Re: more memory or new video card to improve performance?

[mparson%smartnap.com@localhost]

In message <v02140b05b0e50bd18c17@[134.207.6.58]>, you write:
> You all seem to know better than I about these things.  If I want X to
> perform better on my A3000, should I buy more memory or a new video board?
> "Luvthang" has 16MB Fast and 2MB Chip RAM.  It has only the native A3000
> video hardware.

My NetBSD-Amiga setup has the same 16/2 setup that you have, I ran with
it like that for a long time, till I bought the Picasso-IV when it was
first introduced.  Once NetBSD supported it, I played around with the
configs till I got it working (check the port-amiga archives, I posted
how I got it working a while back).  I now run X11 at 1280x1024x8bbp
quite nicely.  It's not the fasted thing in the world, but that is not
due to memory limitations, but do to the fact I'm running an 030 at
25Mhz.  It makes a usable X terminal, I run most of my applications off
other, faster boxes that don't have heads on them.

> If the answer is to buy a new video board, does it matter which one as long
> as I buy one of those supported by NetBSD-Amiga/X?

Check the specs on the cards before you buy.  Keep in mind that X under NetBSD
doesn't support higher than 8bbp (256 color) yet.

A good list of cards and capabilities can be found at

http://www.gbar.dtu.dk/~c948374/Amiga/AmigaGraphicsBoards.html