Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring Output Devices

By:DC, and

PB

Understanding Video Adapters

• Data is sent to the video card via the expansion bus that the video card resides in

• The video chipset on the video card writes the data to memory located on the card

• Video cards have to process large ammounts of data so the card will come with its own memory or use some of your computers RAM.

• Most popular video memory would be 64MB, 128MB, and 256MB

• Some Video Cards use DRAM, however in the past DRAM was very slow, So they came up with new types of Video Card memories witch would be Video RAM (VRAM), Multibank DRAM (MDRAM), Windows RAM (WRAM), Synchronous Grapics RAM (SGRAM), Video Graphics Array (VGA), and Super VGA (SVGA)

Video Board Features• Video Board has a different types of video stadards available and

video cards. Some of them are common features to each card. Features are some important characteristics of video cards such as resolutions, colors, video memories. There are 3 main parts to it.

• Built-in Coprocessors: These type of cards processes most of the display functions on behalf of the CPU. Allows CPU to service other requests on system without any video commands. These advanced video cards are called “accelerated video cards” and “graphics accelerator cards”.

• Resolution: This term use to describe how functional the video card is. Default resolution is 1024*768. This resolutions measures inn pixels.

• Supported colors: Video cards main characteristic about color is how many colors the video card supports. More colors the better look.

Installing a Video Card• Installing a Video Card is the same as installing any other

computer card. You Simply need to just place the card into the supported bus.

• When you turn your computer back in plug in play should recognize your new video card and switch over to it.

• The Step to install a video Card is as fallowed:1. Power off and unplug the computer2. Open the case so you can access the expansion Slots3. If your replacing then take the old one out but if your adding one for

the 1st time remove the blank plate for AGP or PCI you want to use.4. Put the card in so it fits smoothly 5. Screw it into place 6. Put the case back together and turn your computer on.

• Installing New Video Card Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGxe7zK-f1U

Types of Displays

• There are a few different display types and they are Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), LCD, and projector.

• CRT Monitors were popular for computing for many years and were also popular as TV Screen’s. Computers refresh rate refers to how often the electron gun can redraw the entire screen.

• LCD Monitors are Liquid Crystal Display Monitors. It is a flat Monitor type that has been used with laptop, for many years and now there being used for desktop computer’s like this one!

• Projector’s are used mainly for showing a group of people like all of you, a project of some sort. Lately projects have become popular in home’s, and ones were all familiar with is the ones in the theater.

Configuring display Setting’s

• You are able to change the characteristics of your display about color support and resolution-after the video adapter and its drivers are installed in your computer. Whatever the settings you choose they have to be compatible with video card and monitor. Too high resolution can distort the display

• To configure in the Windows XP:1. Go to Start>Control Panel>Appearance and Themes>Display2. Then Click Settings tab3. From the color quality drop-down list choose how many colors you want your

display to support such as:4. 16-bit: 65536 colors5. 24-bit: 16 million colors6. 32-bit: over 16 million colors7. In the screen resolution section move slider to set the correct resolution of the

monitor to desired setting.

8. Click OK9. When display looks OK Click yes if asked.

Configuring Multi-Display Support

• Windows 2000, XP & Windows Server 2003 support the multi-display support feature. It allows you to insert multiple video cards into system & have a monitor connected to each video card. Then, you can extend your desktop to include the second monitor. It allows you to use the screen space from both monitors at the same time.

• It also allows you to do things such as move a program to the one of the monitors then use the other program on second monitor.

• Configure Multi-Display Support:1. Open your computer case and install an additional video adapter by

following the instructions in “Installing a video card” section.2. Put the computer case back on and power on the system.3. Plug a separate monitor into each of the two video cards.4. Ensure that a driver is loaded for each video card and for each monitor.5. To enable multi-display support, right click on the desktop and choose

Properties.6. In the desktop Properties window, click the Advanced page tab and select

the second monitor. (contains the number two in the icon.