Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!spool2.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!caen!umich!sharkey!cfctech!iwblsys!idayton!jimf
From: jimf@idayton.field.intel.com (Jim Fister)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: video boards and system configuration -- request for info
Message-ID: <1990Dec29.181211.19101@idayton.field.intel.com>
Date: 29 Dec 90 18:12:11 GMT
References: <9848.7709.forumexp@mts.rpi.edu>
Organization: Intel Corp./ Dayton Sales Office
Lines: 39

>   With all this talk about video resolutions, speed, colors, etc. maybe
>   someone could help me decide what features to look for in a computer
>   supporting high-end video equipment.
> 
>   After that, is it worth the expense to invest in either an EISA or
>   MCA bus system (a la bus mastering); invest in some sort of CPU
>   cache?; invest in some sort of advanced harddisk and controller (e.g
>   SCSI, ESDI, etc.; to keep out of the way of the CPU/video processes)?
> 
In most of the cases that I've seen, there are two good ways to speed up
any windowing system.  Or any system, for that matter.  The first is to
get a fast disk drive.  The fastest EISA of MCA or ISA controller in the
world is pretty useless if you're running with a 28ms drive.  As long as
I'm inserting personal opinion, IDE seems the way to go.  Most of the
reliable vendors have 18ms or 19ms drives with the cache activated.  A good
drive card running with a fast drive will help with disk swapping, access,
and data transfer.

The other good idea, esp. for windowing, is to get a fast video card.
Did you say something about graphics accellerators?

>   I have read about SUN workstation graphics accelerators, not knowing
>   really what they do -- are their similar for Windows?

Some.  I know Microfield Graphics (somewhere in Oregon) has a bit-slice
graphics board with Windows and UNIX drivers.  I've seen it run X; it sings.
There's a couple others out there, but I can't remember them.

>   If eventually I want to work with 24bit color displays what are the
>   highest available resolutions (e.g. 1024x768, 1240x1024, etc.)? At
>   this level of technology, what hardware/software would speed up video
>   displays most?
> 

Uh...anyone else?

Greetings from the Rocking Metropolis.

JimF