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Is there a win3x EGA driver that supports more than 640x350 resolution?

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keropi

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Feb 28, 2012
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Ioannina , Greece
Hiya!

I've been messing with win3.1 and an EGA card:



I've got two 256kb EGA cards: one with a CHIPS P82C435 controller and the other with a Paradise PEGA2A . To my understanding both can produce resolutions higher than 640x350 , I have found the P82C435 datasheet and it states in the beginning that is supports 640x480 (and 800x600 with some faster optional crystal installed or something) and that there are BIOS/drivers available for that.

Now I don't know if this means windows drivers or program-specific ones as EGA is a new territory for me. Anyone here knows more about it? kinda hoping for some win3.1 enhanced ega driver.
TIA for any info/help!
 
Yes, you will need third-party drivers for Windows to use these extended EGA resolutions.
If you look at the PEGA.ZIP you can download here: http://www.oldskool.org/guides/oldonnew/resources
It includes Windows drivers, see 'win480.bat' to install them.
Basically you need to make copies of the Windows setup disks, and allow the win480.bat script to copy the custom drivers on there. Then install Windows, and it should work.
Apparently it deletes the Hercules and CGA drivers from the disk (presumably to make room), then copies the PEGA480.DRV file on there.
Now, this is for Windows 1.x or 2.x I suppose, since the floppy pre-dates Windows 3.1 by a few years.
It may be possible that the PEGA480.DRV works on Windows 3.1 as well, I have no idea how backward-compatible these early Windows versions were.
I know that Windows 3.0 drivers will work in 3.1 and 3.11 though. But I don't know if they were ever made for the PEGA or the CHIPS.
 
I think Everex had tweaked their 640x480 EGA Windows driver to work on Windows 3. I can't find any place that has that file saved, at least with a recognizable name. People with lots of time could try to create the driver themselves.

If you can track down the original driver disk, you should have drivers supporting higher resolutions in WordPerfect, Lotus 123, GEM, and a few other programs.

EGA is fun, isn't it. EGA is slow which the extra resolution makes even worse. If you plan on using 640x480 for any length of time, even the most basic 16-bit 640x480 VGA card will be close to four times as fast.
 
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thanks for the replies, tbh I won't even bother with that PEGA driver since I am using win3.1 - I have no interest to install to win2x

EGA is nice it's true. 640x350 is not that bad in terms of speed - it's only 16 colors after all. I just want to see if anything better exists , I have a 233mmx pc next to this one that I use for more intense stuff :)
 
Note also that a standard EGA monitor won't be able to display 640x480. EGA only has 200-line and 350-line modes. You will need a compatible 'super EGA' monitor to display these enhanced modes.
 
I am using an EIZO Flexscan 8060S that does cga/ega/vga and 15khz RGB so I am set. Anything between 15.75 ~ 35khz it can display :)
 
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