer being left on the display in the form of little blue dots when moving the mouse pointer around the desktop.
ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.
3DMark06: Setting the display to 2560x1600 with AA set to 4x results in graphic corruption being noticed when running the HDR tests
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§ 3DMark06
§ Radeon 9600, 9700 and 9800 series
§ Windows XP Professional / Home Edition
Setting the display to 2560x1600 with AA set to 4x may result in graphic corruption being noticed when running the 3DMark06 HDR tests
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To correct this issue, download and install Catalyst 6.3 or higher.
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VERICUT - Application window refreshes incorrectly using Unigraphics or Pro/Engineer
This issue affects ATI FireGL products configured under Windows 2000 or Windows XP platforms.
When using VERICUT, the main window may not refresh, or refreshes incorrectly when Unigraphics or Pro/Engineer is opened.
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The issue appears to be addressed in the Java Run-Time 1.4.1.
The latest version of the Java Run-Time can be downloaded from: http://java.sun.com/
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If updating the Java Run-Time is not an option, a modification can be made to the java run-time command line that launches VERICUT.
§ open the vericut.bat file
§ locate the command line that launches VERICUT and add the following:
'-Dsun.java2d.noddraw=true'
Once completed, the modified command line should resemble the following:
%start_cmd% "%CGTECH_JRE%\bin\javaw" -Dsun.java2d.noddraw=true -Xms16m -Xmx64m -Xss4m -classpath "%CGTECH_CLASSES% ; %CGTECH_CLASSES%\CGTech.jar" Vericut %argstr%
Windows Movie Maker: Corrupt captured *.AVI files
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§ Windows Movie Maker
§ Radeon X800 XT
§ Windows XP
Captured *.avi files may appear corrupt in color during playback. Intermittently, a VPU recover error may be triggered during the actual capture of the file.
ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.
TV output cannot be enabled using ATI Hot Keys under Windows 2000
This issue affects the ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON under Windows 2000.
When using an ATI Scheme hotkey to enable or disable the Television, the following symptoms can occur:
§ The Television and Monitor will flicker, but no change takes place
§ The following error message will appear:
"An error occurred while Windows was working with the Control Panel file C:\WINNT\System32\desk.cpl"
The same symptoms will occur when using the Schemes menu from the ATI Taskbar icon.
To correct this issue, download and install CATALYST 2.4 display drivers or higher.
Radeon X1800 CrossFire Edition: Corruption may be noticed after resuming from standby mode with CrossFire enabled.
The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
§
§ Radeon X1800 CrossFire Edition
§ Windows XP Professional / Home Edition
Resuming from standby state may result in corruption being noticed on the lower half of the display, or the lower half of the display remains blank when CrossFire is enabled
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To correct this issue, download and install Catalyst 6.3 or higher.
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MAXIMUM RESOLUTIONS
Dongle #1
640x480 (analog)
800x600 (analog)
1024x768 (digital or analog)*
1152x864 (analog)
1280x1024 (analog)
1600x1200 (analog)
1920x1080* 16:9 (analog)
1920x1200 ( analog)
1920x1440 (analog)
2048x1536 (analog)
Dongle #2
640x480 (digital or analog)
800x600 (digital or analog)
1024x768 (digital or analog)
1152x864 (digital or analog)
1280x1024 (digital or analog)*
1600x1200 (analog)
1920x1080* 16:9 (analog)
1920x1200 ( analog)
1920x1440 (analog)
2048x1536 (analog)
DISPLAY MODES:
Resolutions, colors and maximum refresh rates (Hz) for 256, 65K and 16.7M colors Monitor Resolution Hz
16:9 aspect ratio monitors are supported on 1920x1080 and 848x480 on Windows® XP, Windows® 2000 and Windows® ME. The complete list of resolutions depends on the driver version and operating system.
NOTE: resolutions are limited by the performance of the attached monitor.
Windows 2K & WindowsXP
Close out of all applications and proceed to your desktop. Right click on My Computer and select manage.If there is no My Computer Icon located on the desktop. Click on Start, right click on My Computer. Left click on manage. Double click on device manager. If you look to the right side of the screen you should see a list of installed devices. Look for “Sound, Video and Game Controllers”. Click on the plus sign located next to Sound, Video and Game Controllers. Look for your installed sound device example “Realtek AC’97 Audio”. Right click on the audio driver and select enable/disable. Also check to make sure the HD Audio device is disabled from the device manager.
