HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: byron@cc.gatech.edu (Byron A Jeff)
Subject: Re: Performance comparison: Cyrix 486DLC, Intel RapidCAD, C&T 38600DX
Reply-To: byron@cc.gatech.edu (Byron A Jeff)
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 17:01:15 GMT

> [ Very good benchmarking discussion]

One question: Why was the AMD386DX40 excluded from the test? I think it's
              not fair to exclude the chip especially if a 486 at 40 Mhz
              is benchmarked. It should be tested in it's average configuration
              which is 40 Mhz with 64K of external cache. If you need floating
              point then add a 40 Mhz Cyrix chip. I think that many folks like
              myself would like to compare the performance.

Very excellent comparison otherwise.

Thanks,

BAJ
---
Another random extraction from the mental bit stream of...
Byron A. Jeff - PhD student operating in parallel!
Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA 30332   Internet: byron@cc.gatech.edu
From: mosbrook@csulb.edu (Brent Mosbrook)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Core AT-100 info needed
Date: 12 Dec 92 02:47:38 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Cal State Long Beach


anyone have any parameters for this baby?

I can't seem to find this model in any of my charts..

thanks
Brent
-- 
+--------------------------------------+
|  Brent Mosbrook     KC6MWK           |
|         mosbrook@csulb.edu           |
+--------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: schludermann@sscvx1.ssc.gov
Subject: Concurrent Processors on EISA Bus?
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 21:42:40 GMT

If the EISA bus is a Trully multiprocessor design, Does this mean that 
concurent processing is possible?
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: jbaltz@hebrew.cc.columbia.edu (Jerry B. Altzman)
Subject: Re: Recommendations on PC companies (FastMicro and Midwest Micro)
Followup-To: sender
Originator: jbaltz@hebrew.cc.columbia.edu
Organization: mailer daemons association
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 18:21:00 GMT

About 2 weeks ago I asked about these companies, and promised to "summarize
responses". Well, here they are. 

I'm still in the market for a PC, so anyone who wants to laud or bitch and
moan about their PC vendor can mail me, I'll summarize the responses and post
them periodically...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Cliff Chen <cliff@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
Date: 	Mon, 7 Dec 1992 12:39:30 -0500
Keywords: fastmicro, recommend

A friend of mine specifically warned me about FastMicro.  He said that they
periodically change their name, address and phone number to avoid all the
people who paid them money and got nothing shipped to them.
	For decent prices and a better reputation, try Insight as well as
some of the others you mentioned.

From: Jeff Meyers <jmeyers@ecst.csuchico.edu>

just a quick comment on FASTmicro...  I ordered a video card from them
over the phone w/ credit card.  It took a week from the order date before
the card was shipped.  The operator that took the order said the card was
in stock.  When I called and asked the status of my order, I asked if a
weeks time to ship was the routine, and he said yes... So much for FAST!

From: harun@suhana.analog.ingr.com (Bustamam Harun)

If you are shopping for 486, I think FastMicro is the cheapest since they have
Video Card on Local Bus slot, and 8MB.  You should also consider what type
of Motherboard each company uses, Hard disk brand, etc.

From: Bob Lee<rlee@andy.bgsu.edu>

I purchased a FastMicro system about 2 years ago and have had no problems
with it at all. It has served me very well. However, a recent survey showed
that FastMicro rated at the bottom when it came to overall performance of
a mail order company. I guess their repair time was poor, tech support
was not all that great. But as for prices, they definitely have the best
in my book. I'm considering getting my next system from them as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

//jbaltz
jerry b. altzman       Relax, it's all just 1's and 0's       +1 212 854 2057 
jbaltz@columbia.edu                                      jauus@cuvmb (bitnet)
NEVIS::jbaltz (HEPNET)                    ...!rutgers!columbia!jbaltz (bang!)
From: bsamman@ocf.berkeley.edu (Ben Samman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Adaptec 1542 Throughput
Date: 14 Dec 1992 18:01:21 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.32.234.10


How fast have you people out there been able to get TRUE transfer rates
on the Adaptec 1542 SCSI bus mastering controller?

