jms@tardis.Tymnet.COM (Joe Smith) (07/17/89)
Problem #1: Want to show the NewTek Demo Reel #1 to friends by recording it
on a VCR, but the A2000 does not have a composite color output.
Solution: Bought an AmiGen genlock from Mimetics (approx $170).
Problem #2: Everything runs at 1/2 speed. The mouse pointer flickers and
is semi-transparent.
Solution: RTFM. "The Amiga 500 and 2000 computers do not automatically
change its display mode to interlace when the computer detects
a genlock. As a result, the cursor will be somewhat transparent
and flicker, and more importantly, many programs will run only
half as fast since they use the 60Hz "field" information for their
timing, which in the 500 and 2000 is now only 30 Hz. SetLace is
a program which is included to allow one to force the computer
to run in the interlace mode". AmiGen User's Manual, page 3.
Problem #3: Not wanting to need 3 disks for the demo, I put the SetLace
program on the NewTek Demo Reel #1 disk #1. It just barely fit,
there was 0K free. But when booting the disk, it complained about
being unable to load the disk validator. Was disk corrupted?
Solution: The disk validator is needed when a disk is inserted that is 100%
full, but NewTek did not include it because of space considerations.
After replacing the gigantic SetLace.info icon with a smaller one
(such as the SetMap.info from Workbench), there were 2 blocks free
and the disk validator was not needed.
Problem #4: When SetLace has been activated, the Workbench screen is still
640 by 200, but the 2nd field is 1/2 line down from the 1st field,
which causes some flicker. (Not as bad as when using 640 by 400.)
Solution: Remove the AmiGen whenever not using the VCR.
------
After adding the 1 meg Fat Agnus and the 1.3 roms, problem #2 went away.
I was surprised, since I hadn't heard that the problem had been fixed.
(I don't know which chip contains the fix since I changed both at the same
time. Anybody want to fess up? :-)
Summary: With the AmigaDOS 1.3 rom installed (and/or new Fat Agnus), the
Amiga 2000 no longer has a problem with genlocks. You can leave the
AmiGen plugged in all the time.
--
Joe Smith (408)922-6220 | SMTP: JMS@F74.TYMNET.COM or jms@tymix.tymnet.com
McDonnell Douglas FSCO | UUCP: ...!{ames,pyramid}!oliveb!tymix!tardis!jms
PO Box 49019, MS-D21 | PDP-10 support: My car's license plate is "POPJ P,"
San Jose, CA 95161-9019 | narrator.device: "I didn't say that, my Amiga did!"thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (07/18/89)
Re: Joe Smith's comments about the A500 and A2000 with the AmiGen ... dunno about that, but I have an A1300 GenLock connected to my lab A1000 (the one with the Ronin 68020/68881/etc.) all the time and it works great. I will say I modified "slightly" the A1300, but no problems in well over 2 years. And it comes in handy when I *NEED* to watch TV while working ... I mean, sheesh, when the 48 hour Superman and Batman marathons were aired locally, did anyone REALLY expect me to leave my Amiga's keyboard?! :-) :-) Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]