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Oxygen 3D Family Installation and User’s Guide 5225 Betsy Ross Drive Santa Clara , California 95054 www.dynamicpictures.com
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Copyright 1996 , 1997 , 1998 by Dynamic Pictures , Inc . All rights reserved . Dynamic Pictures and the Dynamic Pictures logo are registered trademarks , and Oxygen and PowerThreads are trademarks of Dynamic Pictures , Inc . Pentium is a registered trademark and PCI is a trademark of Intel . Alpha is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation . OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics . Softimage and Softimage | 3D are registered trademarks of Softimage , Inc . , a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation . Microsoft , Windows , Windows NT , and / or other Microsoft products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft . CrystalEyes is a trademark of StereoGraphics . SolidWorks is a trademark of SolidWorks , Inc . Heidi and 3D Studio MAX are trademarks of Autodesk . LightWave is a trademark of NewTek . Pro / ENGINEER is a registered trademark of Parametric Technology Corporation . Unigraphics is a registered trademark of Electronic Data Systems . SDRC is a registered trademark and I - DEAS is a trademark of Structural Dynamics Research Corporation . Lightscape and the Lightscape Visualization System are trademarks of Lightscape Technologies , Inc . MicroStation and the MicroStation Stylized “ M � logo are registered trademarks and Bentley and the “ B � Bentley logo are trademarks of Bentley Systems , Incorporated . All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders . Portions of the product described in this documentation incorporate technology licensed from Digital Equipment Corporation . The software described in this document is furnished under a license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license . Caution : Changes or modifications to the Oxygen 3D graphics accelerator card not expressly approved by Dynamic Pictures , Inc . void the user’s warranty . FCC NOTICE : This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device , pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules . These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation . This equipment generates , uses , and can radiate radio frequency energy . If product is not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual , it may cause harmful interference to radio communications ; however , there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation . If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception , which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on , the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures : 1 ) Re - orient or relocate the receiving antenna ; 2 ) increase the separation between the equipment and receiver ; 3 ) connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected ; or 4 ) consult Dynamic Pictures or an experienced radio / TV technician for assistance . Compliance with FCC rules requires that a shielded cable be used to connect to other equipment . This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules . Operation is subject to the following two conditions : ( 1 ) this device may not cause harmful interference , and ( 2 ) this device must accept any interference received , including interference that may cause undesired operation . This Class B digital apparatus meets all the requirements of the Canadian Interference - Causing Equipment Regulations . Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matérial brouilleur du Canada . Dynamic Pictures , Inc . makes no representation that the use of its products in the manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights , nor do descriptions contained n this publication imply the granting of licenses to make , use , or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description . There are no warranties implied by this owner’s guide . Any warranties granted by Dynamic Pictures , Inc . with respect to the product described in this owner’s guide were granted through a separate OEM or reseller agreement . No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software on equipment that is not supplied by Dynamic Pictures , Inc . or its affiliated companies .
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Table of Contents Welcome to Oxygen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Installation Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Installing Your Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Installing Oxygen on Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Installing Oxygen on Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Installing Your Oxygen Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Start Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Performance Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Oxygen Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Tuning Your Applications for Optimal Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Display Resolutions and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Technology Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Appendix A : Installing Oxygen on Windows NT 3.51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Appendix B : Installing Your Heidi Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Appendix C : Using Dual Oxygen Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Appendix D : Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Appendix E : Mechanical and Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Appendix F : Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Appendix G : Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Installation and User’s Guide 3
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Table of Figures Figure 1 : My Computer Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Figure2 : Drivers Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Figure 3 : Setup Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Figure 4 : Oxygen 3D Family Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Figure 5 : Installation Directory Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Figure 6 : Finish Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Figure 7 : Display Properties - Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Figure 8 : Change Display Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Figure 9 : Select Device Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Figure 10 : Open Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Figure 11 : System Settings Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Figure 12 : Monitor Video Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Figure 13 : Stereoscopic Viewing Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Figure 14 : Oxygen 3D Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Figure 15 : Oxygen Control Panel - Oxygen Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Figure 16 : Oxygen Control Panel - Memory Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Figure 17 : Oxygen Control Panel - Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Figure 18 : Oxygen Control Panel - Support Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Figure 19 : Oxygen Chip Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Figure 20 : Oxygen 102 3D Graphics Accelerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Figure 21 : Oxygen 202 3D Graphics Accelerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Figure 22 : Oxygen without PowerThreads Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Figure 23 : Oxygen with PowerThreads Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Figure 24 : Oxygen 402 3D Graphics Accelerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Figure 25 : VGA Jumper ( VGA Enabled ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Figure 26 : VGA Jumper ( VGA Disabled ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
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  Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family Has Won the Following Awards V 3.0 Installation and User’s Guide 5
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Welcome to Oxygen Congratulations on selecting a 3D graphics accelerator card from the   industry leader , Dynamic Pictures ! Your award - winning Oxygen   card provides fast , interactive 3D graphics for Intel and Alpha computers . About This User’s Guide This guide details the installation , software configuration , and capabilities of your new Oxygen graphics accelerator card . Once you have installed your Oxygen card and driver software , use the Performance Tuning section on page 23 to enhance the performance of the 3D graphics applications you use . Electronic User’s Guide There is an electronic version of the Oxygen documentation that is stored as an Adobe Acrobat file on your Oxygen CD - ROM . The Oxygen.pdf file may be read using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software provided in the Software Gallery on the Oxygen CD - ROM and is found in the following directory on the Oxygen CD - ROM : < CDROMDrive > : \ DOC where CDROMDrive is the letter of your computer’s CD - ROM drive . The Oxygen.pdf file is updated periodically . Please visit the Documentation page on our web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com / oxygendoc.html where you can download the latest version of the Oxygen.pdf . Installation and User’s Guide 1