I have mine hooked into a 16 bit slot to a Maxtor 7120S and I'm getting
transfer rates of slightly less than 800KB/sec.

I've tried chainging the DMA rates on the card, but its up as fast as it
will go.  Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ben SAmman
bsamman@ocf.berkeley.edu

Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:32907 comp.sys.ibm.pc:964
From: Pat_Barron@transarc.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Trident 8900C programming info
Date: 11 Dec 92 23:01:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: transarc.Yf_Odk70Bwx20gXEAJ
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Does anyone have programming info for the Trident 8900C VGA chip?  I
have info for the 8900, but it appears that the 8900C is different.

Failing that, does anyone know a phone number for technical support at
Trident?

--Pat.

P.S.  While I'm thinking about it - has anyone noticed that a *lot* of
      manufacturers of PC peripherals don't include an address, phone
      number, or even their *name* anywhere in the documentation or
      packaging?  I just got a "JAX-8212" VGA card, and there is *no*
      indication of who the manufacturer is, or who to get in touch
      with them.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: jackley@convex.com (Jay Ackley)
Subject: IDE & SCSI DRIVES COMPATIBLE?
Summary: Are they compatible together?
Keywords: SCSI & IDE
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:50:47 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

I've go a quick question for any gurus out there on SCSI & IDE.

I picked up a Seagate 1480N 500meg SCSI and currently have a       
Maxtor 130meg IDE in my system.  I have been looking at the 
Always IN2000 16bit controller and the Adaptec 1522 16 bit to
run the SCSI drive.

Two questions,  Can I run IDE and SCSI drive on the same system, or 
                will I have to lose one?

                Also if they are compatible which controller do you
                recommend?

Here are my system specs: 386-40DX, 4meg ram, currently 130meg IDE,
                          AMI BIOS


Thanks in advance,

J Ackley
From: masaoki@hpysodk.tky.hp.com (Masaoki Kobayashi)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 04:28:17 GMT
Subject: Does anyone know about Genoa VGA card?
Organization: YHP Hachioji HSTD R&D, Tokyo Japan
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware

I want any information on Genoa VGA card for VESA Local Bus.
The only thing I know now is that the VGA card uses CyrixLogic
chips.  I do not know what th chip is nor how fast it is.

Any information will be appreciated.

--
masaoki@tky.hp.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: cravener@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Patty Cravener)
Subject: no LPT1, then again there it is...
Organization: University of Hawaii
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 21:47:13 GMT

I have a lovely new computer with a problem the dealer says he hasn't
a clue about (and I believe him - he's nice guy but in over his head)
Problem is that the system crashes from time to time and when it does,
there is no more parallel port.
Then I keep resetting (what else could I do?) and eventually I get it
back, as a numerical reference.  
As nearly as I can understand it, both the loss and the recover seem
to be random - if there's a pattern to it, it's beyond me...
I love my computer, and hate feeling it's erratic and unpredictable.
Why, sometimes I even use it to work on, so we can't have that...
I'll be very grateful for any words of advice from the real wizards
out there...
                                              Aloha o`i.......pc
From: ludwig@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Mark Stephen Kidder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: More than 25 display lines
Date: 12 Dec 92 13:32:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University

How can I find out how many display lines a monitor is capable of
and then set that monitor to that number?

Thanks
msk
-- 
          Mark Stephen Kidder       | Users of Happy Fun Ball beware:
    Mail: CIS Engineering, Purdue   | Do not taunt, throw, bounce, stare at,
Internet: ludwig@sage.cc.purdue.edu | or eat Happy Fun Ball.  If Happy Fun Ball
    ICBM: 40 25'11" N  86 55'02" W  | leaks ooze run away and seek shelter.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Subject: Re: Why memory costs doubled
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:22:06 GMT

In <1992Dec9.210830.17470@dcatlas.dot.gov> joet@dcatlas.dot.gov (Joe Trott) writes:


>The demand for DRAM is somewhat inelastic.  This means that changes in price
>do not directly translate to equivalent changes in demand, i.e. "if you need
>'em, you need 'em, _whatever_ the price".

