🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <8400168@m.cs.uiuc.edu> gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu writes:
>
>Here are some IIci questions:
>
>If you buy a 1Mb IIci, and want to use the built-in video 8-bit video,
>
>(a) What is the CPU slowdown (%) due to cycle-stealing?

About 5-15% in 8bit mode.  Depends on the usual dozen or so
variables.

>(b) Isn't the resulting system memory (1Mb - 640*480 bytes)
>pathetically small?

Yup.  The default screen depth on 1 1MB machine is 1 bit.  Only when
you have at least 2MB does it default to more.  Of course, the defaults
can be changed.

>So doesn't that mean you must buy 2Mb of memory to use the built-in
>video?  I wonder if the built-in video is cost effective AT ALL on the
>IIci??  Or is it just a heck of a lot faster than any Nubus video
>cards on the market?

I couldn't get by with just 1MB on my SE/30!  And it doesn't use ANY
of the RAM for video.  Fortunately, RAM is getting cheap.  4MB of RAM
is probably about the same price as an 8bit video card, and you still
have all that extra RAM to play in.

Faster?  Yes and no.  Yes in 1bit to 4bit modes.  No in 8bit.

This info is condensed from the article in the Oct. Byte.  Interesting
article too, the writer nearly gushes over the new machines (the portable
and the IIci).  Rather in the tone of MacUser or MacWorld.

Ray Fischer
rcfische@polyslo.calpoly.edu