From: afriend@dew.Princeton.EDU (A. Friend)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386,comp.os.linux
Subject: Re: Warning about Diamond Speedstar 24
Date: 23 Jul 92 16:24:28 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU

From article <1992Jul22.043122.10523@sinkhole.unf.edu>, by shite@sinkhole.unf.edu (Stephen Hite):
> 
> The report in the mode X386 database gives dot clock values for the 
> Diamond Speedstar HIColor but I'm thinking this person had an older
> card that didn't have these programmable dot clocks (VCO chip???)
> 
> I wanted to warn people about this card because even though it's an et4000
> chipset, it's no good if you can't get at or program the dot clocks so
> we can use it for X386 1.2E work.  Also because I had recommended it to

Are you sure it won't work with X386 1.2E? Even after the frequency setting 
kludge? Also someone mentioned it might not work with 0.96c patch 1 or 2,
I need to know how sure they are and what is the reason. This is causing
me panic. I am now running X386 1.2 Linux v 1.1 on this card. And I think
from the discussions I read on the net, Diamond Speedstar is better than
ProIIs in terms of performance|speed/price. If win3.1 can treat this
card as a normal Speedstar and give 16 million colors, isn't something
in X386 not following correct programming method?

From what I read, even the speed-up for ET4000 will work on this card,
as long as you have a virtual screen as wide as 1024, is this correct?

Anyway, I agree those who haven't bought their new cards should not
buy this card to save the trouble. But for those who already own
the card, I think the card might have a better future unless the
next version of X386 will definitely not work on it.

In comp.ibm.pc.hardware:
>bedi@toadflax.cs.ucdavis.edu (Rupinder S. Bedi) writes:
>
>>Has anybody heard anything about the Diamond Speedstar-24?
>
>Yes, in fact a friend and I just purchased ours for $159 at a local
>store (Portland).  I haven't had a chance to really put it through
>the paces yet, but I will say that the performace in Windows in the
>16 Million color mode on my 486/33 is very acceptable.  The card
>is simply a Diamond Speedstar with Hi-Color and 24-bit color modes.
>Vidspeed reported nearly exactly the same timings as the
>Diamond SpeedStar Plus that it replaced.  The card comes with driver
>for the usual popular products and Windows drivers for all modes including
>Hi-Color, 24-bit, and 1280x1024 (!).  I am VERY pleased with this
>card so far, especially the price!

>matt@gbrmpa.gov.au (Matt) writes:
>
>>In article <amigo.710811812@milton> amigo@milton.u.washington.edu (The Friend) writes:
>>>
>>>	Just a questiona bout the Diamond Speedstar 24.. is it
>>>really 24 million colors, and at what resolution? There isn't any
>>>24 bit cards out yet for real cheap - but is this the first?
>>>
>>>			--> Mike
>
>>No, it's not 24 million colors, it's 24bit/pixel, therefore 2^24 =
>>16mill colours, and at 640x480.
>
>For whatever its worth, I have the SS24, and I love it:
>
>o  Its an ET4000 card, therefore supported, and fast (well, not as fast
>   as an accelerated card...)
>
>o  It'll do 1280x1024x16 @ 43.5Hz vertical refresh (ok, so it flickers, but
>   it sure is a lot of screen real estate if your monitor can do it)
>
>o  It'll do 1024x768x256 @ 70Hz vertical refresh (crystal clear!)
>
>The hicolor modes, while slow(er than non-hicolor), are kinda fun.  Though
>I'm still looking for a picture viewer that supports it.
>
>640x480x16.7M,
>800x600x32k    <-- good comprimise of resolution/colors
>
>Well, my $.02 worth.
>