[comp.sys.laptops] Zenith Supersport 286 video

Jim Gerlach <GERLACHJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> (03/05/91)

A friend has a Zenith Supersport 286 and has some ?'s about the video modes:

1) He thinks the salesperson told him the Supersport was EGA Mono compatible
   but all he gets is CGA-like graphics. What are the graphics available?

2) Is there any way to add a VGA card (e.g. ATI VGABasic-16) to this machine
   to drive an external monitor?

Thanx for any help you can provide.

Jim

Jim Gerlach - Cancer Research Laboratories
James.H.Gerlach@QueensU.CA                    Queen's University
GERLACHJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (NetNorth/BITNET)   Room 358, Botterell Hall
tel (613) 545-6446                            Kingston, Ontario
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pollack@dendrite.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jordan B Pollack) (03/07/91)

Tough luck. I fought zenith for a year on selling the "640 by 400"
which was INCAPABLE of using those pixel in graphics mode. Despite
much research, and complaining, and phone calls, it turns out that the
designer for the video section wired in the Yamaha video chip in such
a way that no possible software could make use of higher res modes.

So, all you get is a nice text font and CGA graphics. The Toshiba
Double Scan CGA machines allow you to drive them at full resolution
from WIndoes, but not the Supersport286.

Choices:
1) Trade up to a 286e or the newer 286 8lb 'sport,
2) Sell it and buy something new, or
3) Buy the external cardbox, a VGA card and Monitor,
and settle for CGA on the road.

--
Jordan Pollack                            Assistant Professor
CIS Dept/OSU                              Laboratory for AI Research
2036 Neil Ave                             Email: pollack@cis.ohio-state.edu
Columbus, OH 43210                        Fax/Phone: (614) 292-4890