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About Dynamic Pictures Dynamic Pictures is the industry leader in computer graphics acceleration technology . We design , manufacture , market , and support graphics acceleration hardware and software products for personal computers and desktop workstations . Dynamic Pictures ’ award - winning 2D and 3D graphics accelerator cards are setting industry standards for uncompromising performance , competitive prices , and outstanding customer support . Dynamic Pictures also develops premier software technology for  OpenGL , dramatically accelerating applications built on this standard . The integrated technology solutions offered by Dynamic Pictures serve animation , visual computing and CAD / CAM professionals running Intel and Alpha systems . Dynamic Pictures is committed to delivering the fastest , most fully featured 3D graphics  technology to the Windows NT market . Dynamic Pictures is the industry’s only 3D graphics card company that designs and produces graphics chips , cards , and software drivers . Consequently , Dynamic Pictures delivers higher performance and greater compatibility than any other company . To learn more about Dynamic Pictures , get the latest news on the Oxygen product line , register your new Oxygen 3D graphics accelerator card or download software driver updates , visit us on the World Wide Web at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com Remember to complete your user registration card . Registration activates your warranty and ensures that you will be advised of future product updates and releases . NOTE : You can register electronically by selecting “ Register Online � on the Oxygen 3D pop - up menu once you have installed your software . For more information , see the Register Online section on page 22 . 2 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Oxygen 3.0 Release The Oxygen 3.0 release brings exciting changes and new additions to the Oxygen 3D Family .  PowerThreads Technology for Multi - threaded OpenGL The Oxygen 3.0 release is the fastest Oxygen software technology ever introduced . The addition of PowerThreads technology for multi - threaded OpenGL adds a new boost of power to the unrivaled Oxygen 3D acceleration . For more information , refer to the PowerThreads Technical Overview section on page 52 . CD - ROM Media Dynamic Pictures is pleased to offer Oxygen software on CD - ROM . This new format enables us to provide you with improved installation capabilities . To facilitate periodic updates , drivers can still be downloaded from the Dynamic Pictures web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com / drivers.cgi Software Gallery You now have the opportunity to install and review the latest samples , demos or releases from leading 3D software vendors . The SOFTWARE GALLERY directory found on your Oxygen CD - ROM highlights the latest achievements in 3D graphics software . If you are interested in a particular vendor or their products , please visit the Dynamic Pictures web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com / swgallery.html We know that you will enjoy this valuable bonus . If you have suggestions for the Software Gallery , please let us know in the comments section of your registration card or send us an email to : marketing @ dynamicpictures.com Installation and User’s Guide 3
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System Requirements In order to use your Oxygen card , your computer system must meet certain hardware and software system requirements . Hardware • One or more Intel or Alpha processors • 32 Megabytes ( MB ) of RAM • 2 MB of available hard disk space • PCI bus with at least one bus - master capable slot available . If you want to use dual displays , two PCI slots and two identical Oxygen cards are required . ( See Appendix C : Using Dual Oxygen Cards for more details . ) • One or more VGA multisync monitor ( s ) Software  • Windows NT version 4.0 or later installed on your computer ; • Or Windows 95 installed on your computer NOTE : Oxygen drivers running under Windows 95 display 2D graphics only . 4 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Installation Instructions This chapter details how to install your Oxygen software drivers and Oxygen card . You must install both the software and the card to experience accelerated graphics . NOTE : Dynamic Pictures recommends running Windows NT 4.0 or later . This guide assumes that Windows NT is already installed on your computer . If not , you must install Windows NT before you install your Oxygen software . For more information about installing Windows NT , please consult your Windows documentation . If your computer already has a video card installed : • First , install your software from the Oxygen CD - ROM ; • remove your old card ; and • install your new Oxygen card . If your system has no other video card : • First , install your Oxygen card ; then • follow the software installation instructions in the next section . Dynamic Pictures supports the Oxygen card on multiple system platforms . Platforms may differ in their installation instructions for  PCI option cards . Consult the hardware installation guide for your workstation or PC if you require additional assistance . Installing Your Software Your Oxygen graphics accelerator card includes special software you need to install and configure . These video drivers allow your computer to harness the acceleration potential of your Oxygen card . The following section describes the installation process for Windows NT 4.0 . If you are running Windows NT 3.51 , please refer to Appendix A : Installing Oxygen on Windows NT 3.51 for installation instructions . Installation and User’s Guide 5
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Installing your Oxygen software on Windows NT 4.0 This section describes the installation of the Oxygen software drivers for Windows NT 4.0 . If you are running Windows NT version 3.51 , refer to page 56 . Please ensure that you have closed all Windows applications programs before beginning the Oxygen software installation process . NOTE : All figures are examples of what you should see on your screen . Slight differences between the figures and your display are common and should not cause concern . 1 . Log in to Windows NT 4.0 using any account that has administrator privileges . 2 . Insert the Oxygen CD - ROM into the CD - ROM drive on your computer . Double - click on the My Computer icon found in the upper left corner of your desktop . The My Computer window appears and should look similar to Figure 1 . Figure 1 : My Computer Window 6 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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3 . Now select your CD - ROM drive by double clicking on the appropriate icon , usually D : \ . The contents of the CD - ROM are displayed . 4 . Double - click on the DRIVERS folder . This will display the operating systems and platforms that the drivers support ( Figure 2 ) . Figure 2 : Drivers Folder 5 . Choose the correct driver for installation . If you are using a DEC Alpha machine , then double - click on the ALPHA40 folder . If you are using an Intel system , double - click on the INTEL40 folder . Installation and User’s Guide 7
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6 . Double - click on the DISK1 folder . 7 . Now simply double - click the Setup icon ( Figure 3 ) to launch the Oxygen 3D Family software installer . Figure 3 : Setup Icon 8 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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8 . The Setup program will take you through the actions required to install your Oxygen software . If you have exited all other Windows applications , then click the “ Next � button in the Welcome window ( Figure 4 ) . Otherwise , click the “ Cancel � button to exit the Oxygen 3D Family Setup program ; close all other Windows applications and resume your Oxygen software installation by repeating steps 1 through 8 . Figure 4 : Oxygen 3D Family Setup 9 . The Electronic License Agreement should be displayed . Please take a moment to review the Oxygen software use , distribution , and restriction guidelines . You may examine the printed copy of the license agreement found in Appendix G : Software License Agreement on page 68 of this manual . In addition , you are bound by license agreements associated with any third - party software products included for distribution on the Oxygen CD - ROM . To accept the terms of the license agreement , click the “ Yes � button . NOTE : If you are unwilling to agree to the terms set forth in the license agreement , then click the “ No � button to exit the Setup program . Return the card , CD - ROM and all package contents along with your receipt to the place of purchase for a full refund . Installation and User’s Guide 9
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10 . You must now choose the destination location for your Oxygen software ( Figure 5 ) . You may click “ Next � to install the software to the default directory which is : < SystemDrive > : \ WINNT40 \ OXYGEN3D where SystemDrive is the letter ( e.g . , C , D , F , etc . ) of the drive where Windows NT is installed . Figure 5 : Installation Directory Window If you installed Windows NT to a directory other than the default or you want to choose another destination directory for the Oxygen software , then click the “ Browse � button and the Choose Folder window will appear . Navigate to the appropriate installation directory , then click the “ OK � button . Upon returning to the Destination window , click the “ Next � button . 10 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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11 . The Program Folder is where the Oxygen 3D Family Setup will add the program icons required for your Oxygen card . You may create a new folder such as the default provided , OXYGEN3D , or you can choose an existing folder from the scrolling listbox by clicking on the folder to highlight your choice . Once you have identified the Program Folder , click the “ Next � button . 12 . Setup is now installing the required Oxygen software files onto your Windows NT system . NOTE : 3D Studio MAX R1 users must also install the Oxygen Heidi driver . Refer to Appendix B : Installing Your Heidi Driver on page 57 . 3D Studio MAX R2 users need not install the Heidi driver since 3D Studio MAX R2 supports the OpenGL Oxygen driver that the setup program is currently installing . 13 . Once complete , you must restart your computer to activate your new Oxygen software . If you have not yet installed your Oxygen card : • Select the “ No . . . � radio button ( Figure 6 ) ; • Click “ Finish � and shutdown your system . • Once you turn your computer’s power off , install your Oxygen card and reboot your system . Installation and User’s Guide 11
