trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey ) (09/14/87)
I may be a little slow, but after reading the 'User Manual for the Atari ST Bit-Block Transfer Processor (BLiTTER)', I am still unsure of what speed issues I am going to be faced with. I know that the document says that no specifications are included (although using the references wouldn't help there either). What I really need to know before I get immersed in my next project is exactly how much faster certain operations are going to be so that I can make use of them. In particular, I need to know how fast a vro_cpyfm type operation would take using the blitter. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know ASAP...I am toying with the idea of designing a smart program editor for Pascal and C developers, something along lines of combining a think-tank like idea processor with normal editting functions, plus 'knowledge' of procedures and the like (actually, it is down to just the coding stages now...) More on this later. Also, Atari, I think it is kind of disgusting that we (here in Minnesota) have to resort to ordering our Blitters in Switzerland ($60) just to be sure of getting them before hell freezes over (i.e. Winter in Minnesota). Luckily we have a lot of Swedes up here that keep in close contact with their homeland. One more question in general...where the %&%&#$ is OSS 2.0? I only want it for one simple change in DISKTOP to allow for bigger arrays. I almost ran disktop through the Pascal To C translator this weekend, but sanity prevailed. -Todd Burkey trb@stag.UUCP
duane@toto.UUCP (09/16/87)
In article <213@stag.UUCP> trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey ) writes: > >Also, Atari, I think it is >kind of disgusting that we (here in Minnesota) have to resort to ordering >our Blitters in Switzerland ($60) just to be sure of getting them before >hell freezes over (i.e. Winter in Minnesota). Agreed... >Luckily we have a lot of >Swedes up here that keep in close contact with their homeland. And I guess their contacts in their homeland (Sweden) have Swiss friends that keep in close contact with *their* homeland (Switzerland). So where are the blitters available anyway? Sweden or Switzerland? Do I have to go traipsing all over every European country that starts with an "S" when I decide to get a blitter? :-) Duane -- ************************ |UUCP: {hplabs, decwrl}!sun!{misun, toto}!duane ..but one of the choices | COM: duane%misun@sun.com turns existence into art |ARPA: duane@sun.arpa ************************ |USPS: 2550 Garcia Ave. M/S M3-76, Mtn. View CA 94042
kbad@atari.UUCP (Ken Badertscher) (06/26/88)
in article <8806231552.AA18231@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, Bruce Heimbigner asks: > > True of False? > > 1._____ Programs that use tos/gem (primitives?) for graphics will speed > up with the blitter on. True. Since VDI functions take advantage of the BLiTTER if it's there, programs written to use VDI graphics primitives will show an increase in speed in graphics operations > > 2._____ The desk top speeds up with the blitter on. True. (see answer to 1. above) > > 3._____ Only programs written specifically with the blitter in mind > will have any speed up. False. (see answer to 1. above) However, programs can be written specifically to take advantage of the BLiTTER. > > 4._____ All GEM programs will experience some speed up. False. Programs that use their own techniques to draw to the screen will not be sped up by the BLiTTER. > > 5._____ The new database from Timeworks is the only program currently on > the market that uses the blitter. False. Jim Kent's CyberPaint takes specacular advantage of the BLiTTER, and I'm sure other examples exist (though I can't think of any at the moment). -- Ken Badertscher | Hey, umm, the stuff I said up there Atari Software Test/Support | is, like, what _I_ think, okay? {portal,ames,imagen}!atari!kbad | So, y'know, don't bug Atari about it.
