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From: dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Bitplanes from Hell (was: Re: Wishlist for A3000)
Message-ID: <8711201930.AA27888@cory.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Fri, 20-Nov-87 14:30:38 EST
Article-I.D.: cory.8711201930.AA27888
Posted: Fri Nov 20 14:30:38 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Nov-87 16:13:48 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
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>>but it ain't 4096.
>
>Let me say it again.  A very good facsimile display of a true color image can
>be obtained using only 4096 colors.  Period.  Mach Banding?  Add random noise.
>Make the display wider and taller, not deeper.  Use a better monitor.
>
>Like I said, if you have a clue about the human eye's psychometric color
>response, you can do a lot of interesting things without having to go to
>a brute force solution.

	Unfortunetly, you are wrong.  Mach Banding will occur even if you
use a 4x4 dithering matrix WITH random based set generation.  With 16 levels
you will see differences in pixels no matter what you use.  To get real
color quality you need at least 64 levels (7 bits) per gun and a non-linear
scaling.

>You still really want 24 bits?  Better get a blitter with a hell of a lot more
>bandwidth than the one we have now.

	I want 24 bits, but a HAM approach would suite me just fine.

>Kim already asked me that question.  I was basing my statement on the fact
>that 24-bit frame buffers for "serious" computers (like one that we're in
>the process of checking out) cost in the $5000 price range or more.  Granted,
>we're talking higher res., but memory is cheap.

        It doesn't take super-high resolution for a computer to be 'serious'.
In my opinion, the Amiga rates a 'serious' qualification for simply having
a sophisticated operating system.  Fast memory isn't cheap, especially when
you are applying it to a relatively low-cost computer.

>have aliasing problems.  I'll take 1280x1024x12 over 640x400x24 any day.

	So would I.  I use 1280x1024x8 (256 pens, 16Meg pallette) every
day on Tek graphics terminals.  I would like to see such an option on the
A2000.  An A2000 with a 68020 and a high resolution video card would beat
the Mac II, but I would rather it not be made mandatory.

BTW: even 256 pens isn't enough.  This is where HAM would be much appreciated.

					-Matt