Dell XPS 420 Setup Guide V2
en
Dell Xcelerator Users Guide
Notes, Notices, and Cautions
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks used in this text:
Dell Xcelerator is a registered trademark of Dell Inc.
Microsoft, Windows, DirectShow, and DirectX are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Windows XP and Windows Vista are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.
Export Regulations
Customer acknowledges that these Products, which may include technology and software, are subject to the customs and export control laws and regulations of the United States ("U.S.") and may also be subject to the customs and export laws and regulations of the country in which the Products are manufactured and/or received. Customer agrees to abide by those laws and regulations. Further, under U.S. law, the Products may not be sold, leased or otherwise transferred to restricted end-users or to restricted countries. In addition, the Products may not be sold, leased or otherwise transferred to, or utilized by an end-user engaged in activities related to weapons of mass destruction, including without limitation, activities related to the design, development, production or use of nuclear weapons, materials, or facilities, missiles or the support of missile projects, and chemical or biological weapons.
Initial release: July 2007
Introduction
Setup Instructions
Operation
Troubleshooting
Specifications
Regulatory
Safety Instructions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
Back to Contents Page
Introduction
Overview
Features
Input and Output Connectors
Software
Platform Requirements
Getting Help
Warranty Information
Overview
The Dell Xcelerator is an internal, USB 2.0, bus-powered device that increases the speed and performance of your system when performing tasks such as creating a DVD or formating files for a Portable Media Player (e.g., PSP, iPOD, etc.).
Features
The Dell Xcelerator provides the following features:
1. Relieve the PC from CPU intensive activities so that DVD burning and video sharing can be done as background tasks. 2. Perform hardware transcoding of MPEG-2 video to MPEG-4. 3. Transcode High Definition MPEG-2 video clips to MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 standard definition video. 4. Transrate MPEG-2 video clips to a lower bit rate to fit onto a DVD, CD, or other media. 5. Works under Windows XP and Windows Vista 6. Supports both 32 and 64 bit systems
Input and Output Connectors
There are no external connections on this device. The USB connector on the board supports an internal USB cable.
Board Image
The only connector on the board is a 10-pin header. The internal USB cable plugs into this connector.
Software
The Dell Xcelerator is supported by the following software:
l Sonic Creator v.10 l Dell Xcelerator for Portable Devices v1.0
Drivers use standard Microsoft DirectShow property sets. The drivers can be found on the Dell Resource CD. An Install Shield is provided to make installation simple. Store the Resource CD that comes with your system in a safe place in case you need to reinstall the software.
Platform Requirements
l Microsoft Windows XP or Vista OS l Minimum 256 MB RAM, 512 MB Recommended l 1.8 GHz Processor, 400 MHz Front Side Bus l DirectX 9.1 or higher l Internal USB connector on motherboard (10-pin header)
Getting Help
If you need additional help or require information that is not included in this guide, visit the Dell Support website support.dell.com or call 1-800-BUY-DELL
Warranty Information
See your Dell system warranty information for service and repair options available for your Dell Xcelerator product.
Back to Contents Page
Back to Contents Page
Operation
Operation Details
The Dell Xcelerator card provides hardware acceleration for various software applications (Sonic Creator v10 and Dell Xcelerator for Portable Devices). For more information on how to use the Dell Xcelerator card under Sonic Creator, see the Sonic Creator documentation. For more information on how to use the Dell Xcelerator card under Dell Xcelerator for Portable Devices, see the Dell Xcelerator for Portable Devices documentation.
Back to Contents Page
Back to Contents Page
Regulatory
FCC Notice
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
l This device may not cause harmful interference. l This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable portection against harmful interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of more of the following measures:
l Reorient the receiving antenna. l Relocate the system with respect to the receiver. l Move the system away from the receiver. l Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system equipment and the receiver are on different branch circuits.
If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions.
The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with FCC regulations:
Dell products are designed, tested, and classified for their intended electromagnetic environment. These electromagnetic environment classifications generally refer to the following harmonized definitions:
l Class A is typically for business environments. Class B products may also be utilized in a Class A environment. l Class B is typically for residential environments. Class A products should not be utilized in a Class B environment.
