                    V G A   E N C H A N C E R
                      --- Version  3.3 ---

                                                For those, who loves to
                                                achieve a maximum performance
                                                from hardware & work in such
                                                sweet by my heart and eyes
                                                text mode of monitor.

    1. Introduction.
    2. Detailed decsription of the programm.
    3. Recomendation about practical application.
    4. Supported systems.
    5. Technical notes.
    6. Registration.
    7. Warranties.

                              1. Introduction.

        What does a programm VGA Enchancer( below VE )?
    This utility allows expand your abilities in work in TEXT mode of monitor.
    Now you will be able to see more information on the screen of monitor with
    increasing of display refresh rate that will be very well for your eyes
    and all it with the VGA quality of screen image. VE is a TSR-programm
    with selected settings of parameters monitor which will be automatic
    support in all time of your work.
    This programm is SHAREWARE and retails in 2 variants:
        1. Trial version with limited abilities.
        2. Full version, which is registered for concrete user.
           See file register.txt for more information about registration.
    Trial version of programm supports the setting of display refresh rate
    only for videocards with VBE 3.0 compatable BIOS. Registered version can
    be used for this purpose hardware abilities of 16 video-chipsets( their
    full list given below ).

                  2. Detailed decsription of the programm.

    Environment of execution: DOS or full-screen DOS window under other OS
    CPU:                      80386 or higher
    Videoadapter:             VGA or better
    Size TSR part:            ~640 bytes
    Realized supporting:
        - custom number of lines;
        - custom bandwidth of video signal/display refresh rate;
        - VGA fonts display quality.
    All written above is applicable to the work in TEXT mode of monitor
    ( number of videomode is 3 ). The programm doesn't support others
    videomodes.
        VE is a command-line utility which has a full set of parameters
    for solving tasks of concrete user.
    Description of parameters of a command line:
        /D - to establish a standard mode that is 25 lines
        /L:nn - to establish a extended mode, where nn is a number of lines on
                display from 26 to 61. The parameters /L and /D are mutual
                exclusive, that is in one moment of time is possible to use
                only one of its.
        /V:nnn - to establish a display refresh rate( this is a vertical
                 frequency of display rate ) - from 60 to 150 Hz. For example,
                 a value of display refresh rate in standard mode is 70 Hz.
        /B:nnn - to establish a bandwidth of video signal - from 29 to 125
                 Mhz.  In standard mode, the value of bandwidth is 28 Mhz.
                 Bandwidth of video signal is direct proportional depending
                 from display refresh rate, so changing one of these
                 parameters you implicitly change other. In the summary, the
                 options /B and /V are mutual exclusive, so in one moment of
                 time it is possible to use only one of its. Next, options /B
                 and /V will be work by using the software interface( in case
                 of VBE 3.0 compatible video-BIOS ) or specific hardware
                 interfaces( in case of detecting of next chipsets ):
                        1. ATI Rage
                        2. Cirrus Logic GD54xx family
                        3. InteGraphics
                        4. Intel 810
                        5. Matrox G100( include Matrox G200 )
                        6. nVidia Riva TNT( include nVidia Riva TNT2 )
                        7. Realtek
                        8. Rendition Verite 2100
                        9. S3 Savage( include S3 ViRGE/GX2, Trio3D 2x )
                       10. S3 Trio( include S3 ViRGE/DX )
                       11. SiS 62xx family
                       12. SiS 63xx family
                       13. Trident TGUI9440
                       14. Trident TVGA9000
                       15. Trident TVGA9000i
                       16. Tseng ET4000
                If VE will not find VBE 3.0 compatible BIOS or one of above
