[net.micro.pc] EGA emulation by PGC?

beaucham@uiucuxc.Uiuc.ARPA (08/27/85)

I would like to know if -- and ifso, how -- the IBM Professional Graphics
Controller and Monitor (PGC/M) can emulate the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter
and Montior (EGA/M).  In other words, can software written for the EGA/M be
run on the PGC/M?

	Jim Beauchamp  (217) 344-3307    ihnp4!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!beaucham

german@uiucuxc.Uiuc.ARPA (08/27/85)

You might look at VDI.  Using VDI and appropriate device drivers you can 
write device independent code.

johnl@ima.UUCP (09/01/85)

>/* Written  6:54 pm  Aug 26, 1985 by beaucham@uiucuxc in ima:net.micro.pc */
>I would like to know if -- and ifso, how -- the IBM Professional Graphics
>Controller and Monitor (PGC/M) can emulate the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter
>and Montior (EGA/M).  In other words, can software written for the EGA/M be
>run on the PGC/M?

The EGA and PGC seem to have been developed entirely separately by groups
who didn't like each other.  They are in no way compatible, except that
both have a mode which emulates the old color adapter.

The EGA is like a reworked and souped up color adapter -- it just has more
bits on the screen, more colors you can use, and more bells and whistles.
The PGC is a command processor (containing its own 8088) to which you feed
a stream of commands like "draw arc" and "set clipping."

As mentioned elsewhere, you could probably use the virtual device interface
package to write programs that would work on either screen.  If you have
existing EGA code that you want to run on the PGC, you're probably out of
luck.

John Levine, ima!johnl