- What Business is Software Integrators in?
- Software
Integrators` primary business is the manufacture and sale of computer
graphics cards, video cables and monitors for the PC industry. Our
graphics cards are unique in that they are designed to drive ALL color
monitors , regardless of frequency or sync type. Although we produce
software for the hardware we sell, we do NOT sell stand-alone
software.
ref:gs00100
- What is a fixed frequency monitor?
- A fixed frequency monitor is any monitor which cannot handle
a horizontal sync frequency of 31.5KHz, 60Hz, which is the
frequency for standard VGA text.
ref:gs00200
- What`s the difference between fixed frequency and multi-synchronous monitors?
- There are two main
differences between fixed frequency and multi syncing monitors. First,
the horizontal and vertical scan frequencies are different, and
second, the types of sync are different.
There are two types of monitor scan frequencies, horizontal and vertical. The horizontal scan
frequency is the number of times per second that the electron beam
travels horizontally across the CRT from left to right (trace) and
back (retrace). The horizontal frequency is measured in kHz. VGA text
is typically displayed at 31.5 kHz.
A wrong horizontal frequencymay affect the monitor display in several ways:
No display at all
Displayed image "rolls" horizontally
Horizontal lines are displayed
Multiple images are displayed side-by-side
Bending or weaving of the image, especially at the top or bottom
The verticalscan frequency is the number of times per second that the electron
beam travels from the top of the CRT to the bottom (trace) and back
(retrace). The vertical frequency is measured in Hz. VGA text is
typically displayed in 60 or 70 Hz. A wrong vertical frequency may
affect the monitor display in several ways:
No display
Displayed image "rolls" vertically
Multiple images are displayed top to bottom
Bending or weaving of the image
It is important that the horizontal and vertical frequencies sent from the video card match
those required by the monitor. If the output frequencies from the card
fall outside the range of the monitor`s capabilities, then the monitor
is "out of sync" a nd the display will become distorted and
unreadable.
A multi-syncing monitor has a wider horizontal andvertical frequency range than a fixed frequency monitor does. Even
fixed frequency monitors will have a horizontal frequency range. It is
just smaller than that of the multi-syncing monitor. For instan ce, a
fixed frequency monitor might have a horizontal frequency range of
60-65 kHz whereas a super VGA monitor might have a 30-65 kHz
range. VGA cards are designed to change horizontal frequencies when
different resolutions are displayed. Because a fixed frequency monitor
has such a small range of horizontal scan, a special video card is
needed which will always output the correct horizontal frequency no
matter what the resolution. The Gemini graphics card will do just
that.
The second difference between fixed frequency and multi-syncing monitors are the different types of sync available to
the monitor.
There are three different types of sync:
- Separate sync
- Composite sync
- Sync on green (internal sync)
When outputting separate sync, the horizontal and vertical sync
signals are sent on their own individual wire in the video cable. A
composite sync signal sends both horizontal and vertical sync on one
wire. A sync on green signal sends the horizontal a nd vertical sync
on the same wire as the green video signal.
VGA cards aredesigned to output a separate sync signal. Because most fixed
frequency monitors expect a sync on green or composite sync signal, a special
video card is needed which will output the correct sync type.
The Gemini graphics card will do just that. In fact, the
Gemini cards are configurable by the user to output any
type of sync required.
ref:gs00300
- Why do they make fixed frequency monitors?
- Because they do
Most early analog monitors were fixed
frequency, meaning that they were intended to work only at one
specific vertical refresh rate (often 60 Hz) and one horizontal
rate. Most SUN, SGI, IBM, HP and other workstation monitors were of
this type. The fixed frequency monitor is also cheaper to build and
more reliable than a multi sync monitor.
In part due to the desire to produce more flexible monitors (i.e. fewer different
models), the start of PC SVGA/EVGA/etc video standards, and in part
due to recognition of an emerging trend toward higher pixel
addressability formats within the computer industry, vendors started
to produce monitors capable of syncing to video signals with a range
of frequencies. Such monitors are called multi-synchronous, or
Multi-sync. Multi-sync is actually a trademark of NEC`s, though it has
become a generic term for a monitor that is capable of syncing to more
than one video frequency. The meaning of multi-synchronous has become
somewhat muddled. To truly be multi-synchronous, a monitor should be
able to sync to any frequency within a range of incoming video signals
(within reason, of course). However, many so-called multi-synchronous
monitors can only sync to a number of discrete frequencies (usually 3
or 4).
