A+ Certification Guide

Chapter 7

Video

Chapter 7Objectives

� Video (Graphics) Cards Types and Installation:

– Describe the different types of video cards, including PCI, AGP, and

PCIe, and the methods of cooling video cards.

– Understand video card installation and driver setups.

� Display Types:

– Describe CRTs, LCDs, and data projectors.

� Install a Video Card

� Video Connector Types:

– Describe VGA, DVI, and HDMI.

� Configure Resolution and Refresh Rate

� Troubleshooting Displays and Video Cards:

– Show how to use OSD and the advanced display properties.

– Describe how to clean display and clean/maintain airflow.

Video (Graphics) Card Types

In order of appearance on the market:

� On Board:

– Found on most motherboards

– Generally low quality but some high-end available

on better motherboards

� PCI:

– Legacy

� AGP:

– Pentium II – Pentium IV

� PCI Express (PCIe):

– Multicore machines

Video RAM

� Why have video RAM?

– Video RAM is on the video graphics card.

� Review: Motherboard RAM—What is it used for?

– Memory addresses—Allocated by CPU/ memory management system.

– CPU generally takes data directly from RAM.

� Video display is memory-intensive:

– CPU sends raw data to video card.

– RAM on video card allows processing to occur before sending it to display.

– Conclusion: Video RAM is a buffer between the RAM data and the display-ready data.

Video Card Cooling

� GPU (Graphics Processing Unit):

– CPU for graphics cards

– Can overheat without provision for cooling

� Cooling provided by

– Passive heat sinks:

• No moving parts

– Active cooling:

• Powered fans mounted on GPU

– Cooling devices need to be kept clean of dust.

– Air flow around GPU should be unrestricted.

Display Types

� CRT monitors:

– Mostly on older systems.

– Dot pitch determines quality of resolution.

� LCD monitors (liquid crystal display):

– Quality of dot pitch catching up to CRT.

– Refresh rate expressed in milliseconds.

– Can use either analog (VGA) or digital (DVI) inputs.

� LED – LCD with LED source light

� Plasma – used in TVs that double as PC monitors

� Data projectors:

– Can be either LCD or DLP (digital light projection).

LCD Projector Image Processing

Installing a Video Card

1. Configuring the BIOS for the video card being

installed:

– AGP settings.

– Set Primary Graphics Adapter.

– Graphics aperture—use default.

2. Physically installing the video card:

– System off; ESD protection employed.

– Remove old video card/cable if necessary.

3. Installing drivers for the video card:

– Initial setup is done by PnP.

– Advanced setup usually requires driver installation.

Installing Video Card

Video Connector Types� VGA:

– 15-pin female port connector

– 15-pin cable—male ends

� DVI:

– DVI-I—analog and digital

– DVI-D—digital-only

� HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface):

– Supports 1080p HDTV

– Specialized cable and connector

– Supports both video and audio data

� Component RBG (Red/Blue/Green)

� S-Video

� Composite

Video Connectors

DVI to VGA Converters

Installing a Monitor

� Match up appropriate cable:

– DVI or VGA

� Choose refresh rate:

– See manufacturer’s instructions.

� Connect the cable:

– Be careful not to damage male pins.

� Display properties sheet and select settings.

� Go to Advanced Dialog for further adjustments:

– May need to install driver

Display Settings

� Resolution (pixel dimensions):

– Horizontal width in pixels by vertical height in pixels.

– Example: XGA is 1024 wide x 768 high.

– Can be modified in display settings.

� Color quality:

– Measured in bits/results in amount of colors.

• 16 bits provides 65,386 colors.

• 32 bits provides 4.3 billion colors.

� Refresh rates:

– Low refresh can produce flickering images on-screen.

• 70Hz or higher is best on CRT.

– LCD screens do not flicker.

• 60Hz is adequate.

Windows XP Display Properties

Advanced Display Adjustments

Advanced Display Properties for Troubleshooting

enables you to

– Adjust text size with the DPI setting.

– Adjust refresh rate to reduce flicker.

– Click the Driver tab to update driver.

– Use hardware acceleration selection to adjust

mouse/pointer settings.

– Use Full Screen 3D to lighten the screen for 3D

games.

Windows 7 Display Properties

Troubleshooting Displays and Video Cards

� OSD (OnScreen Display):

– Activate by pushing the adjustment buttons on the monitor/display.

– Adjustments:

• Horizontal picture size

• Horizontal picture centering

• Vertical picture size

• Vertical picture centering

• Contrast

• Brightness

Situations Requiring OSD Adjustments

Troubleshooting Video Hardware

CRTs:

• Degaussing removes distortion around edges.

• Flickering caused by bad/loose cable.

• Wavy lines caused by electromagnetic “noise.”

• Poor picture quality may be helped by

– Improved resolution.

– Change to a more correct refresh rate.

LCDs:

• If no picture, reselect the source—vga, hdmi, dvi.

• Colored dots on an LCD projector indicate a need for internal cleaning of LCD panels.

• Picture size is misaligned.

– Change resolution.

Preventative Maintenance for Displays

� Do not block ventilation holes.

� Use antistatic cleaners to clean screens and other

surfaces.

� Do not spray cleaners directly onto screens or

enclosures.

� Use thumbscrews at end of cable connectors to secure

cables.

� Blow dust off video card when case is opened.

� Allow for as much airflow space as possible around

video card.

What Have You Learned?

– What is refresh rate?

– How do you change the resolution?

– What is OSD?

– What is VRAM?

– How would you resolve a problem with an LCD

projector in which the picture on the screen is not

capturing all the picture on the PC?

– What are the preventative maintenance concerns

regarding the monitor that a technician should pay

attention to when servicing a computer?

Chapter 7Summary

� Video (Graphics) Cards Types and Installation:

– Describe the different types of video cards and the methods of

cooling video cards.

– Understand video card installation and driver setups.

– Describe VGA, DVI, and HDMI.

� Display Types:

– Describe CRTs, LCDs, and data projectors.

– Demonstrate how to install and configure a video monitor.

� Troubleshooting Displays and Video Cards:

– Show how to use OSD and the advanced display properties.

� Preventative Maintenance for Displays:

– Describe how to clean display and clean/maintain airflow.

Next Lesson: Chapter 8