Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!murdu!ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au!u3364521 From: U3364521@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Lou Cavallo) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: summary re: amiga, ccd, astronomy image-processing (LONG) Message-ID: <994@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> Date: 4 Sep 90 10:53:15 GMT References: <28827@nigel.ee.udel.edu> <992@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> <28045@swrinde.nde.swri.edu> Organization: I.A.E.S.R., Melbourne University Lines: 86 G'day, KD> In article <28045@swrinde.nde.swri.edu>, kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu KD> (Kent D. Polk) writes: LC> In article <992@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> U3364521@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au LC> (Lou Cavallo) writes: LC> G'day, Sorry, I munged the attributions below for "JP>". :-( JW> In article , jwright@cfht.hawaii.edu JW> (Jim Wright) writes: JP> Well, there are _no_ ccd digitizing/ image-manipulation programs JP> for the Amiga readily available. Mount Palomar uses an A2000 and LC> + JP> ... I had hoped that the programmers interested in image-processing JP> on the Amiga would have written a viable program by now. LC> Sorry, but I'm genuinely confused. Wasn't this thread basically trying to LC> determine if Amigas are being/could be used for jobs currently performed LC> by Macintoshes/IBM clones in this area? LC> LC> I can't (yet, perhaps if at all) see that those PCs are ``that much'' LC> better equipped for the apparently CPU intensive tasks you outline. KD> The problem is not one of time, it is one of capability. Technical KD> Image processing hardware and software do exist for the Mac & the KD> PC. It doesn't exist for the Amiga. I know. I need it very badly. Kent, is this the NCSA s/w you're mentioning? If so yes you're spot on. That s/w hasn't been ported to the Amiga that I know of. If it is not then may I ask whether the NCSA s/w would form a model for the type of image processing s/w you and the tasks mentioned above need? I have at least looked at the description of the NCSA s/w (aprx 3 months ago). I have not used it as we do no image image processing at the Institute I work at {they're Economists, I'm a Physicist :-)}. KD> One thing I am looking into is using the X11-based image processing KD> package from Laurence Livermore which is freely-distributable from what KD> I understand (not sure though). Anyway, I am trying to get enough KD> money to run it on a Sun via X11 until I get a chance to try and port KD> it to someone's 24bit 30FPS Framegrabber/framebuffer running native on KD> the Amiga. KD> This is the only option I have seen for technical image processing KD> using the Amiga. Any comments? Under those circumstances Kent I would ask whether, for the interim, X11 on an Amiga would be cost effective (if processing time is not a consideration as you suggest earlier above)? Or will you need SparcServer speed? Is the 24 bit image analysis going to _require_ full use of the 24 bit palette for image display? Animation? Okay, I think I've learned enough to propose a small summary to this point: With current Amiga h/w technology (CBM and 3rd party) one could invest enough to set up a h/w capable image manipulation platform, except that: 1) there is (or maybe, perhaps someone has created some) no Scientific class technical image processing s/w, 2) existing (popular even, ala the NCSA s/w) has no native Amiga port extant for the Amiga. Okay, if this is the full situation, then it seems to me that this thread is really leading up to the point for a call to port some of the leading freely distributable s/w available for the Mac and IBM PC platforms. Kent, you may able to get help from others who may want to (or are already) trying to port such s/w if you want to port that X11 stuff. KD> Kent Polk: Southwest Research Institute (512) 522-2882 KD> Internet : kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu KD> UUCP : $ {cs.utexas.edu, gatech!petro, sun!texsun}!swrinde!kent Exclaimer: With respect to this thread, I've merely been an interested observer. I hope that I have not pointed the finger at those practitioners out there trying to make a go of it with whatever tools are available. yours truly, Lou Cavallo.