Tips for replacing Matrixdrivers by NVDI drivers. ------------------------------------------------ First, install the latest Matrixsoftware. It consists of 2 disks. The archive TC1208DR.ZIP unpacks into two folders, called DISK1 and DISK2. Copy the CONTENTS of these folders to 2 separate disks. The first is the one with the installation program, the second one will be asked for during the installation. Note: Matrixsoftware from before December 92 is NOT enough to get a working NVDI installation! If your Matrixsoftware is on only 1 disk (DD-type) you'll have to find a later version first. Next, set up your card. Adjust resolutions and the most practical way to do this is by manually editing the .INF files. I'll supply a few examples for working INF files for an average SVGA monitor. Then choose for 3xBNC or SUB-D sync. This can be done by booting, and then pressing (left) SHIFT to get to a selection screen. If your screen is greenish afterwards, you'll have to select the other of the two. To get your screen centered on the tube, manually change the Hp and Vp settings in the Matsetup.prg. DON'T use the sliders, since your screen may darken out when moving them too abruptly. For every 6, 7 or 8 clicks on the arrows next to the sliderbars, your screen jumps one position to the left/right or up/down. If you have no manual (likely, since you have no software either) this works as follows: Start Matsetup.prg. Click the TCxx-icon in the bottom row, this makes the adjustments you make are directly working on the screen. Next adjust the picture. When this looks OK, click the Edit-icon, then drag this icon to the Disk-icon, and this saves the file as F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 or F6 (your choice). You can also choose for a virtual screen: the displayed resolution is say 832x608, but the virtual one is 4096x4096. Moving the mouse around shows the rest of the screen. If you need a B-I-G desktop, here's your chance. When all your INF files are finetuned, move on to installing NVDI (Note: this should be the special version for the TC1208, the regular NVDI won't work!). It may be, that you encounter a problem during the installation. NVDI consists of 2 disks, and if for one reason or another during the installation the program DOESN'T ask for disk-2, you won't have NVDI installed completely. Check disk-1 and look for a file DISK2. If it's there, remove it. That's all, simply re-install NVDI. I found this problem with my NVDI disks and checked with Wilfried Behne, and we found there were sets around with this DISK2 file on the wrong disk... Your autofolder should have the following programs in the following order: INIT.TOS, REDIRECT.PRG, NVDI.PRG, SLCT_DEV.PRG. Redirect simply changes output to your SVGA monitor. NVDI starts the drivers and Slct_dev enables you to switch to another resolution at the end of boot up (this should be last in the autofolder preferably). Note that slct_dev keeps the last choosen config, so if you don't change it in the next boot, the resolution will be the same one as the last one you used. The old resolutions ST-Low, Medium and High as well as TT-Low and Medium are selectable, but you need a monitor connected to the TT's monitorsocket then. Another practical tip: if with the Matrix software your card boots OK but not with the NVDI, check the Newdesk.inf file or even better: delete it. I'm telling you this because it took Wilfried and me about 4 hours to discover a (probably rotten) Newdesk.inf file prevented NVDI from booting OK!!! If you're running MagiC, put Magxboot before NVDI. Also driving software for a CD-ROM can be run before NVDI. Note that on a TC1208 you can enlarge your screen by pressing CTL and right- clicking the mouse. First time it's a 2x magnification, next time another 2x and the third time another 2x. The third time only works in Truecolor, not in 256 colors. Resetting to normal is holding SHIFT and rightclick. Scrolling this blown-up screen is by simply moving the mouse around. This feature comes in quite handy on many occasions. Finally some examples for INF.files for the Matrix software: * 640 x 400 256 Farben xy 640 400 sync 118 2 start 256 36 frame 996 448 bpp 8 clock 31.00 --- * 640 x 480 256 Farben xy 640 480 sync 118 2 start 256 36 frame 1016 516 bpp 8 clock 32.00 --- * 832 x 608, 256 Farben xy 832 608 sync 64 6 start 264 32 frame 1160 640 bpp 8 clock 58.00 --- * 832 x 608 True Color xy 832 608 sync 64 6 start 227 32 frame 1160 640 bpp 24 clock 58 --- * 880 x 656, 256 Farben xy 880 656 sync 128 4 start 368 35 frame 1391 701 bpp 8 clock 70.00 --- * 1024 x 768 256 Farben xy 1024 768 sync 128 4 start 314 31 frame 1400 805 bpp 8 clock 70.00 --- These are simple ASCII files, just take * whatever as the first line and the last blank line as the last one (there should be a C/R in that line). The ---markers are just the separation in this message. So every set of 9 lines can simply be pasted as a F1, F2 etc .INF file. The specs for a 1208 are max 832x624 in 16.7M colors and max 1280x1024 in 256 colors. The monitor itself could set lower values to max. pixels. One final note: only install NVDI when all your INF files are correct. If one of them has the wrong sync (you'll discover that with a greenish display where it should be white) and you install NVDI, the driver is set accordingly and there's no way of changing this later. Only solution is setting up Matrix again, correct the INF file and re-install NVDI again; a time-consuming operation. I'm talking about what I encountered :-). There is no problem in changing other settings in an .INF file and using it with NVDI, though, so you can just manually edit an .INF file from xy 832 608 to xy 832 624 (note that the framesettings probably need to be adjusted as well; better check this out with Matsetup.prg and the screen displaying changes, if your Hf or Vf values are wrong you can't increase MX or VX values...). Finally, enjoy your TC1208!