Before you install your Zebra Rapixo CoF board, some precautionary measures must be taken. Turn off the power to your computer and its peripherals, and drain static electricity from your body (by touching a metal part of the computer chassis).
Proceed with the following steps to install your board:
Remove the cover from your computer; refer to your computer’s documentation for instructions.
Check that you have an empty PCIe slot in which to install your board. For maximum available bandwidth, use a Gen 3 x16 PCIe slot.
You can install Zebra Rapixo CoF in any mechanical PCIe slot that fits your board (for example, connecting to open-ended connectors). Be aware that if you install it in a PCIe slot that has less PCIe lanes or is of an earlier version than the capabilities of the board, then the maximum bandwidth transfer rate will be affected. Zebra Rapixo CoF might drop frames if the PCIe slot has less active lanes than the capabilities of the board.
If you need to install the HD-15 cable adapter bracket, you will need an additional slot. This slot does not need to be adjacent to the Zebra Rapixo CoF board. In addition, the cable adapter bracket does not plug into a slot’s connector; it attaches only to the back of the computer’s chassis.
Cable adapter bracket
If there is a metal plate at the back of the selected slots, remove it. Keep the screw from the top of the plate to anchor your board and cable adapter bracket once they are installed.
Position your Zebra Rapixo CoF board in the selected PCIe slot. Align the connectors of your board with the opening at the back of the slot, and move the board until the connectors pass through the opening.
When installing your Zebra Rapixo CoF board in a PCIe x16 slot, special care must be taken to avoid damaging the board. Some PCIe x16 slots have a connector with a retainer. You should avoid touching the latch of this retainer with the board. Alternatively, you can remove the latch from the retainer.
Once the input connectors are in the opening of the chassis, press the board firmly but carefully straight down into the connector of the slot.
Anchor the board using the screw that you removed in step 3.
If required, install the cable adapter bracket, as described in the section Installing the cable adapter bracket, later in this chapter.
Attach your video sources.
Turn on your computer.
When you boot your computer under Windows, Windows’ Plug-and-Play system will detect a new Multimedia Video Device and you will be asked to assign it a driver. At this point, you should click on Cancel.
Under Windows and Linux, the driver will be installed during the installation of Zebra Rapixo CoF software.
Disable Active State Power Management (ASPM) for PCIe devices, to maximize the performance of Zebra Rapixo CoF. In the BIOS, disable all ASPM (or equivalent) settings (typically accessible from the Power management sub-menu of the Advanced Configurations menu). In addition, if the operating system has an ASPM for PCIe devices option, disable this option as well. For example, under Microsoft Windows 10, open the Power Options dialog box from the Windows Control Panel. For the currently selected power plan, click on Change Plan Settings and then click on Change Advanced Power Settings. In the presented dialog, expand PCI Express, and then expand Link State Power Management and set it to Off.
Under Microsoft Windows, set the power plan option to high performance to maximize the performance of Zebra Rapixo CoF and minimize the possibility of dropped frames. For example, under Microsoft Windows 10, open the Power Options dialog box from the Windows Control Panel and set the power plan option to High Performance.
