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[Rant] Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCIANN.lu
Posted on 26-Jul-2000 13:13 GMT by Rafo9 comments
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I preordered a MediatorPCI busboard and I think some infos are missing, or not clear enough. Graphics drivers. I remember I saw either here or on CSAM that Elbox already had video drivers working for the MediatorPCI, Voodoo3 being one of them. I also read about P96 drivers. But now, There may be CyberGraphX drivers for video boards on the Mediator PCI. As there is no official info about it on the Picasso96 website, I was wondering : Are there actually Picasso96 drivers for any PCI board yet ? If not, we may wait for some time to get a Voodoo3 board working now, 'cause we won't get any performance compared to Permedia2 with some S3 Virge stuff, and it will take some time to get any Voodoo3 driver if nothing in this direction has been done yet. Where to get any information about all this ? I'm getting a little worried now, as my impression is I won't be able to run much stuff on that busboard for some time if we have to wait CGX drivers for high-speed GFX boards. Something else : Picasso96 has a nice advantage over CGX : its modularity. P96 works with .card and .chip files. Then, if we have, for example a driver for a Maxi Cougar (TNT² Based) with working drivers for P96, we have a .chip and .card file working. Then If we want to make a drivers for a Creative Labs' 3DBlaster TNT², then only the .card file would need to be re-written, so I guess drivers for Picasso96 would be much faster to come, wouldn't they ?
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 1 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Paul Laycock on 25-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
Erm, Hyperion are working on Warp3D drivers for the Voodoo cards, and have been for some time. This makes it clear to me that there are already CGFX drivers available; they're just being continually worked on.
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 2 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Ben Yoris/Hyperion on 25-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 1 (Paul Laycock):
Sorry but work on Voodoo 3 drivers at Hyperion didn't started yet.
I think the Mediator situation will be much clearer with their availability and all the necessary tools to write drivers (i.e. not only for GFX boards).
Elbox provided FAST ATA with software and Mroocheck with software too. They perfectly know that to sell many Mediators, drivers are needed.
There's no reason to worry about the Mediator IMO.
As soon as the concerned people have their Mediator, things will evoluate.
Regards,
Ben Yoris/Hyperion
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 3 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by redrumloa on 25-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 2 (Ben Yoris/Hyperion):
Ben I agree with you except that PowerC(and other places) mentioned a mid-July release date for the 1200 version. PowerC is even accepting pre-orders. Now it is late July and Hyperion-Software(The most significant Game company) hasn't even gotten a developer board yet? :-/ I realise the Mediator is a VERY new concept, but it will be VERY disapointing to see another product getting pre-orders and not becoming available for years..if ever..
I am not saying this is going to happen, Elbox seems to have a very good track record so far. But I wish the companies would stop asking for money and giving phantom release dates.
Jim
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 4 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Rafo on 25-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 1 (Paul Laycock):
CGFX is not mandatory to use Warp3D. It also works with P96.
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 5 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Ben Yoris/Hyperion on 26-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 3 (redrumloa):
Nor Elbox nor Hyperion are responsible for retailers taking preorders.
Remember retailers taking preorders for BoXeR, CyberstormG4 and FusionPPC ... ?
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 6 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by redrumloa on 26-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 5 (Ben Yoris/Hyperion):
Sorry Ben, didn't mean to imply Hyperion or Elbox was at fault for retailers' shortcommings.
HOWEVER I believe compaines like Elbox should refuse to allow retailers to collect money or manufacture release dates.
BTW-Keep up the good work at Hyperion! I'm anxiously awaiting availability of DCE CyberstormPPC cards! Blizzards are apparently out, but no CSPPC yet:-/ Several of your games are on my shopping list. I will definately pick up Heretic II at the same time I get my CSPPC! If you come out with any 060 compatible games before then believe me I will get it! Come on Worms Armagedeon!!
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 7 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Matt on 26-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
wrt modularity of P96: CybergraphX is no less modular, but you just can't see
the modules. The beauty of CGX is that you'll only need to use one ".card"
driver, and it's bundled with the .chip driver.
The tiny differences between TNT2, for example, cards means that having a new
.card driver would be inefficient anyway. And it'd make installation much more
stressful.
So whereas P96 will have TNT2.chip and TNT2PCI.card, CFX will probably just have
the "TNT2PCI" part all bundled up.
The same goes for WarpUP and PowerUP, as it happens: PuP is no less modular or
portable just because you don't see the modules as seperate entities. A lot of
Amiga applications generate libraries and extensions internally (for example,
Picasso96 spawns a "cybergraphics.library" and some MUI software creates
internal classes). Those modules of *code* are what are important, not the
individual files.
BTW a Virge PCI card would probably outperform the Permedia2 on your BVision,
simply by virtue of it being on a faster PCI bus. The quality would suck, but
if the Permedia's fillrate problems are to be beleived.. it'd certainly be able
to run a good game of WipeOut, and for £20 or less :)
Matt
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 8 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by MagicSN on 28-Jul-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 7 (Matt):
Hi!
The Virge has a much inferior fillrate to
the Permedia 2. That the fillrate of the Permedia 2 is
bad does not mean that a worse fillrate is not
possible. Also the Virge has sonly 4 MB Video RAM,
which is a problem for later software (okay,
Wipeout would be happy with this).
I think the PCI Interface (both the Elbox thing
and the recently in an interview announced
Escena/DCE cooperation) is mainly interesting
for using a new modern 3D Chip (or at least
more modern than Permedia 2 :) ), like
for example Voodoo 3.
You can of course put a Virge in, but I think
this is mainly interesting for people who
want a cheap 2D Graphics Board (people who do
not yet have a Graphics Board, AGA people...).
For people wanting to run PPC 3D Games, a modern
Chip is the thing interesting...
Steffen
Things to be cleared up about MediatorPCI : Comment 9 of 9ANN.lu
Posted by Frank Mariak on 02-Aug-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 1 (Paul Laycock):
: This makes it clear to me that there are already CGFX drivers available; they're just being continually worked on.
Work on Voodoo drivers has not even started yet, at least not from the CGX driver point of view .... All I can say is that a driver should be possible based on the documentation released by 3dfx.
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