README.TXT - Documentation Supplement January 20 1994 - Release 2.21 Hercules Graphite Card(tm) Hercules Graphite Pro(tm) Hercules Graphite VL/Pro(tm) Installation Diskette Windows Display Driver Diskette Thank you for purchasing a Hercules Graphite product. This file contains changes or additions to the printed Installation Guide. CONTENTS: What's New in Release 2.20/2.21 Warranty Registration Card Hercules Phone, Fax and BBS Access Numbers AutoCAD -- Additional Installation Information AutoCAD -- Known Limitations SPEEDY: Windows Performance Benchmark Test Windows -- Known Limitations BigMap and Zoom -- Known Limitations Additional Information for QEMM386 Users Hercules Graphite Series Software Revision History What's New in Release 2.20/2.21 ------------------------------- Install diskette: 1) New VESA.COM files -- release 2.32 2) New ZOOM.EXE, WINSTALL.EXE, PICWIN.EXE, INSTALL.EXE and INSTALL.HLP. 3) New monitor data files. 4) New README.TXT file (this one). Windows diskette: 1) NT drivers release 1.00. 2) Bug fixes to Windows 3.1 drivers. 3) Windows for Pen Computing is now supported at the following resolutions: Graphites with 1MB VRAM Graphites with 2MB VRAM ----------------------- ----------------------- 640x480x8 640x480x8 640x480x16 640x480x16 800x600x8 640x480x24 1024x768x8 800x600x8 1152x900x4 800x600x16 1280x1024x4 1024x768x8 1024x768x16 1152x900x8 1280x1024x8 Differences between release 2.20 amd 2.21: 1) Windows diskette: New VDDAGX.386 to take care of the cursor problem in DOS screen. 2) Install diskette: A different version of WINSTALL.EXE. New readme.txt (this file). Warranty Registration Card -------------------------- Please take a few minutes to fill out and return the enclosed Warranty Registration Card. It is essential that we receive the card in order to provide you with the following service and support: * Free technical support via phone, fax and Hercules BBS * Software updates via mail and Hercules BBS * Third party support information via mail and Hercules BBS Register today! Hercules Phone, Fax and BBS Access Numbers ------------------------------------------ Hercules Sales Group.............(800) 532-0600 Hercules Technical Support.......(510) 623-6050 Fax..............................(510) 623-1112 BBS..............................(510) 623-7449 BBS..............................(510) 623-7034 BBS..............................(510) 623-7142 German BBS.......................+49 40 6573 7335 CompuServe....................... GO HERCULES Other Inquiries..................(510) 623-6030 AutoCAD -- Additional Installation Information ---------------------------------------------- Installation of the Hercules DL-Xpress driver is very straightforward with a menu driven utility, and can be accomplished without printed documentation. A full manual for the Vibrant driver is available for an additional charge. To order in the United States, send a check for $15.00 to Hercules along with a request fot the DL-Xpress manual. Outside of the United States, send a check for $25.00. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. AutoCAD -- Known Limitations ---------------------------- Dual-screen support (monochrome monitor used for text console) for AutoCAD is not available on the Graphite Pro models for the ISA-bus (HG310 and HG420). Graphite Card (model HG210) does support dual-screen AutoCAD when equipped with BIOS v1.15 or later and Graphite software release 2.0 or later. All local bus Graphite models DO support dual-screen AutoCAD. SPEEDY: Windows Performance Benchmark Test ------------------------------------------ SPEEDY, a Windows performance benchmark test, is included with this Hercules product. This test is designed to perform a standard set of Windows graphics functions and compute a performance metric called a "SPEEDMARK." A higher "SPEEDMARK" indicates better performance. This test can also be used to measure performance of any display adapter that supports Windows. SPEEDY is available in the Hercules program group. Double- click on the Speedy icon to launch the SPEEDY program. Press F2 to initiate an "Auto Run" test, F10 to exit the program, and F1 to view the on-line documentation. Windows -- Known Limitations ---------------------------- 1) Debugger Configurations: Graphite Pro models for the ISA-bus (models HG310 and HG420) do not support the use of a debugger such as CodeView or TDW, running on an 8-bit monochrome card under Windows. This is due to a limitation of the AGX015 chip when running on the ISA bus. Local bus-based Graphite VL Pro models (HG510, HG610, HG720) and the ISA-based Graphite Card (HG210) do not have this limitation. 2) 16 Color Modes (Hercules Graphite Card - model HG210 only): If you are using a 50 or 66MHz CPU, you may experience random changes to the color palette at 1152 x 900 and 1280 x 1024 resolutions. There is currently no known fix, you must restart Windows to restore the color palette. 3) Running DOS Graphics Applications in a Window: It is not possible to run most VGA graphics applications in a windowed DOS session. Instead, run your VGA graphics application full screen. 4) Using Windows' VGA driver: If you want to use Windows' VGA driver, you must select "VGA (Version 3.0)" driver from the list of display driver in Windows' SETUP. Do not select the "VGA" driver. In general, we recommend you to use Graphite's 640x480x8 driver because it is much faster, gives you more color depth (256 vs. 16) and provides higher refresh rates. BigMap and Zoom -- Known Limitations ------------------------------------ Zoom is available in selected 256 color display modes only. On 1MB Graphite models, zoom is supported at all 256 color resolutions (640x480, 800x600, 1024x768). On 2MB Graphite models, zoom is supported at all 256 color resolutions except the 1152x900 and 1280x1024 modes. In addition, the 1024x768 zoom mode is available only with monitors operating at 58kHz or below. This restriction is due to special considerations for the high-speed DAC used on 2MB Graphite boards to provide the SuperStable high refresh display rates. If you try to launch Zoom while in an unsupported display mode, a warning message will be displayed. If you are using the BigMap and Zoom features when your monitor is operating at 120Hz refresh rate, you may see some screen noise when you pan. Additional Information for QEMM386 Users ---------------------------------------- If you are using QEMM386's Stealth feature (indicated by ST:M or ST:F on the QEMM386 device line in CONFIG.SYS) and you are experiencing random problems in Windows or DOS, try excluding the Graphite's BIOS area from Stealth by adding the parameter XST=C000 to your QEMM386 device line. This is in addition to the memory exclusion statements covered in the Graphite manual. Hercules Graphite Series Software Revision History --------------------------------------------------- Release 2.21 -- Graphite software release with Windows NT drivers 1.00. Installation Diskette.......................Rel. 2.21 01/20/94 Windows Display Driver Diskette.............Rel. 2.21 01/20/94 Release 2.20 -- Graphite software release with Windows NT drivers 1.00. Installation Diskette.......................Rel. 2.20 12/29/93 Windows Display Driver Diskette.............Rel. 2.20 12/29/93 Release 2.10 -- Second combined Graphite software release. Installation Diskette.......................Rel. 2.10 08/18/93 Windows Display Driver Diskette.............Rel. 2.10 08/18/93 Release 2.00 -- First release of combined diskettes for the entire Graphite series of products. Installation Diskette.......................Rel. 2.00 07/26/93 Windows Display Driver Diskette.............Rel. 2.00 07/26/93 ** End of File **