roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) (05/23/89)
I recently purchased a VGA board for my AT, for use in a high-resolution
graphics application I'm working on. Although the board works really
well (I am currently using it with my old Hercules-compatible monochrome
display, until I save up for a real VGA-compatible display, and am
surprised to find it correctly configures itself into Hercules mode and
works with programs I've written that used the old Hercules board,
automatically), the manual that comes with it only tells how to install
it, and how to run some nonstandard graphics programs with it. There
is no programming information at all, other than an intriguing list of
all the modes it operates in.
Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? I have seen
some books (e.g., by Peter Norton) on programming the PS/2 that make
passing mention of the VGA, but there is very little detail. From what
I can see based on the status program that came with the board, it
appears to have a very large number of modes and options.
I know that the PS/2 Model 50 and 60 Technical Manual has a section on
the VGA, and is probably the authoritative source, but I am trying to
find something a little more reasonably priced. I have Microsoft's "PC
Programmer's Sourcebook," but it has very little information on the VGA
in it, just some cursory descriptions of addressing, and a list of
registers (with no description of their purposes, just labels like
"General Output Register").
Any recommendations?
--
Eric Roskos (roskos@CS.IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL)
The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed
than he who reads them: inasmuch as he who knows nothing is
nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods
and errors. --Thos. Jefferson, 1807toma@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (05/24/89)
In article <995@csed-55.IDA.ORG> roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) writes: >Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? There are a couple of books out there. My favorite (because of profuse code examples, thoroughness, and nice diagrams is "Programmer's Guide to PC & PS/2 Video Systems", by Richard Wilton, Microsoft Press (ISBN 1-55615-103-9). Don't get the first printing (there shouldn't be any of these left around) because the program listings were done in a hard-to-read green. This book discusses EGA, VGA, Hercules (several types), and MCGA. The only thing missing is PCJr! Tom Almy toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com Standard Disclaimers Apply
jdm@hodge.UUCP (jdm) (05/25/89)
In article <995@csed-55.IDA.ORG>, roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) writes: > > Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? Three books that I refer to for programming info about the VGA's hardware and BIOS are: EGA/VGA: A Programmer's Guide by Bradley Dyck Kliewer. McGraw-Hill 1988 Programmer's Guide to the EGA/VGA by George Scutty and Steven Blair. Brady Books, 1988. (Includes a disk) Programmer's Guide to the EGA and VGA Cards by Richard F. Ferraro. Addison-Wesley Pub., 1988. Also, you can call up your VGA card's manufacturer and buy the data book/tech notes on the VGA chip set they use. Orchid uses the Tseng Labs chip set and sells the data book for $15 (ET3000-AX/BX). Video Seven also sells a data book for their cards which costs $25. -- jdm@hodge.cts.com [uunet zardoz]!hodge!jdm James D. Murray, Ethnounixologist Hodge Computer Research Corporation 1588 North Batavia Street Orange, California 92667 USA TEL: (714) 998-7750 Ask for James FAX: (714) 921-8038 Wait for the carrier
conway@hpdtl.HP.COM (Daniel F. Conway) (05/25/89)
/ hpdtl:comp.sys.ibm.pc / roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) / 6:58 am May 23, 1989 / | Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? I have seen | some books (e.g., by Peter Norton) on programming the PS/2 that make | passing mention of the VGA, but there is very little detail. From what | I can see based on the status program that came with the board, it | appears to have a very large number of modes and options. | | Any recommendations? There is a very good one from Addison-Wesley. Sorry, I don't remember the exact title or author, but you should be able to find it at any decent technical bookstore. Mail me if you'd like the specific title and I'll dig it up. | Eric Roskos (roskos@CS.IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL) | | The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed | than he who reads them: inasmuch as he who knows nothing is | nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods | and errors. --Thos. Jefferson, 1807 | | Dan Conway dan_conway@hplabs.hp.com
ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) (05/25/89)
Ferraro just has a book out. It should be available in bookstores. Email if you need the title, I'll have to look at home.
conway@hpdtl.HP.COM (Daniel F. Conway) (05/26/89)
/ hpdtl:comp.sys.ibm.pc / conway@hpdtl.HP.COM (Daniel F. Conway) / 12:39 pm May 24, 1989 / / hpdtl:comp.sys.ibm.pc / roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) / 6:58 am May 23, 1989 / | | Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? I have seen . . . | | Any recommendations? | | There is a very good one from Addison-Wesley. Sorry, I don't remember the | exact title or author . . . I check my bookshelf; it is "Programming the EGA and VGA", by Richard F. Ferraro | | | Eric Roskos (roskos@CS.IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL) | Dan Conway dan_conway@hplabs.hp.com
asgard@cpro.uucp (J.R. Stoner) (05/27/89)
roskos@ida.org (Eric Roskos) 6:58 am May 23, 1989 ; Can someone recommend a *good* book on programming the VGA? The reference I have been using is: Programmer's Guide to the EGA/VGA by George Sutty and Steve Blair from Brady Books. This is a *big* book and goes into gory details about things you would never think was there. -- | J.R. (May the Source be With You) Stoner "Dying is easy - | {amdahl,hplabs,decwrl}!pacbell!cpro!asgard Comedy is hard." | asgard@cpro.uucp asgard@well.uucp | asgard@wotan.uucp asgard@fafner.uucp
jeff@carroll1.UUCP (Jeff Bartig) (05/30/89)
The two books I found on our book shelf are (I haven't looked at either): EGA/VGA: A Programmer's Reference Guide by Bradley Dyck Kliewer Intertext Publications/McGraw-Hill Book Co. Copyright 1988 ISBN 0-07-035089-2 $24.95 Programmer's Guide to the EGA and VGA Cards by Richard F. Ferraro Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Copyright 1988 ISBN 0-201-12692-3 $26.95 ___________________________________________________________________ | J | Jeff Bartig, Carroll College | "The sooner you fall | | S | jeff@carroll1.cc.edu | behind, the more time you | | B | uunet!marque!carroll1!jeff | have to catch up." | -------------------------------------------------------------------
wross@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (William Ross) (03/01/90)
I have: 1. a 386 box with VGA 2. an 8 bit color 480*512 image 3. Turbo C compiler I would like to display #2 on #1 using #3. Anyone got a short code fragment to get me started? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Bill Ross wross@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu