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From: tmottonen@cc.helsinki.fi
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Re: Enhanced graphics cards, XGA
Message-ID: <3970.27397b49@cc.helsinki.fi>
Date: 8 Nov 90 15:35:37 GMT
References: <2266@sparko.gwu.edu>
Organization: University of Helsinki
Lines: 34

In article <2266@sparko.gwu.edu>, timur@seas.gwu.edu (The Time Traveler) writes:
> As you all know, PS/2's come with 8-Bit VGA on the motherboard.  I was
> wondering whether this is disabled when you add an enhanced graphics
> card.  One of the expansion slots is designed for such cards - what is
> the difference?  What happens if I install the card in a different slot?
> I know of only three such cards on the market today: IBM's 8514/A, the NEC
> Graphic Engine, and the RasterOps ColorBoard 1024MC (brand new, and goes
> for $4395 -- ouch!!!).  Supposedly, the Hecules Graphics Station will
> be available for MicroChannel machines next year.

    Well the VGA on motherboard isn't disabled when you install a
    8514/A-adapter in the special "video" expansion slot. The VGA
    signal goes through a connector in the slot  to  the  8514/A.
    That way the 8514/A doesn't have to provide VGA emulation, it
    can use the VGA signals from the original adapter instead.

    I don't  know if it's possible to install the card in another
    slot. There are other cards in addition to those you  mentio-
    ned. Don't remeber the manufacturers (maybe Genoa and Paradi-
    se?), but  the  new  PC Magazine listed them in the 'Advisor'
    column.

    BTW, IBM  announced  a new video adapter, XGA (extended grap-
    hics array), that is used on  the  motherboards  of  the  new
    PS/2s. Supposed  to be X times faster than normal VGA, 8514/A
    compatible and add some new graphics modes (640*480*65536 co-
    lors). It's not yet available as a standalone adapter but so-
    meday ;-).

-- 
                             _________
	Teemu Mottonen	    |         |	internet: tmottonen@cc.helsinki.Fi
    University of Helsinki  |         |   bitnet: TMOTTONEN@FINUH
   Dept.of Computer Science |_________|	  decnet: HYLK::TMOTTONEN