Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!munnari.oz.au!comp.vuw.ac.nz!massey!GMoretti
From: GMoretti@massey.ac.nz (Giovanni Moretti)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: CGA & EGA - Experiences & Help wanted
Message-ID: <433@massey.ac.nz>
Date: 11 Dec 89 02:11:02 GMT
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Lines: 53
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2.1


> CGA/EGA query from MRWITTma@phoenix.princeton.edu

I have your email address scribbled down on a scrap of paper, written down
while I was in the Consulting Office with people trooping in and out.
Unfortunately I didn't write down your name, but as I remember you were
asking about CGA and EGA monitors and cards.

I have an PC-XT clone at home with a Taiwanese CGA card (4 colour) and IBM
RGB (CGA) colour monitor.  Recently I was donated an EGA card (called the
PEGA - also Taiwanese) that wouldn't work reliably in an AT with a 10MHz
I/O bus but seems to work fine in my XT. The EGA card uses the SUNTAC chip
set and looks similar to but has different DIP switch settings to the
PARADISE EGA card.

RESULTS 
By setting up the DIP switches on the EGA card in its CGA (80 column)
emulation or the ENHANCED RGB (16 colour) mode and simply plugging in the
standard RGB monitor there is little discernable difference except that
now there is no snow (for those programs that don't have snow suppression)
and the standard text font seems a little nicer than that on the CGA card.

PROBLEMS 
Only one.  All CGA colour software including protected games seems to work
perfectly except for a helicopter simulation game called STRIKER - a pity
because my five year old son really likes it.  

HELP: Why doesn't Striker run properly - the picture's clear with all the 
      proper colours - but absolutely no vertical hold - it just rolls
      continuously.  ANY help (especially fixes) would be much appreciated.

PLUSSES
The Microsoft Flight Simulator version 3 knows about the 16 colour CGA
mode on the EGA card and this is a VAST IMPROVEMENT on the standard four
colour CGA mode (same colours as EGA but without the resolution).

Question: What's TANDY 16 colour mode? - apparently it's different from
          ENHANCED 16 colour RGB (320*200)?

CONCLUSION 
If you have CGA and want to upgrade but can't afford EGA or VGA then just
getting the card (preferably VGA) and leaving the monitor till later isn't
a bad way to go, (especially if you like flying :-) ) 

Cheers 
Giovanni

-- 
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 GIOVANNI MORETTI, Consultant         |  EMail to G.Moretti@massey.ac.nz
 Computer Centre,  Massey University  |  Packet Radio : ZL2BOI@ZL2BFJ
 Palmerston North, New Zealand        |  Ph 64 63 69099 x8398 GMT+12
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