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If you have already installed your new Oxygen card : • Select the “ Yes . . . � radio button ( Figure 6 ) ; and • Click “ Finish � . Your computer will be restarted and you can begin using your new Oxygen 3D graphics accelerator ! Figure 6 : Finish Setup 14 . Once your Oxygen hardware and software are installed , refer to the Performance Tuning section on page 23 for tips about how to optimize your Oxygen card performance while running your application . It is important to note that not all resolution settings offer accelerated 3D performance . For a list of supported Oxygen resolutions , refer to the Monitor Resolution Tables on page 38 . 12 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Installing your Oxygen software on Windows 95 Your Oxygen graphics accelerator card also includes video drivers supported under Windows 95 . NOTE : The Windows 95 Oxygen drivers support 2D graphics acceleration only . They are not intended nor should they be used for 3D graphics acceleration . 1 . Log in to your network under Windows 95 using any account that has administrator privileges . 2 . Access the Start menu by clicking the “ Start � button located in the lower left corner of your desktop . Click the “ Control Panel � selection from Settings pop - up menu . The Control Panel window is now displayed . 3 . To activate the Display Properties applet , double - click the Display icon on the Control Panel . 4 . The Display Properties applet contains tabbed dialog boxes that allow you to change the visual properties of your computer display . Click the “ Settings � page ( Figure 7 ) . Figure 7 : Display Properties - Settings Installation and User’s Guide 13
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5 . Click the “ Change Display Type … � button in the lower right corner of the “ Settings � page . The Change Display Type window appears ( Figure 8 ) . Figure 8 : Change Display Type 6 . The Change Display Type window shows the graphics adapter and display drivers currently installed in your system . To replace the installed drivers with your new Oxygen drivers , click the “ Change … � button under adapter type . The Select Device window appears . 14 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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7 . The Select Device window allows you to select new display drivers ( Figure 9 ) . A standard list of available drivers is displayed here . These standard drivers do not support your Oxygen card . To install your Dynamic Pictures Oxygen driver software from your CD , click the “ Have Disk … � button . Figure 9 : Select Device Window 8 . The Install From Disk window appears and allows you to specify the drive from which you wish to install your software . Insert your Oxygen CD - ROM in the drive . Click the “ Browse … � button to display the Open window . Installation and User’s Guide 15
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Figure 10 : Open Window 9 . In the Open window ( Figure 10 ) , choose your CD - ROM drive , usually “ D : \ � , from the “ Drives � listbox at the bottom of the window . Double - click on the DRIVERS folder and you will see a list of folders named for the corresponding operating systems that Oxygen supports . Double - click on the WIN95 folder . 10 . Choose the oxygen.inf file and click the “ OK � button . The Install From Disk window reappears . In the “ Copy manufacturer’s files from � box , you should see : < CDROMDrive > : \ DRIVERS \ WIN95 where CDROMDrive is the drive letter ( e.g . , C , D , F , etc . ) of your computer’s CD - ROM drive . 11 . Click the “ OK � button and a new Select Device window should appear with the “ Show compatible devices � radio button selected and “ Dynamic Pictures Oxygen Rendering Controller � listed . Click the “ OK � button . 12 . Once your new Oxygen software has been copied to your system , close the Change Display Type window by clicking the “ Close � button in the lower right corner . 16 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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13 . Now accept your changes and activate your new driver by clicking the “ Apply � button in the lower right corner of the Display Properties applet . 14 . The System Settings Change window appears ( Figure 11 ) , instructing you that you must restart your computer for your new driver to take effect . Figure 11 : System Settings Change If you have already installed your new Oxygen card : • Remove the Oxygen CD - ROM from the drive ; and • Click the “ Yes � button to reboot your computer and start using your new Oxygen card . If you have not installed your new Oxygen card : • Click the “ No � button and close any open applications . • Remove the Oxygen CD - ROM from the drive ; and • Shutdown your system . • Once you turn your computer’s power off , install your Oxygen card and reboot your system . NOTE : Please be advised that you have only installed the Oxygen software drivers for Windows 95 . If you are running Windows NT and Windows 95 in a dual - boot configuration , you must also install the Oxygen software drivers that support OpenGL under Windows NT . Refer to the Installing your Oxygen software on Windows NT 4.0 section on page 6 or Appendix A : Installing Oxygen on Windows NT 3.51 on page 56 for instructions and additional information . Installation and User’s Guide 17
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Installing Your Oxygen Card To install your Oxygen card , you will need a philips - head screwdriver and the anti - static wrist strap included with your Oxygen card . Refer to the Oxygen card layout diagram ( Figures 20 , 21 & 24 ) in the Technology Overview section on page 46 to identify the parts of your Oxygen card discussed in this section . It is also recommended that you refer to the printed instructions from your computer manufacturer for specific details on opening the computer and installing cards . Caution : Static Electricity To avoid damage to your Oxygen card from static electricity discharge , leave the card in the anti - static bag until you are properly grounded . To be grounded during the hardware installation procedures , use the anti - static wrist strap provided . To install your Oxygen card : 1 . Power off your computer . Make sure you save any work in progress first and properly exit any open applications . It is recommended that you back up your system before installing any new hardware or software . 2 . Unplug the power cords from the computer and its peripherals . 3 . Remove the computer’s cover , following the instructions provided by the computer manufacturer . 4 . Attach the anti - static strap to your wrist and clip the other end to a part of conductive metal on your computer’s chassis . 5 . If you already have a video card in your computer , you will need to remove it before installing your Oxygen card . Unplug the monitor cable from the old card , and then unscrew the card from the chassis . You can now remove the old card from your computer . 18 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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6 . Install the Oxygen card in an empty PCI slot , following the instructions provided by the computer manufacturer for installing PCI option cards . You should always handle your Oxygen card by its edges . NOTE : The PCI slot in which you install your Oxygen card must be bus - master capable . Some PCs do not allow PCI bus - master capability from all PCI slots , so be sure to check your motherboard or PC documentation before selecting a slot for your Oxygen card . 7 . Make sure you screw the faceplate of the Oxygen card to the system chassis to provide mechanical support and proper grounding . This step is critical to the proper operation of your new card . You may now remove the anti - static wrist strap and save it for future use . 8 . Connect the video cable from your monitor to the monitor video connector on your card ( Figure 12 ) . Figure 12 : Monitor Video Connector 9 . If you have the appropriate stereoscopic viewing hardware and specially configured Oxygen 202 or Oxygen 402 , connect the stereo cable to the stereoscopic infrared transmitter and to the stereoscopic viewing connector shown ( Figure 13 ) . You can also find more information on stereo viewing in the Stereo 3D Technical Overview section on page 54 . Figure 13 : Stereoscopic Viewing Connector Installation and User’s Guide 19