Do you have any evidence for this statement?  It just doesn't seem to
'track', so far as I can tell.  People will put off upgrading RAM when
prices are high, just like they can put off any other purchase.  Oh,
sure there ARE going to be people who absolutely need to buy RAM now,
but those people simply have a different indifference function with
regard to money and DRAM than the folks who I tihkn make up the bulk
of the market.

>The tariffs imposed by force in the U.S. would hurt Korean sales volume,
>because there are too many other local suppliers.  

Well, putting on a tariff to keep them from dumping would certainly
reduce their sales by increasing their price in that market, but if
demand is inelastic that wouldn't matter one iota.  

>Korean companies, not
>wishing to lose too much revenue, would take advantage of the relative
>inelasticity of demand by raising prices *everywhere* (including NZ) to
>make up the difference.  

You have a logical fault here.  Wouldn't their raising their prices in
NZ, where they are not subject to a tariff, cost them market share in
NZ?  Doing this would make their situation worse, unless they could
absolutely count on all other producers in the market to also raise
prices, in which case there would have been no need for a tariff in
the U.S. because they would have raised prices all by themselves.

>Other manufacturers, not having to compete against
>the lower prices, could raise theirs as well, also to everybody.  

Or they could leave their prices where they were, increasing market
share as the Koreans cut their own throats in NZ by unilaterlally
raising their price voluntarily.

>In short,
>we all (chip buyers) suffer because some non-producers initiated the use
>of force.

I think you better watch for price gouging by dealers, because your
'explanation' of how the market did it just doesn't make sense.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.
From: tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Opinions wanted on GW2000's DX2/66 EISA Bus System
Date: 20 Dec 92 11:30:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Dec20.113049.14577
Organization: clearer than blir

I like the idea in general of EISA. On the other hand, I've gotten
pretty bumbed out about paying top dollar for 32-bit slots and not
having any 32-bit cards to put into them. So, for the longest time
now I've been ignoring EISA systems I see in ads and concentrating
on VESA local bus systems.

By chance, almost, I looked closely at GW2000's DX2/66 EISA bus system
and noticed that for just $800 more than their DX2/66 VESA local bus
system, you get a 500MB 11ms SCSI hard drive with 32-bit EISA SCSI
controller. (As oppsed to a 340MB 13ms IDE hard drive with Local Bus
interface.)

There are other differences like getting a Tower as standard over
a desktop, 8 EISA slots rather than just 2 32-bit VESA slots, and
a 128K external cache rather than a 64K cache. (The minus is you're
back to a 14" monitor rather than a 15").

Now it seems to me, that $800 practically covers the extra expense of
the SCSI hard drive plus EISA controller alone. I mean, it *looks*
like this hard drive is really gonna haul ass over the VESA system.
Is there something I'm missing, or will a 13-ms IDE drive with Local
Bus IDE interface do almost as well?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tad Perry      Internet:    tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
               CompuServe:  70402,3020
               NIFTY-Serve: GBG01266
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: letsche@herky.cs.uiowa.edu (Terry Letsche)
Subject: Wacky wild modem problems
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 04:36:11 GMT
Distribution: na
Reply-To: letsche@herky.cs.uiowa.edu (Terry Letsche)
Organization: U of Iowa, Iowa City, IA


I have an interesting modem problem. I have a six year old U.S. Robotics
2400 baud modem. In the past it has worked just fine in my 4.77/8 MHz
pc clone running kermit version 3.11.

I have recently switched motherboards to a 12 MHz pc clone. I can
still download binary files in 1200 baud with no problems. However, now
when I try to download files (binary especially) in 2400 baud, I have
problems with the pc locking up to the point of having to reboot. When
I restart kermit, I am still connected to the host. The amount that gets
downloaded before it locks up varies. It is sometimes within a few packets
from the time it starts, sometimes after 80 K has been downloaded.

I thought the problem might be with the modem at the other end or the
phone line, but trying to download files on another machine works just
fine. I have run the self tests on my modem. The local analog and digital
loopback tests run just fine. However, the remote digital loopback test
(which the manufacturer assures me conforms to the CCITT V.54 standard)
returns around 20 errors per 255 seconds of testing, while the local digital
loopback returns 0 errors consistently.