jason@lakesys.UUCP (Jason) (06/28/88)
In article <1078@atari.UUCP>, kbad@atari.UUCP (Ken Badertscher) writes: > in article <8806231552.AA18231@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, Bruce Heimbigner asks: > > > > True of False? > > [First questions & answers deleted] > > > > 4._____ All GEM programs will experience some speed up. > False. Programs that use their own techniques to draw to the screen > will not be sped up by the BLiTTER. How could a program which is _GEM_ not speed up? Seeing as the blitter (As I understand how it works) speeds up the Line-A type stuff, and seeing as GEM uses Line-A, wouldn't all GEM programs inherently be sped up? (Depending, of course, on how much of it was GEM and how much was custom drawing). > > > > 5._____ The new database from Timeworks is the only program currently on > > the market that uses the blitter. > False. Jim Kent's CyberPaint takes specacular advantage of the BLiTTER, > and I'm sure other examples exist (though I can't think of any > at the moment). I'm not entirely sure about the exact direction of the original question, but: Those programs may be the only ones that EXPLICITLY use the blitter, but all programs that don't use all custom output drivers would use it if available, no? > -- > Ken Badertscher | Hey, umm, the stuff I said up there > Atari Software Test/Support | is, like, what _I_ think, okay? > {portal,ames,imagen}!atari!kbad | So, y'know, don't bug Atari about it. Jason - Not your average iconoclast (Soon to have large and obnoxious .sig)
meulenbr@cstw01.UUCP (Frans Meulenbroeks) (03/13/89)
In article <1383@atari.UUCP> jansen@atari.UUCP (Mark O. Jansen) writes: >Everything I have heard has said that Atari _is_ planning to make TOS 1.4 >available to owners of existing machines. TOS 1.4 is a very different *** SARCASM ON *** Yes Mark. We've all heard this before. I bought my 1040 about 2.5 year ago, expecting to be able to add a blitter soon. Blitters are being delivered with Mega's already quite a time, and despite the fact that Atari has promised the availability of blitters to us old-timers, I still have to see one. Same holds for 1.4. It is announced long long ago. However I don't believe it before I see it. Anyway, since my system uses tos less and less, I'll probably burn a few roms to contain minix instead of tos, and keep a disk version for the few programs I still use..... *** SARCASM OFF ** Still a 1040 makes a nice piece of hardware, much better than those AT boxes with segmentation and that kind of problems.... Regards, -- Frans Meulenbroeks (meulenbr@cst.prl.philips.nl) Centre for Software Technology ( or try: ...!mcvax!philmds!prle!cst!meulenbr)
c184-au@holden.Berkeley.EDU (Dan Filner) (03/14/89)
I know TOS 1.4 will work on 1040's. I've seen several 1040's running TOS 1.4; people who have close ties to Atari already have preliminary copies of the new ROMs. The only obstacle is getting Atari's legal permission to run the new version. In other words, I KNOW it's possible... it remains to be seen whether it will be legal. There's no good reason for it not to be available : it doesn't require anything harder than the original replacement of the tos-in-ram loader chips with the first ROM version did.. just take 6 socketed chips out and put in 6 new ones. ---
allegro@sunpix.UUCP ( SunVis) (06/02/89)
I hope I'm not being to ignorant (I've only had my ST for 6 mo.) but
what is this blitter I keep hearing about , and how can I get it if
I want it (whatever it is)?
--
uucp: mcnc!rti!sunpix!steve or mcnc!rti!sunpix!allegro | Stephen McKay Matson
"FRODO LIVES!!" | (919)460-8357 {voice}
"Well, Whatever you say I said I must have said, unless I did'nt say it"R.Reaganooa@MSG002.UUCP (O.Atkins) (06/22/89)
Does anyone know if there are any kits for the BLITTER upgrade to the 1040STf? I don't believe I have the socket for the chip, but I do have the chip. I've heard that there are some dma kits that are available, but no one has been able to give me names or numbers. Any help would be appreciated. Please email to ..!MSG002!ooapc!ooa aTdHvAaNnKcSe Owen (Not from "Throw MAMA from the Train") -------FANCY STUFF------ <deleted>
lharris@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Leonard Harris) (06/23/89)
In article <1072@MSG002.UUCP> ooa@MSG002.UUCP (O.Atkins) writes: >Does anyone know if there are any kits for the BLITTER upgrade to >the 1040STf? I don't believe I have the socket for the chip, but >I do have the chip. I've heard that there are some dma kits that >are available, but no one has been able to give me names or numbers. >Any help would be appreciated. > >Please email to ..!MSG002!ooapc!ooa aTdHvAaNnKcSe > >Owen (Not from "Throw MAMA from the Train") > > -------FANCY STUFF------ > <deleted> Are there any comparisons of st's with blitters as opposed to running turbost? Is a blitter worth it? /leonard