If the video signal supplied to such a monitor is within the range of it`s deflection circuits, the image will be displayed;
otherwise, the image may be either not synchronized, or completely
blanked. It is also possible to harm some monitors of this type by
applying a video signal outside its ranges, if protective measures
were not put into place by the design. Thus, such a monitor will
usually operate at the most common video modes, but may not operate at
less common modes. This type of monitor may be referred to as a
`banded` design. A continuous frequency design should operate at any
frequency within the specified range. ref:gs00400
- Why can`t I use my VGA accelerator card on my fixed frequency monitor?
- Because I say so!
Your VGA card
is designed to run with a multi-syncing monitor. A VGA card outputs
different frequencies for different graphics modes and text
modes. Your fixed frequency monitor can`t handle these different
frequencies. Also, your VGA card outputs a separate sync signal and
most fixed frequency monitors require a sync on green or composite
sync signal. The Gemini graphics cards are designed to run BOTH fixed
frequency and multi sync monitors.
ref:gs00500
- My monitor can accept all three types of sync. Which one is best?
- There is no
performance difference between the three sync types. They are just
different methods of passing the sync signals to the monitor.
ref:gs00600
- I have a monitor I am trying to connect to my PC. Do you sell cables and/or adapters to make this work?
- Yes. We sell cables and adapters
for almost any monitor/computer configuration you might have. On some
monitors, just physically connecting a monitor to the computer is not
enough. You might also need a new graphics card to drive the monitor
properly. The manufacturer and model number of the monitor will tell
us if just a cable or adapter is needed.
The Gemini graphics card is designed to drive any color monitor run from a PC. We have
successfully run workstation monitors from Sun, IBM, Mitsubishi,
Hitachi, Sony, HP, Verticom, DEC, Taxan, Philips, Apollo, Next,
Ikegami, Tektronix, Silicon Graphics , Intergraph, Monotronix, Aydin,
Amtron, Conrac, Artist, Imagraph, TAT, Mentor, NCR, Panasonic, Radius,
SuperMac, Apple, and many more. Of course, we can also drive any VGA
or multi-syncing monitor too. ref:gs00700
- Is cabling included in
your pricing?
- No. Due to the many different connector types on fixed
frequency monitors we do not include cables in our pricing
structure. Please see our cables page for all your cabling needs.
ref:gs00800
- What are the differences between the Gemini P1 card and its competitors?
- The Gemini P1 is designed and manufactured by Software
Integrators with support for fixed
frequency monitors in mind. Our competitors take off-the-shelf multisync cards and modify
them. Because of this, the Gemini P1 card is the only card which can
generate all three types of sync accurately. The Gemini P1 card also
uses flash memory to store different monitor timings
and centering adjustments. There are no TSR`s and no EPROMs to
exchange.
ref:gs00900
- Where can I get pricing information on your various cards?
- On the web.
Please contact sales for pricing and more
information at 1-800-547-2349 or 406-586-9610, or via e-mail at
sales@si87.com.
ref:gs01000
- Do you sell through resellers?
- Yes. We also sell direct to end-users.
ref:gs01100
- Are there any distributors in my area?
- The following is
an incomplete list of distributors:
Microwarehouse
http://www.microwarehouse.com
PHONE LINES
1-800-397-8508
FAX LINES
732-942-2502
UltraSpec Cables
http://www.ultraspec.com
170 OBERLIN AVE. NORTH
LAKEWOOD, NJ 08701
PHONE LINES
1-800-622-2537 OR 732-901-0200
FAX LINES
1-800-222-5337 OR 732-901-0240
ref:gs01200
- How do I order?
- Use the On-Line-Ordering system to place an order or call 1-800-547-2349 or 406-586-9610. Please have the following information ready:
- The make and model number of your monitor(s).
- The type of connector on the back of the monitor. If you already have a cable, the type of connector on the computer end of the cable.
