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From: aglew@ccvaxa.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: How can I teach an IBM PC video?
Message-ID: <900005@ccvaxa>
Date: Thu, 20-Mar-86 01:08:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ccvaxa.900005
Posted: Thu Mar 20 01:08:00 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 06:13:28 EST
References: <7023@duke.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:duke.UUCP:7023:ccvaxa:900005:000:1150
Nf-From: ccvaxa.UUCP!aglew    Mar 20 00:08:00 1986


PC, graphics, and video.

Sony's video system is half decent. It comprises their infamous screen
(touchscreen if you want), a NAPLPS decoder, and a videodisc player
(perhaps compact disc now - I used the big flat laser disk beast).
The videodisc had reasonably fast random seeks. The TV had multiple 
inputs, so you could overlay different signals, or play them in different
halves of the screen. If you want graphic overlays, not animation, 
the easiest thing to do is to use the NAPLPS decoder which lets you use.
text and medium resolution graphics (I think 200 by 320 16 colours,
with a good bit larger palette).

Trouble is, this runs a bit expensive - but has the advantage of all equipment
coming from one manufacturer. Most annoying problem is that the videodisc
insists on going through an ACKnowledge sequence for each *BYTE* of 10-12
byte command sequences.

Newmedia in Vancouver has a similar but higher-resolution NAPLPS decoder,
plus a touch-screen that really works (and is robust enough for supermarkets).

There are several add-on boards performing similar functions for micros,
but I'll let more knowledgeable people describe them.