Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!vsi1!daver!intersil!hamilton From: hamilton@intersil.uucp Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics Subject: Re: DCTV - quick overview Message-ID: <221.27b35d6c@intersil.uucp> Date: 9 Feb 91 02:24:44 GMT References: <7426@crash.cts.com> <11813@helios.TAMU.EDU> Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Santa Clara CA Lines: 59 In article <11813@helios.TAMU.EDU>, n350bq@tamuts.tamu.edu (Duane Fields) writes: > Thanks for the report on DCTV! A few questions come to mind: > 1) 3000 support?? Yes, it works fine except that the parallel connector jams up against the RGB connector so they don't fit together very well. I hacked off one of the screw-on-terminals on my parallel cable to add clearance. > 2) I have a Misubishi Diamond scan 800x600 multisync monitor, in VGA > I have the unavoidable border, am I to assume that the signal that > is generated by DCTV is a standard, borderless video signal? DCTV output is standard, NTSC, "borderless" video. It's output is a single composite RCA jack, so you'll a monitor that can accept such a signal, or a composite->RGB converter. > 3) How many colors does it actually show? I mean, the total pallette > is 16.7 million right? So honestly, how does it look to a 'true' > 24 bit card such as firecracker, or like a Targa or MacII? Please > also describe any fuzziness or such encountered due to the NTSC > instead of RGB output. No, it doesn't look anywhere near like a real, digital, 24 bit card. It looks like, well, NTSC video. There are lots of colors, but there are the same problems you have with color bleeding as you see on a test pattern on a normal TV. But this can be reduced substantially by the DCTV software and some tweaking on the user's part. > 4) Are these publicly available in large amounts, or are there like 2 > in existence. The local store near me has sold maybe 5 out of the 10 units they have. They shouldn't be hard to get. > 5) Finally, warrenty and upgrade info. 90 days. They say something about more/better software being just around the corner, and hint at a possible hardware upgrade. But the software as-is is pretty good. Now, a question for Harv or anybody else out there with DCTV: Lately I've been getting a lot of noise, as if the scan lines aren't "lined up", when I try to digitize. This happens when I use my camcorder or my laser disc player with a CAV disc (an *extremely* clear, stable source). The picture seems to jerk around while it's scanning, and the more it jerks, the more distorted the output. The unit I first bought seemed to work better, but it died (the dealer replaced it right away). I can't remember if I got any good scans with the new one or not, but now it's certainly not working very well. Any ideas? What exactly do the TINT and PIXEL controls do/affect? Maybe that has something to do with it. I still like DCTV, I think. I'll let everyone know if I find out what's happening. -- Fred Hamilton Any views, comments, or ideas expressed here Harris Semiconductor are entirely my own. Even good ones. Santa Clara, CA