PressView 21 & PressView 21·T Q&A

Editor's Note: This document pertains only to the SuperMatch PressView 21 and 21·T models. Another article, dedicated exclusively to the PressView SR display systems, will be created in the near future. This new document will have a catalog ID number of 3240.

Q: I am using my PressView 21, model PV2101, on a new Power Macintosh9500, 8500, 7500 or 7200, and the PressView or ProSense software does not work. How can I get it to work?

A: The Original PressView 21, model PV2101 is not currently compatible with the new PCI Power Macintosh systems. A future update to the PressView software, when complete, should make this monitor compatible. The update is presently under deelopment and is not yet available for release. (!)

Q: I am using my PressView 21·T on a new PowerMacintosh 8500, 7500 or 7200 with built-in video, and the PressView and ProSense software does not work. How can I get it to work?

A: A software update is needed. You must use PressView 1.6.1 or later and ProSense 1.6.1 or later software to be compatible with built-in Video on the new PCI Power Macintosh systems. The current version of both software items is 1.6.3, and can be downloaded from the Radius software libraries on America Online, eWorld, CompuServe, AppleLink, the Radius Online BBS (408-541-6190), via internet at Archive.Download, and via the worldwide web (http://www.radius.com). (!)

Q: PressView 1.6 or 1.6.1 seems to be crashing often or locks up on start. How can I get it to work?

A: Please update to version 1.6.2 or later of the PressView and ProSense software. The PressView 1.6.3 update can be downloaded from the Radius software libraries on America Online, eWorld, CompuServe, AppleLink, the Radius Online BBS (408-541-6190), via internet at Archive.Download, and via the worldwide web (http://www.radius.com). (!)

Q: I find that the colors on my PressView 21·T can become severely distored when I connect the display to a Radius Thunder IV card. Why does this happen, and what can I do to prevent it?

A: Thunder IV cards and the PressView 21·T display compete for the same CLUT (color look-up table). Rather than defer to the display, the card attempts to make changes to the CLUT as well, resulting in distorted colors. The solution is to upgrade your PressView software to version 1.6.1 or later. 1.6.1 added a fix which instructs the cards to defer to the display when the display is a PressView 21·T. The PressView 1.6.1 update can be downloaded from the Radius software libraries on America Online, eWorld, CompuServe, AppleLink, the Radius Online BBS (408-541-6190), via internet at Archive.Download, and via the worldwide web (http://www.radius.com).

Q: What can I do if I don't have a serial port available for the PressView Display System?

A: If your other serial device is a modem and your communications software is compatible with Apple's Comm Toolbox, then you can use a multi-port serial card to provide an extra serial port for your modem. If your Macintosh has NuBus slots, contact Creative Solutions at 301-984-0262 about a NuBus serial card. If your Mac has PCI slots, check out Keyspan's PCI serial card (http://www.keyspan.com/~radius).

It is also possible to connect your PressView display to a serial card.

If your modem communications software is not compatible with Apple's Comm Toolbox, then you can use one serial port for both your modem and your PressView display by using the following procedure:

1) Make sure that your modem software is not using the serial port.

2) Connect your PressView display to your serial port and configure the PressView software.

3) Calibrate your PressView display with the ProSense software and make any changes necessary with the PressView software.

4) After you have made all of your changes with the PressView software, turn off the ColorSentry feature in the PressView software. You will now be able to disconnect your PressView display from the serial port and reconnect the modem. The disadvantage of using this technique is that you do not obtain the advantages of the ColorSentry features of the PressView software - but it does allow you to use both devices on the same serial port.

Q: Can PressView 1.6, 1.6.1 or 1.6.2 work on my PressVew 21, model PV2101?

A: PressView 1.6.x is not compatible with the PressVew 21, model PV2101. A future update to the PressView software, when complete, will incorporate support for this monitor. The update is presently under deelopment and is not yet available for release. (!)

Q: Why don't I get an image on the screen when I connect my PressView monitor to the Power Macintosh VRAM expansion card?

A: For the original PressView 21 display, all five of the BNC connectors must be connected to the back of the display. Second, the 1152x870 cable adapter needs to be connected to the end of the video cable, which in turn plugs into the Power Macintosh VRAM card. For the PressView 21·T, make sure the sync switch on the back of the display is set to the "Separate H&V Sync" position when using it with a Power Mac VRAM card.

Q: Why does the image on my PressView look "washed out" when I attach it to my graphics card?

A: If you are using a PressView 21 Display with a graphics card, you must only attach the Red, Green and Blue signal connectors to the back of the display - the H and V sync connectors must not be connected. If you are using a PressView 21·T Display with a graphics card, you must set the sync switch on the back of the display to the "Sync on Green" position instead of the "Separate H & V sync" position.

Q: Which graphics cards support the PressView 21·T 's highest resolution of 1600x1200?

A: The Thunder II GX·1600 and Thunder IV GX·1600 NuBus cards and the Thunder 30/1600 and ThunderColor 30/1600 PCI cards all drive the PressView 21·T at its majestic 1600x1200 pixel resolution.