Could it be that the new motherboard is just too fast for this fairly 
ancient modem? I don't think this could be the case, since the bus still 
runs at the same speed. Could my UART be too slow? Could it be a problem 
with DMA? Or am I wrong on any of this? Any help on this would be appreciated. 

Please e-mail any suggestions and I will post a summary.

Thanks much.

Terry


--
_________________________________________________________________
Terry Letsche   C.S. Department   U of Iowa   Iowa City, IA 52242
From: sprague.wbst311@xerox.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: SpeedStar 24X - driver problems
Date: 15 Dec 92 18:00:26 GMT
Followup-To: SpeedStar 24X - driver problems
Organization: Xerox
Originator: msprague@superior

> What about the 32,768 color drivers for 640x480 and 800x600?
> Have you had any problems with those?  If not, why don't
> you use them?

Because:

A)	It runs a little slower.
B)	I want to use 1024x768 mode, not 800x600.
C)	I have a work-around.
D)	256 colors are more than enough for me.  :-)

Note that I did have trouble with 640x480 with 4 million colors
(or what ever that max colors are).  It gave me a message saying
that I had run out of System space (or some such) and part of my
icons were large black boxes instead of pictures.  As I don't
intend to run in this mode (for a while anyway), I didn't bother
messing with it any further.

Someone mentioned that those of us with problems should have
Version 2.02 of the Drivers.  I couldn't find any way to find the
driver version number, but when my system boots and the video card
puts it's sign on message on the screen, it says BIOS version 2.02.

			~ Mike  (sprague.wbst311@xerox.com)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: goyal@utdallas.edu (MOHIT K GOYAL)
Subject: Re: Sony Mini CD or Philips DCC format for computer DATA?
Organization: Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 23:44:04 GMT

>>disk for perhaps 100Mb of data, but still 100Mb for $16 isn't bad.
>The MD disks are actually $50 apiece but to encourage consumers to buy
>them Sony is selling them for $16 each. If they were used for computers
>I'd expect the price to go up. MD's for audio and MD's for computers. :)

Prerecorded MD's with up to 74 minutes of music sell for the same price as
CD's here in Dallas.  $13 regular, $10 on sale.

Blank 60 minute MD's will be coming out this month, and they will sell for
$10, I think.

74 minute blank MD's will go on sale sometime in 1Q03.  I don't know how much
they will sell for.

Sony is not losing money on MD's.
From: as232@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Lerner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: IBM lowers prices?
Date: 19 Dec 1992 06:26:25 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


I've been hearing that IBM is competitively pricing their new PC's.  Is there
an IBM phone number to get info on pricing and system configuration info?

Thanks,
Mike
-- 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: dan@halcyon.com (Dan Lawrence)
Subject: My Trident SVGA card died...
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 10:00:11 GMT

I have a very inexpensive 20Mhz 286 system that had a Trident TGVA8900C
1Meg video card in it.  I am sure it is a clone of a major brand as the
manufacture's name is no where to be found on the card, box, or manual.
I will provide any ID numbers on the board if they are useful to anyone.

A few days ago, I was using windows in 800x600x256 color mode when the
card failed.  It developed vertical lines of blue color, and apon
rebooting failed to display the BIOS message and allow the computer to
boot.  I have been told that it has bad RAM.  Is this likley?

I would replace the ram, or move it around, but they are surface mount
1X1meg chips (8 of them in total).  

I thought I would reconfigure the card to 512K or 256K and see if I
could isolate the bad chip.  I would try to replace a ram chip if I know
it is bad.  unfortunately there are no jumpers and the card seems to
auto detect the amount of ram in the system.  Is there any way to force
the TVGA8900C chip to only use 256K or 512K?  I wouldn't mind soldering
a jumper or 2 to the thing.  Will the card run in 256K or 512K with 1
meg chips?

