[English]
README.TXT              MATROX GRAPHICS INC.             2001.10.12

                     Matrox PowerDesk for Linux
                        Version 1.00-7beta


Contents
========

- Description of this release
- Installation
- Notes, problems, and limitations


Description of this release
===========================

Matrox PowerDesk is software to help you configure display 
settings for Matrox graphics hardware under XFree86. With this 
software, you can more easily adjust display resolutions, color 
palettes, refresh rates, and display positioning. With PowerDesk, 
you can also enable special Matrox features such as DualHead, DVI, 
and TV output.

This version of PowerDesk supports XFree86 4.0.2, 4.0.3, or 4.1.0.

This version of PowerDesk has the option of using your main and 
secondary displays as if they were a single display ("merged" 
displays) divided between your two monitors. If your system is 
configured for 3D acceleration, this feature allows for 3D 
acceleration on both your displays at the same time. To use this 
feature you need the latest Matrox XFree86 driver. The latest 
Matrox XFree86 driver is available from the Matrox Web site 
(www.matrox.com/mga).

The Matrox HAL ("Hardware Abstraction Layer") library is required 
to enable DualHead, TV output, and digital flat panel support with 
G400-based graphics hardware. The HAL library is required for 
certain PowerDesk features such as adjusting refresh rates and 
display positioning, and using "DualHead Multi-Display - Merged" 
mode.

Although PowerDesk is intended for use with the graphics hardware 
supported by the HAL library, you can also use PowerDesk to adjust 
resolutions and color palettes with older Matrox products not 
supported by the HAL library (for example, the original Millennium 
graphics card).

Matrox PowerDesk for Linux is released under the GNU General 
Public License (GPL).


Installation
============

Before you install Matrox PowerDesk, you need to install an 
XFree86 display driver that supports PowerDesk. This driver is 
available from the Matrox Web site (www.matrox.com/mga). This 
driver is based on the Matrox driver source included with XFree86 
but includes special support for PowerDesk. For more information, 
see the "Readme" file included with the driver.

To install PowerDesk from the RPM ("Red Hat Package Manager") 
package, enter the following command: *

  rpm -ivh <filename>.rpm

If you choose to install from the source "tarball", enter the 
following commands: *

  tar xvzf <filename>.tgz

  cd mgapdesk

  ./configure --prefix=/usr/X11R6

  make

  make install

* IMPORTANT: For the commands listed above, replace "<filename>" 
  with the file name prefix of the corresponding file in the 
  PowerDesk distribution files.

You must be logged in as "root" to use PowerDesk. To start the 
software, enter the following from a terminal:

  mgapdesk

You can also create a shortcut by making a link to 
"/usr/X11R6/bin/mgapdesk" on your desktop.

PowerDesk parses and edits your configuration file ("XF86Config" 
or "XF86Config-4"). Each time PowerDesk starts, a backup of your 
configuration file is created. Whenever changes are made to your 
display settings, a new configuration file is created based on the 
previous version.

Because there are many different configuration possibilities, 
PowerDesk may not be able to parse the "XF86Config" file properly. 
This may cause unexpected results such as not being able to 
restart the X server.

Immediately after installing Matrox PowerDesk, we recommend you 
create a security backup of your configuration file. This backup 
should have a different name than the name of the backup created 
by PowerDesk, for example: "XF86Config-4_original".

WARNING: If incorrect display settings are applied, some monitors 
can be permanently damaged. For more information, see your monitor 
documentation.


Notes, problems, and limitations
================================

Note the following support limitations with Linux:

- TV output support is only available with G400-based graphics 
  hardware.

- DVI is only supported with G400- and G550-based graphics 
  hardware.

- Multi-display support isn't available for Matrox G200 MMS 
  products.

- You may experience problems if you try to enable features not 
  supported by your graphics hardware.
