The operating procedures described in this section are designed to ensure your safety and the integrity of your new system.

The Onyx deskside chassis can be configured for either 110 VAC or 220–240 VAC operation. The system requires alternating current (AC) service at specified voltage and current ratings for proper operation. Verify that the correct AC line voltages are selected for each peripheral.

Figure 3-1 shows user-accessible system components.

Figure 3-1. User-Accessible Components

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Warning: To avoid electric shock and/or a fire hazard, do not disassemble the Onyx deskside chassis. No user-serviceable parts are located inside.

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Note: Before connecting or disconnecting any terminal, peripheral, or front-loading drive, be sure the system is powered off and the primary power source is disconnected. The system power connection should be unplugged at the wall or back of the chassis before you open either door.

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Before you can operate your new system, you need to connect a monitor, a keyboard, and mouse.

To connect anything to the I/O panel, you must open the front door by using the following procedures:

A high-resolution 21-inch monitor ships as the standard monitor with Onyx InfiniteReality graphics and RE² deskside systems. This section describes how to install the 21-inch monitor(s). Connect the monitor you received by following the steps in the applicable section.

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Caution: Before plugging any monitor into either a 110 VAC or a 220–240 VAC outlet, be sure that the electrical rating on the label is in either the 110 or the 220–240 range, whichever applies.

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When using a monitor in locations that do not have either of these outlets, contact your Silicon Graphics system support engineer before plugging in the monitor power cable.

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Note: If your monitor has white switches below the RGB posts, make sure they are pressed in so that they are in the 75-ohm position; otherwise, the monitor displays the wrong colors.

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Use only the cables specified to connect the monitor to the Onyx deskside chassis.

Connecting a 21-Inch Monitor

The InfiniteReality and RE² graphics systems use a 21-inch, high-resolution monitor. This monitor uses a 13W3-to-13W3 cable. Connect the 13W3 cable to the graphics I/O panel's 13W3 connector, and plug the other end to the back of the monitor. See Figure 3-3 for an example of the connectors on the 21-inch monitor.

When an InfiniteReality or RE² system is booted, the monitor operates in the default resolution of 1280 x 1024. To change the default video format, you may use the setmon command. For more information about the setmon command options, see the setmon reference (man) page.

Figure 3-3. 21-Inch Monitor Connectors

Figure 3-4 shows the front control locations for the 21-inch color monitor.

Figure 3-4. 21-Inch Monitor Controls

Basic use of the front-panel monitor controls is described in Table 3-1. For additional details and information on your monitor, read the user's manual that comes with your monitor.

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Note: The 21-inch monitor has factory-set viewing modes (see Table 3-2) and memory for additional configurable settings.

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Table 3-1. 21-Inch Front-Panel Monitor Controls

Control	Description
Power On/Off	Press the switch to turn monitor power On or Off (LED lights when power is On)
Degauss	Press and release the Degauss button to manually degauss the monitor. Use this method only when color impurities appear after turning on the monitor. The monitor is automatically degaussed at power on.
Contrast (half moon icon)	Press the (+) button to make the display (excluding the background) brighter. Press the (–) button to make the display (excluding the background) darker.
Brightness control (sun icon)	Press the (+) button to make the display (including the background) brighter. Press the (–) button to make the display (including the background) darker.
Horizontal Position	Press the (+) button to move the display position to the right. Press the (–) button to move the display position to the left.
Horizontal Size	Press the (+) button to expand the display horizontally. Press the (–) button to shrink the display horizontally.
Vertical Position	Press the (+) button to move the display position up. Press the (–) button to move the display position down.
Vertical Size	Press the (+) button to expand the display vertically. Press the (–) button to shrink the display vertically.
Pincushion	Press the (+) button to curve the left and right sides of the display outwards. Press the (–) button to curve the left and right sides of the display inwards.

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Note: Input signals with approximately the same frequencies may be regarded as the same signal.