- The available expansion slot bus types (ISA, VLB, and PCI) of your computer.
ref:gs01300
- I have a monitor and I don`t know who manufactured it. Will the Gemini P1 card drive my monitor?
- Most likely, yes. The Gemini P1 is designed to drive ALL color monitors, regardless of make or manufacturer.
ref:gs01410
- What is the difference between a 2MB and 4MB card?
- The difference is the number of colors displayed at a particular resolution. For instance, with 2MB, you can display 1024x768 at 64K colors. With a 4MB card, you can display 16.7M colors. Memory does not affect performance.
ref:gs01500
- Do you have an AGP version of you Gemini P1 card?
- Not at this time.
ref:gs01600
- Does the Gemini P1 come in any bus type other than PCI?
- No, the Gemini P1 only comes in a PCI bus format.
ref:gs01700
- Is it possible to configure the Gemini P1 for all three-sync possibilities: Separate sync, Composite sync, and Sync on green?
- Yes. All you need to do is configure dipswitches 1 and 2 for the type of sync you want and make sure that your cables are connected properly. Set switches 1 and 2 to off for separate sync, 1 on and 2 off for composite sync, a nd 1 off and 2 on for sync on green.
ref:gs01800
- What kind of RAM is used for this video card?
- The Gemini uses MDRAM. This is 4 times faster than 64-bit VRAM and has a bandwidth of 800MB/second.
ref:gs01900
- What kind of video connector is on the Gemini and Mercury cards?
- A standard 15-pin VGA connector fully VESA compliant. We have cables and adapters to convert to any type of monitor connector.
ref:gs02100
- What operating systems does your video cards support?
- Our video cards support the following operating systems: Windows 3.1/3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 3.1, Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 5.0, Solaris, OS/2 2.X, OS/2 WARP, LINUX, and FreeBSD.
ref:gs02200
- What is your return policy for your Cables/Adapters/Video Cards?
- Our products are covered by a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. If, within 30 days of taking delivery, you become dissatisfied with our product, you may return it and you will receive a full refund of your purchase price.
Exceptions: If the card is damaged, stolen, or lost while in transit to Software Integrators or damaged in the user`s hands, you will not be entitled to a refund of your purchase price. Shipping charges cannot be refunded.
Monitors have a different return policy. Please call for details.
ref:gs02300
- Do you have a warranty on your video cards?
- We have a limited warranty against defects and workmanship for 3 years form the date of purchase.
ref:gs02400
- What resolutions does your Gemini card support?
- Our cards support the following Windows graphics modes: 1280x1024, 1152x864, 1024x768, 800x600 and 640x480. There are other modes supported as well, but are mainly used by games and older DOS programs. Although the Gemini car d supports these resolutions, not all monitors support these resolutions.
ref:gs02500
- Do the Gemini cards support Windows 98?
- Yes, we have successfully tested Windows 98 Beta 3 with the Gemini cards. Windows 98 has multiple monitor support. We have tried up to 4 Gemini cards and 4 monitors in a system and it works quite well. The monitors do NOT have to be of the same type.
ref:gs02600
- Do the Gemini cards support Windows NT 5?
- Yes, we have successfully tested Windows NT 5 Beta 1 with the Gemini cards.
ref:gs02700
- I have a NeXT/SGI/Sun monitor with a 13W3 connector that I would like to use with a PC. Would your #7012 15-pin male VGA to 13W3 female connector adapter work for me?
- If you already have good a 15-pin male VGA to a 15 pin male VGA cable, you need the 7011 adapter. The 7011 has a female VGA connector and a male 13W3 connector. If you don`t have a standard 15-pin VGA cable, you will need our 4103 Cable, which has a 15-pin male VGA to a 13W3 male connector.
This will only solve your cabling problems. You will still need a new graphics card like the Saturn GL to drive your monitor.
ref:gs02800
- What cable do I need?
- My monitor has 3/4/5 BNC (RGB/HD/VD) Connectors on the back.
You need the V1 cable. It has 5 BNC male connectors to a
15-pin VGA male connector. If you only have 3 or 4 BNC
connectors on the back of your monitor, simply connect the
red cable to the red connector, the blue cable to the blue
connector, and the green cable to the green connector, and
if you have a sync connector, connect the gray cable to it.
