button@eecs.nwu.edu (Patrick Button) (04/11/89)
I'm currently trying to resolve a dilemna over which 16-bit VGA
video card to buy and am hoping that some of you netters out there could
give me some advice. I intend to use this VGA card with a Mitsibushi
Diamond Scan (AUM 1381A), which I have not purchased yet. I plan to
spend around $300 for this card which brings me to the following choices.
1. Paradise VGA Plus 16
2. ATI VGA Wonder
3. Orchid ProDesigner VGA
I would be grateful if any of the experts, owners, or anyone who is
familiar with VGA cards could offer me some advice. Any additional
information would also be welcome (such as software drivers included,
programs that don't work with a particular card). I am also open to
suggestions to other VGA cards in the same price range.
Thanks in advance,
Patrick Button
Northwestern University
Internet:button@gamma.eecs.nwu.eduliber@darth.UUCP (Eric Liber) (04/12/89)
In article <3580012@eecs.nwu.edu>, button@eecs.nwu.edu (Patrick Button) writes: > > I'm currently trying to resolve a dilemna over which 16-bit VGA > video card to buy and am hoping that some of you netters out there could > give me some advice. I intend to use this VGA card with a Mitsibushi . . I have been using a Paradise VGA 16 + card with a NEC Multisync II in a 20mhz 386 (AT style buss) for about 5 months now. I like the combination very much. It works very well at all resolutions including the 800 x 600 mode (if you have a driver) even though NEC says the Multisync II can only do 560 lines! I have found only a vanishingly small set of software that does not work with this board. Most of that is OLD games that assume you have a CGA and simply start writing to the screen. Some of those can be taken care of by setting and locking the video mode prior to running the game. The remainder that will not work are not worth the hassle. (probably not more than .5% of the total tested. The only problem (if you can call it that) that I had was with the automatic 8 vs 16 bit sensing. The board tries to determine if it can use 16 bit transfers or not and sets itself automatically. In my box (a gateway 20mhz 386) it seemed to think that it could only do 8 bit. However, a utility supplied by paradise indicated that 16 bit might work. Sooo.. I set the dip switch on the back to force 16 bit and it has worked happily ever after. ASSIDE: there has been some 8 bit vs 16 bit discussion going on here recently. a 16 bit board can give you significant throughput increases IN A 16 BIT BOX. These boards are designed to work in either an 8 bit (XT) or 16 bit (AT) buss. IF YOU ARE USING AN 8 BIT BUSS THE ADDITIONAL EDGE CONNECTOR FOR 16 BIT IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING AND IT IS ONLY GOING TO DO 8 BIT TRANSFERS. However, in a 16 bit box it will help considerably. I did some crude tests and showed a 50 - 100% increase in raw pixel writes using 16 bit vs 8 bit transfers. The tests were far from scientific and exhaustive but the 16 bit mode was definately faster. One other thing. It appears that the Paradise VGA 16 + card is Identical to the Pardise Professional card with the exception of a row of 256k memory chips and associated decoding. Has anybody verified this and attempted to upgrade their card? Or will somebody that has a professional card please post the chip lineup from their card. I recommend the Paradise VGA 16 + card without hesitation. If i can be of further help i can be reached at pitt!darth or 412-374-5311 (work 7:30am - 4:30pm edt) 412-367-7308 (home other times) Eric (the red baron) Liber
joel@peora.UUCP (04/14/89)
In article <478@darth.UUCP>, liber@darth.UUCP (Eric Liber) writes: > One other thing. It appears that the Paradise VGA 16 + card is > Identical to the Pardise Professional card with the exception of a row > of 256k memory chips and associated decoding. Has anybody verified this > and attempted to upgrade their card? Or will somebody that has a > professional card please post the chip lineup from their card. I think there is a lot of similarities between the various Paradise VGA cards. I have a Paradise VGA + and I noticed that 640x400x256 mode that is defined for the VGA 16 + and Pro cards works on it, even though it isn't defined for it. -- Joel Upchurch/Concurrent Computer Corp/2486 Sand Lake Rd/Orlando, FL 32809 joel@peora.ccur.com {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd,ucf-cs}!peora!joel Telephone: (407) 850-1040 Fax: (407) 857-0713
spock@sfsup.UUCP (+Giacchi T.) (04/15/89)
>In article <3580012@eecs.nwu.edu>, button@eecs.nwu.edu (Patrick Button) writes: > > I'm currently trying to resolve a dilemna over which 16-bit VGA > video card to buy and am hoping that some of you netters out there could > give me some advice. I intend to use this VGA card with a Mitsibushi >. >. I have been using the RVGA II board by Renessiance (spelling?). It is a 16-bit card. It support upto 800x600 in 16 colors. The board is very fast. It has to modes, safe and fast. Fast mode allow 1:1 CPU/VIDEO CARD memory access. It has run every (I mean every) piece of software I have tried, including old CGA 160x100 16 color stuff like bricks and round42. It uses the Cirrus Logic EAGLE II chip set, which as far as I can tell seems to be the most compatible chip set available. In addition to true autoswitching (does not use NMI) in can be locked into various modes. The card costs about $300-$350 on the street. It is the only card I will buy. Hope this helps. ----------------------------------------------------------------- - - - Only a fool fights in a burning house. - - Most illogical. - - - - attunix!spock - My opinions are mine and you can't have them. - - - -----------------------------------------------------------------