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From: tes@whuts.UUCP (STERKEL)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: Tecmar Graphics Master.
Message-ID: <1004@whuts.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-Oct-86 13:05:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuts.1004
Posted: Sat Oct  4 13:05:15 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 7-Oct-86 19:51:56 EDT
References: <193@uvicctr.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 57

> Hello,  I am currently considering getting a Tecmar Graphics master
> color card for my IBM Compatable.  I can get it for about $375 Canadian,
> which seems to be an awsome price for the card.  Has anyone out there
> had any experiance with these cards?  Are there any problems with them
> that I should be aware of?
my former company is very happily using the Graphics
master card.  It was at the time (and probably still
is) the only card that will successfully drive ALL
of the following combinations:
	IBM high res mono in normal or graphics mode
	Amdex 3** mono in normal or graphics mode
	PGS graphics color
	TAXAN color
	Every other color we tested.

The first case, IBM mono is where 99% of the
available cards show their lack of concern for the
end user.  Imagine spending 200-400 for a graphics
card and being told that it is YOUR fault for having
a monitor they do not support.

Incidently, I shelled out for a Graphics Master for my
home PC-1 and I am TIGHT. (It has successfully made
the transition through 4 DOS upgrades, 2 ROM
upgrades and ALL graphics software upgrades).

Things to look for:
1.  a limited number of older software packages
assumed that the IBM mono would never be usable for
graphics and thus created software that when fed to
the IBM mono only uses the middle 2/3 of the screen.

2.  the new manuals are excellent, but PAY
attention, KNOW which monitor you are using, and DO
NOT freek out over all those jumpers  (they are the
reason that the Graphics Master was, and probably
still is, the only TRUELY universal graphics card
for all monitors).

3.  on second thought, have a hardware nut read
the manual and play with the jumpers (only 7?, have
not looked since my installation, no need, unlike my
friends' Hercules, I have never had failures).

4.  Incidentally, while the "hercules non-standard"
is supported, use all software in the true color
graphics standard setting if available,  this will
work even with mono displays.

5.  Conpatible with nansi and fansi (trademarked and
/or copyrighted sw)

6.  NOT EGA.  (I really do not know what EGA is I
only know that EGA is the latest MUST-HAVE for
hackers. and the Graphics Master is nonEGA.)
(but then again, neither is 99.9% of all sw so I do
not need to know).