You can leave the unused connectors unconnected.
ref:gs02900
- I have a Sun monitor, model number GDM 20E20. What kind of cable do I need to run this monitor?
- You need our 7012 adapter. You do not need a graphics card for
this monitor. It will work with your normal VGA card. The
20D10 and 20E11 require one of our graphics cards to run.
ref:gs03000
- Do you make custom cables?
- No, we do not make custom cables.
ref:gs03100
- Do I have to run the FlexTools software to get my monitor to work?
- No. FlexTools can be used to change the sizing and centering
of your screen, but does NOT have to be run. Your monitor
should work with the Saturn card as is.
ref:ts00100
- If I use FlexTools to adjust my screen, can I make the monitor go out of sync?
- Yes. When making adjustments in FlexTools, making the screen
wider/taller changes the horizontal/vertical frequencies
slightly. If you adjust your screen too much, the
frequencies may be outside the range that your monitor can
support, and it will go out of sync. If this happens,
FlexTools has an Undo [Alt-U] feature, which will get the
monitor back into sync. Because of hysteresis, you might
have to undo several adjustment steps before the monitor
comes back into sync. To undo all of your changes made in
the current session, use the Undo All feature [Alt-A].
It is always wise to always test any changes you make in
FlexTools before saving your changes to flash memory. To
test your changes, do the following:
- In the Screen Adjustment page, make your changes to the
screen.
- In the File and Flash page, save the changes to a file.
- In the Screen Adjustment page, press Undo All.
- In the File and Flash page, load the changes from the
saved file.
- If the screen looks ok, then save to flash.
- If out of sync, the screen has been adjusted out of
range, so press [Alt-U] or [Alt-A] to undo some of your
changes.
If you have saved your adjustments to flash memory, and upon
rebooting the monitor still goes out of sync, there is still
a way to get back to normal.
Restart your computer in Command Prompt Only mode, or place
a bootable DOS floppy in the drive and restart your
computer. Change directories to c:\geminip1\utils\ (or where
you unpacked your drivers to) and type `restore xx` where xx
is the name of the bios file that you are using (Ex.
`restore 64` to restore the 64kHz BIOS to your current BIOS
number). These actions will get your monitor and the flash
BIOS back to its original state.
ref:ts00200
- Why do some resolutions on my fixed frequency monitor appear small?
- Most fixed frequency monitors were designed to run one
particular resolution. When you try to display some other
resolution, some monitors are not physically capable of
displaying it full screen. This problem is monitor depen
dent. On some monitors, FlexTools can make the image appear
full screen. The size of the image is determined by the
maximum vertical frequency that your monitor can sync to.
ref:ts00300
- I have a fixed frequency monitor, and a Gemini video card. Your drivers are installed on my Windows 95. I can`t seem to get the higher resolutions. What is wrong?
- You probably need to change your monitor type in display
properties to Standard Display Type - Super VGA 1280x1024.
Also make sure that you have enough memory to run at the
color depth and resolution that your OS is setup for (see
the next question).
ref:ts00400
- What are the maximum color depth and resolution combinations I can get with a 2 MB Card? What about a 4-MB card?
- To calculate the amount of video memory you need, simply
multiply:
(horizontal addressability) * (vertical addressability) *
(pixel depth)/8
So, for 1024x768 and 256 colors (that`s 8 bit):
1024 * 768 * 8/8 = 786432 bytes i.e. a 1 Meg card will
suffice
And for other configurations:
640x480x24 bit color = 921600 (min. 1 Meg card)
800x600x16 bit color = 960000 (min. 1 Meg card)
800x600x24 bit color = 1440000 (min. 2 Meg card)
1024x768x16 bit color = 1572864 (min. 2 Meg card)
1024x768x24 bit color = 2359296 (min. 4 Meg card)
1280x1024x8 bit color = 1310720 (min. 2 Meg card)
1280x1024x16 bit color = 2621440(min. 4 Meg card)
1280x1024x24 bit color = 3932160 (min. 4 Meg card)
1600x1200x24 bit color = 5760000 (min. 6 Meg card)
Because of the ET6000/6100`s bandwidth limitations,
1280x1024x24-bit color is not supported, even with a 4MB
card. ref:ts00500
- Do you have any Windows 95 drivers for the Premier 928/VL2 video card, formerly of Metheus Corp.?