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10 . Replace the computer’s cover ; plug in your computer and its peripherals . 11 . Power on your system and log in to Windows NT . You are now using your Oxygen graphics accelerator card . 12 . Be sure to register your Oxygen card to activate your warranty and to receive notification of future software updates . It is important that you include your Oxygen serial number , which is located either in the upper right corner of the card or on a barcoded sticker on the card’s reverse . 13 . If you are a user of 3D Studio MAX R1 , you will also need to install the Oxygen Heidi driver , as described in Appendix B : Installing Your Heidi Driver on page 57 . NOTE : The Oxygen 402 card may consume more than the maximum allowable power for one PCI slot . When installing the Oxygen 402 , be sure that at least one PCI , EISA , or ISA slot in your system is left empty . This will guarantee that sufficient power will be available for the Oxygen 402 card . This is not required for users of the Oxygen 102 or Oxygen 202 cards . Refer to Appendix E : Mechanical and Electrical Specifications for power consumption details . 20 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Start Menu This section briefly outlines the purpose of each option on the Oxygen 3D submenu . Although there are many methods of accessing the Oxygen 3D Family utilities , we recommend that you use the Start Menu . Click the “ Start � button and then click the Oxygen 3D submenu option under “ Programs � ( Figure 14 ) . Figure 14 : Oxygen 3D Submenu Control Panel The Oxygen 3D control panel enables you to choose a variety of performance optimizations . The selections you make will depend on the type of 3D work that you are doing . E - Doc Clicking the “ E - Doc � option opens the Oxygen Electronic User’s Guide in Adobe Acrobat Reader . If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed , you may download the software from Adobe’s web site at http : / / www.adobe.com or install Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Software Gallery directory of your Oxygen CD - ROM . Installation and User’s Guide 21
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Online Update Click the “ Driver Update � option if you want to update your Oxygen 3D driver software . This option launches your web browser and automatically opens the drivers page on the Dynamic Pictures web site . You can download the latest drivers or select “ Driver Archives � in order to download older drivers . Periodically , the Oxygen Electronic User’s Guide is updated . Clicking the “ E - Doc Update � option launches your web browser and opens the documentation page on the Dynamic Pictures web site . From here , you may review or download the latest version of the Oxygen Electronic User’s Guide . Register Online To facilitate the Oxygen registration process , select “ Register Online � to launch your web browser . Simply click the “ Register � link to the Dynamic Pictures web site . By typing the answers to a few simple questions , you can register your Oxygen card in just seconds ! Release Notes Click “ Release Notes � in order to read the latest information available about the release . The Release Notes summarize release enhancements , changes to the Control Panel , and late - breaking technical information about the drivers . It is important to review the Release Notes to ensure that you are aware of details specific to your platform . Uninstall The Oxygen uninstall program will seamlessly remove Oxygen 3D software from your computer system . 22 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Performance Tuning Although you can achieve industry - leading graphics performance using the default settings of your software applications and Oxygen card , you can enhance performance in particular areas through selective allocation of hardware resources and customization of application configuration files . Hardware Resources Affecting Performance The combination of your Oxygen 3D accelerator card and the capabilities of the other components in your computer determine the graphics performance of your computer . Hardware The speed and configuration of your computer affects the speed of the graphics your Oxygen card displays . Optimal graphics performance is achieved in a system with faster processors , multiple processors , faster memory or larger amounts of memory . Monitors The refresh rate of your monitor is the speed with which it redraws graphics on the screen . A monitor with a faster refresh rate appears to flicker less when displaying graphics . Your Oxygen card supports refresh rates from 60Hz to 100Hz . Dynamic Pictures recommends using a monitor with a vertical refresh rate of at least 75Hz for the best high - resolution graphics appearance . Oxygen 102 delivers optimal performance at a resolution of 1024x768 in 16 - bit color mode . With its 16MB or 32MB of memory , Oxygen 202 and Oxygen 402 respectively deliver optimized performance at a resolution of 1280x1024 . For additional information about display resolution , please refer to the Display Resolutions and Settings section on page 37 . Installation and User’s Guide 23
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Oxygen Control Panel The Oxygen 3D control panel is Dynamic Pictures ’ graphical user interface for viewing and setting options relevant to your Oxygen card . Many graphics applications use the full range of features offered by the Oxygen card . However , certain software applications focus only on one or two areas , and do not utilize other features at all . Given that your Oxygen card has a fixed amount of memory , the Oxygen control panel enables you to manipulate how the graphics memory is allocated for various operations . The control panel has four pages that enable you to manage resources that affect the performance of your Oxygen card : Oxygen Status , Memory Options , Advanced Options and Support Information . The Oxygen 3D contol panel opens on the Oxygen Status page ( Figure 15 ) which displays the current settings of your installed 3D accelerator card . Click the Memory Options page ( Figure 16 ) to configure the use of your Oxygen card’s memory and maximize performance based on your application’s specific needs . Click the Advanced Options page ( Figure 17 ) to adjust other graphics and display options for your Oxygen card such as enabling support for a dual display or stereo 3D . Click the Support Information page ( Figure 18 ) to view contact information for the Dynamic Pictures support team . This page also has a test button that will help you verify that your Oxygen hardware and software are properly installed . 24 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Oxygen Status Page Figure 15 : Oxygen Control Panel ( Oxygen Status ) At - a - glance , the Oxygen Status page ( Figure 15 ) provides current information about your Oxygen card installation and configuration . Model Identifies the particular model number of the Oxygen card installed in your system . Total Graphics Memory Total amount of memory available on your Oxygen card . Allocation of this memory for texture mapping , z - buffering , etc . is made according to your performance optimization selections . Driver Version Refers to version number of the Oxygen software driver that you are currently using . You can download the latest driver releases from our web site . Installation and User’s Guide 25
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Display Resolution Indicates the current resolution being used by your monitor . Not all of the resolution settings supported by your monitor necessarily offer accelerated 3D performance . For a list of resolutions supported by your Oxygen card , refer to the Monitor Resolution Tables on page 38 . Pixel Depth Identifies the number of color planes ( known as bits ) stacked on top of each other to create a pixel . If the pixel depth is 16 - bit , then Oxygen displays five bits each of red , blue and green and a one - bit overlay , for a total of 32,768 colors . Z - buffer Depth Specifies the bit depth of the Z - buffer . Oxygen cards support 16 - bit and 24 - bit Z - buffers . Using a Z - buffer provides added realism to a scene by modifying the positioning and visibility of pixels as a function of distance . Refresh Rate The rate at which your monitor repaints the displayed image from the top of the screen to the bottom . Oxygen cards support multiple refresh rates for each resolution , but a refresh rate of at least 75Hz is recommended . Installed Oxygen Cards Refers to the number of Oxygen cards installed in your system . Oxygen supports dual displays if you have two identical Oxygen cards installed in your system ; however , you must enable dual monitor mode , which is found on the Advanced Options page . 26 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Memory Options Page Figure 16 : Oxygen Control Panel ( Memory Options ) The Memory Options page ( Figure 16 ) shows how much memory is allocated based on the settings you selected in the Display control panel , as well as how much memory is available for texture mapping and other features . Performance of the Oxygen 102 card is optimized using 1024x768 resolution with 16 - bit color , double buffered for many applications . The Oxygen 202 ( 16MB of memory ) is optimized using 1280x1024 with 16 - bit color , double buffered . The Oxygen 402 ( 32MB of memory ) performs well using 24 - bit , true color displays up to 1280x1024 resolution or 16 - bit color , double buffered displays up to 1600x1200 . These settings deliver the best performance and leave the most room to store textures in memory . However , the Oxygen 3D Family memory system is very flexible , and other configurations are available . See the Display Resolutions and Settings section on page 37 for details . Installation and User’s Guide 27
