pegram@uvm-gen.UUCP (pegram r) (01/16/90)
From article <10636@stag.math.lsa.umich.edu>, by hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu): > In article <32896@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> pwp@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Paul Purdom) writes: >>Could someone say briefly what techniques the overscan software uses to do >>overscanning? Thanks for the (deleted) explanation. > No problem, 8 pixels per byte. With overscan, you need 100 bytes per line, > but you won't see 800 pixels on an SM124. You could with a multisync > monitor, but not otherwise. So, you need to be careful, and some programs > don't seem to take things into account very well.] This all seems quite > tedious, since programs are supposed to let GEM worry about the nitty-gritty > details of exact screen size. Some do, and they work fine. Unix Windows is > a slick example of one that does. Others run into problems... More text deleted so the #@&$*#$!@! "mailer" will accept this... > -=- PrayerMail: Send 100Mbits to holyghost@father.son[127.0.0.1] > and You Too can have a Personal Electronic Relationship with God! This post brings up some questions that I've been wondering about for a while. 1) Is the "overscan mod" the one I have the hardware docs for (it was reposted in Nov or Dec '89) that also needs a small transistor installed, along with a debounced switch, some wire and some trace cutting? If not, how many such mods are there and how do they rank? I know that overscan can be done in software (I've seen the Care Bears demo - impressive), does that only work well if the program running knows about it? 2) Would things be simpler and/or even higher resolution with a multisync monitor? (I guess I'm asking what the hardware limits are, for the ST and for the monitors to track the video). 3) Could a "transparent" interface be written, (see posting by David Beckenmeyer on multiple 80x25 windows on Moniterm while running vsh) that could automate high res to overscan switching? I envision a program that can't take overscan being automatically run in a "Std" resolution window, centered on the screen, and good programs being able to immediately take over the whole screen when they run. 4) There are several adaptors and lots of multisync monitors about, how well do they work? How weird is color on a greyscale monitor? How is High res (or overscan) on various color monitors - for that matter, how is it on a greyscale monitor? If dot pitch (on color monitors) is the only criteria for "mono" res sharpness, what dot pitch is acceptable? Email me your experiences or responses, and I will post a summary to the net. 5) People with overscan and/or Moniterm or other large monitors, send me (or post) lists of programs which work and of the ones that break with the extra pixels. I'll post a summary of that too, if there is enough response. 6) Atari folk: will the TT color monitor be significantly incompatible with third party multisyncs? (I recall it took quite a while before third party monitors showed up for the ST). For that matter, will my old monitor(s) work with a TT? (That would also answer the above question, I think). Thanks in advance, sorry this got so big. Bob Pegram (pegram@griffin.uvm.edu) WARNING, I am not certain that above address is correct, since they've been monkeying with our local net here and retired Uvm-gen. See your header for a better address.
econadm5@watserv1.waterloo.edu (BENTLEY BH - ECONOMICS) (01/16/90)
> > 2) Would things be simpler and/or even higher resolution with > a multisync monitor? (I guess I'm asking what the hardware > limits are, for the ST and for the monitors to track the video). > > 4) There are several adaptors and lots of multisync monitors > about, how well do they work? How weird is color on a greyscale > monitor? How is High res (or overscan) on various color > monitors - for that matter, how is it on a greyscale > monitor? If dot pitch (on color monitors) is the only criteria > for "mono" res sharpness, what dot pitch is acceptable? > Email me your experiences or responses, and I will post a > summary to the net. > > 6) Atari folk: will the TT color monitor be significantly > incompatible with third party multisyncs? (I recall it took Well, I have the Electrohome ECM 1310U Series Multi-Sync monitor and its great, works in all three resolutions, Low, Medium and High. It has VGA qualities so when the TT comes out I dont see any problems hooking it up. It has underscan built in the back and if I tie down line 4 in the RGB Cable I have instant Monochrome mode. In monochrome mode it looks great. Multi-Sync monitors are the wave of the future as I and many programmers have and will be writting programs and differenct Hrz rates. Eg(85 or 45). The picture definitely is better, this particular monitors resolution is 720 by 540 lines. It has antiglare .31 mm dotpitch with many other built in fancy features. I run all european programs without any problems. As for the price phone electrohome its only drawback is that it has no speaker but with the STE that isnt a problem. I hook mine up through the audio line to my ghettoblaster. Dave Tomesch, Super BBS (519) 749-1206, Kwest Co-Chairman, StarTrak Inc. "Never say Never" Anyone wishing more info on the Special RGB cable hookup just send me Mail. I made one for the Kwest Usergroups Electrohomes Projection TV System used at the University of Waterloo , Math and Computer building.
hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) (01/17/90)
Before you junk your Atari monitors, here's a final note on Overscan... On my SC1224 (standard Atari RGB monitor) I get 720x280 pixels in medium resolution. I like this A Lot. I don't know how much more you could kick out with a multisync/multiscan monitor, but it better be a heap more than that to convince me to shell out the $$$ for it. On a side note... There's already a monochrome-detect line in the ST monitor cable, and a "general purpose output" signal from the PSG. Why not use that to trigger rez-change in your multisyncs? Then you don't even need an external pushbutton; you could do it in a desk accessory... (Control panel, change the GEM desktop, so it lets you change rez right there, what-have-you.) -- -=- PrayerMail: Send 100Mbits to holyghost@father.son[127.0.0.1] and You Too can have a Personal Electronic Relationship with God!