
                 HiScan V1.20, screen refresh rate enhancer
                           for the CHIPS F655xx SVGA
             (C) 1995-96, Joerg Arnu, San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.


                   Thank you for your interest in HiScan.


What is HiScan ?
================

HiScan does:
------------

- Help you set up your video controller for optimal performance with your
  monitor

- Increase the refresh rate for most extended VGA video modes, which
  results in a flicker-free screen image

- Shift the screen horizontally for each video mode individually, so
  you do no longer need to adjust the horizontal position on your monitor
  each time you switch between text and high resolution graphics modes

- In certain cases makes new video modes available, that you could not
  use at all before

- Increase the number of text lines in text mode to 28 or 50, instead of
  the normal 25 lines

- Works under MS DOS, MS Windows 3.1x and Windows 95

- Supports all windows accelerator and VESA modes

HiScan needs:
-------------

- A notebook PC with a Chips & Technologies F655xx video controller
  and VESA support installed

- Less than 2 KB high or low memory

The story...
------------

You have a nice and powerful notebook PC and now wish to use it with an
external monitor while you are at home or in your office ? And you feel
that in some video modes the screen refresh rate on the external monitor
is relatively low, which results in a flickering screen image, particularly
in 800x600 or higher graphics modes ? Or, even worse, you have to adjust
the horizontal image position of the monitor each time you switch between
text mode (DOS) and a high resolution graphics mode (Windows) ?

If your notebook PC has a video controller from Chips and Technologies from
their popular F655xx series, HiScan helps you set a refresh rate of 80 Hz
or more for almost all extended video modes, using the special capabilities
of that particular chip family. In fact, the maximum rate is limited only
by the monitor in most cases. And while you are fine-tuning each mode, the
current refresh rate is measured and displayed in real time.

A screen refresh rate of about 70 Hz or more will produce a flicker-free
picture. Significantly lower refresh rates will result in visible flicker
and can even affect your health. The symptoms can be headache, a loss of
concentration or eye irritations.

HiScan also provides an easy way to adjust and save the horizontal screen
position for each video mode individually. So you don't have to reach out
for that "H.-Pos." knob on your monitor any more, each time you switch
between a text and graphics mode.

In some cases HiScan will even make new modes available which you could not
use at all before, because the default refresh rate is not compatible with
your monitor. For instance the 640x480x16.7 million color mode of the
F65540 does not work on most multisync monitors, because the factory-set
default refresh rate is too low. HiScan lets you adjust the refresh rate
for your monitor so that you can enjoy your favorite jpeg's in 16 million
colors now.

Of course, all Windows accelerator modes and VESA modes are also supported.

HiScan can also increase the number of visible text lines for most DOS
based applications to 28 or even 50 lines, instead of the usual 25 lines
(see "28/50 line text modes", below).

HiScan is specially designed for the Chips F655xx series video controller
for optimal performance. To see if it works for your hardware just execute
the main module HISCAN.EXE as described below. It will detect if your
notebook PC has a compatible video controller and exit with an error
message if not, without affecting your video system.

HiScan is shareware. That means you have to register after a 30 day
evaluation period. For details see "Shareware registration" below.


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

After you have extracted the program files from the archive, you will find
the following files in your working directory:

        HISCAN.EXE - The main program, used to tune the refresh rate
        HS-TSR.COM - TSR module (driver), must be loaded at system start-up
        README.TXT - This documentation file

In addition the following files will be created by HiScan:

        HISCAN.DAT - Refresh rate settings for each video mode
        HISCAN.KEY - Shareware registration information

No further setup is required to use HiScan, you can immediately start the
main module to see if your video system is supported.

If you get an error message, saying that VESA support is not installed,
when you start HiScan, you need to install the VESA extension driver
(usually named VESA.COM) from your video system utilities or driver
diskette.


Installing the TSR module
=========================

The TSR module HS-TSR.COM is a memory resident driver that will set up the
modified refresh rate parameters each time a new video mode is selected.

For that, it should be loaded into memory at system start-up in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT system configuration file.
Edit the file with the EDIT command and add a line with the following
format:

        C:\HISCAN\HS-TSR

Where C:\HISCAN is the path where you have extracted HiScan.
If you have chosen a different path, use it instead.

The TSR can also be loaded into the high memory area using the LH command:

        LH C:\HISCAN\HS-TSR


Using HiScan
============

The info screen
---------------

When you start HISCAN.EXE it will determine your video configuration and
display the information in an introducing info screen. If your system is
not equipped with a Chips&Technologies F655xx controller HiScan terminates
with an appropriate message.

You will also see a reminder that you are using an unregistered copy. For
information about shareware registration please see the 'Shareware
registration' section below. If you already have your registration codes
you can press 'E' to enter the codes.

In the registered version you will see the name of the registered user
instead.

At this point press any key to proceed to the main menu or <ESC> to quit.


