Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!dino!hascall
From: hascall@cs.iastate.edu (John Hascall)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix
Subject: Re: DS5000 PXG graphic performance and X support
Message-ID: <2189@dino.cs.iastate.edu>
Date: 10 Jul 90 02:00:34 GMT
References: <13071@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Sender: usenet@dino.cs.iastate.edu
Organization: Iowa State Univ.
Lines: 31

In article <13071@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
}whether the UWS 4.0 X servers will support / make effective use of the added
}accelerator hardware on the PXG display controller?

   I really doubt it (although to be honest I've only used a CX and
a PXG Turbo).  Here's a quick run down on the graphics hardware:

       CX:   (zip)
       PX:   1 Pixel Stamp
       PXG:  1 Pixel Stamp, i860(33Mhz)
       PXGT: 2 Pixel Stamps, i860(40Mhz)

    And since the Pixel Stamp is the 2-D engine and the i860 is the
3-D engine (obviously this is a little simplified) I don't think the
X11 (2-D) performance will be significantly better (I seem to recall
a document on gatekeeper.dec.com with numbers...this may be the one
you mentioned?).

}Most of the PXG and PXG turbo discussion centers on PHIGS performance, but
}I'd really like to know if X can use the added hardware or just ignores it...

  ...because PHIGS is 3-D...  ...(hmmm, what about PEX??)...

}On a slightly different note, what form do the 8->24 bitplane and Z-buffer
}upgrades take?  Is it some new module, or just adding some video simms?

  ...little boards which plug into the existing module (probably just
  simms, but I only got a glimpse)...

John Hascall
john@iastate.edu / hascall@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu