About This Guide
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## About This Guide

The Video Format Combiner is a utility for the InfiniteReality video display subsystem for the Silicon Graphics Onyx or POWER Onyx deskside or rackmount graphics workstation running IRIX 6.5 or later. The display subsystem supports programmable pixel timings to allow the system to drive displays with a wide variety of resolutions, refresh rates, and interlace/noninterlace characteristics.

Each InfiniteReality pipe includes either two or eight video output channels. The Video Format Combiner is the utility that you use to select video output formats for the channels and to group the formats of the individual channels into a combination. You also use the Combiner to define the per-channel and global parameters of the combination.

## Audience

This guide is written for the sophisticated graphics and video user who wishes to develop arrangements of video formats for InfiniteReality capabilities.

## Structure of This Guide

This guide contains the following chapters:

- Chapter 1, “InfiniteReality Graphics and the Video Format Combiner Utility,” introduces the main features of InfiniteReality and of the Combiner graphical user interface.

- Chapter 2, “Creating and Setting Video Format Combinations,” explains how to use Combiner features to design video format combinations by selecting channels and specifying attributes.

- Chapter 3, “Using the Encoder Channel,” describes how to use the Combiner Encoder channel, which encodes its own or another channel's pixels to NTSC or PAL for industrial-quality video.

- Chapter 4, “Using the Combiner With Hardware Options,” explains how to configure the Sirius Video, Digital Display Option (DDO), or Graphics to Video Option (GVO) channel that interfaces with an installed Sirius Video, Digital Video Port (DVP), or GVO option board.

- Chapter 5, “Combination Considerations,” gives tips for creating viable video format combinations and explains the Emergency Backup Combination and setting up an analog alpha out channel.

- Appendix A, “Tutorial,” has example exercises designed to demonstrate some Combiner capabilities.

- Appendix B, “Error Messages,” presents Video Format Combiner error messages, which appear near the bottom of the Combiner main window, and suggests solutions.

A glossary and an index complete this guide.

## Other Documentation

Besides this manual, have handy the owner's guide(s) for the workstation(s) in your configuration. If you don't have these guides handy, the information is also online in the following locations:

- IRIS InSight Library: from the Toolchest, choose Help > Online Books > SGI EndUser or SGI Admin, and select the applicable owner's or hardware guide.

- Technical Publications Library: if you have access to the Internet, enter the following URL in your Web browser location window:
  http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/

## Conventions

In command syntax descriptions and examples, square brackets ( [ ] ) surrounding an argument indicate an optional argument. Variable parameters are in italics. Replace these variables with the appropriate string or value.

In text descriptions, IRIX filenames are in italics.

Messages and prompts that appear on-screen are shown in `fixed-width type`. Entries that are to be typed exactly as shown are in `boldface fixed-width type`.

Names of buttons in the Combiner graphical user interface are shown in italics. Choices in menus are enclosed in quotation marks.

Keyboard combinations are indicated with the plus sign; for example, Ctrl + j means that the Ctrl and j keys are pressed simultaneously.

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InfiniteReality™ Video Format Combiner User's Guide |  | Chapter 1. InfiniteReality Graphics and the Video Format Combiner Utility