jim@tiamat.fsc.com ( IT Manager) (03/20/91)
We are contemplating the purchase of a new video board and monitor. There is the possibility that we may want to try to use the X386 server with this new hardware. What board/monitor combo's are good (and hopefully not too expensive) for running X386 in whatever its highest resolution mode is? Thanks. ------------- James B. O'Connor jim@tiamat.fsc.com Ahlstrom Filtration, Inc. 615/821-4022 x. 651
alex@am.sublink.org (Alex Martelli) (03/22/91)
jim@tiamat.fsc.com ( IT Manager) writes:
:We are contemplating the purchase of a new video board and monitor. There
:is the possibility that we may want to try to use the X386 server with
:this new hardware.
:What board/monitor combo's are good (and hopefully not too expensive) for
:running X386 in whatever its highest resolution mode is?
I'm in a similar situation, indeed I plan to buy board and monitor for
the SOLE purpose of running X386. I'd like at least 16", with 14"
barely acceptable, and about 1024x768 with 4+ colors/grays - I don't
need "highest resolution" because I do believe that X386 has no
builtin limits, and I CANNOT afford a 3000x2000 board&monitor and
up!-). I believe keeping discussion in this area, rather than going
email, would be MUCH more appropriate, since I see SOOO many people
interested! Any opinion/experiences?
--
Alex Martelli - (home snailmail:) v. Barontini 27, 40138 Bologna, ITALIA
Email: (work:) martelli@cadlab.sublink.org, (home:) alex@am.sublink.org
Phone: (work:) ++39 (51) 371099, (home:) ++39 (51) 250434;
Fax: ++39 (51) 366964 (work only), Fidonet: 332/401.3 (home only).tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de (Thomas Hoberg) (03/28/91)
In article <1991Mar21.225558.328@am.sublink.org>, alex@am.sublink.org (Alex Martelli) writes: |> jim@tiamat.fsc.com ( IT Manager) writes: |> :We are contemplating the purchase of a new video board and monitor. There |> :is the possibility that we may want to try to use the X386 server with |> :this new hardware. |> :What board/monitor combo's are good (and hopefully not too expensive) for |> :running X386 in whatever its highest resolution mode is? |> |> I'm in a similar situation, indeed I plan to buy board and monitor for |> the SOLE purpose of running X386. I'd like at least 16", with 14" |> barely acceptable, and about 1024x768 with 4+ colors/grays - I don't |> need "highest resolution" because I do believe that X386 has no |> builtin limits, and I CANNOT afford a 3000x2000 board&monitor and |> up!-). I believe keeping discussion in this area, rather than going |> email, would be MUCH more appropriate, since I see SOOO many people |> interested! Any opinion/experiences? |> -- |> Alex Martelli - (home snailmail:) v. Barontini 27, 40138 Bologna, ITALIA |> Email: (work:) martelli@cadlab.sublink.org, (home:) alex@am.sublink.org |> Phone: (work:) ++39 (51) 371099, (home:) ++39 (51) 250434; |> Fax: ++39 (51) 366964 (work only), Fidonet: 332/401.3 (home only). There is a limit to the resolution X386 supports. It's imposed by the hardware limits of the SVGA chipsets. (e.g. 1MB video RAM) Currently a ET4000 card offers the best speed and can be had for $150-$200. I have an Eizo 9070 (also known as Nanao 9070) 16" display, which I use at 960x710 pixels resolution most of the time. My VGA has a 65MHz crystal and RAM-DAC on it and that resolution yields a screen refresh rate of about 70Hz, meaning no flicker. For some games and all these X programs that think everyone has a SUN I can go to 1152x900 interlaced, which actually looks better than 1024x768 at 60Hz (it uses that same 65MHz oscilator and at about 40 Hz per half frame yields a stability comparable to an 80Hz display). For the 9070 a 65MHz crystal is about the end of the rope, though. -- tom ---- Thomas M. Hoberg | UUCP: tmh@bigfoot.first.gmd.de or tmh%gmdtub@tub.UUCP c/o GMD Berlin | ...!unido!tub!gmdtub!tmh (Europe) or D-1000 Berlin 12 | ...!unido!tub!tmh Hardenbergplatz 2 | ...!pyramid!tub!tmh (World) Germany | BITNET: tmh%DB0TUI6.BITNET@DB0TUI11 or +49-30-254 99 160 | tmh@tub.BITNET
osmoviita@cc.helsinki.fi (03/30/91)