- Metheus Corp is out of the graphics card business! NOTE: WE
DO NOT SUPPORT THESE DRIVERS! You can find drivers for that
card on our web-site
http://www.s
i87.com/Support/metheus.html or directly from the
Vibrant Graphics BSS at (512) 918-3411.
If you own a `dual headed` card based on an S3 chipset you
may download the newest drivers from the S3
Web-site, but you will lose the dual monitor support. The
good news is that Windows 98 & Windows NT 5.0 will both
support multiple monitors without special video cards!
ref:ts00600
- I have a Metheus Premiere 1104 video card. Do you have any drivers for that video card?
- Most 1104`s were sold with a fixed frequency monitor. If you
own a Metheus 1104 model video card please contact our sales
department. You must replace this card to use newer versions
of Microsoft`s Operating Systems.
ref:ts00700
- What is the correct dip-switch setting on my Gemini P1 for my monitor?
- The Gemini P1 card is pre-set at the factory for your
monitor, if the monitor type was known before shipping. If
your settings are incorrect, then check the Monitor database
on our web-site for the correct dip-switch settings .
ref:ts00800
- I`m getting two side-by-side screens that together use only 50% on the monitor. They are very blurry and only the right one is alive. I`ve tried several different BIOS settings on my P1 and set the switches f or each. What is wrong?
- The horizontal frequency coming from the card is wrong. You
might be using the wrong BIOS. You need to check the model
number of your monitor with our online monitor database for
the correct BIOS.
ref:ts00900
- Where can I find the latest drivers for my Software Integrators video card?
- The latest drivers can be found at our web-site
http://www.si87.com/
drivers.html.
ref:ts01000
- Now that I have downloaded the latest drivers from your web-site, how do I install them?
- Just decompress the driver using pkunzip or another ZIP
utility (which also
can be downloaded from our web-site) and follow the
instructions in the README.TXT file included with the
driver.
ref:ts01100
- I have a 4MB Gemini card installed in a PC running Windows NT 4.0. I have installed the newest version of the Gemini drivers & FlexTools. The OS recognizes the card as a Gemini P1 (VGA mode) but allows on ly 16 colors in 680x400 and 800x600 as if the card had very limited memory. Any suggestions?
- This is a problem we have been getting with Windows NT 4.0.
If you check the drivers` page in the Display Properties
control panel you will see driver information. If you see
that the video memory = 256k then you are correct, and the
driver for some reason is not recognizing that you have a
4Meg card. It means that your driver is not installed
properly because of a conflict with either another hardware
or software component (possibly a background task). Try
reinstalling the d river as Administrator and make sure that
no other programs are running (like scanmail). If this does
not work, pull all your other bus cards, reboot and
re-install the driver. If that does not work re-install
Windows NT and use a disk with the unpacked N T driver
during the installation procedure.
ref:ts01200
- I acquired a Mercury X2/X3/X4 and a fixed frequency monitor. When using the Tseng W32 drivers, I can`t achieve correct resolutions and color depths. Which drivers should I use?
- First, make sure that your OS recognizes your W32 drivers.
You can download the latest drivers from our web-site.
Second, make sure that you have enough memory to support the
color depths and resolutions you are using (see th e section
on resolution questions). Third, if you are using the
Mercury X2, make sure you are using the right timings by
using the CHFREQ program.
ref:ts01300
- How do I get Linux running with the Gemini video card?
- You can use the SVGA server, version 3.3.2 that supports the
Tseng Labs ET6000 and ET6100. Instructions for setting up a
Gemini card can be found on our web-site
www.si87.com/Support/linux.htm
l. It contains i nstructions for setting up XFree86 or
FreeBSD, and modeline.exe, a useful utility program, and
links for more information.
ref:ts01400
- What is the best way to make screen adjustments while running Linux?
- Although you could use FlexTools for DOS, we recommend that
you use Xvidtune. Once your monitor is adjusted to your
liking, click on the Show button to print out the modeline.
Paste that information into your XF86Config file.
