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From: jy@wasp.eng.ufl.edu (Jim Yousse)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: ATI VGA Wonder + /XL speed test
Summary: Need VIDSPEED speed tests for a 1 MB Wonder+ or Wonder XL
Message-ID: <1991Jun21.183408.26478@eng.ufl.edu>
Date: 21 Jun 91 18:34:08 GMT
References: <1991Jun18.204126.16695@cs.yale.edu> <1991Jun19.053005.19136@rick.cs.ubc.ca> <1991Jun20.144805.9286@javelin.sim.es.com>
Sender: jy@wasp.eng.ufl.edu
Reply-To: jy@wasp.eng.ufl.edu (Jim Yousse)
Followup-To: jy@wasp.eng.ufl.edu
Organization: U of Florida Engineering Comuputing Services
Lines: 33


    I am looking for a good, fast 16-bit color (32000 color) VGA card.  After 
extensive (magazine) research, I have narrowed my choices down to either the
new VGA Wonder XL or the Diamond Speedstar + Hicolor.  The deciding issue now
is the card speed in 8-bit color (256 color) modes.  The Tseng ET4000 cards, 
such as the Diamond, the Orchid Prodesigner II, and the Cardinal 732, all do
about 2MB/s on 16Mhz systems and 4MB/s on 33Mhz systems, according to VIDSPEED.
Also, according to PC Magazine, the Tseng ET4000 cards (Prodesigner II) are
about three times faster than the Wonder + in 800x600x256 color modes.  However,
that review tested the 512K max Wonder +, vs. a 1MB Prodesigner II, and stated
that the extra video memory probably helped for the speed difference.  Now, a
1MB version of the Wonder + is available, in addition to the newly announced
16-bit color card, the Wonder XL.  I am interested in finding out how the ATI
VGA Wonder + _with_ _1_ _MB_ _of_ _memory_, or the Wonder XL with 1 MB of memory
perform.  I would greatly appreciate it if someone owning an ATI VGA Wonder +
or VGA Wonder XL, with 1 MB of memory, could run VIDSPEED on their system and
report the results to me (through e-mail please).  I can't tell you a good place
to get VIDSPEED, I remember someone mentioned a place to get it here on the
net a week or two back.  If you have a Wonder + with 1 MB but can't get VIDSPEED
leave me some e-mail and I'll try to figure a way to get it to you.  Anyway, 
please run VIDSPEED with both the "*" and "+" options.  For example,
"VIDSPEED * +", or "VIDSPEED * + >RESULTS.TXT" to put the results in the
"RESULTS.TXT" file.  Thanks in advance.


P.S.  The reason I am even bothering with the ATI Wonder +/XL in light of the
above information is that I currently own a VGA Wonder, and have been very
satisfied with the card and would like to buy ATI again.  Also, if I don't get
the Wonder + or XL, I'm going to have to spend an additional $60 to get a decent
mouse to replace the one on my Wonder.  ;->


jy@wasp.eng.ufl.edu