Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!bpa!temvax!pacsbb!rthomps
From: rthomps@pacsbb.UUCP (Robert  Thompson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: ATARI ST GRAPHICS ?
Keywords: MYARC GENEVE 9640, ATARI ST
Message-ID: <664@pacsbb.UUCP>
Date: 20 Jul 89 13:10:42 GMT
Organization: PACS - Philadelphia Area Computer Society, Penna.
Lines: 29


      Atari ST                                 Myarc Geneve
----------------------                   -------------------------
hi  res: 640x400 monocrhome              hi  res: 512x424, 16 colors
med res: 640x200 4 colors                         512x212, 16 colors
                                         med res: 256x212, 256 colors
lo  res: 320x200 16 colors               lo  res: 256x192, 2 of 16 colors
                                                   for each row of 8 pixels
                                                   (TI 99/4A compatible)
text modes: software simulated            text modes: 32x24
                                                      40x24
                                                      80x24
sprites: software simulated               sprites: hardware based,
                                                   multi-colored
hardware graphics:                        hardware graphics:
     *horizontal* lines only                 *all* lines (true?)
                                             multi-colored sprites
                                             pattern fill
The ST uses a display generator           The Geneve has a dedicated (and
chip to draw the screen from part         VERY powerful) graphics chip
of CPU ram, but the generator has         which draws the screen from
no other special abilities.               dedicated video RAM (fast,
                                          auto-incrementing addressing),
                                          in addition to providing many
                                          other useful services.  The
                                          Geneve also has a custom 98 pin
                                          chip which (among other things)
                                          provides a very nice interface
                                          between CPU and video processor.