🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <895@bnrmtv.UUCP> perkins@bnrmtv.UUCP (Henry Perkins) writes:
>> Does anyone know how, if at all, I can do graphics in monochrome
>> with an EGA card?
>> Tom Reingold
>To my knowledge, IBM has never provided any type of monochrome graphics
>standard.  This leaves Hercules graphics.  Many (most) EGA cards do
>Hercules graphics.  IBM's EGA, of course, does not.
>The era of monochrome monitors is passing rapidly.  I suggest you
>invest in a good color monitor, such as NEC's MultiSync or Sony's
>MultiScan.
>{hplabs,amdahl,3comvax}!bnrmtv!perkins        --Henry Perkins

I have seen data sheets on a board from ATI of their EGA Wonder board. This
board will support EGA, CGA, MDA, and Hercules on ANY type of monitor, and
do autoswitching between modes too.

Which means that you can display EGA stuff on a CGA monitor, or Monochrome
monitor, or an EGA monitor.

You tell the card which monitor you have, the card then converts the video
so that the sync rate is compatible with your monitor. I believe that they
interlace the CGA monitor to give you EGA capability (this implies lots of
flicker).

Anyway, you can run an EGA monitor, and do Hercules emulation at the same
time. Or a CGA monitor and EGA emulation. Or a monchrome monitor and CGA,
EGA, or Hercules emulation. Then if you run different programs that use
say an EGA, the card sets up and emulates EGA, then the next program is
set up for a Hercules, the card adjusts automatically and emulates the Herc.
(without you having to do anything).

I plan on buying one as soon as they're available, which I'm told by ATI
is December. My use is with a Compaq Deskpro, and it's monchrome monitor.
The folks at ATI say it will work fine, so I'm going to try. (Compaq has
a display board that emulates a MDA and CGA using the same monitor, and
this combination has spoiled me for most anything, so when I saw the ATI
ads, I rushed to the phone and had them send data sheets).

The phone numbers I have are FA Components, a regional distributor for 
ATI (800) 321-6012, or ATI themselves at (416) 477-8804. Give them a call
and tell them that you want this board now! If enough of us do it, they
might just listen.

By the way, this card is one up on the Paradise Autoswitch because you
are not limited by the monitor connected to your system. (With the Para-
dise, if you have a monochrome monitor, all you can do is Hercules, or
MDA emulation, likewise, if all you have is a CGA monitor, you're locked
into CGA mode only).

Good luck all, and ring the phones off the hook!

p.s. I have tried the Multi-sync by NEC (model 1402-jp?) and found it to
be less than acceptable (of course I work for Tek, and I know the difference
between good and bad graphics). The NEC had some real problems when they
started their manufacturing line. The quality of CRT's they used suffered,
and had a very noticable astigmatism in the lower portions of the display
any time the beam intensity was set high. I talked to NEC reps at a show
in Chicago and they played ignorance (even though the monitor on their 
desk showed the symptoms I described). I might add that I saw about 75 of
the NEC monitors at the show, and at least 50 of them had this problem.

I haven't seen the Sony monitor yet, and it could well be made well enough
to meet my needs, but only a reasonable test period will tell. But if they
make the monitor as well as their TV's, I will probably buy one. AND KEEP
IT (not like the NEC(s) I bought and returned).

Thanks for the ears....

-- 
Tim Margeson (206)253-5240
PO Box 3500  d/s C1-937                          @@   'Who said that?'  
Vancouver, WA. 98668
{allegra..inhp4..decvax..ucbvax}!tektronix!tekigm2!timothym