Windows Vista
Close out of all applications and proceed to your desktop. Click on the Start button and right click Computer and select manage. Left click on Device Manager. If you look to the right side of the screen you should see a list of installed devices. Look for “Sound, Video and Game Controllers”. Click on the plus sign located next to Sound, Video and Game Controllers. Look for your installed sound device example “Realtek AC’97 Audio”. Right click on the audio driver and select enable/disable. Also check to make sure the HD Audio device is disabled from the device manager.
Dear Valued Customer,
Upon researching this issue, we have found that our packaging does not in fact state anything about a HDMI port. The packaging states “Built-in HDMI with Multi-channel 5.1 surround audio”. Below is a more detailed explanation of HDMI support and capabilities:
Sample 1: ATI Radeon™ HD 2400 Series Connections
Legend
1 DVI-I Dual Link connection (Provides audio and video digital signals. It provides HDMI™ output that is compatible with most HDMI™ devices.)
2 S-Video connection (Video In/Video Out)
3 SVGA connection
In this respect, Diamond Customer Support provides solutions to customers with their HDMI inquiries and needs.
Your feed back in important to us and we are taking the following steps to address your inquiry:
A- Our customer support are now trained to take extra steps to provide solutions to Staples customers .
B- To avoid any future potential for misinterpretation , the ”HDMI interface“ will be addressed in more detail in our future product introductions.
We have just released our official 3DMark Vantage hotfix driver (driver version 8.471.1). Please forward this information to any customer running 3DMark Vantage benchmarks.
The ATI Catalyst Hotfix driver (8.471.1) for 3DMark Vantage can be found here:
http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=33840
Release notes regarding the ATI Catalyst 3DMark Vantage hotfix driver:
Note, Catalyst 8.5 (using the 8.491 driver) – posting mid May will include the bug fixes and performance enhancements found in the 8.471.1 3DMark Vantage hotfix driver
Eyefinity gives you the ability to operate up to three high resolution displays simultaneously and independently from a single graphics board. It also allows you to expand your gaming field of view across all displays using the ATI stream technology. Eyefinity requires you to have an operating system that supports DirectX10 or 11 to function. Eyefinity advanced multiple display technology supports Duplicated mode operation giving you the ability to run cloned imaging on multiple displays or extended imaging on multiple displays. This feature is supported by the 5750 and the 5770 only.
Below is a chart displaying the different combinations that is supported by Eyefinity technology. Click on and save the attachment to your PC.
ATI Eyefinity Technology is closely aligned with AMD's implementation of DisplayPort providing the flexibility and upgradablity that modern user's demand. Up to two DVI, HDMI or VGA display outputs can be combined with DisplayPorts outputs for a total of six monitors , depending on the graphics card configuration and the operating system. Wider display connectivity is possible by using display output adapters that support active translation from DisplayPort to DVI or VGA.
A) Make sure your caller id is enabled from your phone company
B) Internet service provider has to support modem on hold feat (MOH)
C) Internet service provider has to support a valid V 92 Access Number
D) Make sure you are connected above 33k
1) If you have a PCI modem you can try inserting the modem into a different PCI slot.
2) If you have a USB modem you can try inserting the USB cable into a different USB port.
3) If you have a PCMCIA modem you can try inserting the card into another PCMCIA socket.
1) Verify that the modem is connected directly into your wall phone outlet without using a splitter.
2) Try connecting a telephone to the TEL or PHONE connector on the back of the modem. If you do not hear a dial tone then you should try using a different phone cable and repeat this step.
3) If you have an answering service, such as the kind provided by most local phone companies, new messages waiting can sometimes cause the modem to not see a dial tone. Try placing 2 commas just before the phone number that you use to connect with your ISP. Contact your ISP if you are uncertain where to place the commas.
1) Make sure you are connecting the modem directly to the wall outlet and make sure the phone cable that you are using is not longer than 25 feet.
2) Try connecting to a different provider. You can try using a free service such as NetZero (www.netzero.com) to accomplish this.
1) Check with your local phone company and make sure they are using a digital switch for the the phone number that your modem is physically connected to.
2) Check with your local phone company to verify how far away the local switch is from your location. High speed connections can usually only be obtained if you are no furthe than 3 miles from the switch at the head end of the phone company.
