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From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: 68030+68040 on A3000: is it possible?
Message-ID: <21302@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 6 May 91 20:59:36 GMT
References: <24561@well.sf.ca.us> <15543@life.ai.mit.edu> <18991@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 38

In article <18991@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> cs171wbu@sdcc5.ucsd.edu (Dave) writes:

>You can get a nextcube with a 32bit graphics card, i860, stand video in/out, 
>video compression chips, etc. and a very high res color monitor (not to 
>mention a 68040, hard drive, (and optical drive too I think)) for about 
>$12000. The video toaster can hardly compete.

You sound a little confused here.  First of all, this "NextDimension" board,
while it can (according to the spec sheet) display normal video in a small
window, is not a device for real video work.  The Video Toaster is a totally
different creature, designed specifically for video work.  Saying it can't
compete is like saying Coke can't compete with Michelob; sure, they're both
drinks (or video display devices), but they are for different things.  Also,
the C-Cubed compression chip originally slated to be on this NeXT card has
reportedly been deleted from the specifications.  This card is supposed to
sell for around $4000.

Incidently, the Toaster's display kicks out full NTSC overscan at something
like 1500x960 pixels.

>And we want it as a standard card which amiga will release with
>future versions of the 3000 or 4000(maybe 3500Graphics) or something,
>so that software producers can write software specifically for
>it (the other 24 bit color cards aren't standard for the Amiga
>line and we won't see wide software support).  

That's also the wrong approach.  You can't get away with making a $4000 extra
a standard thing on a $3000 computer.  There are already a number of decent
24-bit options for the Amiga, some even reasonably priced.  What would make
them all a little easier to deal with would be retargetable graphics, where
each application program can interrogate the graphics system, find out what 
graphics capabilities are available, and act accordingly, without any need to
know exactly what hardware is in place.  In time, that will happen.

-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: hazy     BIX: hazy
      "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight" -R.E.M.