Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!uc!cs.umn.edu!nano!wisdom From: wisdom@nano.cs.umn.edu (Scott Wisdom) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: NeXTdimension board - multiple heads on a cube? Keywords: NeXT, awesome, cool, neat, color, 32bits, video, everything Message-ID: <1990Sep20.044030.29986@cs.umn.edu> Date: 20 Sep 90 04:40:30 GMT References: Sender: news@cs.umn.edu (News administrator) Distribution: comp Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis - CSCI Dept. Lines: 33 Nntp-Posting-Host: nano.cs.umn.edu Gary Writes: >Important question (to me anyway): When a NeXTcube is eqipped with a >NeXTdimension color board, can both the grayscale and color displays >be used at the same time? If so, then does the NeXTstep window server >do clipping at a low level so that one can drag windows from one display >to the other? Yes.. I played with a NeXTdimension with an additional grayscale monitor and was not surprised to find out they work together as one workspace. I dragged 32 bit photographic quality images from the color monitor to the grayscale monitor seamlessly (Wow! what a difference!). The windows on the color side are being handled by the i860, so dragging them is about as fast as dragging on the grayscale side. This is truly amazing - moving multi megabyte images around the screen at the same speed as an '030 graysc ale cube would move it's two bit windows!! What's also amazing is that a live video window can be moved around with no problem, and other windows can be PLACED ON TOP of the video window with full clipping - all while the video is chugging away - with no real degradation to the performance of the rest of the system. While you're watching the video, you can be running other applications on the color display at full blast (or near full blast - I didn't get a chance to really test this one, but it looks REALLY good!). Gary Writes: >The press release says "to take advantage of NeXT's sound >capabilities, NeXTdimension users need a Sound Box, a unit that >integrates a speaker, a microphone, headphone jacks and RCA-style >stereo output, The sony color monitors do not come with speakers, keyboard connectors, etc. like the grayscale monitors do. If you have a color only display, the 'Sound Box' is what's used to provide this functionality. If you have a grayscale monitor as well, you don't have a need for this box. Gary Writes: >Can more than one NeXTdimension board be used in a NeXTcube? Hmm. Good question. One side note: the '040 machines are NICE. They are quick and responsive. Programs compile much faster, and DPS seems to be MUCH MUCH faster. I can't wait to upgrade my cube (which suddenly seems oh so slow). With 15,000 orders already taken, In addition to all the great technology they have introduced, NeXT is finally getting the serious momentum it deserves. 15,000 orders before the new system is even publicaly announced is a HUGE message of support that cannot be ignored by anyone. - Scott Wisdom Coda Music Software hacker (more now than ever) wisdom@heckle.cs.umn.edu