Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!daver!bungi.com!news From: maniac@vector.dallas.tx.us (Jon Buller) Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k Subject: Re: PC532 Graphics card Message-ID: Date: 10 Dec 90 15:25:00 GMT References: <<1990Dec6.14492.0@tools.uucp>> Sender: news@daver.bungi.com Lines: 37 Approved: news@daver.bungi.com > From: texsun!tools!ef (Edgar Fuss) > Regarding a graphic card for the pc532, what about the ARM/VIDC/MEMC/IOC > (Acorn Risc Machine, Video, Memory, I/O controller) set used in Acorn's > Archimedes computers? The set is quite powerful (both CPU and VIDC), > and semms to have been designed to be useful as a add-on graphic system. I'm not sure I like this combination... the VIDC chip only has 4bit DACs and a 4bit palette. This gets you a whopping 16 colors out of 4096. I seem to remember hearing that the MEMC chip had some limit of only managing 4MB of RAM, the rest being allocated to video, IO, etc. I don't have my data book here, so I am not sure about the MEMC, but I am sure about the VIDC chip. I would rather see a VGA chip with 8bit DACs and a 256x24 bit palette. I saw that AMD has a chip (it was the nearest databook when I was curious) that will provide 256 colors for an Application, and another 15 as overlays, these extra 15 could be used for window borders, backgrounds, etc. giving the app a full palette. As for processor, I would like either a NS32K (no need for new tools) or a Moto 88K (Looks like a fun chip to play with, except for exceptions 8-( (I don't think I want to use an i860, looks way to hard to write code for, let alone use compilers with...) Of course then maybe I'm just spoiled, I have a Mac II with a video setup close to what I described for the VGA video chip. (Now if only the VGA chip had a 24 bit input to bypass the palette, and we had hundreds of MB of cheap 10nS VRAM... 8-) (I would like 1280x1024x24, but I doubt I will EVER be able to afford it, I can't even afford a hard disk for my pc532 at the moment...) With all this though, maybe a couple of serial ports would be a good idea, and an 8051. Use them as a diagnostic port, a mouse port, and a keyboard controller. Then, you can have a stand-alone system with a hard-disk, or a pc532 with a screaming video system. -- Jon Buller jonb@vector.dallas.tx.us ..!texsun!vector!jonb FROM Fortune IMPORT Quote; FROM Lawyers IMPORT Disclaimer;