2 Feb
2006
2 Feb
'06
5:15 p.m.
On 2/2/2006 at 5:29 PM Richard wrote:
Yes, its referred to as the "Killer Poke".
There was also something
you could do on early IBM PC graphics adapaters where you could fry
the monitor by writing a zero value to a frequency register, IIRC.
All you really had to do to fry the MDA on a PC was to program the
horizontal frequency a few KHz too high. The display would keep sync, but
eventually the HOT would get smoked. I fried a couple of HOTs while
working on SIMGA--fortunately, the distributor for the monitors was about 6
blocks away and they had an ample supply of replacement parts.
But heck, that isn't dramatic. The display just goes dark.
I want a Star Trek-type "ERROR ER ROR MUST RE EVALUATE" type of smoke and
sparks type of software failure ending in an explosion of thermonuclear
proportions...
Cheers,
Chuck