3) Try using a different phone cable. 4) Try using a different phone outlet at the wall.
1) Make sure the phone cord coming from the modem is connected directly into a telephone wall outlet.
2) Make sure the phone cord coming from the modem is not nearby or wrapped around any other electronic devices, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.
3) If you live next to an airport this can happen frequently, often times without a resolution. Try connecting at a slower speed to avoid this.
4) Contact your ISP to make sure they are not experiencing any technical difficulties.
1) Make sure the phone cord coming from the modem is connected directly into a telephone wall outlet
2) If you live next to an airport this can happen frequently, often times without a resolution. Try connecting at a slower speed to avoid this.
3) Contact your ISP to make sure they are not experiencing any technical difficulties.
The warrenty of the modem does not cover the PCMCIA phone cable. These items are sensitive and should be handled gently. If your cable is physically broken you can purchase a new cable through our online store. (http://www.diamondmm.com/dmmstore.php)
If you get a 56k modem, and you get 56k connections, you can safely say that you (presently) have a 56k-compatible line. However, if you don't get 56k connections, you cannot correctly assume that your line is not '56k-compatible'.
Possible reasons for not getting a 56k connect can include:
The firmware in your modem isn't working properly for your line conditions
The firmware in your modem isn't 'compatible' with the firmware in the server modem you are calling
The firmware in one of the modems isn't 'compatible' with the digital portion of the telephone network being used
Your line is not '56k-compatible'
In some of the above circumstances, you would be able to achieve a 56k connect with a different modem, or calling a different V.90 server.
56k Modem manufacturers have generally defined a '56k-compatible line' as being one that has only 1 D/A conversion (or 1 A/D conversion), and your local loop is less than 3½ miles. You may be able to get an answer - not always correct - if you ask your telco for the loop length and if your line has more than 1 A/D conversion. There is no 'requirement' or standard procedure for getting this information from a telco. But, even if you find you have only 1 A/D conversion (a '56k-compatible line'), you may still not be able to get a 56k connect with any 56k modem if your telco introduces certain types of digital impairments.
If you're buying a new system, you might have a choice on modem (Dell, Gateway, HP, Compaq, etc.), or one might automatically be included (most notebooks and many pre-configured desktop PCs). Rarely will they tell you what you're really getting (chipset, DAA, and drivers), and I recommend that, if you have a choice, you get no modem and purchase it separately.
Almost all modems being manufactured today support the latest V.92 as well as all the popular older modem standards. (Any modems that don't support V.92 should be considered outdated surplus and should be had for next to nothing.) V.92 modems with V.44 compression might provide slightly better performance (throughput) than V.90 modems - and add improved call-waiting compatibility: if your ISP supports V.92, and you have call-waiting service, you may place your Internet connection on hold while taking the call, then resume your Internet session. To V.90 servers, most V.92 modems also offer the ability you to incoming call and allow you to decide whether to ignore it or disconnect and take it.
Most modems can be classified with these characteristics:
- Data/fax
- Data/fax/voice
- Data/fax/voice/speakerphone
Voice generally means that the modem is capable, with appropriate software, of supporting telephone answering machine functions: the modem can 'record' and 'play' to the Windows wave device. The answering machine software will also use the sound card on the machine to play and record. The software may also include functions to dial or answer calls using your sound card's microphone and speakers or headphones.
Windows comes with a Phone Dialer. This utility will dial a number with any type of modem; after Phone Dialer dials a number, you use any normal phone (connected to the 'Phone' jack of the modem) to complete a voice call.
Third-party software can be used with a voice modem to enhance functionality. One such package: ModemSpy can record phone calls to wav files.
All modems are also capable of supporting voice functions provided by 'Internet Telephony' - the modem is connected to your ISP in data mode, and software on your system sends and receives voice-encoded data to a compatible telephony server to complete a call. (Many of these services used to be free.) Some providers include: Phone Free, DialPad, IConnectHere, and Skype.
A modem that includes speakerphone capability will have additional audio components on the modem to provide an interface for a microphone and speaker or headset. This allows the modem to dial or answer and provide high-quality full-duplex voice functionality.
Full duplex means you can talk and hear at the same time. Many 'voice' modems when used on voice calls will provide only half-duplex functionality: at any instant, you can either be talking or listening. The quality of the audio produced using a voice modem is often a problem.
