[Info-vax] Offline VMS hobbyist question

[MG]

On 8-apr-2013 19:38, Rich Jordan wrote:
> Given a DS10 or DS15 system (he has both), if you have the supported
> graphics cards, which one is the best performing (for general use, web
> browsing, fast scrolling, playing with graphics, but not 3D heavy
> stuff)?
>
> Powerstorm 300/350 PCI
> Radeon 7500
> Oxygen VX-1
> Powerstorm 4D20

The Radeon 7500 was the factory-installed default for the DS15, that
was what I had in mine.  I sold my DS15 a while back.

I'm not too sure about the other cards, whether they still(?) fully
'work' under V8.4 or --- when they do, i.e. provide basic framebuffer
(2D) support --- if they also provide hardware-accelerated "Open3D",
for what it's worth and if you should card for it of course.  In fact,
I think it'd be quite an achievement to find something that will take
advantage of (hardware-accelerated) or even provides 3D graphics.

I do remember that many of the 3D/4D-series PowerStorm graphics
adapters were retired since V8.2 already.  You should probably
look it up on the HP site, in a FAQ or at HoffmanLabs, to be
totally sure.

The Radeon 7500 should support very high resolutions.  It should be
able to drive, for instance, a 24" monitor (usually native at 1920
by 1080 or 1920 * 1200 ideally) in TrueColor mode.  In fact, if you
add another one, you can configure a multi-head setup (it's also
mentioned in the DS15 manual, as far as I remember).

I used these cards for years, they work fine.  In some systems
better than others (in some I64 systems, I've noticed noise).


> I like the 4D20 in my PWS; its screaming fast for text windows and
> was a noticeable improvement graphics-performance-wise over an Elsa
> GLoria, but I don't have an EV6 workstation to try the PS300 in
> (and don't have the other two cards at all).

I had a couple of Radeon 7500s a while back, I'd have gladly sold
you one, but others were before you...

Beware when you look for one on a site like eBay, especially for
the ones with red PCBs.  Those are usually of the "Mobility" type
(also recognizable by the fact that they provide >64 Mbytes VRAM).
I can possibly help you identify a correct card, I've seen loads
of them.


> If you had all 4 available which would you use/choose for VMS 8.4,
> Seamonkey/Mozilla and other graphical uses?

The Radeon 7500.  After that, probably the Powerstorm 300/350 out
of curiosity (as I never had one) and perhaps followed by 3DLabs
Oxygen VX1 for the same reason (although this card is rather dated
and should have a limited pixel clock, unfortunately limiting common
display resolutions nowadays).


> If I ever manage to snag a cheap DS15 for hobby use it'd be nice
> to know.

Hopefully the DS15 (or DS15A) will come with an 'original' (read:
HP/Compaq part numbered, actively cooled, large PCB) Radeon 7500.
Those work excellently.

A Radeon 7500 All-In-Wonder should be very similar, except it has
the useless 'tuner', but it fortunately won't obstruct VMS (nor
Tru64 UNIX) in any way.

  - MG