rthomps@pacsbb.UUCP (Robert Thompson) (07/20/89)
Atari ST Myarc Geneve
---------------------- -------------------------
hi res: 640x400 monocrhome hi res: 512x424, 16 colors
med res: 640x200 4 colors 512x212, 16 colors
med res: 256x212, 256 colors
lo res: 320x200 16 colors lo res: 256x192, 2 of 16 colors
for each row of 8 pixels
(TI 99/4A compatible)
text modes: software simulated text modes: 32x24
40x24
80x24
sprites: software simulated sprites: hardware based,
multi-colored
hardware graphics: hardware graphics:
*horizontal* lines only *all* lines (true?)
multi-colored sprites
pattern fill
The ST uses a display generator The Geneve has a dedicated (and
chip to draw the screen from part VERY powerful) graphics chip
of CPU ram, but the generator has which draws the screen from
no other special abilities. dedicated video RAM (fast,
auto-incrementing addressing),
in addition to providing many
other useful services. The
Geneve also has a custom 98 pin
chip which (among other things)
provides a very nice interface
between CPU and video processor.wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Scott Flinn) (07/25/89)
I don't know why ST'ers would be interested in the Myarc Geneve 9640
(a "second generation, much improved TI-99/4A"), but the following
article nonetheless appeared here recently. Mr. Thompson is not
actually the original author ... this article (quoted in entirety)
was extracted from a larger article posted by me to comp.sys.ti.
My guess is that Mr. Thompson was enraged at finding what he believed
to be a biased article slandering the ST (this is a *guess*), and that
he was posting the article here so that other ST'ers could become
equally enraged and defend the Atari. I am posting here rather than
replying directly to give people an opportunity to do just that ... I
onw (and love) a 1040ST, and wouldn't want to spread bad rumors about
it.
However, two things should be noted. Firstly, I very carefully stated
that, with the Blitter chip (not available to most 1040 owners), the
Atari is capable of better graphics performance, and that tricky
techniques could also enhance resolution and colour content tremendously,
but that these programming techniques were not available to Most Normal
People. These comments were not quoted.
What really bothers me, however, is that
1) no credit was given for the quoted article, and
2) the first three lines in the Myarc Geneve column were
very carefully edited to reduce the apparent ability
of the Geneve. If my facts were wrong (they were taken
from the technical manual which was shipped with my
Geneve), Mr. Thompson should have explicitly corrected me.
I have included the original lines (also taken from the
comp.sys.ti posting) for comparison.
In article <664@pacsbb.UUCP> rthomps@pacsbb.UUCP (Robert Thompson) writes:
>
> Atari ST Myarc Geneve
>---------------------- -------------------------
>hi res: 640x400 monocrhome hi res: 512x424, 16 colors
>med res: 640x200 4 colors 512x212, 16 colors
> med res: 256x212, 256 colors
>lo res: 320x200 16 colors lo res: 256x192, 2 of 16 colors
> for each row of 8 pixels
> (TI 99/4A compatible)
>text modes: software simulated text modes: 32x24
> 40x24
> 80x24
>sprites: software simulated sprites: hardware based,
> multi-colored
>hardware graphics: hardware graphics:
> *horizontal* lines only *all* lines (true?)
> multi-colored sprites
> pattern fill
>The ST uses a display generator The Geneve has a dedicated (and
>chip to draw the screen from part VERY powerful) graphics chip
>of CPU ram, but the generator has which draws the screen from
>no other special abilities. dedicated video RAM (fast,
> auto-incrementing addressing),
> in addition to providing many
> other useful services. The
> Geneve also has a custom 98 pin
> chip which (among other things)
> provides a very nice interface
> between CPU and video processor.
The first eight lines *should* read:
Atari ST Myarc Geneve
---------------------- -------------------------
hi res: 640x400 monocrhome hi res: 512x424, 16 colours
med res: 640x200 4 colours med res: 256x424, 256 colours
or 512x212, 256 colours
lo res: 320x200 16 colours lo res: 256x192, 2 of 16 colours
for each row of 8 pixels
(TI 99/4A compatible)
Cheers,
--
Me: Scott Flinn / "If it doesn't fit, force it.
Domain: wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu / If it breaks, then it didn't
UUCP: watmath!watcgl!wsflinn / fit anyway."