Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!purdue!ames!ucsd!telesoft!dar
From: dar@telesoft.telesoft.com (David Reisner)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Acceptable Unix Configuration?
Keywords: AST Adaptec SCSI Micropolis VRAM Interactive X
Message-ID: <459@telesoft.telesoft.com>
Date: 20 Aug 89 00:31:51 GMT
Organization: David Reisner, Consulting
Lines: 40


I'm getting pretty close to actually buying one of these machines.  I lean
towards the following:

	AST 386c - 20MHz, 4M RAM, Adaptec 1540 SCSI host adapter,
	Micropolis 1375 150M disk, Video-7 VRAM VGA 512k, and Sony
	1304 monitor (or similar (NEC 4D?));  Interactive 386/ix
	with X11.3 (w/ special price on 386/ix).
	~$6500 for the whole thing, from a good, local dealer.

My main goal for the system is running Unix and X in a pleasant manner,
and with minimum hassles.

If anyone has any experience with this configuration, I would very much
appreciate hearing about it, either good or bad.  My biggest concerns are:

	- Will it work at all?  How does it perform?  

	- Are there any conflicts between the 1540 and the VRAM VGA,
 	  particularly wrt BIOS locations and the use of BIOS in shadow RAM?

	- Does the VRAM VGA in 1024x768 non-interlaced mode work with
	  Interactive's X windows?  (This is IMPORTANT.  If I even might
	  have problems, I'll get some other video card, or perhaps a
	  large monochrome display.)
	
	- What monitors can I use with the VRAM running 1024x768
	  non-interlaced?  Video 7 has mentioned the Sony 1304, Mitsubishi
	  Diamondscan16, and a couple of others.  I know that 48KHz H scan
	  is required;  I'm not sure about other characteristics.
	  I'd like a 16" monitor, if I can afford it.

I'm also willing to hear any particularly strong comments about price /
other systems, and other Unix systems (I have a Berkeley Unix background,
on VAX and Sun).

Thank you all very much for your assistance.

-David
ucsd!telesoft!dar, dar@sdcsvax.ucsd.edu