Ciccarelli.pa@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (02/14/84)
Lauren, Look into the Tecmar Graphics Master. I'm investigating it myself for a color application. No mouse input, but supports both the IBM color and monochrome modes, with substantial enhancements on both. The board uses the Motorola 6845 (same as the IBM Color board, I think) and a 2764 EPROM as a character generator (supports both 9x14 and 8x8 character sets). It has on-board 14.3 MHz and 16.2 MHz dot clock oscillators for the two IBM-compatible modes. $695. The User's Manual that comes with the board is only minimally useful; it describes only a graphics terminal emulator which Tecmar provides with the board -- no low-level access information. However the release of the Technical Reference for the board is imminent (I obtained a preliminary version by calling Tecmar customer support at their plant in Ohio). The Tech Ref is excellent, full of information about programming modes, and frank in its explanation of the board's limitations. Other around-$1K PC-compatible color graphics boards: Graphics Dazzler, from Sigma (Santa Clara, CA) which has a 640x400x4-color window on a 1024x1024 display space (with hardware pan and 1x..16x integer zoom -- I've seen it and it's amazing; uses the NEC 7220 chip). The board looks like two I/O ports to the PC, unlike the IBM boards which are memory-mapped, so Sigma includes programs to use the board as the main DOS display. $895. I just learned of several boards called the Revolution series, from Number Nine Computer Corp., 691 Concord Ave., Cambridge MASS 02138, (617) 492-0999. They are described on pages 87 and 98 of the latest (Feb. 13) E.E.Times. The boards use the new Intel 82720 Graphics Display Controller for displays from 512x512 up to 1720x1200 (!). $945 to $1395. /John
lauren%RAND-UNIX@vortex.UUCP (02/17/84)
Greetings. I'm looking for information regarding boards which can replace the standard IBM monochrome board and (hopefully) provide the following features: 1) Have modes to support BOTH monochrome-type text AND standard graphics displays on a normal IBM-compatible monochrome monitor (the ones with the 18 Khz horiz. rate and separated syncs). If the unit has "enhanced" graphics modes as well, so much the better, but no special versions of software should be necessary for standard graphics displays. 2) Have outputs for BOTH the monochrome monitor (using the standard DB-type connector) AND for a conventional color monitor (15 Khz horiz, composite video). Ideally both the 18 Khz monochrome and 15 Khz composite outputs could be used simultaneously or at least easily switchable. 3) Mouse input (optional, I can live without it). I'd like to emphasize that it's critical that the unit be able to display standard IBM graphics on the monochrome monitor and (in full color where appropriate) on a conventional composite monitor. It's also important that when in monochrome text mode, the display be of equivalent quality to the standard IBM monochrome board. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks much. --Lauren--