The main menu
-------------

In the main menu you see a list of modes that can be enhanced with HiScan.
Some modes may be grayed and can not be selected if your hardware does not
support them.

In most cases the same resolution, for instance 640x480 pixel with 256
colors, exists as extended VGA mode, as VESA mode and also as Windows
accelerator mode. You need to define the settings only once, and all other
modes with the same resolution will automatically use the same parameters.

In addition to the mode list there are some more options:
Set all modes to their defaults - Cancel all changes for all modes and use
   the factory settings instead.
Save changes - Save settings for all video modes to HISCAN.DAT after you
   are done. This option is disabled in the unregistered shareware version.
Enable/disable TSR if installed - Toggle active state of the TSR module if
   it is installed. The current state is displayed in the status line
   above the main menu.
Exit to DOS - Quit program; if you have made any changes you are reminded
   to save them before you quit.

There are two ways to choose a menu item: Either move the highlighted bar
to a menu item with the cursor keys (up/down) and press <Enter> or use the
shortcut key that precedes each menu line.

When you select one of the video modes to enhance you get to the enhance
mode sub-menu. You can enhance the refresh rate only if only the external
display is enabled. If both or only the internal LCD display is enabled
you can not enter the enhance mode sub-menu.
To switch to the external monitor you will probably have to press a
certain key combination. If you are unsure please refer to your
notebook's manual.

In the upper part of the main menu, you see the current status of the TSR
(enabled or disabled). To change the status, press the TAB key.

Below the status display, you see the options for the number of text lines
(25 / 28 / 50). The current number is highlighted. To change the number of
visible lines, press the left or right cursor key. For more information,
see "28/50 line text modes" below.
Please note that this has no effect, if the TSR is globally disabled (see
above).
If the TSR module is not loaded, the number of displayed lines can not be
changed.


The enhance mode menu
---------------------

When you select a video mode in the main menu that mode is set and the
enhance mode screen is displayed. A white line shows the outline of the
visible part of the screen. The current settings and the available options
are shown as text lines within that frame.
In the first line you see the resolution and number of colors for the
selected video mode.
The next lines show the total number of pixels, the number of the internal
clock (0...3), the polarity of the horizontal and vertical sync signal
('+'= positive, '-' = negative), the horizontal shift of the screen display
in character cells and the current pixel clock as well as the horizontal
and vertical clock. The vertical clock shows how many times per second the
screen image is updated and is also called screen refresh rate.

If you have a multisync monitor, it will display a clear picture within a
certain horizontal and vertical clock range or bandwidth. You can find the
limits in the manual of your monitor. Outside the specified range it will
not be able to synchronize, and you will no longer see a clear picture. If
that happens while you are tuning the refresh rate, just switch back some
steps and you should have a clear picture again (see +/- keys below).

The following key commands are available:

  I  : Invert the display colors to black characters on white background.
       A white screen background is more likely to flicker than a dark one
       and the inverted display can help you determine if the refresh rate
       is sufficient for bright background colors, as for instance in
       Windows 3.1x program manager.
 +/- : Increase / decrease the screen refresh rate
       For most video modes you can adjust the refresh rate in a range of
       approximately 55 - 110 Hz. However depending on the capabilities of
       your monitor the picture may disappear when you choose a refresh
       rate that is too low or too high for your monitor. If that happens
       switch back some steps in the opposite direction and the picture
       should reappear.
 h/v : Invert the polarity of the horizontal(h) or vertical(v) sync signal
       On some multisync. monitors inverting the polarity of the horizontal
       and/or vertical sync. signal can help to increase the size of the
       displayed picture so that it fills the whole screen.
       Some monitor manufacturers include a table of predefined refresh
       rates and sync. polarities with the documentation.
0-3  : Select the internal clock. Generally you will not need to change
       the predefined clock. This will be needed for the standard VGA
       modes in a later version. In all extended video modes you should
       select Clock 2 or 3 to make use of the refresh rate enhancement.
       Clock 0 and 1 may not work for all extended video modes and with
       these clocks the refresh rate enhancement is inactive.
<- ->: (Cursor left/right) Horizontal shift of screen display; use this to
       adjust the horizontal picture position if necessary.
<ESC>: Cancel, discard changes and return to main menu
<CR> : Accept changes and return to main menu
<DEL>: Set current video mode to factory defaults and return to main menu

Note: The refresh rate enhancement is disabled if the built-in LCD display
is active. To use HiScan you must switch to the external display (CRT)
only.


A typical setup session
-----------------------

Usually you would first call HISCAN.EXE to determine whether it works for
your video system. If it does, you will see a text screen that gives you
detailed information on your video system.

In that case you can press <ESC> to exit the program for now and proceed
by adding the call to the memory resident module HS-TSR.COM to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file as described under 'Installing the TSR module' above.