Voice modem chipset makers include in the driver or firmware code to interface to the wave device, but do not develop the software that provides voice functionality. The modem makers generally bundle "compatible" third-party voice modem software. Some voice modem software offerings: Ring Central, BVRP, and Messanging Software. Microsoft Windows provides TAPI (a telephony application program interface) and a Unimodem service provider (driver). The Microsoft-provided Unimodem driver uses your modem driver (.inf file) to support TAPI-compliant applications and your modem.
CALLER ID is not automatically supported by all modems. In most cases, data/fax modems will not provide any caller id support. The chipsets for voice, speakerphone and even most data/fax modems are capable of caller id, but the modem must include additional components: the caller id signal is sent by the phone company between the first and second rings while the phone, or modem is still on-hook. Modems that support caller id must have a circuit to receive the caller id information without taking the modem off-hook.
DISTINCTIVE RING - Many modems are capable of supporting distinctive ring - however, Windows XP & 2000's Microsoft-provided Unimodem is not.
VoIP - Voice Over IP - has suddenly become a hot topic. In case you've missed the basics - a broadband Internet connection (DSL, cable, etc.) can be configured to provide telephone service in addition to Internet access.
As VoIP proliferates - and it will - new challenges will emerge for dial-up modem users. And, VoIP opens up significant public policy issues. This special report touches on both.
Technical: Direct-dial local, national and international telephone service is available nearly everywhere and is based upon a 100+ year-old "circuit-switched" architecture. Once your call is routed (after you dial last digit and before the other end can ring), you effectively have a 64kbps dedicated channel between your line and the other end. This channel remains yours until you hang up. Each end provides an analog 2-wire line. A codec codes and decodes the analog and digital portions of the telephone network and a hybrid separates the 2-wire circuit to '4-wire'. This is imperfect, and there will be some 'echo' of the send on the receive - and if both ends are 2-wire, there will be near and far echo. The codecs are designed to provide speech-range ( ~300-3000hz) frequency response using the 64kbps datastream. As calls get more distant, there will be more delay, but, once the call is setup, the delay remains constant.
Note the 64kbps data rate used in the global switched-circuit telephone network. This is a high-enough data rate to provide near CD-quality mono audio using today's compression techniques, but what we've got today is pretty horrible audio - just acceptable speech because the system is based upon ancient technology. Modern codecs can provide switched-circuit phone network quality audio using around 5kbps! Not that VoIP uses such a low rate - at least not yet.
VoIP replaces all or part of the circuit-switched call with IP (Internet Protocol). With IP, packets of data are sent and received over local and/or wide-area networks. Each packet is routed to the destination and travels on a shared network.
VoIP provides a "virtual switched-circuit" connection: the phone is connected via the broadband Internet connection to an Internet-telephony service provider, which routes the call via Internet Protocol to a switch that is connected to the public switched-circuit phone network to complete the call. Note that this allows all sorts of possibilities and features that used to be out-of-reach: with VoIP your phone number can be in a different area code, or even country, than where you actually are!
Compression and Internet Protocol Routing introduces more delay than with a traditional switched-circuit call. While the IP end isn't restricted to a virtual 2-wire phone line, the other end is. If echo cancellation isn't perfect (and it often isn't), this delay can be much more significant - but tolerable? - for voice calls. Analog Modems, on the other hand, weren't designed with anything but traditional circuit-switched networks. When VoIP technology is used in any part of a call, the VoIP-switched-network interfaces need to recognize and support analog modems: more bandwidth than voice may require and if there's too much delay, the connection may fail. Dropouts - when the IP portion isn't working like it should - may be a new irritant to VoIP users, and a connection killer for modems - including fax modems. (Most VoIP providers claim to support modem/fax connections.)
VoIP is poised to take off due to compelling economics and competitive forces: Why does caller id cost you $7.95 + tax from your phone company when the phone company's cost is near-zero? Why is caller id provided at no extra charge with cellular service? Answer: because no one else can offer you that service on your line, and, for cellular, everyone offers it. The game changes for wired-telco providers with VoIP - on all the enhanced services like call-waiting, 3-way calling, etc. Right now, telephone services are highly regulated (although "monopoly" services like caller id and call waiting often are treated as "competitive non-regulated"). Internet Service Providers are not. While VoIP service may not provide the reliability of the almost bullet-proof phone line we've come to expect from our phone companies, the cost savings may be more than enough to win customers.
