schur@isi.edu (Sean Schur) (08/28/90)
I am interested in getting feedback from people who are using Targa or Vista cards on an Amiga. I'd like to know exactly what is involved in using such a setup. I understand you need a Bridgeboard. Which Bridgeboard are you using? I am under the impression that tranferring the data to the IBM slot for the Targa card is slow. I would expect that this would be especially true if you are trying to send multiple images to the card for single framing animations. What software is necessary to use these boards? I have seen information on TGALink. What other software is available? Can I generate images in Turbo Silver are send them out to this board? Can I run IBM type programs like Truevision or Lumena since the Amiga doesn't have any REAL 24-bit paint programs yet? Basically any pros and cons you can offer. Would you recommend going this route (price of TARGA and BridgeBoard, speed, and compatability) or would you say it was probably better to wait a little while for the Impulse Firecracker24 or the Video Toaster (with it's dual frame buffers). I would guess that for speed's sake it would be better to go with a strictly Amiga board. What do you think. Any help would be appreciated. ============================================================================== \ / \ \ / / Sean Schur \ \ / / \ \/ / USENET: schur@isi.edu \ /a\mpyr/ Compuserve: 70731,1102 \/ \ / ideo Plink: OSS259 \/ ==============================================================================
iwscoop@bigsur.uucp (Serge Ah-Hee) (08/29/90)
>Xref: bigsur comp.sys.amiga:23333 comp.sys.amiga.hardware:2410 >Path: bigsur!bnrgate!cunews!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!umich!samsung!usc!isi.edu!schur >From: schur@isi.edu (Sean Schur) >Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.amiga.hardware >Subject: Anyone Using a Targa Card on an Amiga? >Message-ID: <14732@venera.isi.edu> >Date: 28 Aug 90 11:48:07 GMT >Reply-To: schur@venera.isi.edu (Sean Schur) >Organization: USC-Information Sciences Institute >Lines: 32 >I am interested in getting feedback from people who are using Targa or Vista >cards on an Amiga. I'd like to know exactly what is involved in using such a >setup. I understand you need a Bridgeboard. Which Bridgeboard are you using? >I am under the impression that tranferring the data to the IBM slot for the >Targa card is slow. I would expect that this would be especially true if you >are trying to send multiple images to the card for single framing animations. >What software is necessary to use these boards? I have seen information on >TGALink. What other software is available? Can I generate images in Turbo >Silver and send them out to this board? Can I run IBM type programs like >Truevision or Lumena since the Amiga doesn't have any REAL 24-bit paint >programs yet? For displaying Turbo Silver images on the Targa, you will need a conversion program for it. >Basically any pros and cons you can offer. Would you recommend going this >route (price of TARGA and BridgeBoard, speed, and compatability) or would >you say it was probably better to wait a little while for the Impulse >Firecracker24 or the Video Toaster (with it's dual frame buffers). I would >guess that for speed's sake it would be better to go with a strictly >Amiga board. What do you think. I wouldn't consider getting a Targa board unless money is no object. And you also have to think about getting a brigdeboard. This would probably cost you over 2000$. I would stick with with an Amiga based board. Support is probably better. For 1600$, the video toaster is probably your best bet. It comes with a 24 bit paint program, Lightwave (3D modeller, from what I`ve heard, it's fast and great!) and and animation program. Not only does it have 2 frame buffers, it's a genlock, a digitizer, and a special effects generator. I am myself a Turbo Silver user. My friend has a Mimetics frambuffer. The output is very good, But if you can spare 1600$, go for the Toaster. Problem is, i'm not even sure they released it yet.
jerry@truevision.com (Jerry Thompson) (08/31/90)
In article <14732@venera.isi.edu> schur@venera.isi.edu (Sean Schur) writes: >I am interested in getting feedback from people who are using Targa or Vista >cards on an Amiga. I'd like to know exactly what is involved in using such a >setup. I understand you need a Bridgeboard. Which Bridgeboard are you using? Use either Bridgeboard. Targa performance will depend on which Bridgeboard you get, but most of the software for the Vista does the processing on the 34010, so it wouldn't make much difference. >I am under the impression that tranferring the data to the IBM slot for the >Targa card is slow. I would expect that this would be especially true if you >are trying to send multiple images to the card for single framing animations. The ISA bus IS slow. The new Targa+ will handle any bus speed you might have in your machine. Are you referring to transferring through the Bridgeboard? >What software is necessary to use these boards? I have seen information on >TGALink. What other software is available? Can I generate images in Turbo >Silver are send them out to this board? Can I run IBM type programs like >Truevision or Lumena since the Amiga doesn't have any REAL 24-bit paint >programs yet? Any of the IBM side software should run the same as in a "real clone." The ImageLink software converts image files to the TGA file format which is recognized by 99.9%(?) of the AT Vista programs. TGALink allows you to control the Targa or Vista from the Amiga side. It has a driver for which allows Sculpt to render to them. (Unfortunately I *still* haven't actually seen this thing work. sigh.) >Basically any pros and cons you can offer. Would you recommend going this >route (price of TARGA and BridgeBoard, speed, and compatability) or would >you say it was probably better to wait a little while for the Impulse >Firecracker24 or the Video Toaster (with it's dual frame buffers). I would >guess that for speed's sake it would be better to go with a strictly >Amiga board. What do you think. It depends on what you want to do with it. The AT Vista has an onboard 34010, can handle up to 14 Meg of RAM, and will output up to 1024x768x24 bit images. The new Targa+, which is replacing the Targa, includes crossfading, Digital Chroma Keyer, composite, S-Video, and RGB input and output, onboard RGB encoder/decoder, and a genlock that can sync to VCRs in still frame. The RGB encoder/decoder and robust genlock could save you a lot of bucks. A good Time Based Corrector that can handle a paused VCR could run you $2000. >============================================================================== > > \ / > \ \ / / >Sean Schur \ \ / / > \ \/ / >USENET: schur@isi.edu \ /a\mpyr/ >Compuserve: 70731,1102 \/ \ / ideo >Plink: OSS259 \/ > >============================================================================== -- Jerry Thompson | // checks ___________ | "I'm into S&M, "What I want to know is, have | \\ // and | | | | Sarcasm and you ever seen Claude Rains?" | \X/ balances /_\ | /_\ | Mass Sarcasm."
a45@mindlink.UUCP (Ken Cooper) (09/05/90)
Well I'm using a 4M Vista board in my A2000 Amiga. Midst all the problems of getting all the various s/w to work (Caligari, ImageLink, Vtips & etc.) I have NO regrets. It's an awesome system! If you want more info/feedback - etc., give me a call... Ken Cooper, (604) 681-2522. Anytime...