                listed chipsets, then parameters /B or /V will be ignored and
                will be printed to a screen an according warning message.
                How to detect will VE support the setting of display refresh
                rate for your videocard? Simply run VE without any parameters
                and lookup its messages. If present line about VBE 3.0 or
                about any from above listed chipset, then keys /B and /V will
                be worked at your system. In another case please wait of new
                release VE, which will support your chipset( this proccess is
                limited for me only with absence of direct access to necessary
                videocard for testing and debugging programm ).
        /N:n - to set a negative level of tuning of display refresh rate.
               Using this parameter you can more fine regulate a display
               refresh rate decreasing it from base value, set with parameters
               /B or /V. Value is changed in range from 1 to 9, default is
               /N:1.
        /P:n - to set a positive level tuning of display refresh rate. Using
               this parameter you can more fine regulate a display refresh
               rate increasing it from base value, set with parameters /B or
               /V. Value is changed in range from 1 to 9.  Parameters /N and
               /P are mutual exclusive, it is possible to use simultaneously
               only one of its. These parameters are also depending from
               present options /B or /V with exception to option /A ( see
               below ).
        /A - to establish 3-rd videomode with applying of current settings of
             resident copy VE and with account of command-line parameters.
             With help of this option you can partially change VE setting, for
             example:
                - only /D or /L:nn
                - only /V:nnn or /D:nnn
                - only /N:n or /P:n
                - or any combination from above listed.
        /F - to force using of hardware interface for bandwidth setting
             instead software interface VBE 3.0. By default, if found VBE 3.0,
             use it.  This key may be useful in case of incorrect work of
             VBE 3.0 BIOS for bandwidth setting( example, in case of using
             SDD 6.53 ).
        /C - to work in a non-resident mode, that is in first running of VE
             will not stay resident in memory and accodingly all settings will
             be active only before the first change of videomode. You can use
             this parameter and in case of present TSR-copy VE for single
             change setting of monitor.
        /S - to set a resident copy VE in the inactive( sleep ) mode, VE keeps
             in memory, but doesn't supply used settings. This parameter is
             useful for temporary disable of VE activity with purpose
             execution some actions.
        /R - to activate a resident copy of programm, VE again set up to
             support user-selected settings. I note that this parameter
             doesn't call immediate apply of used settings - it will be
             activated only after next set of text mode( immediate apply
             settings is allowed by use key /A ).
        /I - to output status information about resident copy VE.
             This information consists of next parts:
                1. Status of resident copy programm - Active/Suspend
                2. Type of interface for video bandwidth setting -
                   VBE 3.0/Hardware.
                3. Number of supported lines on display.
                4. Supported display refresh rate or video bandwidth( it
                   depends from using of parameters /B or /V ).
                5. Value and type of tuning of display refresh rate.
                I note, that this option works only in case of resident copy
                programm in memory and reflects information about state of VE
                on beginning of running, another words before fulfilling of
                new command line parameters. Practical issue of this parameter
                consists in getting more full information about current VE
                settings with purpose changing it in future.
        /U - to unload VE from memory.
        After termination of programm it will print next status information:
        - current number of lines on a screen;
        - current refresh rate of display;
        - current bandwidth of a video signal;
        - current status of resident copy VE.

