torvalds@cs.Helsinki.FI (Linus Torvalds) (01/09/91)
I've got this new fine computer (386,33MHz etc) but am experiencing some trouble with my SVGA-card/monitor. The card I have is a VG-2000 by DFI with 512kB video ram, supposed to be able to do almost anything (well 1024x768 16 colours anyway). The problem is - it doesn't. I've got the drivers and manual and they tell me less than zero - except that the really high resolution modes don't work. I am able to see all normal VGA modes with the addition of 800x600 (16 c), so I'm still pleased with my card. What bugs me is that none of these modes really need 512kB, so I've bought that for nothing. My guess so far has been a problem with my monitor - it's supposed to be able to display 1024x768, but it's INTERLACED. Is that a problem? If so is it "terminal", or can one tell the card to use interlaced mode? The weird thing is that I can see 640x480,16c (obviously as it's normal VGA), but I'm unable to get 640x480,256c to work even though this as I would understand it has the same frequency (flame me if I'm wrong). PS. the monitor is a GoldStar 1460 Plus, and the card has a trident TVGA (don't know the code, will check if necessary) controller. Please reply by mail to 'torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi' (or follow-up if you would like to use "tens of thousands of dollars" :-) advTHANKSance torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi torvalds@cc.helsinki.fi
dlow@pollux.HP.COM (Danny Low) (01/11/91)
>(Linus Torvalds) >My guess so far has been a problem with my monitor - it's supposed to be >able to display 1024x768, but it's INTERLACED. Is that a problem? If so >is it "terminal", or can one tell the card to use interlaced mode? >The weird thing is that I can see 640x480,16c (obviously as it's normal >VGA), but I'm unable to get 640x480,256c to work even though this as I >would understand it has the same frequency (flame me if I'm wrong). My guess is your video card is defective. The defect is most likely in the memory chips. 640x480,256c requires the second 256kb of memory while 640x480,16c does not. All the problems you indicated involve using the second 256KB of memory. As long as you are using a mode that only requires 256KB of memory your card works okay. One quick diagnostic you can do is look at the DRAM chips on the card and see if any of them have a misaligned pin. Danny Low "Question Authority and the Authorities will question You" Valley of Hearts Delight, Silicon Valley HP CPCD dlow@pollux.svale.hp.com