What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Printable Version

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What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 01-27-2019

I've been looking at graphics options for these machines and the card that I favour is the: "Compaq/Digital REALimage PowerStorm 300 PBXGD-AD"




The Matrox Millennium has also been suggested as an option:



What are your thoughts?

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 03-20-2019

This upgrade for my AlphaStation arrived in the mail today:

I'm going to fit it later and see what improvements it brings!

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - GL1zdA - 04-16-2019

The PowerStorm 300 (and 350) were used in the XP1000, so the CPU in the 255 might be a bottleneck. I'm using a PS300 in my 164LX with a 533 21164 and it was the best option I could find, at least for NT Quake II with OpenGL. Here are my 640x480 results:

PowerStorm 300 - 30.9 FPS
Powerstorm 4D60T - ? (i think a bit more than the 4D51T)
Powerstorm 4D51T - 13.5 FPS
Permedia 2 - 13.7 FPS
GLoria XL (Glint MX + Delta) - 11.6 FPS

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - commodorejohn - 04-16-2019

Just curious, but doesn't NT under FX!32 support x86 hardware drivers? I know AlphaBIOS has enough of a translation layer to use some PC-land VGA cards...

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 04-16-2019

The PowerStorm 350 looks to be a really cool card, I'll have to source one and try it out in my system!

This is the only picture I could find of one:

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Jammaster - 04-18-2020

Hello Irinikus ^_^.

The powerstorm 4D60T is an average/good option for the 255 (on NT4).
The 4D51T is an outsider (newer generation ...)

I presume:

* Powerstorm 4D40 (T with TRAM upgrade/option)
Intergraph card MSMT337 (MSMT407 for the upgraded version "+") - RAM @ 12ns (83Mhz SDRAM modules) - 16MB FBuffer - heatsinks on VDPs/DSPs
equivalent of Realizm Z13-T (MSMT261)

* Powerstorm 4D50 (T with TRAM upgrade/option)
Intergraph card MSMT356 (MSMT406 for the upgraded version "+") - RAM @ 10ns (100Mhz SDRAM Modules) - 16MB FBuffer - heatsinks on VDPs/DSPs
equivalent of Realizm II ZX13-T (MSMT408)

* Powerstorm 4D60 (T with TRAM upgrade/option)
Intergraph card MSMT410 - RAM @ 8ns (125Mhz SDRAM Modules) - 32MB FBuffer - heatsinks on VDPs/DSPs - plastic hood
equivalent of Realizm II VX25-T (MSMT411)

* Powerstorm 4D51 (T with TRAM upgrade/option)
Intergraph card MSMT440 - 16MB FBuffer - heatsinks on VDPs/DSPs - 4 or 16 MB TRAM on mezanine board
equivalent of Intense 3D PRO 2200 (not the 2200S incompatible)


TRAM are standard SDRAM low density 3.3V DIMM 168pins ... BUT ... wihtout JDEC tables SROM.
These modules need to be paired for working.


The 4D60T is a good card like the 4D51T. Average fillrate but great image quality.

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Here is the 4D40 on load ^_^

http://theangel540.free.fr/WP_20200418_003.mp4
http://theangel540.free.fr/WP_20200418_004.mp4

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 04-18-2020

Thanks very much for the great info! I really appreciate it!

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 04-18-2020

Which is the better between the 4D60 and the 4D51? (as I've found both cards)

Would I be able to pair up a pair of 4D51's in my Alphastation?

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Jammaster - 04-18-2020

These have "almost" the same performance on screen.

4D51 (2200PRO) have 16MB FB and 16MB TRAM.
Not far from a VX113 (same architecture), best know as INTENSE 3D 3410T (very common on Intellistation, TDZ2000, compaq ...)
'have 2, what intergraph say, "resolvers". You can see that like x2 "ROPs" (in the world of modern GPUs).

4D60 (Realizm II VX25) have 32MB FB so higher resolution and ... 4 "resolvers" so a bettre fill rate.
and you have the choice for TRAM capacity (max 64MB).

BUT, 4D51 is easily to find (and stock with TRAM memory)
4D60 is hard to find WITH TRAM DIMMs.
It will be great to find compatible DIMMs modules (standard SDRAM) but mine doesn't work.

And 4D60 is solid with CADs applications .

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But, these babies are old architectur with slow SDRAM.
very capable with lot of polygons but fillrate is another story.

Quake II with 4D60 must be almost "smooth" in 640x480.
On 4D40 and this resolution, i have ~12/14 FPS. with CPU usage between 65/80%

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RE: What's the best graphics option for an AlphaStation 255? - Irinikus - 05-09-2021

I've finally managed to buy a 4D60 with the optional TRAM's for my AlphaStation 255 300!

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