lacasse@randvax.UUCP (Mark LaCasse) (01/01/87)
In article <194@skatter.UUCP> kuo@skatter.UUCP writes: > > ... [questions about ATI Graphics Solutions Card] > "I would also like to hear any comments about this card." > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Peter Kuo Bitnet/Jnet: KUO@SASK >Accelerator Laboratory uucp: !ihnp4!sask!skatter!kuo >(a.k.a. The Beam Warehouse) >Univ. of Saskatchewan >Saskatoon, Sask. CANADA S7N 0W0 I don't know how to get a block cursor (never tried). But I do have comments on the card. This card has some interesting features. It emulates the Hercules monochrome graphics standard, which is supported by 'business oriented' software; and also emulates the CGA, which is often the only display (or only display to get any graphics) on more 'home market' and 'public domain' software. There are some high-end EGA emulations that have both CGA and Hercules mono-graphics emulation as well. But this card will do these both on a MONOCHROME MONITOR (e.g. Amdek 310A). I have little interest in $800 EGA color monitors for a mostly text-editing application. You EE's might note that the Amdek 310A is a "TTL" monitor that does not have 'gray scale' capibility since it lacks an analog input. They circumvent this by varying the pulse width (all on center) of the TTL video signal. This turns out to work suprisingly well. So each of the CGA's colors map to a unique shade of gray. There are about 3 cards on the market that do this. From calling around, the scuttlebut is that that the others do not reliably work at speeds over 6MHz, but that the ATI works to at least 10MHz. This is the reason I picked the ATI above the others. (One of the others is the Everex "Edge", I can't remember the other, perhaps Plantronics.) I had hardware problems with the particular card I got in an AT clone, which turned out to be no fault of ATI. On the phone, ATI and I thought this was a 'defective' or 'doa' from ATI; but they were really suprized at this since they have had almost no 'doa's in the field. ATI is in Canada, and I am in California. It takes about 3 weeks to UPS between the two as it sits around in customs or something. I was in a hurry (isn't everyone?). ATI shipped me a new board, Federal Express ($50), at their expense, BEFORE I RETURNED THE 'DEFECTIVE' UNIT. They trusted me to send the 'defective' back regular UPS (3 weeks) AFTER I received their replacement (2 or 3 days Fed Ex). They had no previous business with me or reason to trust me. (It turned out the problems wasn't with their board. Yes I did send a board back.) I was very suprised at their prompt customer service and level of trust. The product also has performed well. I recommend the company. (I have no connection with the company...except one-time buyer...) Mark LaCasse qantel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!randvax!lacasse c/o The Rand Corporation cbosgd!ihnp4!sdcrdcf!randvax!lacasse 1700 Main Street lacasse@Rand-Unix Santa Monica, CA 90406 213/393-0411 ext. 7420
tj@utcs.UUCP (01/05/87)
ATI has a new one out! Just released it does all emulations on any monitor. Herc, EGA, CGA can be done on any of MONO, RGB, Enhanced etc displays. Apparently they use interlaced mode to get hi res on low res monitors so you can expect some flicker depending on the monitor etc. I don't know how well it works as they were supposed to ship about Jan 1. Their ATI EGA Wonder (that is really its name) should be great if it is half as good as their ATI Graphics Solution (the one discussed earlier in this group).
jong@hounx.UUCP (01/07/87)
In article <767@randvax.UUCP>, lacasse@randvax.UUCP writes: > In article <194@skatter.UUCP> kuo@skatter.UUCP writes: > > > > ... [questions about ATI Graphics Solutions Card] > > "I would also like to hear any comments about this card." > > > >-------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Peter Kuo Bitnet/Jnet: KUO@SASK > >Accelerator Laboratory uucp: !ihnp4!sask!skatter!kuo > >(a.k.a. The Beam Warehouse) > >Univ. of Saskatchewan > >Saskatoon, Sask. CANADA S7N 0W0 > > This card has some interesting features. It emulates the Hercules > monochrome graphics standard, which is supported by 'business oriented' > software; and also emulates the CGA, ... >...each of the CGA's colors map to a unique shade of gray. > > There are about 3 cards on the market that do this. ... >... (One of the others is the Everex "Edge", I can't remember the other, perhaps Plantronics.) The others that work well with PC and AT are "The Edge" by Everex ("Edge" only gives you 60% reduced screen in CGA emulation mode"), and the Genoa Spectrum. The Edge has a problem with AT in that it will not boot on CGA emulation mode. That is you can only boot in mono mode, then switch to CGA emulation mode. This is bad if you are running 'protected' programs that boot up in CGA (most games..) The Spectrum works very well in both PC/XT/AT. It will boot in CGA emulation just fine. Both cards have problems with certain brand monitors. One example is that the top and bottom parts of the screen get screwed up a little in CGA mode. Princeton MAX12E seems to have a lot of problems with Everex. Amdek310A and Taxan monitors are generally ok, but may need some tweeking around the screen size, etc. IBM monitor works well (which I think is made by Tatung). There are some other cards also (by Paradise and Plantronics), but I vaguely seem to remember a friend of mine telling me of some problems with Paradise. Don't know much about Plantronics. Since then Paradise came out with newer version, which may work better.. I don't know. I messed around a lot with these cards, and I can say The Edge and the Spectrum are both fine cards, and seems to work well. Disclaimer: What is he talking about? What am I talking about? who, what, huh??