Also when I tested the card in another machine it was able to boot, but
the screen wasn't working right.  It was like some of the characters
were hidden and would appear if there was a color block over them.  This
was with a normal DOS text screen, so I assume that the bad RAM is in
the lower 256k of chips.  

How can I tell which of the 8 RAM chips make up the lower 256K?  Can I
trace them back to a control pin of the 8900C or different address lines
or something?

I would really like to get this card back up and running.  Any help is
appreciated.

Please send Email to dan@halcyon.com as this group expires before I get
a chance to read it.  I will post a summary if there is interest.

Dan Lawrence
dan@halcyon.com
Seattle, WA
From: cvafy001@vmsa.is.csupomona.edu (Kaifu Wu)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Need suggestions on video cards
Date: 16 Dec 92 22:14:00 GMT
Organization: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

I'm looking to buy a new video card to replace my really old vga card,
and I'm really confused on what's available on the market.  I do not
plan to spend more than $200 on it, since I might have to get a new
monitor too.  So, what are the best cards available for this price
range?  Note that I run OS/2 on my system and it'd be a great plus if
the new card supports it fully.

Thanks,

Kaifu
cvafy001@csupomona.edu
kwu@nyx.cs.du.edu
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:33316 comp.os.os2.misc:39529
From: noyles@pacs.pha.pa.us ( Juan Noyles)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Why does 8Mb RAM mean swapping?
Date: 15 Dec 92 22:24:32 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Organization: Philadelphia Area Computer Society

Can someone who understands these things tell me why I get so much swapping
in OS/2 with 8Mb RAM?  I'm using a 33MHz 80386.

Normally, I have EPM in my startup folder, and I have my Comm folder opened
automatically.  It generally takes about 2 minutes from the placement of the
background color for my system to quiesce to the point that I can get some-
thing else started.  I know that I could have a command window opened
immediately, but that doesn't address the issue.

I have the book "Design of OS/2", but it's not specific.  Can anyone tell me,
in concrete terms, what the breakeven point (swapping only when program has
not been started) is for 4 applications?  Let's give them a theoretical size
of 500K a piece.
-- 
Nothing changes, if nothing changes...

Email:	noyles@pacs.pha.pa.us  --- juan@noyles.pha.pa.us
From: jmoran@head-cfa.harvard.edu (John Moran)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Old Compaq Portable and External Monitor Question - HELP!
Date: 11 Dec 92 16:18:16 GMT
Organization: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA,  USA


Hello,
        I have a simple question.  My brother-in-law was given
one of those old Compaq "portables".  I don't know much about it
except that it is an 8088 w/ a 10Meg HD and a 5 1/4" floppy.  It has
one of those built in 4" monochrome monitors.  I would like to
buy him a used 13" monitor for a present, BUT (and here's the
question) will this work?
        Since I've never opened the box, I don't know how the built
in monitor is driven.  Is there a video card that I can disconnect
the built-in monitor from so I can plug in a external monitor?
Assuming there is a card, what type is it? Is it Hercules?

(I guess I asked more than 1 question!)

Thanks for any help!

Reply by e-mail or post, whichever you deem appropriate.

John Moran

e-mail: jmoran@cfa.harvard.edu
From: god@hale.cts.com (David J. Calabrese)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Orchid VL bus video?
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 92 23:46:43 PST
Organization: Hale Telecommunications Inc.

aron@luxor.ced.berkeley.edu (aron bonar) writes:

> 
> 
> It uses one of the original S3 chips, not the newer ones.  It looks to me
> like its the same as their Fahrenhiet 1280D (their original local bus card)
> except they added VESA support.  
> 
> I didn't get it cuz it won't do 32,768 colors at 800x600.  This seems absurd
> to me since it does do 16.7 million colors at 640x480...

 
Say, what is the list price on this VL card?
Just wondering...
 
* david j. calabrese *

H  E  A  D  I  N  G    F  O  R

                        
             __---_                 .
. ..  .  . _-      -        T                              .
... .  .  -  (. .)  =        h 
         =        --          e   E                                     .
. ..  .  .--____--                 D         .
============================\       G                          .
                             \       E   .                    .
                              \        !

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware