Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!njin!limonce From: limonce@pilot.njin.net (Tom Limoncelli) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: High-res Graphics Board for Amy (1024x1024x256 colors) Keywords: TARGA FOR THE AMIGA, WHO NEEDS 1024x1024x256? Message-ID: Date: 25 May 89 04:48:17 GMT References: <648@corpane.UUCP> <3060@cps3xx.UUCP> <662@corpane.UUCP> <106547@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> Organization: NJ InterCampus Network, New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 67 Disclaimer: It's mostly a flame. FLAME ON. What are you talking about? At NG... (um... National Graphics... ummm... well, it was one of the first articles in the latest Amiga Sentry... but I digress) and at the most recent JAUG meeting (Jersey Amiga Users' Group) Active Circuits has demonstrated the following setup: A2500 (A2000 works too) A2286 (A2088 works too) Bridgeboard Targa-16 board (Targa-32 and TrueVision work too) video buffer ImageLink by Active Circuits Their software lets you convert just about any graphic format (Sun, Targa, IFF, IFF HAM, ASDG 24-bit IFF, many others that I can't remember, etc.) to any other format and the output could go to disk or go to the TargaBoard or direct to any program that will use ARexx to accept data (Yes, IPC!). (Targa & certain other formats were add-on options that cost extra). With this, you get RGB quality video at 24-bit by 512 x something_impressive and it all talks (via commands, Amigaized UI, or ARexx port) to you or your software. If you add ASDG's Professional Scan Lab (which is very well supported) you get input at 24-bits at impressive resolutions too. ASDG also has color separation software to complete the picture for all you people that like paper. What you get is a video standard with a good public standing, professional quality video (all your professioonal studios have just spent big $$$ converting to RGB... they won't talk to you if you are NTSC), at a price that can't be beat. Best of all, the above work with ARexx for control and IPC! (Yes, IPC!) It all works and is shipping NOW. Forget 32-bit color on a MacII with MacOS 7.0 that need a $700 adapter to wedge it into a studio's video system. It's all here now. Forget the low-end, every time someone mentions a NTSC digitizer or frame buffer, every time someone mentions a non-SCSI hard disk, you are INSULTING the Amiga. It's a professional machine. If it's going to get respect, keep things high-end. Hopefull this proves that every time someone claims that the Amiga doesn't have good video they are also wrong. Maybe it no longer can fit the most windows on one screen, but for real video work, the above system is the cutting edge for what most studios want to buy. FLAME OFF. -Tom Ok, such a set up doesn't help fit more windows on a screen, but if you need 24-bit super ray-tracing, Sculpt 4D will generate 24-bit images and transmit them via ARexx through ImageLink straight to the TargaBoard. What more do the video people want? Fitting more windows on the screen is good for desktop publishing, you say? Check out Commodore's new color-desktop publishing package: It includes a FlickerFixer. DISCLAIMER: I'm biased towards products that I've seen and touched, and most of them are high-end and most of them are things that have been shown at JAUG (which means a lot of ActiveCircuits and ASDG stuff.) I am not connected to either company except that I am a satisfied customer. -- Tom Limoncelli -- tlimonce@drunivac.Bitnet -- limonce@pilot.njin.net Drew University -- Box 1060, Madison, NJ -- 201-408-5389 Standard Disclaimer: I am not the mouth-piece of Drew University