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Conference noted::ibmpc-95

Title:IBM PCs, clones, DOS, etc.
Notice:Intro in 1-11, Windows stuff in NOTED::MSWINDOWS please
Moderator:TARKIN::LINND
Created:Tue Jan 03 1995
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3023
Total number of notes:28404

2959.0. "Diamond Stealth 3000" by ACISS2::LEECH (Terminal Philosophy) Mon Mar 24 1997 16:54

    These are on sale at CompUSA for $259.00... is this a good price?
    Not knowing gobs about video cards, I wanted a bit of input.  
    
    The Diamond Stealth 3000 comes with 4MB VRAM.
    
    I'm looking for a card that works well in both DOS and Win95, and one
    that plays games/runs graffics well.
    
    
    As an aside, my STB video card seems to be doing strange things in DOS. 
    When playing Duke Nukem 3D the other night, I noticed that the picture
    in the bottom right corner is not stable.  It has been doing this on
    the Windows screen on boot-up, but clears up when Win95 is going (Win95
    games/applications run without any noticable problem).
    
    Does this sound like a driver problem or a problem with the video card
    itself?  
    
    
    -steve
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2959.1BRITE::FYFEUse it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.Mon Mar 24 1997 17:0319
The 3000 comes in two flavors. S3-968 (Stealth64) graphics accelerator with 64
bit processing or the S3-D (Stealth 3D - no 64) accelerator.

The latter has a 3D accelerator for fast 3D graphics performance and has a 
window graphics speeds about equal with the 968, but with slower DOS 
graphics acceleration (2D games will be slower). 

They both come in 2 and 4 meg configurations. The Stealth64 can accept the
2001 video/memory daughter card for accepting external video input (such as
from a camcorder) where the Stealth 3D does not.

Diamond is working on a new daughter card for all their video boards. Rumor has
it a TV daughter card is in the works.

Both 4 meg versions can be had for under $200 mail order.

 
Doug. 
2959.2WOTVAX::HILTONSave Water, drink beerMon Mar 24 1997 18:176
    >> When playing Duke Nukem 3D the other night, I noticed that the
    >>picture
    >>    in the bottom right corner is not stable.
    
    Turn off Univesa if your using it, I had the same problem with Univesa.
    
2959.3Spend $55 today for a clone VIRGE, then get serious in the fall...JULIET::HARRIS_MANetworks Sales ExecTue Mar 25 1997 17:5811
    The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 is based on the VIRGE chipset. Generic
    VIRGE PCI video cards can be found for $53 (2M) and about $65 (4Meg).
    (check PIXEL USA on Tully Rs, San Jose, or www.carlind.com)
    
    The video card market is drastically changing right now, and I'd be
    tempted to suggest that you buy a cheap clone VIRGE card today, use
    standard S3 VIRGE drivers from their website, and then later this year
    buy a good quality video card based onnthe NEXT generation of video
    chipsets.
    
    Too much turmoil right now...
2959.4BRITE::FYFEUse it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.Tue Mar 25 1997 19:035
 > The Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 is based on the VIRGE chipset.


 Is the Stealth 3D *3000* based on the VIRGE chipset?
 Is the only difference DRAM/VRAM?
2959.5LEFTY::CWILLIAMSCD or not CD, that's the questionTue Mar 25 1997 19:2513
    The Stealth 3D 3000 is based on the VIRGE/VX chipset.
    The main difference is use of VRAM instead of DRAM... but...
    
    DOS performance is slower than the VIRGE. W95/WNT performance is
    noticably faster than the VIRGE. 
    
    If you do a lot of games, you won't like it. If all you do is Windows,
    you'll love it. I fall into the latter category.
    
    Your call. 
    
    Chris
    
2959.6ACISS2::LEECHTerminal PhilosophyFri Mar 28 1997 18:277
    What about running most new games (that are written for Win95)? 
    Will these run faster or slower than VIRGE (using the DS 3000)?
    
    Thanks for all the input!
    
    
    -steve
2959.7LEFTY::CWILLIAMSCD or not CD, that's the questionMon Mar 31 1997 14:287
    For WIN95 games, they will -probably- be faster with the VIRGE/VX,
    because the WIN95 drivers are being used.
    
    I don't do enough gaming to really know, however.
    
    Chris