alt@ihlpf.ATT.COM (00704a-Todesco) (10/25/88)
> I am considering upgrading an AT&T 6300 PC to EGA graphics. I still > like the sharp resolution of text and B&W graphics on the 6300. > > The 6300 came with ROM BIOS 1.43 and a P8 video board I believe. I'm using > a Taxan 650 color monitor. > > I would appreciate any advice and comments from others who have installed EGA > into the 6300. Is text mode resolution still superior? Any compatibility > problems? > > The only EGA board I know of to supposedly work with an AT&T (compatible) > monitor is the STB MultiRes II. Has anyone used this card? > > A separate, but related issue: Is anyone familiar with the "6300 BUSS > CORRECTION KIT" from W. ALLEN ASSOCIATES. Several people have successfully added an AT&T VDC750 EGA card to a PC6300. The card has the AT&T 640x400 monochrome text mode, plus 640x350 EGA. It also supports 640x400 AT&T 16 color mode (not DEB). MS Windows 286 vs 2.1 supports this AT&T mode, however, the EGA mode can also be used with Windows. The Allen Buss Correction Kit is necessary for some software, but not all. It also comes with a wired IC plug which is used to disable older 6300 video cards; the P8 has a built-in jumper for disabling. One problem that happened to me was a timing problem caused by the bus converter board in the 6300. It caused mouse droppings on paint-type programs and/or parity errors on system board. After swapping the bus converter board with my father-in-law's (he will never go EGA), everything worked perfectly. I also understand that there may be some problems with memory boards used in some 6300s; mine has 640K all on the mother board. I am using the VDC750 card with the original 25KHz AT&T monitor (318). The combination looks real good. I don't know anything about the Taxan 650 monitor, however, since it works with the 6300, it *probably* will work with the VDC750 card. The modification is extremely easy (if you don't have the timing problem): Pop in the VDC750 card; connect the monitor to it; disable the old video board with the jumper or the Allen header; change DIPSW-1 at location 7W on the mother board - switch 5 and 6, both ON; and use the Allen Bus Correction Kit as shown in the Allen manual (it just plugs in). Art Todesco ...ihnp4!ixn5c!alt