Digital Tigers SideCar MMS Series manual

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Digital Tigers SideCar MMS Series  SideCar PlusTwo MMS  SideCar PlusFour MMS Thank you for your purchase of this Digital Tigers SideCar. To ensure your successful use of this product, please carefully follow this important installation and user guide.[...]

© Copyright 2003 Digital Tigers, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this public ation may be reproduc ed in any form without prior written consent of Digital Tigers, Inc. Product specifications are subject to chan ge without notice. Information presented h ere is believed to be accurate and reliable. Ho wever, Digital T ige rs, Inc. assumes n[...]

Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introducti on ....................................................................................................... ....................... 2 The SideCar concept............................................................................................................ ...................... 2 The best of both worlds[...]

2- I NTRODUCTION Chapter 1 - Introduction SideCar shown with its notebook interface PC Card*, which is inserted in the notebook an d cabled to the SideCar . The SideCar concept The Digital Tigers SideCar is a portable notebook computer accessory that enables you to drive up to four extra monitors from a Windows XP or Windows 2000 notebook . This us[...]

3- I NTRODUCTION SideCar PlusTwo MMS Standard configuration (add up to t wo displays; Windows XP / 2000) Extended configuration (add three display s; Windows XP only*) *Most Windows 2000 notebo oks cann ot address the #2 extern al monitor as an ind ep endent display, but can use the #2 external monitor as a mirror (clone) of the notebook displa y. [...]

4- I NTRODUCTION SideCar PlusFour MMS Standard configuration (add up to four display s; Windows XP / 2000) Extended configuration (add fiv e displays; Windows XP only*) *Most Windows 2000 notebo oks cann ot address the #2 extern al monitor as an ind ep endent display, but can use the #2 external monitor as a mirror (clone) of the notebook displa y.[...]

5- I NTRODUCTION The power of multi- monitor w orkstations Multi-monitor workstations enable professionals fro m video editors to financial traders to work with a huge “virtual desktop”. Productivity is greatly increased when needed inform ation is always visible. Video and audio editors can work with large ti melines, media bins and preview wi[...]

6- I NTRODUCTION The best of both worlds: multi- monitor p ower, notebook mobility With the SideCar, the power of a multi-monitor workstation can be brought to a notebook computer. This enables such flexible work arrangements as: Multi-monitor primary workstation, with detachable notebook For those who need a powerful mu lti-monitor workstation for[...]

7- I NTRODUCTION Mobile multi-monitor workstations For those who need to set up multi-displa y workstations in several locations, such as video editing on location, clie nt presentations, client work sessions, business executive presentations, trade show demonstrations, and more. ( Digital Tigers also offers shipping cases and carry-on luggage to e[...]

8- I NTRODUCTION The Digital Tigers product family The SideCar MMS series is part of the Digital Ti gers family of mobile expansion systems for notebook computers. Digital Tigers products include:  SideCar systems, which enable notebook computers to support up to four additional monitors  LaunchPad mobile video editing expansion system s – [...]

9– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Chapter 2 – Supported display configurations SideCar PlusTwo MMS The SideCar PlusTwo MMS enables your noteboo k to drive two additional displays, for a maximum total of three or four displa ys, depending on your configuration:  Display #1: The notebook LCD screen  Display #2: One external display conn[...]

10– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Three External Displays (Windows XP*) *Most Windows 2000 notebo oks cann ot address the #2 extern al monitor as an ind ep endent display, but can use the #2 external monitor as a mirror (clone) of the notebook displa y. In this case, there are three external displays, with the #2 display mirrorin g the n ote[...]

11– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Four External Displays (Windows XP, Windo ws 2000) Five External Displays (Windows XP*)[...]

12– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Display types and connecti ons It is important to understand some basic differe nces among display t ypes and connections, so that you can match the right dis play with the right port or adapter. There are three major categories of computer displays:  Flat-panel LCD or plasma displays  CRT computer mon[...]

13– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Display Connector Types = compatible with SideCar MMS series = highest-quality connection Analog VGA – all computer displays The standard computer analo g display connector , introduce d in 1987. More precisely described as an HD15 or mini D-sub 15- pin connector; D-sub 15 or D-sub for short. Male on left,[...]

14– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS (Note: VGA connections can still achieve digital DVI quality when all components in the chain are working optimally. Some top-quality flat-panel displays can even automatically adjust for some defects in the analog signal. Using a digital DVI signal simply is a more reliable approach, because it avoids signa[...]

