[SunRescue] Rescued a Model 712/60

[mike dombrowski]

>> > I'd recommend nextstep...  that's what my 712/80 is running, and 
I've been
>> > happiest there out of HPUX, NeXTstep, and linux...  (though, 
admittedly,
>> > I haven't tried linux on it for about a year, and it was not ready 
for
>> > prime time when I was playing with/developing on it).  NeXTstep is
>> > extremely pretty if you are lucky enough to have gotten a 712 with 
the
>> > 24bit "artist" graphics (what mine has).
>>
>> 24 bit? I have *never* seen a 24 bit card. I have seen the extra 
video
>> memory for the 712's that enables 1600 x 1200 x 8
>>
>> I have to agree with you the 712 & 715's are a joy to run NeXTStep 
on :)
>
>Nextstep (along with something else, can't remember what) definately
>identifies it as 24 bit...  and, well, a simple color selector wheel 
type
>gradient thing shows it's pretty obviously not 8bit...
>
>I'm also sure because I remember the discussion of which poor SOB 
would
>have to eventually write a linux driver for it. :)

Couple of tidbits about the 712. First off, it was never < $1,000 new 
when it came out. HP mighta sold it for that years after it was 
introduced but not new. Also, AFAIK the builtin graphics are 8bit, as 
is the exspansion slot video card. BUT, they do some sort of very nice 
dithering that makes everything look _MUCH_ better. The 715s had true 
24bit but not 712.

Also, my experience is the same as yours, Next does not like serial 
console only. And as someone else mentioned there IS a mp3 player which 
will do 128k/44khz on a 712/80 in Next, it can play them on my 712/60 
with 32mb ram so any greater system would work very well. Look on 
peanuts for it, I might take a look later today and see if I remember. 
All in all the 712 is my favorite workstation - cheap, runs Next + 
Unix(Next is unix blah blah), great video, great sound, lightweight, 
fun to work on and small. Also, if anyone needs it I can hook you up 
with Next 3.3 for PA-RISC.


Mike

Some references:

http://www.hpworks.org.uk/newsletter/archive/v1n11.html
http://www.byte.com/art/9407/sec10/art8.htm