Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!taco!hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu!kdarling From: kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Subject: Re: Graphics Chips Message-ID: <1991May6.124931.17903@ncsu.edu> Date: 6 May 91 12:49:31 GMT References: <1991May2.030706.30302@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>,<21173@cbmvax.commodore.com> <1991May4.183924.8432@news.iastate.edu> Sender: news@ncsu.edu (USENET News System) Organization: North Carolina State University Lines: 23 xgr39@isuvax.iastate.edu (Marc Barrett) writes: >In article <1991May2.030706.30302@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> 2fmlhiccup@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes: >> Why is it so difficult to make display chips for the Amiga that will >>allow it to do resolutions/colors that i see on VGA? What are the hardware >>and software limitations? > [and Dave Haynie replies partly about the time to make chips] > >In short, I believe that better R&D funding could help. Nah. What they really need is an escape route from the current hardware setup. In other words, a way to take advantage of all the cheap chips available off the shelf these days. Much R&D funding would then be unnecessary. But that requires: device independent gfx software, as someone else said. Unfortunately, so much current software diddles video memory, that a complete break would be impossible right now. One solution might be to leave the current chips as they are, and instead add new internal video cards whose output can be selected over the normal output, under software control. May or may not be cheaper, but it would definitely be _much_ more quickly upgradeable as time passes. Old programs would use the old chips, new would use the DIG cards. Just an odd thought. cheers - kev