VoIP requires broadband. While broadband is widely available in the US and elsewhere, broadband availability is not nearly as universal as phone service, and will not have such wide availability for some time. The 'last mile' - the connection to your home remains the biggest hurdle, and defines your options for any particular location.
For most home users, cable is today's only VoIP alternative. Cable companies are not among consumers most-loved and respected companies. But, cable companies have made huge investments to upgrade their networks to support 2-way digital connections, and cable modem service has become more reliable. Cable's primary high-speed competition - DSL - requires a phone line, and your phone company has the most to lose from VoIP (although most phone companies are making plans to provide their own VoIP services...). Expect the cable companies to begin offering telephone service - TimeWarner has already announced. Even without the local cable company offering phone service, third-party providers already offer it. Just remember: one would hope your cable company would do a few things to enhance service reliability before they offer telephone service: like UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) and the maximum possible fault-tolerance/redundancy. Anytime the cable internet service is out, your phone service will be out, too. With a third-party provider, your service becomes vulnerable to problems with your local Internet connection as well as with problems at the third-party and the connection between your ISP and the third-party. 911 issue: you may not be able to call 911, and if you are able, the call will not be handled like a normal 911 call and the emergency response center may not receive any information regarding your phone number or location.
The public policy issues are huge: Billions and billions of dollars are collected today in the USA from taxes, fees and surcharges on telecommunications services: the Universal Service (Slosh) Fund, Federal Excise Taxes, Line Cost Charges, etc., etc., etc. A VoIP provider must purchase access to the public switched network in order to allow you to make calls - so, look for a fight as the players try and lay down rules to catch up with technology. The phone companies will fight for regulation of VoIP providers to protect their turf, as VoIP argues for a chance to compete.
Slower = Faster? Here's why: The modem business is very competitive, and the first thing a typical user will consider in evaluating a modem is how fast it indicates it has connected. With the advent of 56k modems, the CONNECT speed reported gives less than 1/2 the picture: first, only the downstream rate is indicated, and second, the modem may not be able to sustain the speed at which it connected.
If the modem is unable to decode the data at the connect speed, the modem will either retrain or do a rate-renegotiation. Both of these events interrupt all data flow - in the case of a retrain, the interruption can be 20 seconds or more of nothing!
Because most users do little more than compare connect speeds of modems, manufacturers have an incentive to be too aggressive with connect speed so you think your modem is faster.
If your modem is connecting at a rate below 40K bps, I strongly urge you to check your throughput with 56k disabled altogether. You may be surprised to find that your modem (a) connects to your ISP faster; and (b) performs better.
If your modem is connecting at a rate of 40k bps or above, but your throughput doesn't match, or if you experience disconnects or unreliable connections, I recommend you try limiting your speed connection to a lower rate.
After you've tested the various options with your modem and present modem driver, I suggest you check to see if an updated driver available, and then re-check and compare the performance.
V.92 and V.44 became International standards in November of 2000, and the first "V.92" modems were sold in November of 2000. As of late April 2003, the V.92 feature that provides for higher upstream rates is still basically non-functional: Cisco, Lucent, and Nortel server modems do not support PCM upstream at all. Patton and Commworks do, but the maximum PCM upstream rate you might achieve is 36kbps - 25% lower than the standard's 48k maximum. Some in the industry doubt 48k upstream is achievable. A consumer advocate might find much of the advertising for V.92 to be deceptive: modems or ISPs promising "...up to 48Kbps..." upstream should disclose that this is a future, possibly unachievable capability.
V.92/V.44 drivers for both client and server modems have undergone revisions to resolve connectivity problems. Some interoperability issues are still being addressed. Some ISP V.92 upgrades can cause connectivity problems for users with older V.90 modems, as well as users with new V.92 modems. The most serious problem is inability or difficulty in completing handshake and getting a CONNECT. Updating your modem driver may help in these situations. There are cases where V.44 fails to work between client/server modems which may result in a CONNECT but no data, a failure of the handshake, or a CONNECT without error correction. (Disabling V.44 on the client modem, or updating the modem driver might help with this problem.)
