From: Shawn Hargreaves Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: Re: Allegro graphics speed: 16 bit vs. 8 bit Date: Sat, 6 Dec 1997 16:26:30 +0000 Organization: None Distribution: world Message-ID: References: <34883de8 DOT 0 AT news DOT itsnet DOT com> NNTP-Posting-Host: talula.demon.co.uk MIME-Version: 1.0 Lines: 30 To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp Precedence: bulk Dave writes: >How does the speed of 15 or 16 bit graphics compare to 8 bit? >(when blitting to the screen, etc.) It depends on which functions you are using. The time required to copy or draw a pixel will increase along with the color depth, but the calculations to decide where and what to copy will be the same in any mode. So simple brute-force routines like blit() will be approximately half as fast in a hicolor mode as when using 8 bit color, but there will be very little speed difference for the more complex functions like image stretching and rotation... >Sorry I haven't just run at test, but I am wondering if anyone has a >quick answer before I spend a couple hours downloading, installing, and >writing new code for the next addition of Allegro You shouldn't have to write any new code: none of the changes are likely to break existing programs (if they do, please let me know ASAP so I can fix it!). I'm probably going to release an offical version of 3.0 in the next week or two, so if download time is a problem for you it might be worth waiting for that. But on the other hand, I can also provide a small patch that will let you upgrade the beta version to the final thing without redownloading it all, and in terms of catching bugs it is useful for as many people as possible to try out the beta version while it is still in beta... -- Shawn Hargreaves - shawn AT talula DOT demon DOT co DOT uk - http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/ "Pigs use it for a tambourine" - Frank Zappa