Please see our XFree86/Linux/FreeBSD
page for complete info
ref:ts01500
- What is the EPROM on my video card?
- A PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) chip can be used to
store video BIOS code and/or video configuration
information. All modern video cards have a video BIOS and
some (like the Mercury X2) store video configuration data r
ight on the video card. Usually, EPROM`s or PROM`s (the `E`
indicating that the PROM is erasable or `reprogrammable`)
are used to store the video BIOS. The BIOS consists of code
that the computer uses to communicate with the video card.
Occasionally when a bug is discovered in the video BIOS of a
card, the card manufacturer will supply updated ROM`s that
contain corrected video BIOS code. Swapping of the new chip
for the old is quite easy and safe, as long as the machine
is powered off and appropriate electrostatic precautions are
taken.
If you have the Gemini P1, you never need to change the BIOS
chip. The Gemini P1 uses our FlexBIOS technology, which
allows you to change the BIOS code without removing the
chip.
ref:ts01600
- I would like to watch TV on my fixed frequency monitor and was wondering what hardware I need to buy which will work with my Gemini video card.
- We have successfully tested the Alaris QuickVideo, an ISA TV
tuner card. You want a TV card, which does not require a
pass-thru cable from our card, and does not need to be
connected to the monitor. For an explanation of why this is
necessary, look at the question above.
Please take a look at our news page for
a list of supported add-on products.
ref:ts01700
- I want to buy a Gemini P1 card for my fixed frequency monitor, but I want to use my Monster 3D card too. Will the Gemini P1 work with my Monster 3D?
- Will my Gemini P1 work with a Voodoo 3d ad-on card?
- Yes and no. The Gemini P1 will work with the Monster 3D card
and a multi sync monitor, but not a fixed frequency monitor.
This is true of any 3D accelerator, which requires a
pass-thru cable from another graphics card.
When you are not performing 3D tasks, the Monster card is
idle and passes through any video signal sent to it by the
Gemini P1. Everything will work normally. When you start up
a program which uses the 3D capabilities of the card, such
as a 3D game, the Monster card takes over the video output
channel and ignores the Gemini P1 card. Since the Monster 3D
card expects to be outputting to a multi-sync monitor, your
fixed frequency monitor will go out of sync.
The fix for this is to use a 3D accelerator which does NOT
use a pass-through cable, and allows the Gemini P1 to still
output to the monitor. Video Logic sells a PCI 3D
accelerator called the Apocalypse 3DX (not 3DFX) that will
work with the Gemini P1 card. We have tested it here and it
works. The 3DX card uses the PCI bus to pass information to
the Gemini card, and the output frequencies are not changed.
Please take a look at our news page for a list of supported add-on products.
ref:ts01800
- I have a Mercury X2 video card; and I am upgrading the CPU chip. Is the Mercury compatible with the new Pentium chipsets?
- The Mercury video cards aren`t compatible with the Pentium
Pro or Pentium II processors. These new processors use a new
protocol called PCI burst, which was implemented after the
Mercury chipset was designed.
ref:ts01900
- Can I use two video cards in the same PC system? Would a Gemini P1 and a SVGA card work together?
- In the past, the only way to do this was to use one
Hercules-type monochrome card and one color card (CGA, EGA,
or VGA), because the color cards all used the same address
space. Most DOS software will only use one at a time ( you
can switch between them with the `mode` command), but
debuggers and CAD programs often support this type of
dual-display system. You may have to change a setting on
your VGA card to make it run in 8-bit mode in order for this
to work.
Windows 3.x can also be set up this way. Include the line
DualDisplay=TRUE (or ON) in your
SYSTEM.INI file, in the [386enh] section. If you open a DOS
shell window and type MODE MONO, the shell will appear on
the monochrome monitor.
Today you can run multiple monitors on any operating system
that supports multi-headed displays such as Windows 98 and
Windows NT 5.0. You must have all PCI cards, i.e. two Gemini
P1 video cards. You can use one of our video cards and a
plain SVGA card in the same system as long as they are both
PCI bus cards.
ref:ts02000
- When attempting to run Quake II in Open GL mode it doesn`t work. It displays a bunch of wavy lines.
- Disable OpenGL and it will work.
ref:ts02200
|
|
|
