Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!steinmetz!csb8!oconnor From: oconnor@csb8.steinmetz (Dennis M. O'Connor) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Suggestion for New Graphics Chips Message-ID: <11415@steinmetz.ge.com> Date: 29 Jun 88 14:44:10 GMT References: <3150@crash.cts.com> Sender: news@steinmetz.ge.com Reply-To: oconnor%sungod@steinmetz.UUCP Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center Lines: 39 An article by cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) says: ] In article <3150@crash.cts.com> (Greg Beckham) writes: ] > I have a suggestion for the new graphics chip (really obese agnus?)... To ] >have a graphics mode with 256 colors on screen from a pallette of 4096. ] >Interlace or Non-Interlace. Nuff' Said. ] > Greg Beckham ] ] An excellent suggestion, except that 256 - 12 bit color registers is ] roughly 25,000 transistors, which in a 3 micron technology is 225 ] square mils and that may not fit into Denise any more. (please read as if said with "incredulous surprise", not "flaming") "3 micron" technology ? Are you kidding ? GE's semi-custom ASICs are available in 1.25 micron. Performance Semiconductor or IDT ( Integrated Device Technologies ) are, I believe, offering 1 micron foundry services. Even MOSIS offers a "1.25 micron" ( really equivalent to 2 micron ) service. Are the new Amiga chips really being done in a technology that's been obsolete for at least three or four years ? I know Commodore has it's own in-house fab lines it wants to use, but haven't they put any money into improving their process lately ? 1.25 micron would allow 5 times as many devices in the same area. Smaller-dimensioned circuits are denser, cooler, and faster. I can't tell you GE's yeilds, but its surprisingly high for 150,000 transistor chips ( that info is Company Confidential ). And available to Commodore if they want to use it. I hope the Amiga doesn't become a victim of the NIH syndrome. Sorry if this seems like an add for GE Semiconductor : I didn't mean it to be. But I can't see why the Amiga's new chips would be limited by obsolete technology, when much better is available to anyone who wants it. But of course, I have NO idea of the factors involved in C-A's decision making, so this is NOT a flame. -- Dennis O'Connor oconnor%sungod@steinmetz.UUCP ARPA: OCONNORDM@ge-crd.arpa "Never confuse USENET with something that matters, like PIZZA."