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Table 3-2. Preset Viewing Modes for the 21-Inch Monitor

Mode Number	Resolution	Pixel Clock	Horizontal Frequency	Vertical Frequency
1	1280 x 1024	135 MHz	79.98 KHz	75 Hz
2	1280 x 1024	129.25 MHz	76.94 KHz	72 Hz
3	1280 x 1024	107.25 MHz	63.84 KHz	60 Hz
4	1280 x 1024	89.57 MHz	53.32 KHz	50 Hz
5	1280 x 1024	140.25 MHz	81.92 KHz	76 Hz
6	1024 x 768	78.75 MHz	60.02 KHz	75 Hz
7	1024 x 768	63.55 MHz	48.73 KHz	60 Hz
8	1920 x 1080	216 MHz	84.38 KHz	72 Hz
9	1600 x 1200	156.2 MHz	74.81 KHz	60 Hz
10	960 x 680	54.43 MHz	43.2 KHz	60 Hz

The Onyx InfiniteReality, RE² or VTX graphics systems provide connections to a number of video peripherals.

InfiniteReality Graphics Peripherals

The basic InfiniteReality graphics board set allows connection of two high-resolution 21-inch monitors. The following peripherals can also be connected:

• composite video monitor

• composite video cassette recorder

• S-Video monitor or SVHS video cassette recorder

• video mixer and monitor

• StereoView devices

Before using the graphics software, connect the composite or S-Video monitor or VCR to the appropriate output ports on the I/O panel. Refer to Figure 3-6.

Both the CMPST ports use standard BNC video connectors. They are electrically identical: a tape deck or monitor can be connected to either port. Connect a cable to your composite monitor and to either of the CMPST ports. Connect another cable to your VCR and to the other composite port.

The S-Video port is an output port that connects to an S-Video monitor or SVHS video cassette recorder. The port uses a 4-pin mini DIN connector. The port can connect to either the S-Video monitor or to the VCR.

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Caution: You must use the appropriate video peripherals. The composite video ports are connected to video monitors and VCRs that operate in NTSC or PAL video format. The S-Video port connects to VCR equipment that uses the SuperVHS format.

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Video peripherals are connected to the InfiniteReality graphics I/O panel, as shown in the example in Figure 3-5. Connections for Reality Engine² or VTX are shown in Figure 3-6 in the next subsection.

Note that frame grab functions in InfiniteReality are done with the Sirius option board. See the Sirius Video Programming and Configuration Guide
(P/N 007-2238-00x).

Figure 3-5. InfiniteReality Video Peripherals Connection Example

RE² and VTX Graphics Peripherals

In addition to the standard high-resolution 21-inch monitor, the following peripherals can be connected to RE² or VTX systems:

• composite video monitor

• composite video cassette recorder

• frame grab trigger

• S-Video monitor

• SVHS video cassette recorder

• video mixer and monitor

Before using the graphics software, connect the composite or S-Video monitor and VCR to the appropriate output ports on the I/O panel. Refer to Figure 3-6.

The CMPST A and CMPST B ports are standard BNC video connectors. They are electrically identical: a tape deck or monitor can be connected to either port. Connect a cable to your composite monitor and to either the CMPST A or CMPST B port. Connect another cable to your VCR and to the other composite port.

The video ports (S-Video A and S-Video B) are output ports that connect to an S-Video monitor and SVHS video cassette recorder. These ports use four-pin mini DIN connectors. They are also electrically identical: each port can connect to either the S-Video monitor or to the VCR. Connect a cable from your S-Video monitor to either S-Video A or S-Video B. Connect a cable from the tape deck to the remaining S-Video port.

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Caution: You must use the appropriate video peripherals. The composite video ports are connected to video monitors and VCRs that operate in NTSC or PAL video format. The S-Video ports connect to VCR equipment that uses SuperVHS format.

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Figure 3-6. RE²/VTX Video Peripherals Connection Example

The Onyx deskside system comes with a standard 101-key international keyboard. One connector on the keyboard cable plugs into the round 6-pin connector, marked Keyboard, on the I/O panel, and the other connector plugs into the socket on the keyboard. To install a keyboard, follow these steps:

The Onyx deskside workstation comes standard with a SCSI drive rack that holds seven half-height front-loading devices (FLDs). Each FLD must be mounted on a drive sled before it can be mounted in the rack. The drive sled adapts the drive's power and signal connectors to the connectors on the SCSI drive backplane.

See the list of SCSI configuration rules at the beginning of Chapter 4 to better understand the importance of proper SCSI bus configuration.

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Note: FLDs can be installed and removed with the front door closed and only the drive door open.

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Caution: Use proper handling and storage procedures to minimize the loss of data and equipment. In particular, do not remove disk drives while they are operating. Always power off the system prior to removing an FLD. Be sure to use standard electrostatic discharge prevention precautions when removing, storing, transporting, or replacing the FLDs.

