curtis@gitpyr.UUCP (05/02/86)
<Do we still need this line?>
I've just been to COMDEX '86 here in Atlanta, and I've got lots of news
& rumors:
Version 1.2 is going to be ready soon (it's shipping to developers
in a couple of weeks). It includes fixes for the file system to make
it faster (yeah!). They are somehow grouping file header blocks
together on the disk to reduce seek time (icons now pop up quickly
when you open a window on the workbench). Disk access is supposed to
be up to 30% faster. When you move icons, the entire icon moves (no
more silly round thing!). You can select multiple icons when moving
them (this is a little slow as it continually redraws them). You can
set your disk to boot up in interlace mode with *50* lines of text.
And countless other improvements.
Electronic Arts will have Marble Madness and Deluxe Video out in June,
and Deluxe Music maybe by July. I saw demos of MM and Video - *very*
nice. They are also selling a utilities disk for DMCS including a
print spooler, polyscope with iff output, and lots of brushes ($18).
(avail. late May). Deluxe Print is nice, and available now.
A very nice debugger is almost ready for shipping from Metadigm, Inc.
Modula-2 is being offered by TDI Software, Inc.
FutureSound (stereo sound digitizer) avail. May for $175.
Monitor and computer bags avail. from U.S.E. Inc. for $90 & $130
ZLI replacement CLI from ZOXSO avail. mid-May for $50
Other items include BBS software, word processor, database software,
idea processor, spreadsheet, etc.
Also, The Music Studio from Activision - *impressive*, but I think
Deluxe Music will blow it away.
And, SoundScape (sound digitizew/midi support) from Mimetics -
*very* impressive.
I saw Genlock in action - it slides under the back of the system
unit, connecting to the RGB port with another RGB connector on the
Genlock device to plug into your monitor (It runs off of the power
supplied on the RGB connector). It has a composite video input for
your VCR, TV, or video camera & also audio inputs from both the
external source *and* the system unit. It provides composite output
of the combined video and mixed audio output. It includes an audio
mix adj. and horiz. pos. and hue adjs for the video. They had robocity
and bouncing ball demos modified with no backgrounds and a video camera
hooked up -- *unbelieveable*.
I also saw Amiga LIVE in action & even got some pictures of myself and
friends. The almost-real-time effect is really cool, and the capture
time is very small unless you're doing HAM pictures.
The game Mind Walker (formerly Wynd Walker) was being shown - looks
good.
RUMORS: I heard that an Amiga 2000 and Amiga 3000 are in the works!
The Amiga 2000 is due out this year (I'll be suprised if so), and the
3000 (code named Ranger) will be well over a year. They will expand
the CHIP memory to 2 MEG and put in a 68020 eventually - probably these
won't show up until the 3000 is out. The 2000 might have a 68010, other
enhancements unknown. There was a prototype of the Ranger at the show
according to several people, but it was upstairs in the C/A booth, and
only special people were allowed a brief glimpse. The resolution of
the 3000 is supposed to be on the order of ~768 x ~384.
C/A is definitely coming out with their own external memory and
expansion box if you care to wait. I also have a picture of an amiga
on some literature that shows a monitor almost exactly like the 1080,
but with a modified switch/LED/access panel on the front - looks much
better. The disk drives on some of the machines at the show were
quieter and popped out the disks easier - different manufacturer
according to a friend.
NOTE: None of this message is guaranteed to be anything more than
pure BS, please let me know if you have heard anything regarding
any of the more outlandish rumors.
COMDEX was great -- I'm sorry for all you west-coasters that couldn't
make it, but you'll have your chance this winter in LA. Bob Pariseau
and even Jay Miner showed up at the C/A booth amongst others.