Then you should restart your computer in order to load the memory resident
module. Since you have not yet saved a parameter file you will see a
warning from HS-TSR, that the parameter file can not be loaded when the
system reboots. This warning will disappear when you have saved a parameter
set with the registered version of HiScan.

Now you can call HISCAN.EXE again and go to the main menu, from where you
call the enhance mode menu for each listed video mode. In the enhance mode
menu you can adjust the refresh rate and, if necessary, the horizontal
picture position for that mode as described above and return to the main
menu with the <CR> key to accept the changes.

When you are done for all video modes you can save the settings in the main
menu by pressing the 'S' key and exit the program with <ESC>. You can call
HISCAN.EXE again at any time to modify the settings if needed.

NOTE: In the unregistered version the save option in the main menu is
grayed and disabled. However, the settings are transferred to the TSR module
and are activated whenever you use one of the enhanced video modes until
you reboot the computer.


28/50 line text modes
---------------------

HiScan allows you to increase the number of visible text lines in text mode
to 28 or even 50, instead of the usual 25 lines. This feature increases the
amount of visible information for most DOS based applications. It works
also in a DOS box under Windows 3.x and 95.

The number of text lines can be set either with a command line switch (see
below) or in the main menu (see above). Changes take effect immediately,
and if HiScan runs in a DOS window, the window is resized to the new size.

When the parameters are saved in the registered version, the current number
of text lines is save, too, and set automatically on each system start.

If the TSR is globally disabled (with "HISCAN /OFF"), 25 text lines are
used, regardless of the setting in the main menu.

Please note that changes to the number of text lines remain in effect until
a new number is set using HiScan or the TSR module is disabled.

Some older programs may require the standard 25 line text mode. In these
cases, the number of lines can be reduced, using the command line switch
/25 as shown below. You can also temporarily disable the TSR module using
the /OFF switch.


Command line options
====================

The refresh rate enhancement can be temporarily disabled in the main menu.
The same can be done by calling HISCAN with the command line parameter
'/OFF'. To enable the refresh rate enhancement again call HISCAN with the
parameter '/ON':

        HISCAN /OFF  : Disable refresh rate enhancement
        HISCAN /ON   : Enable  refresh rate enhancement

To switch between 25, 28 and 50 line text modes, use the following command
line options:

        HISCAN /25   : Set 25 line text mode (DOS default)
        HISCAN /28   : Set 28 line text mode (TSR must be installed)
        HISCAN /50   : Set 50 line text mode (TSR must be installed)


History
=======

Version 1.20:
-------------

- Added support for 28 and 50 line text mode

- Added support for F65546 chip (for Toshiba Satellite Pro 410 CDT)

- Video mode is now re-set when HiScan is enabled or disabled with /ON or
  /OFF switch, so that the change takes effect immediately


Version 1.10:
-------------

- Chips register values are now restored by TSR module after a temporary
  switch to the LCD display

- Added check for installed VESA support. If not found, program terminates
  with an appropriate error message

- Structural improvements in the TSR routine, to optimize performance


Version 1.01:
-------------

- Added display for total pixels in enhance mode menu

- Added display for pixel clock and horizontal clock in enhance mode menu

- Fixed a system crash that occured in certain situations when enhancing
  a mode with the TSR module installed


Version 1.00:
-------------

- Original version, dated 18-Nov-1995


Legal note
==========

I have done everything to make sure that HiScan is free of errors and works
as described above on all designated target systems. However, I can not
guarantee that it works in all software or hardware environments. And I can
not accept any responsibility for possible damage caused by running HiScan
or one of its modules.


Shareware registration
======================

If you decide to use this program after the initial 30 days evaluation
period you are required to register. For easy online registration via the
CompuServe network please use the CompuServe shareware registration
service (GO SWREG) and select the shareware registration ID # 8518.

The shareware fee is 18 US$. The registration code is sent to you by email
and there is no additional shipping and handling fee.

The registration code which you will receive as a registered user enables
the "Save changes" option in the main menu. You can then save the settings
for all video modes and they will be loaded automatically on system boot
if you have installed the TSR module as described above under "Installing
the TSR module".
Your registration is valid for all future update versions of HiScan with
no additional registration fee.
Of course I will also be happy to give you technical support on all
questions related to the program. And I am looking forward to receive your
suggestions for future versions.

Please remember that the shareware concept is meant to provide users with
reliable software for an affordable price. It can only work if you support
it with your registration.


Contacting the author
=====================

Registered or not, if you have any questions or comments about HiScan
please contact me via email at:
        Internet  : 100326.564@compuserve.com
        CompuServe: 100326,564

For information on some of my other shareware programs, please see my home
page on the World Wide Web, at:
        http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/joerg

Thanks again for trying out HiScan. I hope that you find it a useful
utility, and look forward to your comments.

                                                             Joerg H. Arnu