Modem-on-hold (MoH) is the most compelling feature for many users. Many V.92 modems are sold without the necessary MoH software. The drivers that come with the modem may also need updating to properly handle MoH. There is an issue with V.92 servers that have MoH disabled: when a call comes in, the server denies a MoH request and disconnects instead of allowing the client to decide whether to ignore the call or accept it and disconnect. (Level3, the only national V.92 network provider disables MoH by default. Level3 customers include the largest national ISPs - AOL, MSN, Earthlink, etc., and all major Level3 customers except United Online (NetZero/Juno) have requested MoH be disabled.)
Users getting reduced handshake times (Quick Connect) are hard to find. (Again, most modems will need a later driver than is shipped with the modem, and some modems might need extra initialization commands to enable the feature.) There are cases where quick connect fails resulting in a longer handshake, failure to connect, reduced connection speed, or connection without error correction. Quick Connect may need to be disabled.
V.44 compression is working for many V.92 client-server connections. The performance difference can be impressive with the right kind of data transfer. Only controllerless modems (DSP and Softmodems) are "ready" to benefit: most Windows PCs cannot support real serial port data rates above 115.2k without a high-speed serial card.
The bottom line: The only difference in V.90 vs a V.92 modem is software. Nearly all client modems being made today are V.92. New systems that bundle a modem are almost always V.92 now. ISPs are faced with a more complicated choice. Upgrading to V.92 will almost certainly cause some problems for some customers; and, the ISPs vendor may require expensive service contracts or hardware upgrades.
56k Modems rarely connect close to 56k. In the US, FCC-imposed power give most 56k modems a maximum potential for a 53.3k connection.
But, what happens in the real world? These are my estimates of 56k connections.
About 60-70% of 56k modem owners are getting 56k connects (rates higher than 33.6k). 30-40% get rates of 33.6k or less.
Of those getting 56k rates, 80-90% are getting 40k or higher. About 75% get rates between 44-49.3k. About 10% get rates of 50k or higher, and about 15% get rates between 34.6 - 38.6k. However, the throughput achieved by a substantial portion of the connections doesn't match the connect rate.
| Of the 30-40% of 56k modem owners not getting 56k connects, about 15% are connecting at 31.6 - 33.6k, 70% at 26.4-28.8k, and 15% at 24k or lower. |
The rate achieved depends upon a number of factors including:
The Modem (sometimes the one you have won't work with your line conditions/ISP)
The Modem Firmware/driver (sometimes a firmware upgrade/downgrade will yield improvement)
Your line conditions (sometimes the facilities provided by the phone company prevent 56k connects)
The ISP's Modems (sometimes your modem won't achieve 56k-interoperability with your ISP's 56k modems)
The ISP's Modem Firmware (sometimes an ISP modem firmware upgrade will yield improvement)
No, the sound card is not compatible with Windows 9X. It will only function and run properly on Windows 2k_XP/MCE
Xtreme Sound Cards Troubleshooting
If you are experiencing an echo in your sound applications & games please check the following:
1. Double click the Diamond icon in your system tray as highlighted below:
2. Click the Effect tab.
3. Verify that the More Option is NOT highlighted as indicated by #1 in the image below.
4. Verify that the sound environment is set for Generic as indicated by #2 in the image below.
SOLUTION 1: The card may not be seated all of the way into the PCI slot. Verify
that the card is seated properly into the PCI slot, where the gold contacts on the PCI card are not exposed when the card is occupying the slot..
SOLUTION 2: Try mounting the card into a different PCI slot if solution 1 did not help.
1. Unplug and re plug the USB cable into the PVR600.
2. Connect the usb cable to a difference USB port on your computer.
Verify that your input source is properly connected from a known working source.
If you are connecting a coaxial cable direct from the cable TV wall outlet to the XtremeTV,
then try connecting the same coaxial cable into a television set to verify that your cable and outlet is functioning properly.
1)Most digital and satellite boxes have multiple outputs available. It's preferred that you physically connect the digital or satellite box to the XtremeTV card using S-VIDEO cable for the best visual calirty. If your digital cable or satellite box does not offer S-VIDEO, then composite RCA would be the next best choice to use.
2)You will also need to run through the Beyond TV setup wizard again, selecting digital cable box, or satellite box. And then selecting the appropriate connection once by the setup wizard.
