From ns.itep.ru!Radio-MSU.net!dscomsa.desy.de!news.dkrz.de!newsserver.rrzn.uni-hannover.de!news.rwth-aachen.de!genesis.westend.com!news.gtn.com!blackbush.xlink.net!tank.news.pipex.net!pipex!news.be.innet.net!INbe.net!news.nl.innet.net!INnl.net!hunter.premier.net!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!ddsw1!news.mcs.net!in-news.erinet.com!bug.rahul.net!rahul.net!a2i!ns2.mainstreet.net!viper.inow.com!newshub.internex.net!newshub1.internex.net!masters0.news.internex.net!usenet Sat Sep 21 10:18:53 1996 Path: ns.itep.ru!Radio-MSU.net!dscomsa.desy.de!news.dkrz.de!newsserver.rrzn.uni-hannover.de!news.rwth-aachen.de!genesis.westend.com!news.gtn.com!blackbush.xlink.net!tank.news.pipex.net!pipex!news.be.innet.net!INbe.net!news.nl.innet.net!INnl.net!hunter.premier.net!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!ddsw1!news.mcs.net!in-news.erinet.com!bug.rahul.net!rahul.net!a2i!ns2.mainstreet.net!viper.inow.com!newshub.internex.net!newshub1.internex.net!masters0.news.internex.net!usenet From: roger@louie.xo.com (Roger Louie) Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.setup.video Subject: Re: [FAQ] Rob's Video driver Faq .1D Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 06:47:27 GMT Organization: InterNex Information Services 1-800-595-3333 Lines: 121 Message-ID: <32423b20.4725074@Milpitas01.news.InterNex.Net> References: <514h9k$o1i@bertha.ho.rohmhaas.com> Reply-To: roger@louie.xo.com X-Newsreader: Forte Agent .99e/32.227 Rob, Good work on doing a FAQ on OS/2 graphics drivers. Here are my comments: > * Trio driver 2.84.13 available Trio chipsets (732/764/765) should be using 2.84.14. This version over the prior one has an important save/restore fix (DOS FS/WINOS FS to PM desktop and vice versa). > Your video card must be > capable of hardware upscaling to use enDIVE. ex. Trio64V+ based cards. > Since the S3 765 driver doesn't have EnDIVE support in the publicly available ones, maybe the ELSA card and driver is a better example. >Q. What is GRADD? > >A. With OS/2 for the PowerPC a new video driver model was released. This > is an object oriented driver model that allows easier and quicker > building of video device drivers. GRADD will be in OS/2 ver. 4 (Merlin) > GRADD is ONLY the PM and EnDIVE components. The base video components (VVIDEO, virtual video, SCREEN01.SYS, and some others) are STILL required for developers to write the same as in the old monolithic drivers. Currently there is only 864GRADD which ships on Merlin and also the GRADD is only support on Merlin and future versions of Warp. A GRADD driver will use the integrated IBM seamless WINOS2, which will be much slower than the current separate vendor supplied seamless winos2 driver. >Q. Why is there multiple drivers for my video card? > >A. Due to the lack of manufacturer interest in video driver development for > OS/2, IBM wrote many of the drivers in OS/2. As OS/2 caught on (more > or less) manufacturers started writing their own drivers. Also some > video cards have hardware modifications done the require a slightly > modified driver. The company usually takes a generic driver and makes > the necessary modifications. > The real reason is IBM started the source code and built them in Warp 3.0. IBM also wants the source code for official builds. And IBM can provide bug fixes themselves without going to the vendors. Vendors went off to create their own drivers in 94 and 95 since they wanted control of their source code. >Q. Who at IBM creates and updates the video drivers? > >A. PCCO is incharge of video driver development. Updated drivers can usually > be found at their ftp site (ftp.pcco.ibm.com). Test drivers are sometimes > released on Testcase and sometimes find their way to other ftp sites. > These are to be considered BETA drivers and can cause problems. The PCCO > site is the best place for IBM released driver updates. > Video drivers are really coded (updated) and built by IBM Austin (OS/2 division). IBM PC Co. may be a source for distribution to provide drivers for their IBM PC models. > >2) To find what chipset your card uses check you documentation or look on > your card, then choose a driver for that chipset. If you have an S3 chipset, but don't know which one, you can run SETUP.CMD from the install disk and the intallation will tell you. You then have the option to continue or not. > > 864/868 > Latest Build - A.034 (Approx. 10/95) > Location - ps.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/drivers/video/s3_864.zip > Notes - Trio 64 driver now has 864/868 capabilities. > > Came out with build 41? It was posted in this newsgroup a few days ago. > >ELSA - http://www.elsa.com > Notes - The best OS/2 supported cards there are. Have enDIVE support. > OK, beat me to it (about the EnDIVE support :) > 86x/96x (x = 4 or 8) > Latest Version - 2.57 > Location - hobbes.nmsu.edu/os2/drivers/s32507501.zip > Latest version is the 2.84.14 version. This version supports Vision and Trio. > Trio 64/64V (764/765) > Latest Build - 2.84.13 > Location - bbs.s3.com/765drv/os28413.zip > Notes - Has 86x and 96x support better that 2.57 driver OK, may want to place in section above. > but may not work with all cards. > Support for Diamond refresh rates. > enDIVE coming later. > > Virge and Virge/VX > Latest Build - 1.00.12 (8/96) > Location - bbs.s3.com/325drv/eos21012.zip > Notes - enDIVE support later. > Roger Louie S3, Inc. p.s. Good work. Thanks.