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Z - Buffer The Oxygen 3D Family supports 16 - bit or 24 - bit Z - buffers . The default depth is 16 - bit . Dynamic Pictures recommends that you leave this setting unchanged except when you are working with very large models and see undesirable artifacts . Increased Z - buffer precision will allocate up to 24 - bits for Z - buffering , although the actual depth will depend on available memory . Selecting None will turn off the Z - buffer , and all 3D acceleration . This should be avoided , unless you are working with 2D graphics only and require the additional memory . Texture Memory A texel is an individual component of a texture map . Depending on your texture mapping requirements , you can specify the texel bit depth used in texture mapping . For best performance , keep textures stored as 32 - bit texels by selecting the Optimize for performance option . If you are using large textures , select the Optimize for memory utilization option . This will store textures at the currently selected frame buffer bit depth . Despite a slight performance penalty , this enables a larger dimensioned texture to be stored efficiently . If you are not using texture mapping , select the Disable hardware texture mapping option . This will free memory for other uses by preventing memory allocation for texture mapping . The Oxygen card can render textures whether or not memory is available on the card , but texturing performance is much higher when using on - card memory . If you are using textures and experience performance degradation , try switching to settings that free up on - card memory ( e.g . , lower resolution , smaller Z - buffer or fewer colors ) . Dynamic Allocation After memory allocation for the front buffer , back buffer , and Z - buffer is complete , the remaining memory is available for Alpha buffering , stencil buffering or 2D bitmaps by checking the appropriate boxes . You can also increase available memory by disabling double buffering . To restore the original Memory Options settings , click the “ Factory Defaults � button . For additional assistance , click the “ Help � button . 28 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Advanced Options Page Figure 17 : Oxygen Control Panel ( Advanced Options ) The Advanced Options page ( Figure 17 ) enables you to set various application or platform specific parameters that can affect performance . A series of check boxes let you enable or disable certain features . Adjust for model imprecision When checked , hardware sub - pixel precision is used to eliminate distortion resulting from 3D model imprecision . Always draw with anti - aliased lines When checked , all lines will be drawn anti - aliased ; otherwise , lines will not be drawn anti - aliased unless specifically requested by the application . Enabling this feature results in smoother lines at a slight performance cost . Recommended for use in applications where text fonts are drawn using OpenGL lines ( e.g . , some international versions of Pro / ENGINEER ) . For best performance with most OpenGL and Heidi applications , leave this option unchecked . If you select certain memory options , this alternative is grayed out and unavailable . Installation and User’s Guide 29
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Use mip - mapping texture calculations If checked , mip - mapping will be used for texture calculation when requested by an OpenGL application . If disabled , only the largest map will be used and texture calculations will be done with bi - linear sampling . Mip - mapping is disabled by default for maximum OpenGL application performance . Heidi applications are unaffected . Sync buffer swap to vertical refresh If enabled , double buffer swapping occurs during your monitor’s vertical blank period . Although there is a slight performance loss , this feature improves the appearance of artifacts by eliminating inter - frame tearing . Enable dual monitor mode If two Oxygen 102 , two Oxygen 202 or two Oxygen 402 cards are installed in the system , checking this option enables the use of dual displays . The cursor will track from one screen to the next . Disabling this option turns off dual display , even if two cards are present . This option is grayed out if you do not have two Oxygen cards installed . Use Alpha processor optimizations If enabled , this feature optimizes operations possible on most Alpha - processor subsystems . If disabled , compatibility with all Alpha systems is ensured . We recommend enabling this feature in order to maximize performance unless you have a DeskStation Raptor processor . These users may experience boot problems and should leave this feature disabled . If your system does not boot after enabling this feature , reboot and press the < Space Bar > when the system prompts you to enter the “ Last known good boot � menu . Select “ Last known good boot � option by pressing “ L � under Windows NT 4.0 or highlighting that option in the Windows NT 3.51 menu . The option and any other NT registry changes since the last good boot will then be restored back to their previous states . You may also contact your hardware manufacturer for more details . 30 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Enable Back Buffer Copy Mode This option optimizes performance of Kinetix 3D Studio MAX R2 . Used in conjunction with settings in 3D Studio MAX R2 , double buffer swapping is performed by copying the contents of the back buffer into the front buffer . The contents of the back buffer will remain unchanged . If disabled , front and back buffer contents are actually swapped , which is faster for most applications . Refer to page 34 for more information about specific settings within 3D Studio MAX R2 . Show stereo modes in display control panel If checked , you may view and select from the supported stereo 3D resolutions as shown in the Display Panel . Supported stereo 3D resolutions are : Screen Color Vertical Refresh ( Hz ) Resolution Depth 768 x 768 16 105 / 140 1024 x 768 16 105 / 120 / 140 1280 x 512 16 139.32 768 x 768 32 105 / 140 1024 x 768 32 105 / 120 / 140 1280 x 512 32 139.32 Supported stereo 3D resolutions will be shown in the Display Panel in addition to the non - stereo 3D resolutions . If the applications that you are developing or using are not stereo 3D applications and you select a stereo 3D resolution , performance will degrade . This results from the Oxygen card producing the left and right views required for stereo 3D and equates to double the number of images in the same time period . This rapid image production appears as a significant performance degradation when viewed in an application that does not support stereo 3D . If you do not wish to view a stereo application in stereo 3D mode , then deselect the “ Show stereo modes in display control panel � . For more information about stereo 3D , see the Stereo 3D Technical Overview . To restore the original Advanced Options settings , click the “ Factory Defaults � button . For additional assistance , click the “ Help � button . Installation and User’s Guide 31
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Support Information Page Figure 18 : Oxygen Control Panel ( Support Information ) The Support Information page ( Figure 18 ) contains basic support contact details , as well as an OpenGL system test . Click the “ Test � button to verify that your Oxygen drivers are installed properly . This test will bring up a dialog box stating whether a basic test of OpenGL acceleration passes , indicating successful installation and operation of your Oxygen card . 32 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Oxygen Software Partners Your Oxygen card has been tested with a variety of graphics software packages . As testing continues and performance optimizations are made , the results and techniques are posted on the Dynamic Pictures web site as well as the web sites of our software partners . Software Application Web Site 3D Studio MAX http : / / www.ktx.com / Lightscape http : / / www.lightscape.com / LightWave 3D http : / / www.newtek.com / MicroStation http : / / www.bentley.com / Pro / ENGINEER http : / / www.ptc.com / SDRC I - DEAS http : / / www.sdrc.com / Softimage | 3D http : / / www.softimage.com / SolidWorks 97 http : / / www.solidworks.com / Unigraphics http : / / www.ug.eds.com / ug / For additional information , visit the partners ’ page on our web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com / swpartners.html Tuning Your Applications for Optimal Performance Many graphics applications can be tailored to your needs . These applications perform better if they have information about special hardware on which they run , such as your Oxygen card . This section contains information on several applications that may enable you to realize higher performance . You will also want to consult your software application documentation . General Tuning Suggestions To eliminate shape breakup , enable the “ Increased Z - buffer precision � radio button in the Z - buffer box on the Memory Options page of the Oxygen control panel . To avoid shading problems , check the “ Adjust for model imprecision � box on the Advanced Options page of the Oxygen control panel . Installation and User’s Guide 33
