3100 mix and match

[Brian V. Smith]

In article <1989Nov28.191803.18970 at sun.soe.clarkson.edu>,
abstine at image.soe.clarkson.edu (Arthur Stine) writes:
< From article <8732 at cbmvax.UUCP>, by grr at cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins):
< > Uh...  If I have a color VAXstation 3100 and a monochrome DECstation 3100,
< > can I somehow swap the display controller components and get me a color
< > PMAX and and monochrome PVAX?  Monochrome at this kind of low resolution
< > is such a sad joke in this day and age...
< > 
< Uh... no... the PMAX and PVAX use a completely different frame buffer, the
< pVAXes (color) being a GPX processor and the PMAX being a dumb color or
< monochrome frame buffer driven by the CPU. I don't think DEC has an upgrade
< option for the PMAX to upgrade from mono to color even. 

What were the reasons for not using the GPX processor in the DS3100?
To go to a dumb frame buffer driven by the CPU seems like a giant step
backward.

_____________________________________
Brian V. Smith    (bvsmith at lbl.gov)
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
I don't speak for LBL, these non-opinions are all mine.