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The drives being plugged into the rack can be configured to run on either SCSI channel A or B. They must also be set to operate with either single-ended or differential SCSI protocols. The configuration for these functions is set on the drive sled's adapter module board.

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Caution: The operating protocols of a drive must match the setting of the SCSI channel. If they do not, the drive and/or the SCSI bus will not operate properly. Be sure to carefully read the instructions and warnings in Chapter 4 prior to installing a SCSI device.

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The drive rack in the Onyx deskside workstation accommodates up to seven half-height devices, or three full-height devices and one half-height drive.

Drive channels A and B are terminated on the SCSI drive backplane. There is no provision for plugging in an extension of the SCSI bus to the internal SCSI backplane.

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Note: The maximum SCSI cable length for single-ended applications is 19.6 feet (6 meters). Differential lines are allowed a maximum of 81 feet (25 meters). Be sure to include both external and internal cabling when you calculate the lengths for the SCSI bus.

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To operate multiple external SCSI devices, you must order your system's IO4 with extra mezzanine SCSI channel daughter boards. These are the mezzanine options mentioned in Chapter 1; they connect to the I/O panel and then to external devices.

Your deskside Onyx comes with a standard 15-pin (AUI) Ethernet connector.

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Note: Always verify the type of signal being transmitted over your network cable before plugging in the connector. Some networks use a twisted-pair cabling system that carries AUI signals. These networks use an RJ-45 connector that is meant to be plugged into an IEEE 802.3 Transceiver unit.

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You can order optional boards for additional Ethernet connections.

Observe the following procedures when making Ethernet connections:

Continue with any additional peripheral connections or installations, or close and restart the system.

Figure 3-8. Connecting an Ethernet Cable

Use the following procedure to power on your new Onyx deskside workstation:

InfiniteReality graphics provides a programming utility, the Video Format Combiner, with two interfaces:

This section is mainly concerned with the GUI version of (ircombine). For information on ircombine(1G), consult its reference (man) page.

Use the Combiner only with Onyx InfiniteReality or i-Station graphics systems. For RE² and VTX graphics systems you must use the video out panel (described in the next section) or other custom applications.

Both the line-command and GUI utilities create video format combinations—descriptions of raster sizes and timing to be used on video outputs—as well as configure the underlying framebuffer. You can use a video format combination as the current video configuration, store it as the default configuration to be used at system power on or graphics initialization, or save it in a video format combination file. You can create a combination from scratch or by modifying a current or default combination or a saved combination.

The Combiner utility is useful for applications that need multiple channels, for such uses as visual simulation, virtual reality, or entertainment. The Combiner utility instructs the video subsystem to convert digital information stored in the graphics framebuffer into a variety of video signals (or channels), ranging from standard high-resolution (1280 x 1024) to low-resolution outputs. The output can then be displayed on additional monitors, projection devices, or stored on videotape, in any combination. Output can be genlocked to an external reference signal.

The InfiniteReality pipeline can process image, geometric, and video data concurrently at real-time rates. The pipeline can convert a full-screen high-resolution display to a composite (NTSC or PAL) video output port: your application can record in real time whatever is being displayed on the screen.

To launch and display the Combiner's GUI, enter the following in any available IRIX window:

/usr/gfx/ircombine -gui

To specify a different display from the current workstation, such as a remote workstation, or a specific pipe of a remote rackmount system, as the target on which to display the combination, use

/usr/gfx/ircombine -gui -target displayname

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Note: The first time InfiniteReality graphics was initialized, or the first power on of the system with InfiniteReality graphics installed, the video output was defined for the channels available on the workstation. To reinitialize graphics, enter

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(/usr/gfx/stopgfx ; /usr/gfx/startgfx) & <Enter>

Note that the parentheses are necessary. Wait for the text port (or system console display) to appear, then input the ircombine command.

Using the Combiner Main Window

In the Combiner main window, click the button for the channel you want to define or modify. See Figure 3-9 for an example of the main window interface.

You might for example, select Ch1 for the first channel. This selection corresponds to Chan1 connections on the InfiniteReality system's I/O panel.

The managed area is the display surface taking up most of the Combiner main window.

Selecting a Video Format for a Channel

When you click a channel button, the Files window appears. You can then select a video format for that channel (see Figure 3-10 for an example).

