SVGA questions

[Linus Torvalds]

I've got this new fine computer (386,33MHz etc) but am experiencing some
trouble with my SVGA-card/monitor. The card I have is a VG-2000 by DFI
with 512kB video ram, supposed to be able to do almost anything (well
1024x768 16 colours anyway). The problem is - it doesn't. I've got the
drivers and manual and they tell me less than zero - except that the
really high resolution modes don't work. I am able to see all normal VGA
modes with the addition of 800x600 (16 c), so I'm still pleased with my
card. What bugs me is that none of these modes really need 512kB, so
I've bought that for nothing.

My guess so far has been a problem with my monitor - it's supposed to be
able to display 1024x768, but it's INTERLACED. Is that a problem? If so
is it "terminal", or can one tell the card to use interlaced mode?
The weird thing is that I can see 640x480,16c (obviously as it's normal
VGA), but I'm unable to get 640x480,256c to work even though this as I
would understand it has the same frequency (flame me if I'm wrong).

PS. the monitor is a GoldStar 1460 Plus, and the card has a trident TVGA
(don't know the code, will check if necessary) controller.

Please reply by mail to 'torv...@cs.helsinki.fi' (or follow-up if you
would like to use "tens of thousands of dollars" :-)

advTHANKSance

torv...@cs.helsinki.fi torv...@cc.helsinki.fi

[Danny Low]

>(Linus Torvalds)

>My guess so far has been a problem with my monitor - it's supposed to be
>able to display 1024x768, but it's INTERLACED. Is that a problem? If so
>is it "terminal", or can one tell the card to use interlaced mode?
>The weird thing is that I can see 640x480,16c (obviously as it's normal
>VGA), but I'm unable to get 640x480,256c to work even though this as I
>would understand it has the same frequency (flame me if I'm wrong).

My guess is your video card is defective. The defect is most likely
in the memory chips. 640x480,256c requires the second 256kb of memory
while 640x480,16c does not. All the problems you indicated involve
using the second 256KB of memory. As long as you are using a mode
that only requires 256KB of memory your card works okay. One quick
diagnostic you can do is look at the DRAM chips on the card and
see if any of them have a misaligned pin.

Danny Low
"Question Authority and the Authorities will question You"
Valley of Hearts Delight, Silicon Valley
HP CPCD dl...@pollux.svale.hp.com