Bits & Bolts Revives the Past: Testing the Tseng ET4000 PCI Video Card
Bits and Bolts, a website renowned for its distinctive hobby, has recently been evaluating and exhibiting vintage graphics cards. One of their latest subjects is the Tseng ET4000 PCI card, a relic from the late 1990s that was once considered the epitome of technology.
Graphics cards have evolved significantly since the ET4000. Originally simple devices, they now function as virtual supercomputers, handling complex tasks like video decoding, physics modeling, and even processing large-language model algorithms. The ET4000, however, was a pioneer in its time. Developed by Tseng Labs, it was one of the first graphics cards to make the transition from the older ISA bus to the newer PCI bus.
Despite its innovative design, the ET4000 PCI card faced compatibility issues with certain motherboards. This was due to bugs in the PCI bus at that time, which was still in its early stages of development. The card offered basic hardware acceleration for tasks such as BitBlt and a hardware cursor, features that were impressive for its time.
The Tseng ET4000 PCI card, though now outdated, serves as a testament to the evolution of graphics cards. From its impressive color graphics in the late 1990s to the supercomputer-like capabilities of modern cards, the journey has been remarkable. Bits and Bolts continues to explore and appreciate these technological milestones.
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