[comp.windows.ms] ATI VGA Wonder+ slowness

timg@timg.intel.com (Tim Gardner) (04/04/91)

This has probably been beat to death, but I think
my 800X600 256 color display speed is slower then it
should be. I have a 386/25 with 8Mb, NEC 3D, AMI
BIOS, and ATI V2.00 driver. Why does it take nearly 6 
seconds for the program manager to repaint the screen? 
There is always a 1-2 second delay before pulldown menus
appear, regardless of the application.

Does anyone else suffer from such display lethargy?

timg@timg.intel.com

goh@cpsin3.uucp (Goh Yang Chong) (04/05/91)

timg@timg.intel.com (Tim Gardner) writes:

>This has probably been beat to death, but I think
>my 800X600 256 color display speed is slower then it
>should be. I have a 386/25 with 8Mb, NEC 3D, AMI
>BIOS, and ATI V2.00 driver. Why does it take nearly 6 
>seconds for the program manager to repaint the screen? 
>There is always a 1-2 second delay before pulldown menus
>appear, regardless of the application.

>Does anyone else suffer from such display lethargy?


I got my upgrade of my VGA Wonder+ last week, all excited that it would
speed up display. Boy! Was I wrong. The drivers for windows that came
with it are V2.01. It's display speed seemed to be slower in 800x600 16
colors mode. There is a slight speed up in the 800x600 256 colors
though. 

The most noticeable speed deterioration is when I'm using DOS application
in graphics mode. I was manipulating images using Piclab 1.82 (found in
cica) and had a pic display on my screen using 640x480 256 colors. When
I hit <ESC> to return to text mode, I can actually see the image SLOWLY
fading out of the screen. Another program ComputerEye PRO (commercial),
one screen was supposed to show graphics with text over it, and where I
can manipulate the image colors, contrast and brightness. It took a
noticeable time for the image to change its attribute with each key
press. One thing I must say though is that text display shows a
tremendous improvement.

I did not pay $99 for a card that is slower than my current one. 
So I called ATI tech support and they told me that the Wonder+ was
designed to speed up windows and when using DOS applications, thex
overhead might/will slow down display. I ask to return the Wonder+ card for
refund. At first they told me that I must make a benchmark test on the
card and provide them with the readings. I told them that if I can see
the difference with my bear eyes, would I still need to do a benchmarks
test? They say they will call me back. They did, didn't take them too long.
They accepted my request to return the card for full refund, and wanted
me to include a note telling them the problems I've encountered (I thought
that was very nice of them). 

ATI says that in a couple of months, they will be releasing a card which
will display 256,000 (if I remembered correctly) simultaneous colors.

I will hang on to my VGA Wonder 512K card for awhile till they can
produce a card that will be assuringly faster!

Yang Chong Goh				goh@cps.msu.edu
Michigan State University		voice : (517)-337-4099
Computer Science Department