[Info-vax] What video card for a DS10?

[Richard B. Gilbert]

tadamsmar wrote:
> I have some DS10s to maintain.  I think one of them has a bad video
> card.  The monitor is getting no input as if it was not plugged into
> the connector.  I swapped and checked the monitor, so I know the
> problem is not the monitor.
> 
> The system is still up and in use.  When I can (tomorrow perhaps) I
> will be able to shut it down and swap the video card as a test.
> 
> I am running VMS 7.3-2.
> 
> What video cards can I use?   Can I buy a new one or do I need a
> legacy card?
> 
> Thanks for any help!

You need a "supported" card; e.g. one for which VMS has a device driver.
If you have lots of spare video cards and lots of time you could try 
them one after the other and you might find that one works.  You might 
also get "smoke and flames" if the card happens to be physically 
compatible but not electrically compatible!

I would stick to genuine DEC/HP video cards of the proper model(s).

There are standards for video cards but no guarantee that DEC/HP 
actually complied with those standards!