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Softimage | \ | \ | 3D You must set the environment variable SI_OVERLAY = USE_ONE_BIT since Oxygen drivers are optimized for this setting . In this mode , one bit will be used to display an overlay plane . Softimage may attempt to put more than one bit of overlays into the overlay plane if the SI_OVERLAY variable is not set . Setting this variable can be accomplished in the System Control Panel . On the Memory Options page in the Oxygen control panel , enable the “ Increased Z - buffer precision � option for Z - buffer ( 102 users should enable the “ 16 - bit Z - buffer � option ) ; the “ Optimize for performance � option for Texture Memory ; the “ Alpha buffer � and “ Stencil buffer � options for Dynamic Allocation . Disable the “ Use mip - mapping for texture calculations � option on the Advanced Options page in the Oxygen control panel . Softimage | 3D does not use mip - mapping and this will speed up texture loads . At 1280x1024 resolution , Oxygen 202 users should use 16 - bit color for optimal performance . 3D Studio MAX R1 3D Studio MAX R1 requires the additional installation of the Dynamic Pictures Oxygen Heidi driver . For installation and usage instructions , refer to Appendix B : Installing Your Heidi Driver on page 57 . 3D Studio MAX R2 When starting 3D Studio MAX , you may specify the default graphics driver type as OpenGL by including the following line in the 3dsmax.ini file in the [ WindowState ] section : GFXType = OpenGL You may have 3D Studio MAX prompt for a choice by specifying “ - h � on the command line used to invoke 3D Studio MAX . 34 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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If you are rendering a scene in which the background stays relatively constant and there is little action in the foreground , you might want to alter your application and Oxygen settings . 1 ) Open the Oxygen 3D control panel Advanced Options page and click on the “ Enable back buffer copy mode � option . 2 ) In 3D Studio MAX , open the page : File / Preferences / Viewports and click on the “ Configure Driver � button . Uncheck the “ Redraw Scene On Window Expose � option and make sure that the “ Use Incremental Scene Updates ( OpenGL Extension ) � option is checked . These optimizations increase performance when swapping the front and back buffers . Only active objects in the scene are re - drawn in the back buffer while static scenery is copied from the previous frame . Lightscape Proceed to the Memory Options page in the control panel . Since Lightscape provides many opportunities to leverage texture mapping , make sure that you select the “ Optimize for memory utilization � radio button in the Texture Memory box . LightWave 3D For best performance , you must enable OpenGL support in LightWave’s Options / Layout View box . Also , select the “ OpenGL Smooth Shaded � option within LightWave Modeler’s Display / Options / Preview Type menu . The software will then use OpenGL hardware acceleration . If you require full - screen 2D bitmaps in LightWave Modeler , check the “ 2D Bitmaps � option on the Memory Options page in the Oxygen control panel . Installation and User’s Guide 35
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Due to 3D back buffer and Z - buffer requirements , not all resolutions can satisfy both 2D and 3D requests for LightWave Modeler . Try changing resolutions for optimal performance . Proceed to the Memory Options page in the control panel . Since LightWave is heavily reliant on texture mapping , make sure that you select the “ Optimize for memory utilization � radio button in the Texture Memory box . Pro / ENGINEER Parametric Technology’s Pro / ENGINEER CAD software can more fully utilize the capabilities of the Oxygen card if you modify the “ config.pro � file with the following lines : SHADE_STRIPS_LONG YES GRAPHICS OPENGL For additional information regarding Pro / ENGINEER’s configuration files , please refer to your Pro / ENGINEER manual . Unigraphics Users of Unigraphics should enable the “ Increased Z - buffer precision � radio button in the Z - buffer box on the Memory Options page of the Oxygen control panel . 36 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Display Resolutions and Settings A monitor that supports 1024x768 resolution at 75 Hz vertical refresh rate is the minimum recommended for use with Oxygen . Choose a resolution , number of colors , and refresh rate that is high enough to meet the needs of your graphics application as well as your personal preference . Performance will vary at certain settings due to the amount of frame buffer memory available . The following tables detail the 3D display settings supported by your Oxygen card . The first column lists resolution , measured in pixels . The second column contains bit depth information . Bit depth is another way of expressing the number of colors available . A color bit depth of 16 colors ( 15 bits of color plus a 1 - bit overlay ) yields 32768 colors , and a bit depth of 32 ( 24 bits of RGB plus 8 - bit overlays ) equals 16.7 million colors . The latter is often referred to as “ true color � . The third column indicates the depth of the Z - buffer . In a few cases , 3D graphics are not accelerated and the graphics are instead drawn in software through the GDI interface . The final column lists the refresh rates supported . NOTE : Please be aware that when you change resolutions , you should not use the “ Test � button in the Display Control Panel . Selecting this button may cause a blue screen . If a blue screen occurs , please reboot your system . Installation and User’s Guide 37
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Monitor Resolution Tables Screen Color Z - Buffer Depth Vertical Refresh ( Hz ) Resolution Depth 800 x 600 16 16 or 24 - bit 75 1024 x 768 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1152 x 900 16 16 - bit 66 / 76 640 x 480 32 16 - bit 75 Table 1 : Oxygen 102 Supported Display Configurations Screen Color Z - Buffer Depth Vertical Refresh ( Hz ) Resolution Depth 1024 x 768 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1152 x 900 16 16 or 24 - bit 66 / 76 1280 x 1024 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 66 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 1600 x 1200 16 16 - bit 60 640 x 480 32 16 or 24 - bit 75 800 x 600 32 16 or 24 - bit 75 1024 x 768 32 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1152 x 900 32 16 or 24 - bit 66 / 76 1280 x 1024 32 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 66 / 72 / 75 Table 2 : Oxygen 202 Supported Display Configurations Screen Color Z - Buffer Depth Vertical Refresh ( Hz ) Resolution Depth 1024 x 768 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1152 x 900 16 16 or 24 - bit 66 / 76 1280 x 1024 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 66 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1600 x 1200 16 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 65 / 68 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 80 640 x 480 32 16 or 24 - bit 75 800 x 600 32 16 or 24 - bit 75 1024 x 768 32 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 70 / 72 / 75 / 85 / 90 / 100 1152 x 900 32 16 or 24 - bit 66 / 76 1280 x 1024 32 16 or 24 - bit 60 / 66 / 72 / 75 Table 3 : Oxygen 402 Supported Display Configurations 38 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Upgrading Your Oxygen Driver New drivers for your Oxygen card are posted to the Dynamic Pictures web site . If you need to upgrade your Oxygen driver , follow the directions in this section . If you are installing Dynamic Pictures ’ driver software for the very first time , follow the directions in the Installing Your Software section on page 5 . If you have access to the Internet , you can easily locate and download new Oxygen software drivers from Dynamic Pictures ’ web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com / drivers.cgi To download and install updated Oxygen drivers : 1 . Point your web browser to the Dynamic Pictures home page , and then select the Software Driver Updates link . From this page , you will be able to download the appropriate Oxygen driver for your hardware platform . The driver file that will be downloaded to your machine is a self - extracting archive . 2 . From the Windows NT Explorer , create a new directory on your hard drive for the drivers ( e.g . , “ C : \ temp \ dpi � ) . Then move the “ . exe � file to this new directory . 3 . Double - click on the self - extracting “ . exe � file to decompress the driver files into the newly created directory . 4 . After carefully reviewing the Release Notes found in the release.txt file , begin the software installation process detailed in the Installing Your Software section on page 5 of this manual . 5 . Restart your computer . You are now using your new driver . 6 . To verify the successful installation of your new drivers , launch the Oxygen Control Panel after restarting . The version number displayed in the control panel should match the version you just installed . Installation and User’s Guide 39
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Troubleshooting If you have trouble installing your Oxygen hardware or software , you may be able to fix it using this section or the information in the Oxygen Release Notes . Hardware Troubleshooting Problem : When I restart my system after installing my Oxygen card and software driver , the system hangs or nothing is displayed on my monitor . Solution : The problem could be one of several things . Here are conditions to check ( not an all inclusive list ) : • Monitor : Confirm that your monitor is connected to the Oxygen card , the monitor is plugged in to a wall socket , and it is powered . Also , verify that your monitor is compatible with the resolution and refresh rate you selected . • Oxygen card is loose : The cables that attach to your Oxygen card could be loose , or the Oxygen card itself might not be seated properly on your motherboard . First , try removing and attaching your monitor cable . If that does not work , power off your computer , remove and reseat your Oxygen card , pressing the card down firmly to ensure a good connection , then screw the bracket on the card to the system chassis . Remember to use the anti - static wrist strap when opening your computer and handling the card . • Cable connected to wrong card : if you have multiple video cards installed in your computer , make sure the monitor cable is connected to the Oxygen card . 40 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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• Bus - master capable slot : If you still do not see anything on your monitor , your Oxygen card may not be in a bus master - capable slot in your computer . On some PCs , not all slots are bus master - capable slots . Consult your computer or motherboard documentation for more information on your PCI bus and master - capable slots . • VGA jumper disabled : Is the VGA jumper on your Oxygen card set to the factory position , " VGA enabled " ? Compare the jumper on your card to the illustration on page 62 . Your Oxygen card must have VGA enabled to display VGA mode 2D graphics on your monitor . See Appendix C : Using Dual Oxygen Cards for additional details on setting your VGA jumper . • Multiple displays : Not all computers support multiple video cards simultaneously . If you are attempting to use more than one video card and monitor , you may wish to contact your computer or motherboard manufacturer to confirm that this is a supported display configuration . • VGA Jumper enabled using two Oxygen cards : If you are using two identical Oxygen cards to drive two monitors , you must disable VGA on one of the Oxygen cards . Refer to Appendix C : Using Dual Oxygen Cards for more information about switching your VGA jumper . Problem : My monitor is either not displaying anything , or displaying something , but what is displayed is distorted , scrambled or smaller than I expected . Solution : Your vertical refresh may be set higher than your monitor is capable of displaying . Displaying at a refresh rate that is too high can damage your monitor . Select a lower refresh rate using the Display Control Panel . For more information about your monitor and vertical refresh rates , see the manual that accompanied your monitor . Installation and User’s Guide 41
