Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!ukc!bru-cc!cs87fmc
From: cs87fmc@cc.brunel.ac.uk (F M Cargill)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
Subject: Re: Idea for a graphics board
Keywords: 24 bit
Message-ID: <2181@Terra.cc.brunel.ac.uk>
Date: 29 May 91 19:22:36 GMT
References: <1991May28.191019.13406@nntp-server.caltech.edu> <479@regina.uregina.ca>
Reply-To: cs87fmc@cc.brunel.ac.uk (F M Cargill)
Organization: Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK
Lines: 44

In article <479@regina.uregina.ca> cazabon@hercules.uregina.ca (Charles Cazabon (186-003-526)) writes:
>In article <1991May28.191019.13406@nntp-server.caltech.edu> nygardm@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Michael T. Nygard) writes:
>>Here's a description of my dream graphics board
>>
>>i860 processor for anti-aliasing lines, fast 3d polygon renders, Goroud & Phong 
>>shading. (64 bit busses.)
>>4M memory for frame buffer & z-buffer
>>1024x1024x24 resolution
>>8 bit z-buffer
>>
>>Replies & suggestions are welcome
>My suggestions for the product:
>
>Support for other resolutions than 1024x1024.  Say, the common ones, like
>320x200, 320x400, 640x200, 640x400, 1024x768, etc.  Oh, plus overscan would
>be nice.
yeah I'll go for that - you look like you want to do a graphics processor
card rather than a frame buffer.  If so you'll want to have the capacity
to add more bitplanes - an 8bit Z buffer is too limiting.
You might also consider including hardware Z buffer projections, just so we
can render a scene at 60 frames/sec. I guess that comes under Gouraud & Phong
shading...

As for antialiased lines, these are quite easy - you might as well include
conic sections which are also easy to do in hardware and antialiasing on them
too.  These things mean you don't have to use caches for your outline fonts -
you just draw 'em where you need 'em.

>I'm too excited as it is--don't let this product be vapourware.  Oh yes, I have
>yet to hear of such a "dream card" for the Amiga.
But wait, where's the market for it?  Well if you make it so that it'll do 3D
stuff in hardware then it'll knock the socks off an '040 and anybody who
wants to do animations in 3D will be knocking down your door in a rush to get
one. 

As for existing products there was a post a couple of weeks back of a card
that used Texas Instruments' graphics processors - I understand that it
interfaces to the 680X0s better than the i860?

Yet another vertical market opening up to the Amiga?

-- 
  *  Fletch Cargill           cs87fmc@cc.brunel.ac.uk  *     //   *
  *  Brunel University Department of Computer Science  *   \X/    *