Viper VLB Accelerator graphics board

                                Viper VLB

                       Accelerator graphics board


                             by Tony Curro


    Viper, as listed in the dictionary, is a venomous snake. Viper VLB,

    by Diamond Computer Systems, is a super fast Windows graphics

    accelerator board. It takes advantage of the 32-bit VESA Local Bus

    architecture for the ultimate in Windows performance. A 74 Hz

    refresh rate at 1280 x 1024 and full VESA support for 72 Hz refresh

    rates allows flicker-free displays at all resolutions.


    The Viper is easy to install. Just plug it in, and run the software

    to install needed drivers for Windows or DOS applications. Along

    with drivers for most popular software packages, it comes with

    Panacea's TurboDLD Deluxe, an accelerated driver for AutoCAD;

    Diamond's TurboWindows drivers, a set of optimized drivers for

    Windows 3.x; and a retail version of HALO Desktop Imager, a 24-bit

    image editing software package.


    Viper VLB is based on the Weitek P9000 graphics accelerator, which

    off-loads graphics functions like BitBLT transfers, line draw

    functions and hardware cursor onto the video card. It supports 16.7

    million at 640x480 and 800x600 resolutions, up to 65,536 colors at

    1024x768 and 256 colors at 1280x1024. It is 100% VESA VBE 1.1

    compatible at register and BIOS levels.


    I have been using this card for several months and am very pleased

    with it. So pleased, that I purchased it. I ran ZD Labs WinBench

    3.11 on this card using 256 color mode. It returned a rating over 45

    million at 640x480. Using 800x600 I came in around 46 million, and

    at 1024x768 at over 47 million. It closest competitor, which uses

    the same chip, Wizard 9000VL by SixGraph Computing (reviewed in a

    previous issue of CTM), returned a reading of 35 million at 640x480.

    I have worked with over  half dozen cards over the last several

    months. None of them could touch the Viper.


    To reiterate my opening, Viper is a poisonous snake. The Viper VLB

    is also poisonous. It is poison to its competition!


    VIPER VLB comes with a five year warranty, and is made in Silicon

    Valley, USA. If you have a VESA Local Bus system, you CANNOT

    purchase a faster card for this money. At least none that I have

    seen.


    Diamond Computers also makes a full line of non-VESA video cards, a

    sound card (Sonic Sound), and a FastBus VLB motherboard.



                          Product Information


                               Viper VLB

                             Graphics Board


                         SRP Ä $549 (2MB VRAM)


                     Diamond Computer Systems, Inc.

                         1130 East Arques Ave.

                          Sunnyvale, CA 94086

                              408-736-2000

                           408-730-5750 (FAX)


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