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Problem : After installing an Oxygen 202 or Oxygen 402 card , there are no VGA graphics or the system hangs on boot - up . Solution : Enter CMOS Setup at boot - up and disable ‘ VGA Palette Snoop ’ , if available . To do this , you must reinstall your old graphics card , and during system boot , enter CMOS Setup . ( The command to enter setup is usually displayed at system start - up . ) Consult your system documentation for changing CMOS settings , then disable ‘ VGA Palette Snoop ’ , if present . Choose Exit and Save CMOS settings . Alternatively , you may need to update your system to the newest version of your system BIOS . ( Oxygen 202 and Oxygen 402 cards require a system BIOS that is compatible with a VGA display device that is behind a PCI - to - PCI bridge . ) Consult your hardware system documentation for information on updating your system BIOS to a current version . ( If your system is equipped with a Flash BIOS , software updates may be available on the World Wide Web . Check your BIOS manufacturer’s web site for an update . ) Problem : After installing an Oxygen 202 or Oxygen 402 card , the system hangs , pauses , or crashes to a Windows “ blue screen � during operation . Solution : Enter CMOS Setup at boot - up and disable ‘ PCI Bursting ’ if available . To do this , during system boot , enter CMOS Setup . ( The command to enter setup is usually displayed at system start - up . ) Consult your system documentation for changing CMOS settings and disable ‘ PCI Bursting ’ , if present . Choose Exit and Save CMOS settings . Alternatively , you may need to update your system to the newest version of your system BIOS . Consult your hardware system documentation for information on updating your system BIOS to a current version . On systems with more than three ( 3 ) PCI slots , it may be necessary to move your Oxygen card to the opposite set of three slots . More than three PCI slots implies that your system is bridging a second bus and the system may not support every hierarchy of these bridges . Thus , the Oxygen 202 or Oxygen 402 card must be moved to the proper set of PCI slots . 42 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Problem : After installing the Oxygen card , network problems appeared . Solution : There may be a conflict between your Ethernet card and your Oxygen card . If your Ethernet adapter is an ISA adapter rather than a PCI adapter , then check system diagnostics for IRQ conflicts . ( The Oxygen 202 card requires two and the Oxygen 402 card requires four of the PCI interrupt lines , which your system may assign to one or more IRQs . Other PCI devices may share these same IRQs . ) To solve this problem , from the Start Menu , select Programs then Administrative Tools and run Windows NT Diagnostics . Then click the “ Resources � tab . Make sure the IRQ button is selected and check for any devices sharing IRQ settings . If two IRQs conflict , then change the Ethernet IRQ in the Network Control Panel applet . Click on the Adapters tab , then select your network adapter and click “ Properties � to change the IRQ setting to an open IRQ number . For additional details , consult your Ethernet adapter documentation or vendor for information on changing IRQ settings or for obtaining a newer Ethernet driver for your adapter . Problem : After installing an Oxygen 202 card or an Oxygen 402 card , network problems appeared . Solution : Your Ethernet adapter software driver may be unable to process requests . If using a PCI adapter and your system has more than three ( 3 ) PCI slots , you should try changing the relative positions of the Oxygen and Ethernet cards within PCI busses . More than three ( 3 ) PCI slots implies that your system is bridging a second bus and the configuration may be incompatible with the Oxygen 202 or Oxygen 402 . Updating the Ethernet adpater’s driver and / or re - installing the driver software may be required . Installation and User’s Guide 43
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Software Troubleshooting Problem : I installed a new driver ( either from the Oxygen CD - ROM or from the Dynamic Pictures web site ) , and the available resolution ( s ) or performance is not what I expected . Solution : You may not have fully installed the Dynamic Pictures driver or an installed driver file may have been corrupted . You can confirm if the driver is installed and its version number by using the Oxygen control panel ( Figure 15 ) . It should be the same as the version number of the driver you most recently installed . You can also use the “ Test � button on the Support Information page in the Oxygen control panel to verify successful installation . When driver file corruption occurs , it is often a result of a media error or a communications error during the download procedure . Try downloading and / or installing the driver again . Alternatively , you may have selected a display setting that is incompatible with accelerated 3D graphics . For example , the Oxygen 202 can support a maximum resolution of 1280x1024 when accelerating 3D graphics in true color mode . Selecting a true color resolution higher than this will greatly reduce performance . Refer to the Monitor Resolutions Tables on page 38 to select a setting that offers hardware accelerated 3D graphics . You must restart your system for the new driver to be loaded by the Windows NT operating system . Problem : After installing my software and Oxygen card , or after selecting a new resolution , when restarting my computer Windows displays the message , “ Invalid Display Settings � and “ The default display resolution has been temporarily used by the system . � Solution : You should soon see a window that allows you to select a display resolution . Once you have selected your preferred resolution , your Oxygen card should work as expected . 44 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Technical Support Dynamic Pictures is committed to customer satisfaction . Your Oxygen graphics accelerator card is covered by a three year parts and labor limited warranty . Details of the warranty are described in Appendix D : Warranty Information on page 65 . For additional information or for technical support , please contact your local Dynamic Pictures Oxygen reseller , or reach us electronically at : support @ dynamicpictures.com Software driver updates and other new information can be found on the Dynamic Pictures web site at : http : / / www.dynamicpictures.com All software releases undergo extensive quality assurance testing . In addition to OpenGL conformance and Windows compatibility tests , real - world CAD applications , benchmarks , and demo programs are employed to ensure optimized , stable drivers . However , if you encounter what you believe to be a problem with the graphics subsystem , please let us know . You can send electronic mail to the address above . When reporting problems electronically , please be sure to note the graphics accelerator model , operating system , computer hardware configuration ( including memory and CPU ) , Oxygen driver version , graphics application ( including version number ) , and a detailed description of the problem you are having . Please be sure to include a description of the steps necessary to reproduce the problem . Installation and User’s Guide 45
