I would like to find this card. The Omnicomp 3Demon:
From: omnicmp@phoenix.phoenix.net (OmniComp Graphics)
Subject: GLINT - 3DEMON FAQ (1/1)
Date: 3 Feb 1995 18:57:22 GMT
The 3DEMON by Omnicomp is a PCI-bus 3D accelerator, based on the GLINT
300SX chip from 3Dlabs. Omnicomp began shipping full-production 3DEMONs in
the last 2 weeks of January. There have been many questions generated
about the capabilities of this graphics board. We have answered the most
common questions below.
If there are other questions you need answered, or feel should be in this
list, please contact Omnicomp by E-Mail (omnicmp@phoenix.phoenix.net), fax
(713-827-7540), or phone (713-464-2990).
Q1: How much memory does the 3DEMON have?
Q2: What is the price of the 3DEMON?
Q3: Does the 3DEMON support Texture Mapping? What about the GLiNT 300TX?
Q4: Should I wait a few months before buying a 3DEMON, when the hardware
is more stable?
Q5: What motherboards are compatible with the 3DEMON?
Q6: What system configuration is recommended for the 3DEMON
Q7: Does the 3DEMON support PCI bus-mastering?
Q8: Does the 3DEMON have on-board VGA?
Q9: When will I see a $600 GLiNT board?
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Subject: Q1: How much memory does the 3DEMON have?
A: The 3DEMON model SX44 has 4 MB of VRAM for the frame buffer, and 4 MB
of DRAM for the local buffer (Z-buffer). The 3DEMON model SX48 has 4
MB of VRAM for the frame buffer and 8 MB of DRAM for the local buffer
(Z-buffer).
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Subject: Q2: What is the price of the 3DEMON?
A: The list price (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) of the 3DEMON
model SX44 (4 MB VRAM + 4MB DRAM) is $1,995. The list price of the
3DEMON model SX48 (4 MB VRAM + 4MB DRAM) is $2,390. Reseller,
Developer, and quantity discounts are available.
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Subject: Q3: Does the 3DEMON support Texture Mapping? What about the
GLiNT 300TX?
A: The 3DEMON with the GLiNT 300SX DOES support texture mapping. The
300SX does the filtering and application calculations for texture
mapping. The host provides the data, including the texture, to the
300SX. The 300TX, when available, will allow storage of textures in
the local buffer. This is one reason the 3DEMON is designed to
support an 8 MB local buffer. Boards purchased with the 300SX are not
upgradeable to change to the 300TX because the GLiNT is a 304 pin,
fine pitch, surface mount device. There has been some mis-
understanding that the 300SX does not support texture mapping. This
is because the BETA version of the OpenGL drivers for Windows NT do
not currently implement texture mapping. This was a software
limitation, and not a hardware limitation.
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Subject: Q4: Should I wait a few months before buying a 3DEMON, when the
hardware is more stable?
A: Today's shipping 3DEMON has very stable hardware. It has already been
a few months since the first board using the GLINT was built. By now,
the hardware bugs have been worked out, and all modifications or
changes are in the shipping version of the 3DEMON. In fact, the
3DEMON has NO wires or last-minute modifications on the board.
Drivers today are at the final stages of BETA. Updated release
versions of the drivers will be available near the end of February.
Current drivers should support any existing application written to
OpenGL under Windows NT.
------
Subject: Q5: What motherboards are compatible with the 3DEMON?
A: Omnicomp has tested the 3DEMON with the INTEL designed PENTIUM
motherboard used by Gateway and DELL in their PENTIUM 90 machines. We
have also tested it with various motherboards using the OPTI chipset
for PENTIUM. The 3DEMON has also been tested in MIPS-based Windows NT
systems. The board is now in the hands of many customers, and we are
keeping track of the systems our customers are using.
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Subject: Q6: What system configuration is recommended for the 3DEMON?
A: For INTEL-based Windows NT, we recommend a PENTIUM-90 with 32 MB RAM
for OpenGL development.
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Subject: Q7: Does the 3DEMON support PCI bus-mastering?
A: Yes. The 3DEMON conforms to the PCI Local Bus Specification Revision
2.0 and does support bus-mastering.
------
Subject: Q8: Does the 3DEMON have on-board VGA?
A: The 3DEMON does not support VGA BIOS calls. For an INTEL based
system, you must have a VGA card installed for system boot, or DOS
command-line. Single monitor operation is provided using an external
pass-thru. This form of pass-thru is compatible with any VGA. Once
in Windows, the 3DEMON provides the whole display. In other platforms
such as MIPS, the 3DEMON may often act as a boot display. This varies
by system vendor.
------
Subject: Q9: When will I see a $600 GLiNT board?
A: A $600 GLiNT design would be possible using 2 MB of DRAM (not VRAM)
for the frame buffer, and 2 MB or less of DRAM for the local buffer.
Also, such a price would require production volume in the tens of
thousands, or possibly a lower-end version of the chip, if 3Dlabs
chooses to do so. Such a board would be targeted at the home games
market. This type of board would not meet the performance of a 4 MB
VRAM + 4 MB DRAM 300SX design.