                3. Recomendation about practical application.

    Running VE without parameters displays only status current videomode; for
    installation VE in TSR mode it is necessary to use an option /D or /L:nn.
    Options /B:nnn or /V:nnn can be used with option /D - it is possible to
    increase refresh rate of display in standard mode.
        The practical aspects of application VE consist in selection of value
    of parameters /B or /V, that it is running VE /D /B:29, reviews a screen
    and if all Ok, then repeat an above-stated command with increased meaning
    /B, otherwise type VE /D and return into standard mode - and farther you
    must accept a decision - to stay on achieved bandwidth ( it is as rule
    determined exclusively with possibilities of a your pair
    monitor+videocard ) or to continue attempts, skipping non-working
    value of option /B. You can apply above mentioned methodic and with option
    /V but for this case you need take account of the fact, that getting
    results will be true only for current number of lines on display, whereas
    using option /B is more universal. After determination a maximum
    bandwidth you may choose necessary number of lines, using parameter /L.
    Here, how it is said, a matter of taste, I use 32 lines on 14" and 34
    on 15". The last step is more fine tuning of display refresh rate with
    using of parameters /P or /N. I want to note, that selecting parameters of
    VE it may be some types of problems with image on a screen of a monitor:
        - total absence of it ( due to exceeding of maximum vertical frequency
          of your monitor ) or failure of scanning ( it means that given
          combination of number of lines and bandwidth is not accepted with
          your monitor ). The solution is type VE /D on keyboard and you will
          return in standard mode.
        - deviation of screen image ( it is the most accepted case ) -
          You follow the next steps:
                - if your monitor with multiple storing of settings( these are
                  all modern monitors and, as a rule, monitors with a digital
                  control ) then try to regulate an image on width/height/size
                  using appropriate control elements on a monitor ( IT IS
                  IMPORTANT: the established settings can redefine your used
                  setting for graphic videomodes, for example in Windows -
                  therefore the final decision on expediency of these changes
                  accept yourself ). Criterion of quality of the image is
                  absence blinking of symbols and also the normal image of
                  angular symbols of a screen; use how a test programm
                  VFILL.COM supplied with VE.
                - if you have a monitor with single storing settings you would
                  select optimum size and placement of the screen image for
                  all videomodes used by you.
        The best results for increase of display refresh rate were in the next
    tested chipsets:
        1. Intel 810, SiS 6326, nVidia Riva TNT2 Vanta
        2. Matrox G200
        3. Integraphics Cyber2000
    The worst results were demonstrated by the nVidia Riva TNT, S3 Virge/GX2,
    S3 Trio 3D 2x.

                            4. Supported systems.

        VE works with many set of application programm, which may detect
    extended text modes of display. These are Volkov Commander, Norton
    Commander, DOS Navigator, Multi-Edit, Quick Edit, Norton Utilities, Watcom
    Debugger and many other programms. For Turbo Debugger it should start
    TDINST, choose Display-> Permit 43/50 lines, exit with saved settings, in
    itself debugger the support of extended number of lines should be included
    dynamically: Options->Dispaly options...-> Screen Lines (x) 43/50. For
    automatization of this cheerless proccess it is better to use any keyboard
    macros; I do it with my programm EK. VE works under Windows 3.11/95 and
    in case of loading from AUTOEXEC.BAT, the selected mode is supported in all
    full-secreen DOS Boxes. In Windows NT 4.0, unfortunately, does not work
    the setting of a bandwidth ( this Must_Die_Forever simply ignores it by
    write-protect bits 2..3 of port 3C2h handled by driver VGA.SYS ).

                             5. Technical notes.

        The program is protected by external crypt/protect programm ( it is
    safeguard from viruses & dummy users, not for professionals :); it has one
    problem - does not work in OS/2, well, it is a bug its VDM ). The programm
    has software interface through INT 10h:
        - on a input: AX = 0FD00h
                      DX = 0
        - on a output: DX - number of the version ( in this case 330h)
                       ES - address of a segment of a resident copy

                              6. Registration.

        A registered user will get a full version of programm, which will be
    registered for his name, will have a unique serial number and according
    type of license( all this information is printed to screen on start of
    registered version programm ). This version of programm have ability to
    increase display refresh rate for all supported chipsets. In future, it
    will be have unlimited support via E-mail and free upgrade to new
    versions. For more information about registration see file register.txt.

                               7. Warranties.

        I use VE every day, at home and at the work, and I don't have problems
    in the work of video system of my computer. Videoparameters, which are
    changed by programm are not critical for working of hardware. VE does NOT
    change potential dangerous for monitor value of horizontal refresh rate
    and does NOT do overclocking of videochipset or videomemory, but some
    words about warranties are given below.
        The given program is granted according to a principle "AS IS" without
    any type of warranties, obvious or indirect. You may use this programm on
    your own fear and risk. The author removes from self any responsibility
    for a probable problem with your hardware or loss of data, called by
    application of this programm.

        15 February 2000                               Anatoly Muliarski

                              Akhtyrka, Ukraine
                          E-mail ve@amodem.sumy.ua
