gemini@homxb.UUCP (Rick Richardson) (02/19/86)
I just got a VEGA "EGA compatible" display adapter from Video-7, and
have found that it IS NOT 100% IBM EGA compatible. I base this claim
on the fact that an IBM EGA operates properly under VENIX system 5.2
in either CGA or EGA modes (as long as you stick to text). However,
the VEGA will cause VENIX to crash when operating in CGA mode. I don't
know yet whether it also will cause the crash in EGA mode.
The VEGA does operate AOK under DOS as far as I have tested it. Note
that the difference here is that under DOS, VEGA patches the BIOS to
make it CGA compatible. Under VENIX, no such patch is possible since
in protected mode there is no such thing as BIOS - the OS operates the
hardware directly.
Now, it should be possible to modify the VENIX console driver to work
directly with the VEGA to avoid whatever the incompatibility is, except
that Video-7 says that technical information on the VEGA will not be
available until NOVEMBER (can you believe it!).
Unless you intend on always using DOS, I cannot recommend purchasing
the Video-7 VEGA display adapter. Note also that since both Video-7
AND Quadram's copyright statements appear on the VEGA documentation,
I would assume that the Quadram EGA will also exhibit this problem.
This is a crying shame, since these products looked like excellent
alternatives to IBM's higher priced and lower-tech product. Boy,
does it drive home the safety of having those three little letters!
Rick Richardson, PC Research, Inc. (201) 922-1134
..!ihnp4!houxm!castor!{rer,pcrat!rer} <--Replies to here, not to homxb!!!