Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
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From: hassell@news.colorado.edu (Christopher Hassell)
Subject: Re: Idea for a graphics board
Message-ID: <hassell.676599561@tramp.Colorado.EDU>
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References: <1991May28.191019.13406@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Date: 11 Jun 91 00:19:21 GMT
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nygardm@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Michael T. Nygard) writes:

[]Here's a description of my dream graphics board

[i860 processor for anti-aliasing lines, fast 3d polygon renders, Goroud & Phong
[] shading. (64 bit busses.)
[] 4M memory for frame buffer & z-buffer
[] 1024x1024x24 resolution
[] 8 bit z-buffer

[] Anybody know of such a beast, or anything similar.  If not, I'll start doing
[] some designs.

No not really.  I suppose it would be nice.

Basically as I think of it.  There are alot better things that you could do 
than to put a fast beast in alot of RAM and hook it up to a fast something else.

What would anyone say if you could split up the screen like CRAZY insted of
this constant blitting that is constantly used!  Use a processor which can 
constantly heave out the next address to memory for the screen to use (as long
as it is chip I suppose).

If you could map memory in arbitrarily complicated ways into the screen, you
could also do wierd wierd stuff like mapping many places all to one repeated
(binary-masked at least).  Heck.. you could have live video without wasting a
single cycle (as long as it redirects the frame-buffer directly to the screen).

Memory is already used up with tons of graphics overlays and stuff.. blitting
is just a way to act like you are running sprites all over.

For another neat effect... map "colors" to sections of memory as well (maybe
even hardware ports?), and you can get "sparkling" backgrounds or shifting 
backgrounds or lots of different effects, with only a little task out 
somewhere shifting the bytes around if need be.

The screen IS like a high-high-speed serial device.   It'd be nice if it 
could be treated that way and used to its fullest extent.

In some ways... since a read-write op is rather common for memory chips, one
could blit AS sections of memory are being shown.  (no screen-wipe that way!)

I cannot imagine anything better for graphics that doesn't boil down to 
chewing through the numbers faster.  (i.e. three-dee stuff is just that with
transformations and stuff simply going back into number-crunching).

[]Replies & suggestions are welcome!

I cannot say it wouldn't be nice to havce such a board supported.  It'd be
downright fun if it could work and be a little bit CHEAPER than a large car.
.. but then that's what Amiga is for. ?:->

[]-- 
[]--------
[]Mike Nygard
[]nygardm@coil.cco.caltech.edu
-- 
If you are getting mail from me, my apologies for confusiong you ##############
### C>H> ### boulder.colorado.edu!tramp!hassell #### "Nietzche is dead." - God
--
If you are getting mail from me, my apologies for confusiong you ##############
### C>H> ### boulder.colorado.edu!tramp!hassell #### "Nietzche is dead." - God
