jt19840@tut.fi (Tuomi Jyrki Juhani) (02/24/90)
In article <587.25dc6bd6@brb.isnet.inmos.co.uk> gary@brb.isnet.inmos.co.uk writes: >I have seen advertised a OPTIMA/1024 PLUS VGA card, 16bit, 512k, for >135 UK pounds (plus VAT). This seems like an excellent price. >So where's the catch? I have seen an identical board advertised in BYTE >by a company called ARA-TECH. The photo is of an identical board to the one >shown in a UK mag (Micro Computer Mart). >Has anybody any comments about this particular make? I understand that some >VGA cards can be slow (?), and that some have better looking FONTS than >others. I look forward to your replies. (This is my first posting to >USENET - I hope it gets through!). > >Gary Morton Inmos Ltd, Coed Rhedyn, Newport| EMail(UK) >---------------------------------------------| gary@brb.isnet.inmos.co.uk I have had an OPTIMA/1024A+ VGA card for about a month and I haven't had any problems (compatibility or otherwise) with it. My only real complaint is that the card is not accompanied with a high resolution driver for Windows/386 (Windows/286 is supported in both 800x600 and 1024x768 modes). Hi-res drivers are also included for Lotus, Symphony, Autocad (2.5, R9, R10), Ventura, GEM (2.2-3.1), and WP5. Besides VGA, EGA, CGA, MDA, and HGC compatibility, SuperVGA modes are supported as: 256kb DRAM 512kb DRAM 800x600x16c 640x480x256c 800x600x256c 1024x768x16c Additional text modes: 132x25 132x28 132x44 80x60 100x40 The user manual has some printing errors, I can mail you a list of them if you decide to buy one. I can't comment on speed as I haven't other VGA cards for comparison. Fonts look the same as with other VGA cards I have seen (i.e. nothing special in them). A font editor & loader is included with the card, though. BTW, if you look closely at the ads for OPTIMA card, you can see the text P/N 8810 REV C (or REV D). I have seen the same text in many VGA cards (manufactured by other companies) that look in every way exactly the same. I have deducted that Tseng Labs has designed this card and several manu- facturers are using this design (or maybe Tseng Labs even makes the cards). Some other P/N 8810 cards (earlier revisions) are: Wintech Super VGA/16, Quadram QuadVGA Spectra, Aydin Controls Patriot VGA/1024, etc. Note that the OPTIMA/1024A+ VGA actually is P/N 8830 REV A, which is slightly different (and presumably improved) design than the OPTIMA/1024+ VGA (P/N 8810) I am speaking as a satisfied customer, and have no other connection with the company. Jyrki Tuomi Internet: jt19840@tut.fi UUCP: ..mcvax!tut!jt19840