Q: Why does the "Calibrate" button remain grayed out in the SuperMatch Calibrator Pro 1.1 or ProSense 1.6.1 software?

A: The White Point setting needs to be changed from "Expert" to any other white point value in order for the Calibrate button to be active. This software does not support "Expert White Point" settings.

Q: Why does the PressView software not communicate with my monitor when it's connected to the printer port and Ethernet is turned on?

A: When the Ethernet port is being used on a Macintosh, the printer port is not able to be addressed by other software. Since AppleTalk uses the Printer port, no other serial devices can be connected to this port while Ethernet is turned on.

Q: Why does the icon of the Calibrator remain red in the PressView software after I have calibrated my display. Is my display really calibrated?

A: The "Use Calibration" button needs to be checked within the SuperMatch Calibrator Pro software settings in order for the calibration information to be used.

Q: Why does my PressView 21·T Display remain off when I turn on my computer?

A: The PressView 21·T Display supports the EPA Energy Star standard. Therefore, if you turn off your computer but you leave your monitor turned on, the monitor will turn off automatically in order to save energy. In order to turn on the PressView 21·T the next time you turn on your computer, you will need to turn the front panel power switch OFF and then ON again after you have started your computer. If you turn the power switch OFF and then ON with your computer turned off, the monitor will once again go into Energy Star mode.

Q: Why does the PressView software go into configuration mode each time I launch it?

A: If another piece of software is using the same serial port which is connected to the PressView Display, then the PressView software may go into configuration mode each time it is launched. You may also get a "communication error" when launching or using the PressView software if there is a serial port conflict. Remove conflicting serial devices to resolve this problem.

Q: Why are all of the front panel controls disabled and there are no active lights on the front of my PressView 21 display?

A: This is a result of the ColorSentry security feature. With ColorSentry active, all external controls will be disabled and the lights will be extinguished. This feature is designed to prevent accidental changing of the display parameters which would cause the display to no longer match your printed output. The only way to make changes to the display is through the PressView software. As an additional security feature, a password can also be created to prevent the PressView software from being used to make unauthorized changes to the monitor settings.

Q: I lost my password for the PressView software, how can I use my software?

A: The PressView Loader file contains the PressView password, so if you throw away this file and replace it with the original copy, you will be able to use the PressView software again.

Q: I installed version 1.5 of the PressView 21·T software onto a computer which is driving an original PressView 21 monitor and it does not seem to work. Why?

A: The PressView 1.5 software is designed to be used only with the PressView 21·T monitor, not the original PressView 21. However, the PressView 1.5 software can be used with a PressView 21 Display System if you retain the original PressView 1.1 Preferences file which contains the appropriate driver.

Q: For consistent calibration across multiple displays, can I copy my PressView monitor settings files from one PressView system to another?

A: This is not recommended. This file is designed to work accurately only for the display upon which it was created.

Q: When I connect my display to my SuperMac video card, instead of getting a usable picture, I get a distorted, scrambled image. I know the monitor is compatible with this card -- what else must I do?

A: SuperMac cards must be configured for the specific display to which they are connected. If you move the card to a different slot in your Mac, connect a different monitor to it, or zap your Mac's PRAM, you will need to reconfigure the card to output the proper signals and timings required by your display. To reconfigure your SuperMac card, hold down your keyboard's Option key at startup. Continue to hold down the Option key until the "Round Robin" configuration cycle begins. When you see an image of a keyboard that is clear, centered, and at the resolution you want to use, press the Space bar. The computer will then restart, and the card and display should now be properly configured.

Q: Whenever I startup my Macintosh or display a dithered gray background, there are rainbow-tinted curved lines running across the entire screen. What is causing this?

A: Certain types of display tubes will display what is known as a "moiré" pattern whenever a grayish checkerboard pattern of black and white pixels is displayed on the screen. The default Macintosh startup is a prime example. The moiré pattern that is generated is not a problem with your monitor, but is a normal trait of aperture grill displays. You may change your desktop pattern to a solid gray or another color in order to prevent this moiré pattern from appearing. However, some image-editing applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, use this dithered pattern to to mask out the desktop background which unavoidably causes the moiré pattern.

Q: Why can I see two faint gray lines approximately one-third and down from the top and one-third up from the bottom of the screen on my SuperMac display?

A: This is a characteristic of all aperture grill or tension grill display tubes. These lines are shadows from the two stabilization wires mounted inside the tube. These wires serve to keep the tube's aperture grill in perfect alignment, producing the sharpest picture possible. You would even be able to see these lines on a Sony television if the picture were sharp enough.

Q: Does the PressView 21·T use a Sony Trinitron™ tube?

A: No. The PressView 21·T uses a Mitsubishi DiamondTron™ tube. Sony's exclusive patent on Trinitron™ aperture grill technology has expired. Mitsubishi has licensed the Sony Trinitron™ technology and has improved it to offer a 21-inch tube with a crisper image and a longer mean-time-between-failure rating.

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