15– S UPPORTED DISPLAY CONFIGUR ATIONS Supported display combinati ons The SideCar MMS series supports any combination of digital DVI or analog VGA connections.  A high-density LFH connector at the rear of the SideCar provides the display outputs. (Two such connectors are supplied with the SideCar PlusFour MMS.)  A supplied Y-cable attaches[...]

16- H ARDWARE SETUP Chapter 3 - Hardware setup 1. Unpack all SideCar components . You should have:  SideCar chassis  Power supply transformer and AC power cord  PC Card* notebook interface card; also know n as PCMCIA card or CardBus interface ( shown below left )  1-meter SideCar / computer interface cable – connects SideCar to PC Car[...]

17- H ARDWARE SETUP 2. Locate and position monitors at the work location. You may use DVI or VGA displays ( see previous chapter for further explanation ).  Digital DVI displays are supported up to 1280 by 1024 resolution.  Analog VGA displays are supported up to 2048 by 1536 resolution. 3. Turn off the monitors and gather together the ends o[...]

18- H ARDWARE SETUP SideCar PlusFour MMS: Connectors at rear of chassis and on dual-monitor Y-cables 7. After attaching the Y-cable(s) to the SideCar, attach monitor cables to each Y-cable. If your monitors use analog VGA connectors, add the supplied DVI-to-VGA (HD15) adapters to the ends of the Y-cable. ( Y-cables and adapters are shown in step 1 [...]

19- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Chapter 4 - Windows XP/2000 driver installation Overview To enable your SideCar for use with your com puter, you will follow a one-time driver installation sequence that takes about 10 minutes and requires yo u to restart your computer more than once. Several distinct installation stages are required to move[...]

20- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Stage 1. Install PCI to PCI bri dge During various stages of the installation, Window s will detect one or more devices called a “PCI to PCI bridge.” Such as: “DEC 21152 PCI to PCI br idge” or “PCI standard PCI to PCI bridge .” PCI bridges are part of the logical connection between your noteboo k[...]

21- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 2000 / Stage 1: Install PCI to PCI Bridge[...]

22- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION[...]

23- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Stage 2. Install SideCar cha ssis driver (PC Card ver sion only *) 1. After restarting your sy stem (as prompted by Windows after installing a PCI to PCI bridge), insert the SideCar installation CD. 2. A setup program should launch. (On notebooks with autorun disabled, browse to the CD and launch Setup.exe f[...]

24- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION[...]

25- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Restart your computer after Setup completes. (Clicking “Yes” at th e closing dialog box will automatically restart your computer.) Leave your SideCar CD in the drive for the next steps.[...]

26- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Stages 3 - 4: Install SideCar MMS display controllers and monit ors Next, Windows should detect the first SideCar MMS display controller and alert you with a “Found New Hardware Wizard.” Note: The SideCar MMS series contains multiple disp lay controllers. These can be installed in succession without rest[...]

27- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION The wizard will show you a progress screen while it searches for drivers. 3. The dialog box reports: “Please select the best match for your hardware from the list below.” The default option, English, is selected.  If you wish to install in English, leave “English” selected and click “Next.” ?[...]

28- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Wait while the drivers are installed. Your screen may flicker at times during this process. 5. The dialog box reports: Click “Finish.” Windows XP / Stage 4: Install monitors If your monitors are attached to the SideCar and powered on, a dialog box like this may open: Accept the default option “Install [...]

29- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 2000 / Stage 3: Install SideCar MMS display drivers 1. Windows 2000 will open these alerts: 2. Click “Next” to continue. 3. The dialog box reports: Ensure that “Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended)” is selected, then click “Next” .[...]

30- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION 4. The dialog box reports: Ensure that “CD-ROM drives” is checked, then click “Next” . 5. The installer finds the driver. The dialog box reports:  If you wish to install in English , click “Next” and skip to step 7.  If you wish to install in French, Italian, German or Spanish , click the c[...]

31- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION On the following screen, choose your preferred language and click “Next.” 7. (All users) The dialog box reports: Click “Yes” to continue. 8. The drivers will begin to be installed: Late in this process, your screen may flicker briefly, and then you will see the following completion confirmation: 9. C[...]

32- W INDOWS XP/2000 DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 2000 / Stage 4: Install monitors You may be prompted to install your monitor(s). If so, follow t he default prompts and accept automatic installation. Windows 2000: Install remaining SideCar MMS controllers and monitors  Repeat stages 3 and 4 until all cont rollers and monitors are installed.  [...]

33- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N Chapter 5 - Monitor activation and configuration This chapter guides you through the activation of you r SideCar monitors. You must first install the required drivers (Chapter 4) in order to activate your monitors. Using Display Properties 1. Right-click on the Windows desktop , and select “Properties”[...]

34- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N You should see an icon-based representation of three or four monitors , each with a number. The “1” monitor is your notebook LCD display . The “grayed out” monitors are inactive monitors  If you see a total of four or six monitors , the #2 monitor is typically (but not always) a secondary monito[...]

35- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N 3. Select the lowest number SideCar mo nitor (click on the monitor with your mouse). The following is the resulting screen in a six-monitor example: The lower half of the dialog box will display the properties for this monitor:  Display: You should see a description such as, “Plug and Play Monitor on [...]

36- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N 4. Click the checkbox “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor.” 5. Determine the maximum resolution of your monitor (available from your monitor vendor’s documentation). You should not attempt to operate your monitor above its maximum resolution. In most cases, Windows will recognize your monito[...]

37- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N 9. (Windows 2000 only) Windows will report: Click “OK” to close the alert. 10. One of your monitors should now activate . (If not, confirm that both monitors are powered on and are attached to the SideCar.) Simultaneously, your notebook will display the pop-up dialog box: Click “Yes” to accept the [...]

38- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N 12. Click “Apply” when done. Display Properties should look similar to this (SideCar PlusFour MMS version): 13. Position the actual (physical) monitors on your work space as preferred. You can choose any arrangement, with the notebook LCD placed anywhere in the sequence. 14. Once you have positioned th[...]

39- M ONITOR ACTIVATION AND CONFIGURATIO N Using the notebook ext ernal monitor port If your notebook has its own external display port available for use, you m ay wish to connect a display to it and activate it as well. This enabl es the following Windows XP configurations, wit h the notebook external monitor port drivi ng monitor #2: The notebook[...]

40- P UTTING THE S IDE C AR T O W O RK : KEY TIPS Chapter 6 - Putting the SideCar to work: key tips Please follow these key tips for successful daily operation of your SideCar. Power-up sequence It’s critical to follow the proper power-on sequen ce with your notebook, SideCar and displa ys. If you don’t, the SideCar ma y not function until you [...]

41- P UTTING THE S IDE C AR T O W O RK : KEY TIPS Use care when attaching the dual-monitor Y-cables Your displays attach to the SideCar via two dual-monitor Y-cables. The SideCar connectors for these Y-cables are called LFH-60 connectors (see photo below). They are the industry-standard connectors for multi-monitor breakout ca bles. The pins on the[...]

42- P UTTING THE S IDE C AR T O W O RK : KEY TIPS Avoid “Suspend” and “Hibe r nate” me thods of shutdown Most notebook computers offer the ability to sh ut down while saving open programs, through Windows “suspend” and “hibernate” shutdown options. These shutdown methods are not supported with the SideCar. They may work with some no[...]

43- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Chapter 7 - User options for multi-display ease of use ► Designate a new primary monitor ► Move or auto-hide the Windows Taskbar ► Use QuickDesk / PowerDesk utilities ► Enlarge and speed up the mouse pointer User options You may want to change some Windows settings to optimize your multi-m o[...]

44- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Secondary monitors do not have these attributes by default. Notably, secondary monitors normally do not use hardware video overlay , which may degrade your ability to display best- quality motion video on these monitors (or prev ent motion video from appearing at all). Designate a new primary monito[...]

45- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE 2. Click the “Settings” tab . 3. By default, your existing primary monitor is the #1 display , which is normally your notebook LCD display. See in the example a bove that this display (Mobilit y Radeon, the notebook’s graphics controller) has the item “Use this device as the primary monitor?[...]

46- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE 5. Click the checkbox, “Use this device as the primary monitor” . Clicking the checkbox will cause it to gray out (below). 6. Click “Apply” to accept this change, then “OK” to close the dialog box.[...]

47- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Move or auto-hide th e Windows Taskbar You may want to move the Windows Taskbar to a different monitor, to make it more convenient to use in your multi-display setup. In addition you may want to “auto-hide” the Taskbar to maximize screen area for a pplications stretched across multiple monitors.[...]

48- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Auto-hide th e Taskbar The Taskbar occupies the bottom area of one di splay under Windows XP/2000. In a multi-display desktop, the usable desktop area for applications is thus less on one monitor than on others. For many users, this works fine – certainly the abilit y to have the Taskbar always vi[...]

49- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Windows XP: auto-hide the Taskbar 1. Right-click on an unused area of the Taskbar, select “Properties” . 2. Under “Taskbar appearance”, select the checkbox “Auto-hide the taskbar” . 3. Click “OK” to apply the change and close the dialog box. Note: to turn off the auto-hide feature , [...]

50- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE QuickDesk / PowerDesk utilities (window / dialog box positioning) The SideCar MMS includes Matrox QuickDesk / PowerDesk utilities that improve the convenience of working with your multi-monito r desktop. Features of these utilities include controlling where dialog boxes and program windows appear ?[...]

51- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Use CenterPOPUP CenterPOP may be the most important utility . It controls where dialog boxes and message boxes from applications and Windows appear. By de fault, CenterPOP is turned off, which m eans that dialog boxes may appear across the “seam” be tween monitors in a multi-display desktop. We [...]

52- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Combining the “Save/Restore” and “Open progr am windows” options The two preceding options may be combined, but users should note that their actions when combined may produce unexpected results. You can test these effe cts using a simpl e program such as Windows Notepad. When both of the pre[...]

53- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Snap to display… Another helpful option is the ability to “snap” windows to screen edges when their borders are dragged within a certain range of the screen edge. The range can be as close as 1 pixel or as far as 50 pixels. Choosing this option can avoid som e of the fuss of maximizing windows[...]

54- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Change language for QuickDesk / PowerDesk menus The SideCar installation offered you a choice of la nguage for display utility me nus and help files. You can change that choice at any time, among E nglish, French, German, Spanish and Italian. 1. Open the QuickDesk menu from the Taskbar (click on the[...]

55- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Extensive help is also avai la ble via the QuickDesk menu: 1. Open the QuickDesk menu from the Taskbar (click on the blue icon): 2. Select “Help” , then “PowerDesk Help” . 3. This opens the following Help dialog box: QuickDesk features are discussed under “Matrox QuickDesk menu” . Note: [...]

56- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Support from Matrox If you have further questions about these Matr ox utilities, please contact Matrox support via the following dedicated support email address, mmssupport@m atrox.com . (Reference your product as the Matrox G450 MMS.) Note that this support email is a Matrox no-charge pr emium serv[...]

57- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE 4. Click the down arrow under “Scheme” to explore alternative mouse pointer options: 5. Choose any of the options to see a preview of that scheme’s pointer style and size. Here are some examples, with the preview pointer on the right, and the original pointer to the right of the preview pointe[...]

58- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE 6. When you have found a pointer schem e you like, click the “Apply” button to activate that pointer. Don’t close the dialog box yet. (Don’t c lick “OK”.) 7. Move the pointer around your displays to see if you like it. Roll over links (e.g., in Web pages) and application buttons, to get [...]

59- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Windows 2000 “Motion” tab:  Speed – Move this slider to adjust the speed at which the pointer moves on your screen. Changes are previewed immediately (without clicking “Apply”). You may find that you prefer moving the slider toward “Fast” to make it easier to move the pointer across[...]

60- U SER OPTIONS FOR MULTI - DISPLAY EASE OF USE Windows XP “Pointer Options” tab:  Motion – Move this slider to adjust the speed at which the pointer moves on your screen. Changes are previewed immediately (without clicking “Apply”). You may find that you prefer moving the slider toward “Fast” to make it easier to move the pointe[...]

61- D ISABLE THE NOTEBOOK DISPLAY Chapter 8 - Disable the notebook display Some users may wish to disable their notebook display when using SideCar monitors. Reasons to disable the notebook display include:  Preference to use only large desktop flat-panel displays or CRT monitors of equal size on the desktop (to a achieve a near ly seamless mult[...]

62- D ISABLE THE NOTEBOOK DISPLAY 3. Click “Apply ” to accept the changes, then “OK” to close the dialog box. 4. Now when you return to Display Properties / Settings in the future, you should see a dialog box similar to this:[...]

63- D ISABLE THE NOTEBOOK DISPLAY Reactivate the notebook LCD displ ay 1. Click on the #1 monitor in this dialog box. 2. Click “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor”. 3. If you want to re-designate the notebook LCD as the primary monitor, click “Use this device as the primary monitor”. 4. Reposition the #1 monitor, if necessary, to m[...]

64- A DVANCED OPTIONS Chapter 9 - Advanced options Adjust display col or and contrast Advanced users may wish to adju st the default color and contrast settings of the SideCar display controllers. This may be important to match prin ted output, rectify monitor deficiencies, or to compensate for environmental lighting conditi ons. Note that the defa[...]