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Technology Overview NOTE : You need not read this chapter to install and use your Oxygen card and its software . This chapter describes the award - winning technology upon which the Oxygen 3D graphics architecture is based . Your Oxygen card utilizes the all new Oxygen chip , transforming your computer system into a blazingly fast 3D graphics powerhouse . Hardware Technical Overview Oxygen graphics accelerators are PCI cards designed for professional graphics users in application areas such as mechanical CAD , scientific visualization , and animation . The Oxygen card delivers high - end 3D workstation graphics performance and features to PC users running the Windows NT operating system . The Oxygen 3D Family delivers accelerated 3D graphics , stereoscopic viewing , windowing operations , and video display through the tight integration of high - performance proprietary hardware . Dynamic Pictures Oxygen chip powers this scalable graphics architecture while providing smooth shading , depth - buffering , dithering , anti - aliasing , transparency , alpha blending , stenciling , stippling , accumulation buffering , and texture mapping , coupled with a VGA interface . Most simply , your Oxygen card works as follows : graphics data comes from the processor and main computer memory , over the PCI bus , to the Oxygen card . These graphics primitives are read , interpreted , and rendered by the Dynamic Pictures Oxygen chip . The geometry , now translated into discrete pixels , is stored in the card’s memory until it is passed through a video Digital to Analog Converter ( DAC ) for display on your monitor . 46 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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The Oxygen chip integrates rendering , texturing and plane equation setup calculations – graphics functions other 3D graphics cards divide among several chips . The result with the Oxygen card is increased speed on a smaller card . Figure 19 : Oxygen Chip Block Diagram The Oxygen Chip block diagram ( Figure 19 ) shows the components and functions of the Oxygen chip . The Dispatcher interfaces with the PCI bus , using a built - in memory FIFO to transfer commands and data from the computer’s main memory system to the graphics subsystem for processing . The data is then split into two paths and processed in parallel , pipelined stages . Attribute information ( i.e . color and transparency ) is calculated in the Plane Equation path . Positional information ( i.e . which pixels should be lit ) is calculated in the Geometry path . Each path does its work in two stages : Setup and Rendering . The Oxygen chip processes three primitives at any given time : one in the dispatcher , one in the setup stage , and one in the rendering stage . Installation and User’s Guide 47
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The Oxygen 102 ( Figure 20 ) is equipped with a single Oxygen chip and 8 MB of SDRAM . The Oxygen 202 ( Figure 21 ) features two Oxygen chips operating in parallel , and 16 MB of SDRAM . Finally , the Oxygen 402 ( Figure 24 ) features four Oxygen chips operating in parallel , and 32 MB of SDRAM . In the case of the Oxygen 102 , rendered data from the Oxygen chip is stored in the 8 MB of SDRAM on the card until it is passed through the high - end video DAC ( Digital to Analog Converter ) , which supports color mapping , overlay planes , cursor control , and video clock generation . Alternatively , the card’s VGA chip can drive the video display through a separate port on the video DAC . The VGA chip drives the display during the boot up process and when operating the system in full - screen VGA mode ( e.g . , when playing a VGA - based video game ) . In the case of the Oxygen 202 and Oxygen 402 , multiple Oxygen chips operate in parallel , simultaneously rendering to different parts of the frame buffer . Each Oxygen chip has its own dedicated 8MB of SDRAM . The unified memory architecture of the Oxygen 3D Family allows allocation for front buffer , back buffer , Z - buffer , texture memory and overlays depending on the needs of the user and the desired applications . Please refer to the Oxygen Control Panel section on page 24 for more details . 48 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Figure 20 : Oxygen 102 3D Graphics Accelerator Installation and User’s Guide 49
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Software Technical Overview The Oxygen graphics accelerator card supports the Windows NT operating system , accelerating 3D applications built on the OpenGL application programming interface ( API ) . OpenGL is the predominant 3D API in the technical computing community . The software environment for the Oxygen card presents two APIs to the applications programmer - WIN32 and OpenGL . WIN32 is the Windows NT windowing API . Used together , OpenGL and WGL provide a 3D programming interface . The OpenGL API supports the 3D geometry and rendering pipelines , while the WGL API presents interfaces that allow the OpenGL API to interact with the Windows operating system . Dynamic Pictures ’ OpenGL implementation is supported through Microsoft’s Installable Client Driver mechanism . By default , Microsoft provides a software OpenGL implementation where all graphics primitives are converted to 2D GDI calls . All 2D and 3D OpenGL graphics requests are intercepted by Oxygen software drivers and directed to the Oxygen card for dramatically accelerated performance . Oxygen also includes support for Heidi , a graphics library used by Kinetix 3D Studio MAX R1 and other Autodesk applications . If you are a 3D Studio MAX R1 user , please refer to Appendix B : Installing Your Heidi Driver section on page 57 . 50 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Figure 21 : Oxygen 202 3D Graphics Accelerator Installation and User’s Guide 51
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â„¢ PowerThreads Technical Overview In order to provide the fastest 3D graphics performance , it is vital that 3D graphics hardware and software be tightly integrated and optimized . Dynamic Pictures , the only 3D graphics card company to design , develop , and manufacture its own graphics chips and accelerator boards , is in the ideal position to leverage this integration from the initial product concept through execution . The result is the new PowerThreads technology for multi - threaded OpenGL . PowerThreads technology enables users of multi - CPU systems to utilize existing computing resources to accelerate geometry transformation . In a standard dual CPU configuration , the CPU is over - worked while processing all geometry transformation requests for the Oxygen chips ( Figure 22 ) . Thus , the graphics card does not benefit from the combined power of both CPUs . However , PowerThreads technology automatically enables the Oxygen 3D Family of cards to take full advantage of the new breed of multi - processor PCs . In its simplest form , PowerThreads - enabled drivers intercept the OpenGL requests and give them to each CPU to process in parallel ( Figure 23 ) . Coupled with the multi - chip Oxygen architecture , each host CPU can now simultaneously communicate with multiple Oxygen chips . This new technology increases rendering and texture mapping performance by alleviating bottlenecks in the graphics pipeline . The PowerThreads architecture is particularly appealing to multi - processor system users who work with 3D graphics applications that are written for only one CPU . Even if an application is not multi - threaded , PowerThreads technology delivers multi - threaded performance . For example , when a quad processor Oxygen 402 card is installed in a dual processor system , PowerThreads technology enables each CPU to concurrently feed data to two Oxygen chips , so all four Oxygen chips render in parallel . The performance gains are independent of the way in which the application is written . The PowerThreads architecture is designed to leverage integrated hardware and software resources in order for you to rocket along in the bottleneck - free zone ! 52 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Figure 22 : Without PowerThreads technology , a single CPU is burdened with all geometry transformation operations Figure 23 : With PowerThreads technology , enabling each CPU to use multiple Oxygen chips for geometry transformation operations maximizes performance Installation and User’s Guide 53
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Stereo 3D Technical Overview Historically stereo has been a very expensive feature offered only on highly specialized virtual reality systems , and high - end SGI UNIX ( or equivalent ) systems . Now Dynamic Pictures brings stereo 3D to the PC . High resolution stereo 3D is presented in “ stereo pairs � , which are the “ left eye � and “ right eye � frames required to see an image in full stereo 3D . Video output of the two images is double buffered left and right views which must be output at the same refresh rate as the monocular ( or normal ) image to avoid discernible flicker while operating in stereo 3D mode . This is a significant workload for a graphics card because the output requires twice the number of scan lines displayed in the same time interval . In other words , without employing any additional techniques the board must output ‘ twice as many pixels , twice as fast . � To generate stereo 3D correctly , an accelerator board should be capable of displaying the stereo pairs in a window . Oxygen is the only graphics card that supports what is called true , full - page flipping , time - multiplexed or field sequential stereo in an NT window . This window is then “ decoded � into the independent left and right views by Liquid Crystal Display ( LCD ) shuttering glasses or similar devices . There are methods of producing stereo that achieve faster frame rates but images are “ stretched � and suffer from diminished quality . The Oxygen 402 3D graphics accelerator card has a connector that enables the card to behave as a stereoscopic viewing system ( Figure 24 ) . Any OpenGL application that supports stereo 3D operation can take advantage of this feature today . Viewing of stereo 3D images on the monitor requires your Oxygen 402 card and an infrared emitter ® ™ with glasses . CrystalEyes Oxygen is a complete solution that combines the power of StereoGraphics ' CrystalEyes with the award - winning Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D graphics accelerators delivers industry leading , high quality stereo 3D under Windows NT . For more information regarding stereo 3D options , contact Dynamic Pictures , Inc . at ( 408 ) 327 - 9000 . For questions regarding your CrystalEyes eyewear and emitter included with the CrystalEyes Oxygen product , please contact StereoGraphics directly at ( 415 ) 459 - 4500 . 54 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 3D Family
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Figure 24 : Oxygen 402 3D Graphics Accelerator Installation and User’s Guide 55