Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!sjsca4!poffen
From: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: VGA cards for XT and AT
Message-ID: <1990Oct29.202151.11998@sj.ate.slb.com>
Date: 29 Oct 90 20:21:51 GMT
References: <9010282218.AA25915@cwns16.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Reply-To: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger)
Organization: Schlumberger Technologies, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 26

In article <9010282218.AA25915@cwns16.INS.CWRU.Edu> ad094@cleveland.Freenet.Edu writes:
>
>I have an 8 bit XT clone right now. I like to get a paperwhite
>VGA for it. In a few months, I'm going to upgrade to a
>386sx. If I get the VGA card and monitor for my XT now,
>can I still use the same monitor and card later for the 386sx?
> 
>I'm pretty sure I can use the same monitor, but what about 
>the card? I understand that the 386sx uses 16 bit VGA cards.
>Are there VGA cards that are interchangeable between 8 and 16 bit
>computers i.e XT and AT?
>

A 286, 386, or 386sx CAN use 8 bit cards, however they may run slower.

On the other hand, most 16 bit cards are also selectable to run in 8 bit mode
only, meaning you could buy this type of 16 bit card, and run in 8 bit mode
until you get a 386 system.

The best of both worlds huh?


Russ Poffenberger               DOMAIN: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com
Schlumberger Technologies       UUCP:   {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!poffen
1601 Technology Drive		CIS:	72401,276
San Jose, Ca. 95110             (408)437-5254