Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mit-eddie!bu-cs!purdue!decwrl!decvax!savax!thompson
From: thompson@savax.UUCP (thompson mark)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: COMDEX Announcements [TMS340 GSP]
Keywords: TI, 34010, 34020, FAST, fast, Fast, Real-time.
Message-ID: <819@savax.UUCP>
Date: 1 Dec 88 23:47:34 GMT
References: <13541@oberon.USC.EDU> <7718@well.UUCP> <13603@oberon.USC.EDU> <17@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU>
Organization: Sanders Associates Inc., Nashua, NH
Lines: 38

> [...TMS34010 dialogue...]
> 
> >Best case for BitBlt: 23.5 Million bits/sec. with VRAM (video RAM). 
> >This is with the 34010 from 1986.  I don't know if TI has upgraded the chip 
> >
> >-- Marco Papa 'Doc'

Big problem with the 34010. It uses a packed-pixel architecture. Therefore
BitBlt speed decreases with pixel depth. In a 8 bit plane amiga, thats
under 3 Million pixels/sec. By todays standards, thats piss poor. Both
the AMD and National chip set are pixel depth independent. The National
is capable of over 60 Million pixels/sec. Although the AMD is not quite as 
fast, it has a reasonable price tag (~ $90 in plastic qnty 1000).

>   The TMS34020, TMS34082, and TMS44C251 are an awesome combination.
> Imagine real-time VideoScape, imagine a killer flight simulator, 3-D
> CAD in 3-D with real-time updates.  I guess we could call this
> chipset the "RTCS" or "Real Time Chip Set".  If someone is working
> with the old 34010, then a 34020 version could be right around the
> corner, as software written for the '10 is compatible with the '20.
> A board using these chips for the Amiga would definately bring the
> Amiga state of the art up to workstation power.
> 
>   John Schultz

The '20 is certainly a nice improvement over the '10 with some great new
features and some respectable performance. But if by Real Time you mean
30Hz update...dream on! A fully loaded top of the line Silicon Graphics
workstation stuffed to the gills with HUGE custom ASICs is not capable
of this. TI has merely improved what was a DOG of a graphics part with
something that can somewhat compete with the other off-the-shelf offerings.
I would love to see the '20 in an Amiga 3000, but I'm sure its probably
cost prohibitive. Sounds like a job for......Public Domain Engineering!!!
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|      Mark Thompson                                                     |
|      decvax!savax!thompson       Designing high performance graphics   |
|      (603)885-9583               silicon today for a better tomorrow.  |
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