dbraun@cadavr.intel.com (Doug Braun ~) (12/10/88)
What on earch is a MCGA graphics adapter? I have seen some software that supports it (such at Turbo C graphics library and Flight Simulator), but I have never seen a card for sale. Can someone explain? Doug Braun Intel Corp CAD 408 765-4279 / decwrl \ | hplabs | -| oliveb |- !intelca!mipos3!cadev4!dbraun | amd | \ qantel /
ward@chinet.chi.il.us (Ward Christensen) (12/23/88)
In article <3321@mipos3.intel.com> dbraun@cadavr.UUCP (Doug Braun ~) writes: >What on earch is a MCGA graphics adapter? I have seen some software that >supports it (such at Turbo C graphics library and Flight Simulator), >but I have never seen a card for sale. Can someone explain? MCGA (Multi-Color Graphics Array) came out on April 2, 1987 with IBM's then-new PS/2 model 30. While the 50 and larger machines had a VGA (Video Graphics Array), the 30 "only" had MCGA. MCGA: CGA compat + 320 x 200 256 color mode + 640 x 480 2 color mode. VGA: CGA compat + VGA compat + 320 x 200 256 color + 640 x 480 16 color. Just bought Rix color paint, it supports the VGA in a (non-standard) 360 x 480 256 color mode on the 50-60-70-80. The more recently introduced PS/2-25 is also a MCGA machine. The newly introduced 30-286 (officially: 8530 model E21) has a VGA, unlike its model 021 older sibling). Wards Words of Wisdom: you will be disappointed if you get Windows for an MCGA because it will run in hi res mode (as you'd want) but then you'll have only 2 colors. You need VGA to get windows in color. WWW #2: the lack of EGA compatability in the MCGA is a severe drawback. The one exception might be desktop publishing, where "boring" black and white in hi-res mode would be acceptable. Hope this helps.