Copyright: Copyright © Creative Technology Ltd


Help Contents
Contents

Overview of the Installation process

Step-by-Step Procedures

To Install Package

To Set Up Device

To Diagnose Hardware

To Align Video

To Uninstall Package

Creative Video Blaster SE100 VFW Driver

Creative Video Blaster SE100 VFW Driver

Troubleshooting

If there is no video image

If the live image has a magenta border

If the video image has no color

If you cannot load a JPEG file

If the VGA screen flickers

If the live video flickers

If video image blanks out or breaks up

If the mouse cursor disappears when moved into the video area


Overview of the Installation process

It is recommended that you do not install the hardware into the computer until you have finished the software installation steps below.

Software Installation Steps:

1.	Insert the installation disk into your floppy drive.

2.	Install the software application package into the system. See "To Install Package" for more instructions.

3.	Next, you will need to install the software drivers. At the end of the installation, a help file will be launched to guide you through this step.

4.	After the drivers have been installed, Windows 95 will assign resources for the hardware. Take note of this resource settings, and shut down the system when prompted.

5.	Set the jumpers on the hardware using the resource settings obtained from (4).

6.	Now install the hardware into a free expansion slot in the system. (Remember to turn off all power to the computer first!)

7.	Restart the computer. The installation is completed!

8.	See "To Align Video" to set up video alignment for the hardware. Note that video alignment may differ for different screen resolutions.

Troubleshooting Hardware Problems

If you encounter hardware problems after installation, please run the Video Blaster SE100 Diagnose utility which will help pinpoint any hardware fault.

Uninstallating the Software Package:

Refer to "To Uninstall Package" which will give you step-by-step instruction on how to uninstall the software applications and drivers from the system.


To Install Package

1.	Click here [image] to open the Add/Remove Programs dialog box. Click Install...

2.	Follow the instructions on your screen.

Tip

It is a good idea to install the software package before installing the hardware. This will allow the system to assign resources and lets you change jumpers on the hardware if necessary.


To Set Up Device

1.	Click here [image] to start the Add New Hardware wizard.

2.	When the Add New Hardware Wizard asks, "Do you want Windows to search for your new hardware?", choose No and then click Next.

3.	A list of hardware types appears. Choose "Sound, video and game controllers" and click Next.

4.	Click "Have Disk..." You will be prompted for the location of the files. Insert the installation disk, and enter "A:" at the prompt. (Type in the appropriate letter if your disk drive is not "A:".)

5.	Choose Video Blaster SE100 in the "Select Device" window, then click OK.

6.	Please note down the resource settings which will be used for the hardware, then click Next.

7.	Click Finish after all the files are copied. And shut down your system when prompted.

8.	Set the jumper for Interrupt Request on Video Blaster SE100 to the number assigned by the system in step 6 above. (This jumper is labeled as "J1" on the hardware.)

9.	Plug the Video Blaster SE100 into an empty slot and restart Windows 95.


To Diagnose Hardware

1.	Click here [image] to start the Video Blaster SE100 Diagnose program.

2.	Follow the instructions on your screen.


To Align Video

1.	Click here [image] to start the Video Blaster SE100 Setup program.

2.	Follow the instructions on your screen.


To Uninstall Package

1.	Click here [image] to open the Add/Remove Programs dialog box.

2.	Select Video Blaster SE100 Software to remove.

3.	Click on Add/Remove to remove the Video Blaster SE100 Software from the system.

4.	Click here [image] to display Device Manager to remove the hardware device.

5.	Click the plus sign text next to "Sound, Video and Game Controller", and then select the Creative Labs Video Blaster SE100 device.

6.	Click Remove to uninstall the device.


Creative Video Blaster SE100 VFW Driver - Creative Video Blaster SE100 VFW Driver
Creative Video Blaster SE100 VFW Driver

The Video for Windows drivers are automatically installed when you install the Video Blaster SE100 Win95 drivers. These are:

1.	Video Blaster SE100 Video capture driver.

2.	Video Blaster video compressor driver.

Creative Video Blaster SE100 Video Capture Driver

The Video Blaster SE100 Capture Driver supports 6 different capture formats - 8-bit RGB palettized, 16-bit RGB, 24-bit RGB, Truncated YUV, Packed YUV and Compressed YUV.

The YUV formats are part of the Creative YUV DIB Format Extension which are proprietary to Creative Labs, Inc.

These YUV formats play back directly to the Video Blaster hardware and yield better color resolution at low data rates. Truncated YUV has better image quality as the 8-bit RGB palettized format while retaining the same data rate. Compressed YUV yields the same image quality as Truncated YUV while having a lower data rate.

Note: It is NOT required to capture the palette when capturing using the YUV formats.

Creative Video Compressor

The Creative Video Compressor is a Compression and Decompression driver (also known as a CODEC) that supports the playback of Creative YUV AVI files. It also supports the conversion of Creative YUV AVI files to other file formats and vice versa.

By default, the Creative Video Compressor will play back Creative YUV AVI files through Video Blaster framebuffer, giving superior image quality as mentioned above. On machines not equipped with Video Blaster, the Creative Video CODEC driver may be used to play back Creative YUV AVI files through the VGA display instead. Playback configuration can be selected in the Control Panel drivers option.

Both video capture and playback share the same Video Blaster hardware. Because of this, there are certain guidelines that need to be observed when using both simultaneously:

1.	At any one time, only one Creative YUV AVI video sequence can be played back through the hardware. Subsequent copies of Creative YUV AVI video sequences will be played back through the VGA.

2.	Some conflicts will occur if VidCap.exe is run while Media Player or VidEdit.exe is playing Creative YUV AVI files. Unpredictable results might occur.

3.	Since there is only one Video Blaster SE100 card, only one application can access the frame buffer at any one time. Running multiple applications that access the frame buffer will cause unpredictable results.

Creative YUV AVI files played back to the frame buffer can be stretched to any size. The `Zoom-by-2' and `Full Screen' options in the Media Player are also supported. If the playback window is resized smaller than the original image, the image will be cropped.


If there is no video image

Causes:

1.	 The VGA cable is not connected to the video card.

2.	 The wrong input source selected.

3.	 Video image is not aligned with the VGA monitor.

Solutions:

1.	The connection may be wrong. Refer to the installation instructions in the User Manual on the correct connections.

2.	Click here [image] to start the Video Blaster SE100 Setup program. Use the Video Source drop-down list to select the appropriate video source.

3.	See the discussion below under "If the live image has a magenta border".


If the live image has a magenta border

Cause:

Video image is not aligned with the VGA monitor.

Solution:

Click here [image] to start the Video Blaster SE100 Setup program. Choose the System tab. Use the "X Offset" under "Video Alignment"slider for horizontal alignment and "Y Offset" for the vertical alignment.

You might also need to adjust the "Colorkey Correct" setting. To find out if you need to do so, move the cursor into the live video area. If there is a small border to the right or left of the mouse cursor, you need to make the adjustment. Adjust the slider until the border around the mouse cursor disappears.


If the video image has no color

Cause:

Saturation is set to 0.

Solution:

Click here [image] to start the Video Blaster SE100 Setup program. Choose the Color tab. Adjust the Saturation control until color re-appears.


If you cannot load a JPEG file

Cause:

Some JPEG file formats are not suppported like the YUV 4:2:0.

Solution:

Use a file conversion utility to convert the file to another format. You will need to convert the file to a non-JPEG format, or to one of the following JPEG formats:

1.	YUV 4:4:4 (or no sub-sampling)

2.	YUV 4:2:2 sub-sampling

3.	YUV 4:1:1 sub-sampling


If the VGA screen flickers

Cause:

Some connections are not secure.

Solution:

Ensure that the feature connector and video interface cables are firmly secured. Refer to the User Manual for information on the various cables to be connected.


If the live video flickers

Cause:

1.	 Some connections are not secured.

2.	 Video source may not be functioning.

Solution:

1.	 Ensure that the feature connector and video interface cables are firmly secured. Refer to the User Manual for information on the various cables to be connected.

2.	 Ensure that your video source is in reasonable condition e.g., having a clean VCR head!


If video image blanks out or breaks up

Cause:

Screen resolution may be too high.

Solution:

The Video Blaster SE100 will work with the following common screen resolutions:

1.	Standard VGA resolutions, up to 640x480x16 colors.

2.	640x480x256 colors

3.	800x600x16 colors

4.	800x600x256 colors

High-color VGA modes are not supported.


If the mouse cursor disappears when moved into the video area

Cause:

Chroma-keying is active.

Solution:

Disable chromakeying.