VOGONS


First post, by x689thanatos

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Hello

Maybe someone has already seen this or has an idea

The problem is related to a isa video card VG-8000 rev b with a wd90c31a chip.
Tested on two screens (CRT and LCD) as well as on two différent computer.

(on my 486, which works without problems with other vidéo cards and without specific video drivers)
In the bios or under dos, no problem.

- As soon as I run a program like game, bench, the display is striated of vertical bands
3810100171e95a2c9d5777b2ebfa1591.jpg
- Under windows 3.11 with the basic windows driver, the windows boot picture is red and anything that is black is no longer displayed in the menu + trouble display
5c32cad003cabe88a9d5a37be05197dc.jpg
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- + Under windows 3.11 with the western digital driver, the background becomes brown (blue normally) the image of the cursor is bugged and in general, the display seems overwritten.

// on another machine with a windows 98, I have the same problem of display with vertical bands like on the 486 under dos when launching apps

I spent quite a bit of time trying different modes with the video driver and with switch block 1 next to the video output.

The card does not seem damaged, I cleaned it, some tracks are not very beautiful but they are not cut (tested with a multimeter).

It may be something very silly. Or the card may be just défective (the seller told me that he had tested it under windows 3.1 before sending it to me and he didnt had any problem with it).

Curious point, the CRT monitor tells me an input resolution of something like 700x400 (I do not have the exact value, I have to update it tonight), it reminds me of a discussion about this kind of problem with the same vidéo chip but it didnt helped me more about what happend.

Thank you very much to have read my message (and sorry for my bad english writting).
Any help is welcome 😀

Reply 1 of 2, by Jepael

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By the looks of it there is some issue with video memory bus or chips. Specifically in one of the four memory planes, because in 256-color VGA mode you get one bad pixel and three good ones, and in 16-color mode the whole plane appears to be missing!

If memory chips on the VGA card are socketed, push them gently down to make better contact again. Also make sure no video memory chips are missing or have bent pins, shortcuts, etc.

Most likely the card is otherwise fine, and could work when memory issue is solved.

To a monitor, it cannot tell a difference between VGA text mode (720x400) and 320x200 graphics mode - they have identical H/V timing and polarity. The 200-line mode is double-scanned to 400 lines. So that's normal.

Reply 2 of 2, by x689thanatos

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Thank you very much Jepael
And i learned something 😀

The ram chip are soldered with pins bent underneath, doubts about solder on one chip and the traces under the chip, i will try.