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Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

Title:DECWINDOWS 26-JAN-89 to 29-NOV-90
Notice:See 1639.0 for VMS V5.3 kit; 2043.0 for 5.4 IFT kit
Moderator:STAR::VATNE
Created:Mon Oct 30 1989
Last Modified:Mon Dec 31 1990
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3726
Total number of notes:19516

2931.0. "DS5000, accelerator cards and X?" by SNOC02::ZAMBOTTIW (It only works after you ask!) Thu Jun 14 1990 06:56

    Hi people,
    
    does standard X with no GKS or PHIGS libraries use the graphics
    accelerator cards (if they're installed) or do I need to use GKS or
    PHIGS.
    
    i.e. Will an application written using only the X library on a DS5000
    display graphics any faster if I install an accelerator board?
    
    Walter.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
2931.1PSW::WINALSKICareful with that VAX, EugeneThu Jun 14 1990 15:424
If by "accelerator cards" you mean GPX or SPX, then yes, vanilla DECwindows
X uses them.

--PSW
2931.2It helps!OSLACT::OLAVDo it in parallel!Mon Jun 18 1990 05:5728
> If by "accelerator cards" you mean GPX or SPX, then yes, vanilla DECwindows
> X uses them.

Those are *VAX* hardware accelerator cards. The DECstation 5000 has PX (2D),
PXG (3D) and PXG Turbo (3D) models.

The PX option for the DECstation 5000/200 enhances graphics performance with a
PixelStamp rendering processor containing one scan converter chip like this:

               PHIGS ->
application -> GKS   -> Xlib -> X-Server -> PixelStamp -> Frame buffer
               ------->

The PXG option uses the geometry accelerator and the PixelStamp rendering
processor with one scan chip. The i860 processor on the geometry engine operates
at 33MHZ.

               PHIGS -> PEX ->
application -> GKS   --------> Xlib -> X-Server   -> Geometry    ->
               -------------->         PEX server    accelerator

-> (shared memory) -> PixelStamp -> Frame buffer

The PXG Turbo High-performance option contains the geometry accelerator and two
scan converter chips operating in parallel on the PixelStamp accelerator. The
i860 geometry module operates at 40MHZ.

Olav