*BSD News Article 28699


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From: pitts@mimosa.astro.indiana.edu (Jim Pitts)
Subject: Re: PCI bus cards (graphics and SCSI) which work?
Message-ID: <Cn8K6q.5pw@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>
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Organization: Indiana University
References: <2mslqq$1vl8@rs560.cl.msu.edu> <michaelv.764537928@ponderous.cc.iastate.edu>
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 1994 19:44:50 GMT
Lines: 48

In article <michaelv.764537928@ponderous.cc.iastate.edu>,
Michael L. VanLoon <michaelv@iastate.edu> wrote:
>In <2mslqq$1vl8@rs560.cl.msu.edu> evans@rs560.cl.msu.edu (jeffrey d evans) writes:
>
>
>>    Viper
>
>Do NOT buy ANY Diamond products!  They are not and will never be
>supported by XFree86 (although a few adventerous souls have gotten
>them to limp along at times).  Diamond will not allow their drivers to
>be public and doesn't care at all that this may cost them a sale
>because you run a free "unix".  They are quite indifferent to the
>pleas of free "unix" users.
>

True, many Diamond cards are not supported under XFree86, although they
-can- be made to work with a little hacking (I run a Diamond SpeedStar 24
at 1024x768 under XFree86 with -0- problems).  They are -very- nice cards
and I am very happy with mine.  As long as you don't expect instant support
for the card out-of-the-box from XFree86 you will be very happy with it.

These cards do not 'limp' along by any margin.  They are excellent products
which are very well build.  The trouble is not with the hardware of the
card, it is with the attitude of the company that makes them.

And even this attitude is changing with time.  I called Diamond about getting
information on their dot clock programming.  They FAXed me the information
the same day, no hassles.

In summary, don't rule out Diamond cards ... but don't expect them to work
about 640x480 out-of-the box without a little effort.  A program to set the
dot clock needs to be written (a trivial program) and from that point on
the card will work fine.  These cards are better than most and worse than few
of the cards currently out there.

Just to aviod a flame war, I would like to also add that I support the decision
of the XFree86 people to not include Diamond support in their software.  I
only hope (but an not holding my breath) that Diamond can change their
tune in time.




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