3)You may need to purchase an IR Blaster in order to change channels with PVR. Otherwise, you will need to change channels with your Digital Cable or Satellite box remote control.
Contact your video card manufacturer to make sure the TV output is functioning properly.
An antenna is the least favorable means of viewing and recording
The PVR-660 came with all the necessary cables as well as some thoughtful accessories like the Coax extender and the S-video to composite adapter. The manual was accurate and easy to follow. It contained screenshots for just about every step outlined. We found the remote functional and ergonomic.
We’re always happy when installation goes smoothly, and the 660 installed without any hurdles. Set up was a breeze and we could watch TV as soon as the software finished scanning for channels.
The Electronic Programming Guide, while easy to use, lacked some important features found on most PVR systems, namely the ability to record a program based on title rather than timeslot. However, we don’t think it’s fair to expect a free service to provide the same functionality as subscription-based services.
Overall, we were quite pleased with the performance of the PVR-660. We didn’t experience any failures or glitches while viewing or recording TV, or while messing around with the Photo and Music modules.
We liked the integrated nature of the Total Media software but, while adequate in most respects, we found its functionality quite rudimentary at times. Several of the modules (namely Music and Photos) don’t offer anything beyond what is already available through Media Player or Picture and Fax Viewer. Windows Movie Maker provides more functionality than Total Media’s Video module in terms of editing.
On the other hand, we really liked the ability to use the 660 as a capture device for camcorders and even broadcast radio—two features that are even more notable considering its external, portable nature.
At anywhere from $107-$130, the 660 costs significantly more than its PCI-based siblings. As a rule, external peripherals almost always cost more than their internal counterparts, and the 660 provides no exception. However, we’ve seen PCMCIA-based tuner/capture cards from other manufactures for less than 1/2 of the price of the PVR-660. Although we haven’t evaluated the performance of these other solutions, we find the difference in price range striking. This tuner also does not access HD content.
We’ve given the 660 a value rating of “good” because it worked just as it was supposed to. Had we experienced any problems, we would have scored it significantly lower.
Pricing aside, the Diamond Multimedia PVR-660 performed as advertised and turned our laptop into a decent PVR. We particularly liked the fact that we didn’t have to pay a subscription fee to use the scheduling service, even if it lacked the most advanced features available through other services. The 660 put in a solid performance, and we experienced no issues either during installation or day-to-day use.
Captured Video Clips are Choppy
This information applies to the following:
§ any ATI product with TV or video input features
§ when used with any software for capturing video clips from a video or broadcast signal
When attempting to play back a captured video clip, the image may appear choppy or distorted.
Before You Start
Whenever you are capturing video, please make sure of the following:
§ No other applications should be running
§ Do not open or close the CD tray
§ Refrain from moving the mouse around
Hardware Considerations
The following hardware factors have been known to affect video capture quality:
§ CPU speed/performance
§ Physical RAM available
§ Hard Drive speed (preferably 7200 rpm or better)
Upgrade any of these and you should be able to achieve higher capture quality. Downgrade any one of them and you may have to lower your capture settings to keep from dropping frames.
Which Capture Settings to Use?
To find the ideal capture settings for your system, proceed as follows:
§ Perform an initial test capture using the default settings recommended by your capture software
§ Play back the video clip you just captured
§ Select a particular capture setting (see below)
§ If the video clip played fine in step 2, then raise the setting one notch and test again
§ If it appeared choppy or distorted, lower the setting and test again
§ Once you have found the ideal position for this setting, leave it
§ Focus on a different setting and continue testing
Select from the following video or audio settings,
§ VIDEO: Resolution (window size), Framerate (fps), Color Depth (Number of Colors)
§ AUDIO: Sample Rate (kHz), Sample Size (8 or 16 bit), Number of Channels (mono or stereo)
§ other settings may be available, depending on your system and software
You may continue testing in this manner until you have discovered the best capture settings your system can maintain.
As each system configuration uses different hardware and software, ATI Customer Care has no information on exactly which configurations can use which capture settings without dropping frames.
-Open your web browser/
-Type in the address line 192.168.1.1 press enter/
- Go to advanced/
-On left side of the screen go to wan/
-Quick start/
-Type: PPOE/
-Change it to bridge/
-Apply/
-Save settings
-Then connect the router to the modem.