Figure 3-9. Selecting a Channel Format

The dimensions of the format (for example, 1920 x 1200 for the format file 1920x1200_75.vfo) are the output dimensions, but need not be the input dimensions of the channel's rectangle in the managed area. You can easily resize the rectangle with the mouse or by editing channel attributes.

Once you have defined a channel, the channel's rectangle appears in the managed area of the Combiner's main window. You can move or resize the rectangle as desired. Note that the “Bandwidth Used” scale indicates that memory is in use. See Figure 3-11 for an example of a specified video format.

Figure 3-10. Main Window With a Channel Rectangle Selected

The Combiner interface has many other functions and applications. You can use the Combiner to

• define a channel using the on-screen window as input

• copy an existing channel format and content to a new channel

• align one channel with another

• change the video format for a channel (or delete it entirely)

• edit the attributes (size, pixel format, etc.) of a channel

• select the “field layout” order in which data is scanned from the framebuffer

• select and copy a video format stored in a different file

• choose an output pixel format for a particular channel

• control overlapping rectangles by setting the cursor priority

• allocate pixel width and depth for framebuffer fields

• set horizontal and vertical phase for a given channel

• specify whether sync components have sync enabled by default

• modify the brightness characteristics of the monitor

• change the default output video gain value for a channel

• save a combination of all the channels present in the Combiner's main window and make global changes to them

• arrange the pixels (set pixel depth) in the framebuffer to optimize framebuffer output speeds

• select the InfiniteReality internal sync (or use an external source that is connected to the “Genlock In” port)

• save a video format combination as a default and write it to EEPROM

• run a user-defined hardware configuration simulating more RM6 boards than you have (used when an application is too large)

The information in this section is intended only as an introductory overview of the Combiner. For more detailed information on using the Combiner with your Onyx InfiniteReality graphics system, see the InfiniteReality Video Format Combiner User's Guide (P/N 007-3279-00x).

With the video out panel, you can control the video signals to the CMPST A and B ports and the S-Video A and B ports. Use the video out panel only with RE² and VTX graphics systems.

Popup menus allow you to select between NTSC and PAL video formats, standard or in-house video synchronization, and standalone or special genlock signals. An Options menu allows you to fine-tune the genlock delay, chrominance phase, chrominance color, and horizontal phase signals.

To start the video out panel, enter the following command in a text window and press <Enter>:

vo

The video out panel Encoder Controls menu appears on your screen (Figure 3-12).

Figure 3-11. Controls Menu

The Controls menu has buttons that select different video options. These options are described in Table 3-7.

The video signals can be controlled through the Options menu. Click on the Options field in the Controls menu to invoke the Options menu (see
Figure 3-13 for an example).

Figure 3-12. Options Menu

The Options menu has buttons that control the video signals through the ports. The buttons are controlled by the mouse. Place the cursor on the button, and click and hold down the mouse button. As you move the mouse in an arc, the button turns just like a rotating knob. The options are described in Table 3-5.

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Note: In most cases, the Options menu is not needed. For most uses, the default settings are perfectly suitable.

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This section takes you through a sample session with the video out panel. To start, assume that you have a graphic image or animation sequence running on the 21-inch high-resolution monitor. Size the window in which the display is running so that it doesn't take up the entire screen.

Once you have covered the display with the output window, you see the demo or image appear in the output window and also on your composite video monitor. If you have a VCR connected, you can begin recording immediately.

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Caution: The video out panel captures images only when the high-resolution monitor is running at its default configuration of 1280 x 1024, or at high resolution of 1600 x 1200. While other video resolutions are supported, the images will not display on the composite or S-Video monitor.

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The Onyx deskside workstation should be completely powered off only for relocation, routine maintenance, or repair. Before beginning this procedure, log out and shut down the software using the software instructions that follow:

To reboot the Onyx deskside system, use the /etc/reboot command input to the system monitor. The /etc/reboot command can be entered from any functional UNIX shell on your workstation monitor. You must be superuser before trying to input this command. If you are remotely logged in to the system, it will prompt you to confirm the command before executing it.

After successfully entering the command, the system gracefully halts and then automatically restarts.

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Caution: Use the key switch (not the main system circuit breaker switch) to reboot your system only if the system is completely unresponsive. See Figure 3-14 for its location. Using the system circuit breaker to power-cycle and reboot the system can cause damage to system software and data. Use the System Manager menu and select “System Shutdown” or the /etc/reboot command, if possible.

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Figure 3-13. Key Switch Positions on the System Controller Front Panel