Sun XVR-500 Graphics Accelerator - Frequently Asked Questions
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No Longer Orderable
1. Which systems does the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator support?The Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator supports the Sun Blade 150, Sun Blade 1000, Sun Blade 2000 workstation, and Sun Fire V880 server.
2. How many Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator boards can I install in a single system?You can install up to two boards in the Sun Blade 150. You can install up to four boards in the Sun Blade 1000, Sun Blade 2000 workstations, or Sun Fire V880 server.
3. What are some of the differences between the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator and other graphics accelerator boards offered by Sun?The following table highlight some key differences.
4. How can I tell which resolutions are available on the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?Use the fbconfig command (type "fbconfig -res \?") to obtain the list of resolutions or visit http://www.sun.com/desktop/products/graphics/xvr500/specs.html#g1_3.
5. How is the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator able to support true color 2-D and 3-D graphics on a standard Sun 21-inch monitor?The dedicated, 24-bit on-board 32 MB frame buffer memory of the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator enables resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 (32-bit double-buffer and Z-buffer).
6. Does the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator provide 16 MB of texture memory at the highest resolutions?Yes. Unlike many other graphics cards where texture memory is shared with frame buffer memory (a unified memory architecture), the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator has 16 MB of dedicated texture memory available at all resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 (32-bit double-buffer and Z-buffer).
7. Can I use the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator with my existing stereo display equipment?Yes, the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator has a VESA-standard, 8-pin mini-din stereo connector. The Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator supports stereoscopic graphics video output and the same stereo resolutions as both the Sun Creator3D and Sun Elite3D graphics accelerator boards. It also supports the much higher stereo resolutions available on the new Sun FD 21-inch display and Sun 24-inch display monitors.
8. Does the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator support Solaris Operating Environment 2.6 or 7?No. Only Solaris Operating Environments 8 and future updates and releases are supported.
9. What if I'm only able to use Solaris Operating Environment 2.6 or 7?You should continue using other Sun graphics solutions such as the Sun Expert3D-Lite or Sun Expert3D graphics accelerators.
10. Why does the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator come with an installation CD?You cannot access all of the features of the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator without first installing the necessary drivers. The Sun XVR-500 Graphics Accelerator Installation CD contains the drivers to run the board under Solaris Operating Environment 8 and future updates.
11. Are the drivers included with the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator compatible with the Sun Expert3D and Sun Expert3D-Lite graphics accelerator boards?Yes, the drivers included on the installation CD are backwards compatible with the Sun Expert3D and Sun Expert3D-Lite graphics boards.
12. Where can I get the most current drivers for the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?Although the installation CD for Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator comes with drivers for Solaris Operating Environment 8, it may not contain the latest updates. To get the most current drivers, go to http://www.sun.com/software/graphics/OpenGL.
13. Will I need to modify the applications I run in order to use the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?No, there is no need to modify your applications if they have been written to the standard graphic APIs for OpenGL and X-Windows. However, you may want to update some applications in order to take full advantage of all of the features of the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator.
14. In which system bus slots can I install the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?The Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator is a full-size, single-slot width, 64-bit, 33 or 66 MHz PCI board. It can plug into any 33 MHz or 66 MHz PCI slot on a Sun Blade 1000, Sun Blade 2000 workstation, or Sun Fire V880 server. When the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator is plugged into a 64-bit/33 MHz or 32-bit/33 MHz PCI slot, the slower bus speed will lower peak performance by between 20 and 40 percent.
15. How do I connect the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator HD-15 connector to a 13W3-based display?An HD-15 to 13W3 video adapter is provided with the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator to connect directly to a 13W3 video cable.
16. Which sync standards are supported via the HD-15 connector on the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?The Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator HD-15 video connector provides both composite and separate sync. It also provides support for a DDC link for monitor query and control. 17. How do I enable stereo synchronization from two to four monitors with the Sun XVR-500 graphics accelerator?You must have a framelock cable to enable synchronization (one cable for two monitors and two cables for four monitors). Framelock cables (part #530-2754) are available from the Sun Store (http://store.sun.com) or from Sun Telesales (1-800-786-0404). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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