tim@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Timothy L. Kay) (03/02/89)
I am curious how VGA upgrades might work on an IBM PS/2. For example, when you plug in a 8514A to get your 1024x768, what does that do to the on-board VGA? Suppose someday Orchid or Paradise has a spiffy new VGA that was high res and non-interlaced. How would they deal with the on-board VGA?
chasm@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Charles Marslett) (03/05/89)
In article <9868@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>, tim@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Timothy L. Kay) writes: > > I am curious how VGA upgrades might work on an IBM PS/2. For example, > when you plug in a 8514A to get your 1024x768, what does that do to > the on-board VGA? > > Suppose someday Orchid or Paradise has a spiffy new VGA that was high > res and non-interlaced. How would they deal with the on-board VGA? The on board VGA can be disabled (and reenabled, and disabled, and ...) so that you can actually run with both cards driving your 8514 monitor. In fact, the 8514A does not support 80 column text (if I remember correctly), so the system has to boot up with the motherboard VGA controlling the monitor and the 8514A doesn't do anything til you switch to one of the higher resolution modes. In the case of a spiffy new upgrade card from Orchid or Paradise (or STB!), it would either work like the 8514A (sharing the tube, just providing another set of higher resolution or more colors modes), or it would drive a second monitor. But in either case, the original motherboard video should (since I own none of the companies mentioned, I cannot guarantee their performance) still be usable with programs that do not understand the new card. Like I said on the summary line: for once IBM did it just right. Charles Marslett =========================================================================== Charles Marslett STB Systems, Inc. <== Apply all standard disclaimers Wordmark Systems <== No disclaimers required -- that's just me chasm@killer.dallas.tx.us