[comp.windows.x] X on a DMD5620?

bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (03/02/87)

We just got a few DMD5620's (BLITs, Jerqs, whatever you call them,
brand new ones, I assume with the WE32000 cpu) and all the devpt
software stuff for 3B2s. They're for the CS dept students here.
There's no particular reason for them to be hooked up to the 3Bs, we
also have a Vax and Encore for the students and could probably arrange
other things if you have a good suggestion.

Has anyone done an X server port aimed at these? Anyone working on
one? Is it possible? Why not?

	-Barry Shein, Boston University

tk@moss.ATT.COM@rutgers.UUCP (03/02/87)

I've thought about whether the DMD5620 or the Blit would be a usable
display under X (I'd like to believe that it is since I've got a
couple of them). It seems that the relatively low bandwidth of the
serial connection between the DMD and the host is a fundamental
limitation.  For most programs that are designed for the DMD, a lot of
work goes into minimizing the amount of communication between the
terminal and the host because it is so  s l o w.  On the other hand,
most of those applications tend to be designed to run in `layers',
which places an extra penalty on this communication due to the
multiplexing.  I wonder if there are other displays with servers that
deal successfully with such a limitation?

tom kirk
at&t bell laboratories