[net.micro.pc] HI-RES graphics

stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steve Rogers) (08/13/83)

I have always been puzzled by what "Hi-Res" means until I know
pixel specs, scanning frequency, and interlace mode, for a 
particular display board.


.......... here are the boards I know about...
 
*--------*

Control Systems, 2855 Anthony Lane, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
55418 (612) 789-2421:

          Artist 1 for $3195 
         -1024 x 1024 Industrial graphics
         -170 x 96 Character display
         -512k Memory

          Artist 2 for $1595
         -640 x 410 Business graphics
         -80 x 50 Character display
         -128k Memory

        
    COMMON FEATURES include:

      16 colors
      16:1 display zoom
      16:1 character zoom
      pan, scroll, paging
      light pen
      DMA
      Mixed text and graphics
      selectable character sets
      solid and dotted lines
      11 shading patterns
      RS343 output
      external genlock
      NEC 7220 processor
      single expansion slot
      accessible graphics library from any PC-DOS language
      supports CP/M-GSX
      and lots more features popular including Tektronix 40XX 
          emulation


*-------*
Hercules Computer Technology, 3200 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 
94703  (415) 654-2476

          Hercules Graphics Card for $499
         -720 x 348 monochrome display only.
         -HBASIC software provided by Hercules,
         -1-2-3, Energraphics, Autocad & others
          support this hardware.
         -incompatible with color graphics board
          (unless you want to break a trace on the
           Hercules board!)


*--------*
Techmar 6225 Cochran Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44139 (216) 349-0600

         Graphics Master for $695
        -full emulation of existing IBM PC display adaptors
        -720 x 700 bit map graphics on monochome          
        -only one monitor can be physically connected at a time
        -no application software support or BASIC for 720x700 mode
        -no parallel printer port on board
        -30 different display modes altogether
        -128k on-board display buffer memory
        -compatible with either IBM PC display adaptor

*--------*
Orchid Technology, 487 Sinclair Frontage Road, Milpitas, CA 95035 
(408) 942-8600

         Monochrome Graphics Adaptor
        -720 x 350 screen resolution
        -functions as a companion card to the monochome adaptor
        -enables graphics and/or monochrome characters 
        -game adaptor included on card
        -64k on-board RAM
        -complete software support (they claim)


**********

Without an existing IBM standard for "higher" resolution graphics 
it is risky to get any of these boards unless you can afford to 
throw them away later on or can get a quick ROI.

My feeling is that if you really don't need graphics right now, 
you might save some money if you wait for IBM to produce their 
new graphic board ( I am assuming that they are working on one--
if they are not, they are crazy! ).


Some rule of thumbs might be:

If you are just buying your PC and need excellent character 
resolution for text processing, but would like to have graphics 
for popular application software, consider the Hercules card.

If you already have a monochrome adaptor, don't want to waste it, 
and don't have a need for popular application software graphics 
on your monochome screen, consider Orchid.  You can add a 
standard graphics card later.

If you want flexiblity without much software support, but want to  
be able to run all the standard stuff, consider the Graphics 
Master.  (Techmar may provide software support later on--their 
software that I have used has been very good.) 

If you want to run Tektronix graphics consider the Artist I or 
II.

If you want a dedicated CAD super system consider the Artist II.

********

If Techmar will put two connectors on the Graphics Master so that
I can switch back and forth between color and B/W displays I will 
seriously consider buying that board.  Otherwise I will wait for
awhile to see if IBM moves.

*********

Another issue that needs to be addressed is that the monitors 
that can display the "higher" resolution color graphics are not 
very affordable.



                 Steven D. Rogers
    
P.S.  another option is to get both monochrome and color/graphics 
      adaptors, the monochrome screen, a very high quality color
      graphics monitor, then upgrade the adaptor cards when "higher"
      resolution standards are more settled

stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steve Rogers) (08/22/83)

When I asked a Techmar representative at a recent demo of the 
"new, improved"  Graphics Master whether or not the "un-improved" 
board had ever been shipped, he said, "No."   That is why Rob 
Kling could not find any owners! 

The "new, improved" version was demonstrated in many of its 
modes, and it looked real nice.  However, language and 
application software support does not seem to be available at 
this time for the hi-res graphics modes.