65- A DVANCED OPTIONS ICC/ ICM color profiles Matching colors between computer screens and pr int ed output is a considerable challenge, given the radically different principles behind color pr oduction in illuminated color (used by computer monitors, using the RGB process) and most prin ted material (which use the CMYK process). In addition, there[...]

66- A DVANCED OPTIONS 6. Click “Add” to load the new color profile you will supply.[...]

67- M ONITOR OPTIONS Chapter 10 - Monitor options The SideCar MMS series can be used with nearly any analog (SVGA) or digital (DVI) monitor. Digital DVI displays are supported at screen resolutions from 640 by 480 up to 1,280 by 1,02 4. Analog displays are supported at resolutions from 640 by 480 up to 2,048 by 1,536 resolution. That said, since up[...]

68- M ONITOR OPTIONS  Bright, high-contrast screen; wide viewing angle o Specifications vary greatly among manufacturers and models  High degree of color accuracy, and good support for standard color-matching systems  Fast-refresh pixels to support motion video and quick mouse m ovements on the screen  Convenient controls to adjust brig[...]

69- M ONITOR OPTIONS Monitor arms and mounting options When monitors are intended for fixed or showcas e installation, it can be convenie nt to employ monitor arms or mounting rails. These options help clear desk space (since no stands are needed) and enable flexible mounting options for such venues as trade shows and business presentations. Most m[...]

70- F REQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ S ) Chapter 11 - Frequently asked questions (FAQs) Does this product support Macintosh or other Windows versions besides Windows XP and Windows 2000? No. However, alternative SideCa r products do support Macintosh. What combination of DVI (digital) and analog (VGA type) monitors does the SideCar support? The Sid[...]

71- F REQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ S ) Why can’t I see motion video in applications and/or media players? Playback of motion video frequently requires access by the application to the DirectDraw hardware video overlay plane. This plane is accessible only on the display designated as the “primary monitor”. You can choose whic h display is th[...]

72- U NINSTALLING THE S IDE C AR Chapter 12 - Uninstalling the SideCar To uninstall the SideCar: 1. Open the Windows Control Panel : • Windows 2000/XP : From the desktop, d ouble-click “My Computer”, then double- click “Control Panel”, or  Windows 2000 : Click “Start” / “Settings” / “Control Panel”  Windows XP : Click ?[...]

73- T ROUBLESHOOTING Notebook compatibility Notebook compatibility is usually determined by the notebook’s CardBus con troller . Most notebooks use controllers made by Texas Instruments, whi ch are fully compatible with our SideCar produ cts. Toshiba controllers are also compatible. CardBus controllers made by Ricoh and O2Micro have consistently [...]

74- T ROUBLESHOOTING cables. When this Y-cable male LFH connector is attached to the SideCar chassis female LFH connectors, adjacent pins (particularly at the edges and corners of the pin grid) on the Y-cable connector can very easily be be nt and forced into adjacent holes on the female connector on the SideCar chassis . This can in turn distort t[...]

75- T ROUBLESHOOTING Technical Support You may contact technical support via email at support@digitaltigers.com , or by calling 1-866- PC-VIDEO (866-728-4336). Outside the U.S., call 1-404-240-9293. Please review the Troubleshooting steps and FAQs prior to contacting support. When contacting support, please provide th e exact details of your notebo[...]

76- S PECIFICATIONS Chapter 14 - Specifications Operating systems supported: • Microsoft Windows XP • Microsoft Windows 2000 Notebook computers supported: • Please see the Digital Tigers Web site ( http://digitaltigers.com ) for certified notebooks Notebook interface: • CardBus PCMCIA PC Card (supplied) • 1-meter interface cabl e (supplie[...]

77- S PECIFICATIONS Combined Windows desktop resolution: Side-by-side monitors 2 monitors 3 monitors 4 monitors 1024 by 768 resolution standard monitors 1536 by 768 2304 by 768 3072 by 768 1280 by 1024 resolution standard monitors 2560 by 1024 3840 by 1024 5120 by 1024 Combined Windows desktop resolution: Four monitors stacked two on two 1024 by 76[...]

78- I NDEX Chapter 15 - Index A anti-virus programs........................................... 70 applications choosing prefe rred disp lays for application windows ................................ 50, 51, 52, 70 default display for application windows ...... 43 financial trader des ktop.................................. 5 home and office multi-mon[...]

79- I NDEX primary monitor .... 43, See Display Properties: primary monitor recommended LCD monitors ................. 67, 68 refresh rate supported .................................. 76 resolution supported.....................................76 shipping cases ................................ 7, 8, 68, 69 VESA mounting plate ......................[...]