[comp.sys.ibm.pc] 16 / 256

tackett@ipla01.hac.com (Walter Tackett) (04/04/91)

what does it mean when a vga / super-vga graphics card is referred to
as "16/256" and will it allow me to display 256 grey levels (or colors)
simultaneously in hi-res (1024 x 7??) mode like the macII can?  is there
some vga extended standard coming which will allow this?
thanks,
-walt

newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu (Timothy Newsham) (04/05/91)

>what does it mean when a vga / super vga graphics card is referred to
>as "16/256"

It mean 16 bits and 256K RAM (on the video card), which is another way of
saying standard VGA.  A Super VGA would be 16/512, which is 16 bits and
512K RAM on the card.

jdb@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Brian K. W. Hook) (04/06/91)

In article <12323@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> newsham@wiliki.UUCP (Timothy Newsham) writes:
|>>what does it mean when a vga / super vga graphics card is referred to
|>>as "16/256"
|>
|>It mean 16 bits and 256K RAM (on the video card), which is another way of
|>saying standard VGA.  A Super VGA would be 16/512, which is 16 bits and
|>512K RAM on the card.

This not necessarily true.  With most ads, they list stats as:

Resolution	Colors		Memory Required

640x480		16/256		256/512
800x600		16/256		256/512
1024x768	16/256		512/1024

The 16/256 means that that mode will support 16 or 256 colors.

Brian