Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!csn!kessner!david From: david@kessner.denver.co.us (David Kessner) Newsgroups: comp.unix.amiga Subject: Re: second thoughts on buying a 3000UX Message-ID: <1991Mar5.095527.26948@kessner.denver.co.us> Date: 5 Mar 91 09:55:27 GMT References: <1145@applix.com> <13376@hubcap.clemson.edu> <19512@cbmvax.commodore.com> Reply-To: david@kessner.denver.co.us (David D. Kessner) Organization: Kessner, Inc Lines: 41 In article <19512@cbmvax.commodore.com> jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) writes: > Also note that most all existing VGA-etc boards have a LOT of wait- >states, so regardless of CPU/bus speed, you're card-limited. The 3000 has >pretty efficient access to chip memory (with the 32-bit bus). It does >need to sync to the slower bus, but I wouldn't be suprised if the bandwidth >available to the CPU (MB/s, gfx-mem to gfx-mem) was considerably higher on >the A3000 than on most or all VGA boards. Plus you can run the blitter in >parallel with the CPU - even if it's slower at some things, overall throughput >is higher (and it is faster at non-nice conditions, I suspect). Also you >get the the rest of the display hardware (copper, etc), which makes virtual >screens easy and very fast. >-- >Randell Jesup, Keeper of AmigaDos, Commodore Engineering. >{uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com BIX: rjesup I am using X11 and Motif on a 386/25 and an ATI VGA Wonder board (faster than most). Compred to the A3000UX, it is a DOG with Video-- although everything else seemed faster (compiling, math, etc). I am using X11r3, but many folks have told me that X11r4 is much faster. The other thing to consider is that the PC's display LOOKS BETTER. 1024x768x256 is becomming normal for a Intel based UNIX box with VGA-- and it is not interlaced! Color even. (we have yet to figure out who C= made a B&W Xwindows. We think that EXTRA EFFORT was needed to make it B&W!) I also just read in comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware that there is a new ATI VGA Wonder board that is 3.5 times faster than mine. Also 34010 boards are now down to about $600, where fast SVGA boards are $300+. (Can someone tell me how much the U of L 34010 board is expected to be?) But the bottom line is that a VGA based X11 is BARELY fast enough on my 386/25 (I have not tried it on a 486). However, when running UNIX, display speed is not everything since there are many other things that can be happening like other users logged in via RS-232, CPU bound tasks (Ray tracing anyone?), News/UUCP feeds, and the list goes on... - David K -- David Kessner - david@kessner.denver.co.us | do { 1135 Fairfax, Denver CO 80220 (303) 377-1801 (p.m.) | . . . This is my system so I can say any damn thing I want! | } while( jones);