Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Video Cards

1. What's an accelerated video card?
2. How can I identify my video card chipset name and version?
3. Why does the display shift or change sizes when I switch modes?
4. Can I have two graphics boards in a system at the same time?
5. There are garbage characters on the display screen or multiple images.
6. Windows color palette does not look right or colors changes.
7. Why the screen cannot display certain modes?
8. Icons and characters are too small in 1024x768 and 1280x1024 modes.
9. Why the display performance is poor while playing MPEG files?
10. What is Direct X? Who defined it?
11. How many components are there in Direct X?
12. What form does Direct X exist in Windows 95?
13. What is the architecture of Direct Draw in Windows 95?
14. What are functions of Direct Draw in Windows 95?
15. What is the architecture of Direct 3D in Windows 95?
16. Who will use Direct X?
17. What's the different between NTSC and PAL?
18. What is EasyAxess?
19. What is TAPI?
20. What's H.324?
21. Why can't I see the image under Netmeeting 2.0?
22. Why the capture image only display 5~15 fps?
23. If I use 56K modem, can I get a better image?
24. How can I talk voice using NetMeeting?
25. I think my friend is connected using Netmeeting, but it does not show their name...
26. Can I be in more than one conference?
27. How do I share programs with Netmeeting?
    
    

1. What's an accelerated video card?
   
   The video card is only one part of the equation that determines what you see on your screen. It is in a way the "middle man", working between the processor and the monitor. The monitor, of course, is what actually provides the display that you see. The processor computes and thus determines what you are going to see. A conventional video card does the job of translating what the processor produces into a form that the monitor can display.
   
   Older video cards did this translation only; When graphical operating systems like Windows became the norm, suddenly large amounts of data were being shuffled around on the screen, and the CPU was spending a lot of time moving windows around, and drawing boxes and cursors and frames. As a result the processor would often get bogged down and performance would decrease--dramatically.
   
   To clear this bottleneck companies began making cards called accelerators; in fact, Windows drove this effort so much that they were often called Windows accelerators. These were video cards that added smarts to enable them to do much of the video calculating work that had been previously done by the processor. With an accelerator, when the system needs to draw a box on the screen, it doesn't compute where all the pixels need to be and what color, it sends a request to the video card saying "draw a window at these locations" and the video card does it. The processor can then go on to do more useful work. The accelerator, for its part, can be highly customized and tailored to this specific job, and therefore be far more efficient at it than the processor.
   
   Now, virtually all modern video cards incorporate acceleration, some of it quite sophisticated. In essence, the video card becomes a coprocessor, working with the main CPU. Continuing the trend, new 3D accelerators are becoming more common, which offload the (tremendously time-consuming) work of 3D animation from the processor as well.
   
   The logic circuit that controls the video card is referred to as the video chipset. It is sometimes also called an accelerator or video coprocessor. Go to Top
   
   
2. How can I identify my video card chipset name and version?
   
   
   1. Get to an MS-DOS Prompt: If you are running a version of Windows, you need to either open an MS-DOS prompt or shut Windows down to MS-DOS mode.
   2. Enter the "DEBUG" Program: From the DOS prompt, type "debug" and then {Enter}. The system will display a single dash ("-").
   3. Display the Video Card BIOS Area: Type the following, exactly (and nothing else, or you risk doing something to your system that you really don't want to): "d c000:0010". This will display the contents of the beginning part of the video BIOS ROM. The system will display a bunch of hexadecimal digits across most of the screen. On the left-hand side you will see text letters that correspond to these codes. For most video cards, you will see the name of the manufacturer and information about the video chipset type and version number.
   4. Scroll Down If Necessary: On some systems you may need to scroll down further to find the information. Do this by typing just "d" and then {Enter}, one or more times. More information will display on the screen.
   5. Exit "DEBUG": Press "q" and then {Enter} to quit the debug program.
   Go to Top
   
   
3. Why does the display shift or change sizes when I switch modes?
   
   Some monitors are lack of auto-sizing features, or do not synchronize properly to the display board output. In some cases, refresh rate adjustments may be necessary. Your monitor also has controls to adjust the screen to your preference. Go to Top
   
   
4. Can I have two graphics boards in a system at the same time?
   
   A MGA (monochrome graphics adapter) card may co-reside with another VGA card. You cannot have an EGA, CGA, or another VGA with the existing VGA card. Go to Top
   
   
5. There are garbage characters on the display screen or multiple images.
   
   Check if the monitor can support the current resolution that you are trying to use. Go to Top
   
   
6. Windows color palette does not look right or colors changes.
   
   Please check the monitor connection to the display card first. This also could be caused by a defective component on the VGA card. Contact your dealer to have the problem taken care of. Go to Top
   
   
7. Why the screen cannot display certain modes?
   
   Use the provided utility to verify if your monitor can support the resolution you are trying to run. Check to see if you have enough memory on the VGA card to run this mode. For example, to display 256 colors at 1280x1024, 2MB of memory are required. Please also check specifications and capacity of the monitor. Go to Top
   
   
8. Icons and characters are too small in 1024x768 and 1280x1024 modes.
   
   It is normal for icons and characters to become smaller in higher resolutions. Verify you have Large Font installed for larger characters. A 19-inch or larger monitor is recommended for these higher modes. Go to Top
   