Information Technology Equipment (ITE), including peripherals, expansion cards, printers, input/output (I/O) devices, monitors, and so on, that are integrated into or connected to the system should match the electromagnetic environment classification of the computer system.
Dell has determined that this product is a Class B harmonized product.
Back to Contents Page
NOTE: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment.
Model Name Dell Xcelerator Model Number XN264
Company Name MiTAC Computer Shunde Limited
Company Address No 1, Shunda Rd., LunJiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong, China
Notice: Use only shielded cables for connecting peripherals to any Dell device to reduce the possibility of interference with radio communications services. Using shielded cables ensures that you maintain the appropriate EMC classification for the intended environment. If you prefer, you can order a cable from Dell on the World Wide Web at www.dell.com
Back to Contents Page
Safety Instructions
l Read Instructions Read all the safety and operating instructions before operating your Dell Xcelerator to help ensure your own personal safety and to protect your product from potential damage.
l Retain Instructions Retain all the safety and operating instructions for future reference. l Heed Warnings Adhere to all warnings on the product and the operating instructions. l Grounding For continued protection against risk of electric shock and fire, this accessory should be installed/connected only to the products, such as a
computer, equipped with a three-wire grounding plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace the obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.
l Lightning For added protection and to prevent damage due to lightning and power-line surges, unplug the host system, such as a computer, from the wall power outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. Unplug the host system from the wall power outlet when left unattended or unused for long periods of time.
l Never insert anything metallic into the openings. Doing so may create the danger of electric shock.
Environmental Notices
Waste Electrical and Electonic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
In the Eurpoean Union, this label indicates that this product should not be disposed of with household waste. It should be deposited at an appropriate facility to enable recovery and recycling. For information on how to recycle this product responsibly in your country, please visit: www.euro.dell.com/recycling.
Back to Contents Page
Caution: Important Safety Instructions
Back to Contents Page
Setup Instructions
Hardware Installation
Driver Installation
Hardware Installation
Verify that the Dell Xcelerator is installed.
1. Follow instructions in the manual for removing the cover from the chassis. 2. The Dell Xcelerator hardware is installed in a drive bay inside the chassis (see picture below). 3. Verify that the board is installed.
Connecting the Dell Xcelerator device
1. Verify that there is a cable that connects the Dell Xcelerator board to the motherboard. 2. Verify that this cable is firmly installed into each connector. 3. Reinstall the cover back onto the chassis.
Driver Installation
If the driver and the hardware are not installed or if you need to reinstall them, perform the following steps:
1. With Windows running on your computer, insert the Dell Resource CD into your CD/DVD drive. 2. If the Dell Resource CD window does not open automatically, double click on My Computer on your desktop and then double click on the CD/DVD drive
containing the Dell Resource CD. 3. Follow the instructions provided by the Dell Resource CD to locate the driver package for your Dell Xcelerator card. 4. Once you have located the package, select the Lumanate setup.exe to unzip the drivers on to the hard drive and install the drivers. 5. At the Setup Complete screen, select Yes and click Finish to restart your system.
Back to Contents Page
CAUTION: Shut down your computer and unplug the power cord to prevent any personal or equipment damage.
NOTE: The Dell Xcelerator hardware comes pre-installed into the system. The following steps should only be done if a problem occurs with the device.
Back to Contents Page
Specifications
General
Video Specifications
Mechanical Specifications
USB Cable Specifications
Power
General
Dell Model Name Dell Xcelerator
Dell Part Number XN264 (1-800-WWW-Dell)
Manufacturer MiTAC Computer Shunde Limited
Connection type Internal USB (no external I/O)
Computer interface type USB 2.0
Video Specifications
NOTE: The formats below refer to video files the Dell Xcelerator is not an output device.
Video Input Formats Supported MPEG-2 (MP/ML), MPEG-2 (MP/HL)
Supported Input Resolutions [SD]: NTSC: 720x480; PAL: 720x576
Supported Input Resolutions [HD]: HDTV: 1080-30i, 720-30p, 720-60p
Video Output Formats Supported MPEG-2 (MP/ML); MPEG-4 (SP, ASP)
Supported Output Resolutions [SD]: NTSC: 720x480, 320x240, 368x208
PAL: 720x576, 320x288; 320x240, 368x208
Mechanical Specifications
Cable Crosstalk < -35 dB
ESD > 8KV (recoverable)
Operating Temperature 0 to 55C
Operating Humidity 5 to 80% non-condensing
Storage Temperature -20 to 70C
Storage Humidity 5 to 85% non-condensing
USB Cable Specifications
Length 0.35 meter
Connectors 10-pin MOLEX
Signal Wires 28 AWG
Power/Ground Wires 28 AWG
Dell Part Number YT545 (1-800-WWW-Dell)
Power
Input Voltage (Current) +5V (0.45A)
Back to Contents Page
NOTE: This voltage is supplied from the USB Bus Connector.
Back to Contents Page
Troubleshooting
Reinstalling the Hardware Driver
Common Problems and Solutions
Diagnostics
Getting Help
Reinstalling the Hardware Driver
To reinstall the Dell Xcelerator driver, follow these steps:
1. Ensure that the Dell Xcelerator is connected to the computer. 2. With Windows running on your computer, insert the Dell Resource CD into your CD/DVD-ROM drive. 3. If the Dell Resource CD window does not open automatically, double click on My Computer on your desktop and then double click on the CD/DVD drive
containing the Dell Resource CD. 4. Follow the instructions provided by the Dell Resource CD to locate the video driver package for your Dell Xcelerator card. 5. Once you have located the package, select the Lumanate setup.exe to unzip the drivers on to the hard drive and install the drivers. 6. At the Setup Complete screen, select Yes and click Finish to restart your system.
Common Problems and Solutions
Diagnostics
The user diagnostics program can be used to determine if the hardware and driver are working properly. The user diagnostics application is located in:
For Vista 32-bit: C:\Program Files\Lumanate\LazerUsb
For Vista 64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Lumanate\LazerUsb
Double-click on the application file (xlrtdiag.exe). This will bring up the Dell Xcelerator User Interface. To run the diagnostics, click on the "Run" button. The software will run a number of tests on the device and will report back the status. If the device is OK, a PASS message will be displayed. If the device FAILS the test, contact Dell technical support.
Getting Help
If the troubleshooting procedures in this document do not resolve the problem, please contact Dell Inc. for technical assistance by visiting the Dell Support Website at support.dell.com or calling 1-800-BUY-DELL.
NOTE: It is very important that the USB cable provided with this device is used.
Hardware Detection
Problem Cause Solution
Hardware not detected by Windows operating system.
The Dell Xcelerator is not connected properly.
Remove and reinsert the USB cable into the computer.
Drivers are not installed or are damaged.
Drivers are not properly loaded. Run setup.exe from the Dell Resource CD.
The Dell Xcelerator device may be defective.
Run the Dell Xcelerator Diagnostics program and follow the on-screen prompts. If the diagnostics completes with a PASS, the device is OK. If the test completes with a FAIL, write down the error message and contact Dell Tech Support at 1-800-624- 9896.
Performance Issues
Problem Cause Solution
Slow transcode/transrate performance.
The Dell Xcelerator board may not be installed.
Ensure that the Dell Xcelerator card is installed in the computer.
Drivers are not installed or are damaged.
Drivers are not properly loaded. Run setup.exe from the Dell Resource CD.
The Dell Xcelerator device may be defective.
Run the Dell Xcelerator Diagnostics program and follow the on-screen prompts. If the diagnostics completes with a PASS, the device is OK. If the test completes with a FAIL, write down the error message and contact Dell Tech Support at 1-800-624- 9896.
The Dell Xcelerator device is not being used by the application.
There are some functions that the application will choose to run in SW and