In article <564@bigfoot.first.gmd.de>, tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de (Thomas Hoberg) writes: > There is a limit to the resolution X386 supports. It's imposed by the hardware > limits of the SVGA chipsets. (e.g. 1MB video RAM) > Currently a ET4000 card offers the best speed and can be had for $150-$200. > I have an Eizo 9070 (also known as Nanao 9070) 16" display, which I use at > 960x710 pixels resolution most of the time. My VGA has a 65MHz crystal and > RAM-DAC on it and that resolution yields a screen refresh rate of about 70Hz, > meaning no flicker. For some games and all these X programs that think everyone > has a SUN I can go to 1152x900 interlaced, which actually looks better than > 1024x768 at 60Hz (it uses that same 65MHz oscilator and at about 40 Hz per > half frame yields a stability comparable to an 80Hz display). For the 9070 > a 65MHz crystal is about the end of the rope, though. > -- tom > ---- > Thomas M. Hoberg | UUCP: tmh@bigfoot.first.gmd.de or tmh%gmdtub@tub.UUCP > c/o GMD Berlin | ...!unido!tub!gmdtub!tmh (Europe) or > D-1000 Berlin 12 | ...!unido!tub!tmh > Hardenbergplatz 2 | ...!pyramid!tub!tmh (World) > Germany | BITNET: tmh%DB0TUI6.BITNET@DB0TUI11 or > +49-30-254 99 160 | tmh@tub.BITNET I don't have UNIX yet but I want to know if that would be suitable for graphics what I have to do. This X386 and ET4000 combination sounds interesting. I have the need to choose refresh rate. So is it built in X386 that one can choose vertical and horizontal resolutions and so alter refresh rate? And is it even possible to change oscillator frequency. Which particular ET4000 card are you using ( -- to get a 65 Mhz one)? And is double buffering possible with that combination? Is it possible to change whole pallette during vertical retrace time or what is the maximum frame rate when that is possible? I just started to read this group and have not seen any description of this X386. Could I get some information? Thanks in advance Kari Osmoviita osmoviita@cc.helsinki.fi
alex@am.sublink.org (Alex Martelli) (04/01/91)
tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de (Thomas Hoberg) writes:
...
:Currently a ET4000 card offers the best speed and can be had for $150-$200.
Yup, looks like the best deal, I just got one too as an Easter present,
and according to clock.pas it has 25 28 36 40 0 0 45 65 MHz clocks.
:I have an Eizo 9070 (also known as Nanao 9070) 16" display, which I use at
:960x710 pixels resolution most of the time. My VGA has a 65MHz crystal and
:RAM-DAC on it and that resolution yields a screen refresh rate of about 70Hz,
:meaning no flicker. For some games and all these X programs that think everyone
:has a SUN I can go to 1152x900 interlaced, which actually looks better than
:1024x768 at 60Hz (it uses that same 65MHz oscilator and at about 40 Hz per
:half frame yields a stability comparable to an 80Hz display). For the 9070
:a 65MHz crystal is about the end of the rope, though.
I got a NED/MultiSync 4D, and I'm NOT satisfied with what I have been
able to get from it so far with X386! I'm sure I can do better, but
even following all the nice pointers (both from here, and by Email) have
not managed to get a real satisfactory resolution so far. Indeed I am
still using 'standard BIOS' 800x600 screen as the best flicker-free,
smear-free one, but I'd really like more. When I go 1024x768, any which
way, I get random screen flickers (somewhat like the "noise" in the old,
old IBM CGA adapters) whenever I move the mouse pointer around, and
whenever an xterm scrolls the flicker goes crazy - are these symptoms of
a bad X386 configuration, or is it access conflicts on the video RAM on
the adapter? It's 80nsec RAM, but maybe these boards are so cheap for
a reason...:-). The 'smear' problem has to do with how text stands out,
it's somewhat 'smeared' at 1024x768 resolutions, in all fonts and in
black on white, while a Ctrl-Alt-KpMinus to 800x600 makes it all
wonderfully sharp... THIS one definitely looks to me as a config problem,
right? Oh BTW, the NEC 4D has lots of control buttons, and a "mode
switch" which, for my life, I cannot figure out what it's supposed to do!
When I turn it on or off the only effect seems to have to do with screen
centering and image size, I can use the finetune buttons to undo whatever
it is that the 'mode switch' does... does this have anything to do with
my problem?
Despite all this, I'm real happy - after all even 800x600 is nothing to
snicker at - although I believe I got some old version of X386, despite
copying it from a VERY recent uunet tape, because for example it core
dumps with a bus error if I say I have a Logitech mouse (must tell it
I have a Mousesystems one, although it's a lie it makes it work!-).
--
Alex Martelli - (home snailmail:) v. Barontini 27, 40138 Bologna, ITALIA
Email: (work:) martelli@cadlab.sublink.org, (home:) alex@am.sublink.org
Phone: (work:) ++39 (51) 371099, (home:) ++39 (51) 250434;
Fax: ++39 (51) 366964 (work only), Fidonet: 332/401.3 (home only).