   
9. Why the display performance is poor while playing MPEG files?
   
   Make sure that your CD-ROM and your Hard Disk DO NOT share the same IDE cable. Otherwise, you may notice poor display performance when playing VCD/CD-I. A separate IDE cable for your CD-ROM is highly recommended. Go to Top
   
   
10. What is Direct X? Who defined it?
    
    Direct X is a set of Dynamic Link Library for Window95 and Window NT4.0 or later. The purpose of Direct X is to support programmers in a direct way to control hardware in order to enhance system performance. Direct X is defined by Microsoft Inc. Go to Top
    
    
11. How many components are there in Direct X?
    
    There are six components included in Direct X. They are:
    
    Direct Draw ---> Direct Graphic and Video control. Direct 3D ---> Direct 3D Graphic control. Direct Sound ---> Direct Sound control. Direct Play ---> Direct Communication control. Direct Input ---> Direct Input Device control. (Mouse, Keyboard, Joystick...) Direct Setup ---> Direct X library setup. Go to Top
    
    
12. What form does Direct X exist in Windows 95?
    
    Direct X is a set of Dynamic link library. They are made of a form of compound Object Model. So, they are in the system directory of window. Go to Top
    
    
13. What is the architecture of Direct Draw in Windows 95?
    
    The Direct Draw provides display-memory and display-hardware management services. Go to Top
    
    
14. What are functions of Direct Draw in Windows 95?
    
    It provides the usual functionality associated with memory management: Memory can be allocated, moved, transformed, and freed. This memory represents visual images and is referred to as a surface. Through the DirectDraw hardware-abstraction layer (HAL), applications are exposed to unique display hardware functionality, including stretching, overlaying, texture mapping, rotating, and mirroring, etc. Go to Top
    
    
15. What is the architecture of Direct 3D in Windows 95?
    
    It integrates tightly with DirectDraw as its buffer-management system, allowing DirectDraw surfaces to be used both as 3D rendering targets and as source texture maps. Go to Top
    
    
16. Who will use Direct X?
    
    The Microsoft Window95 & Window NT4.00 users will use the Direct X. Go to Top
    
    
17. What's the different between NTSC and PAL?
    
    PAL's resolution support MAX 768x576 and NTSC's MAX is 640x480. They are different Video Signal under different country. Go to Top
    
    
18. What is EasyAxess?
    
    EasyAxess is a Windows 95 video conferencing software program supporting the new H.324 international video conferencing protocol over standard telephone lines. With this , you can communicate "live" anywhere at any time. Go to Top
    
    
19. What is TAPI?
    
    TAPI is a interface between Hardware and Application. With TAPI , the application can work normal without care about which hardware is. Go to Top
    
    
20. What's H.324?
    
    H.324 is a ITU-T standard protocols include H.263,H.245,G.723.1 and H.223. It is use for video conference. You can talk with your friend with video image and audio through telephone line. Go to Top
    
    
21. Why can't I see the image under Netmeeting 2.0?
    
    Because the Netmeeting 2.0 is using Intel video format , but some capture drivers have not support yet. You need to download a shareware driver to support. You can download this the "Ivi_Nt95.exe" utility from the Intel web site or ftp site:
    1. WWW Site: http://www.intel.com/pc-supp/multimed/indeo/ivi_nt95.htm
    2. Ftp Site: ftp://download.intel.com/pc-supp/multimed/indeo/drivers/ivi_nt95.exe Or go to the manufacturer's Web site to download new Capture driver to fix it. Go to Top
    
    
22. Why the capture image only display 5~15 fps?
    
    First, in PSTN, your image is limited by telephone line (only the transmitted speed on 300 to 33600 Hz ). There can't carry too much data. Second, it depends on software to decode and encode the video and audio . It need much CPU resource. If you using faster CPU, you can get better image. Go to Top
    
    
23. If I use 56K modem, can I get a better image?
    
    No. 56K modem only support the download from the ISP. If you use 56K modem in video conference under telephone line, there will just as the 33.6K modem. Go to Top
    
    
24. How can I talk voice using NetMeeting?
    
    It is possible to talk with others around the world using NetMeeting with VC324 kit. Whenever you install or set up NetMeeting while running it for the first time, it will take you through a Sound Setup Wizard, which will set up your sound setting for you. Then, when you connect to Internet using Modem card, the voice will automatically be initiated if both parties have voice capabilities. Then you can talk to the other user. Go to Top
    
    
25. I think my friend is connected using Netmeeting, but it does not show their name...
    
    If you suspect a friend or family member of being logged in to the Server but you do not see their name when you click on the "directory" button (very far left button) you can still talk to them by clicking on the "call" button (the yellow phone) and typing in their email address. Go to Top
    
    
26. Can I be in more than one conference?
    
    No. Unfortunately NetMeeting does not support users to be in more than one conference. Go to Top
    
    
27. How do I share programs with Netmeeting?
    
    you must first be connected to another user. Once connected, click on "Tools" from the pull-down menu at the top, and from "Shared Applications", select which window you want to share. The program must be loaded before you can share it. Then, select "Collaborate" from the "Tools" pull-down menu. You are now sharing that application. Then the person with whom you are to share it only needs to select "Collaborate" from the pull-down menu "Tools". Go to Top