"DVI-I to VGA" adapter. This adapter allows monitors using a standard VGA connector to be connected to graphics cards using DVI-I connectors.
Connection To connect a VGA monitor using the "DVI-I to VGA" adapter: · connect the cable from the VGA monitor to the VGA end of the adapter · connect the DVI-I end of the adapter to the DVI-I connector on the graphics card
Text or fonts that are crisp when displayed on a VGA or SVGA computer monitor may appear fuzzy or blurry when displayed on a TV set or composite monitor.
This is a limitation of the TV set and the analog video signal. Recommendations for improving the display appear at the end of this document.
Technical Details:
The video circuitry in the most modern TV set is designed to handle video signals which adhere to the NTSC (or PAL) broadcast standards. The NTSC and PAL broadcast (RF transmission) standards impose a limit on the bandwidth of the video signal of about 6 to 10 megahertz. Video Bandwidth is, effectively, the highest frequency analog signal a monitor can handle without distortion. Video Bandwidth limits the sharpness of intensity and color changes on the screen. A high bandwidth means smaller visible details.
Text and 2D computer graphic images, by their nature, have a much higher video bandwidth requirement than does a typical TV image. As an example, even the least expensive VGA (640x480) computer monitor has a Video Bandwidth of about 30 megahertz (3 to 4 times that of a TV set).
When text or computer graphic images are displayed on a TV set the fine detail (text) which is sharp and clear on the PC monitor will appear fuzzy on the TV because the TV is not capable of responding to the high frequencies in the computer image. (The TV was designed to display movies and pictures, NOT text.)
Aside from the electronic limitation of limited bandwidth there is also the issue of DOT PITCH. Computer monitors will have a specification for DOT PITCH which describes the distance between the phosphor dots. This specification is generally listed in millimeters, with values of .28mm, .26mm and .24mm being common. The closer the dots are together (the smaller they are) the more detail an image can contain. (The red, green and blue, phosphor dots on the inside of the monitor screen are the elements that glow and actually produce the visible image.) TV sets do not generally have a DOT PITCH specification but close visual inspection of the front of a TV screen will quickly reveal quite large dots (or stripes for TRINITRON tubes) as compared to the dots on a computer monitor.
Blurry fonts on television are really a limitation of the TV set and the analog video signal. One or more of the following may help to improve the situation:
§ Use an S-VIDEO connection, instead of a COMPOSITE hookup. S-VIDEO tends to provide a clearer image.
§ Increase the size of the fonts being displayed. Font sizes of 18 points or higher may be required in order to yield acceptable results.
§ Try to avoid strong contrasts (such as black on white or white on black). Colour scheme and contrast level play a large part in the appearance of text on a television.
§ Try adjusting the brightness, contrast (sometimes called "picture") and sharpness settings on the TV.
DVI to VGA (CRT) Adapter.
RCA Video Cable
S-Video Cable (img)
Note: During initial setup for your Super Max DSL, it is recommended that your PC is connected to the modem via the supplied RJ-45 Ethernet cable instead of the wireless connection. Once the modem is properly setup and connected to the Bell South network you may proceed with the wireless setup.
POWER – light should be on and solid.
LAN – 1, 2, 3 or 4 should be lit depending on which port you have plugged the Ethernet cable into. This light will flicker on and off.
WLAN – Wireless feature enabled. This light should be solid.
WAN – ADSL link status light this light should come on solid. If not continue with the setup and if the still the light is not on check to see if that the ADSL line coming from the wall still has a dial-tone. You can connect a telephone handset directly to the ADSL line to verify there is a dial-tone.
http://192.168.0.1. This will bring up the modems configuration menu.
5.Click on the “Setup Wizard” link.
7.Under “Determine Connection Method” choose “Manual Selection” and click “Next”.
9. Under “Connection Method” choose “Login” and under the drop down menu select “PPPoE” Then select “DSL Multiplexing Method” “LLC-BASED” and click “Next”
Note: the user name and password should be the same as your email login and password. If you are a new customer and you do not have a username and password you will have to contact Bell South over the phone and have one of Bell South’s support representatives create you a temporary or permanent username and password.
Leave all other settings on the default selection and click “Next.
“ADSL connection okay” following will be the “Login Successful message”
Click “Close” and then close your browser. This completes the setup process now you may add additional PC’s to your network either using additionally Ethernet connections or wireless connections.