jkh@bambam.pcs.com (Jordan K. Hubbard) (01/10/91)
About 3 weeks ago, I decided (after a long search) that I've found the ideal SCSI controller for my A500. It's called the Wordmaster (from M.A.S.T.) and boasts 900K/Sec (supposedly) 16 bit transfer rates, up to 4MB of expansion RAM (perhaps more, actually, I don't have the sheet in front of me) and the further possibility to add a 68030 daughter card for $400. Given that the base unit costs $299 (with 2MB of expansion RAM) + $89 for the 16 bit SCSI (8 bit will cost you only $39), this is a pretty good deal no matter how you look at it. For around $800, you could be looking at a 2MB A500 + high speed SCSI controller + 68030. Some 32 bit memory would also be in order for the '030, which would set you back another $200, but that's still not bad at all. If the xfer rates really are >900K/Sec as they claim, this will be a screamer (mine's on order). But enough about the Wordmaster - what I want to talk about is the Colorburst peripheral! (mine's also on order!) It seems that for $495, M.A.S.T. will provide you with a true 24 bit color FB + graphics co-processor that hooks to the RBG output port (thus why I've been calling it a peripheral and not a "card"). Resolution is better than the toaster (512 x 768 I believe, again don't quote me as I don't have specs in front of me, M.A.S.T. will fax them to you if you ask nicely) and graphics are reportedly much faster. I don't know what sort of graphics processor they're using as the lady I talked to didn't know, but they claim up to 60 FPS animation can be attained with it, though the exact constrains for doing something like this aren't clear. If even 30fps was possible, I'd be happy. A number of other real-time effects (wipes, fades, pans) are also supposedly possible and the device is genlock compatible. If this is all true, then M.A.S.T has at the most a Toaster-Killer and at the least a very very popular product here. Unlike the Toaster, it doesn't come with a super-slick 3D modeling package (which may still buy the Toaster staunch adherents in the broadcast market), but at these prices, that's got to be forthcoming from a 3rd party supplier at some point. Has anyone else been following this topic? Did anyone see it in Cologne? (Now I feel like a _real_ putz for not going!). It's supposedly been knocking socks off in demos, but I haven't been to any of the major shows. Eager for more first-hand information (espcially since I went and ordered one sight-unseen). Jordan -- PCS Computer Systeme GmbH, Munich, West Germany UUCP: pyramid!pcsbst!jkh jkh@meepmeep.pcs.com EUNET: unido!pcsbst!jkh ARPA: jkh@violet.berkeley.edu or hubbard@decwrl.dec.com
cdimick@javelin.es.com (Clint Dimick) (01/11/91)
jkh@bambam.pcs.com (Jordan K. Hubbard) writes: >It seems that for $495, M.A.S.T. will provide you with a true 24 bit >color FB + graphics co-processor that hooks to the RBG output port >(thus why I've been calling it a peripheral and not a "card"). >Resolution is better than the toaster (512 x 768 I believe, again >don't quote me as I don't have specs in front of me, M.A.S.T. will >fax them to you if you ask nicely) and graphics are reportedly much >faster. I don't know what sort of graphics processor they're using as >the lady I talked to didn't know, but they claim up to 60 FPS animation >can be attained with it, though the exact constrains for doing >something like this aren't clear. If even 30fps was possible, I'd be >happy. A number of other real-time effects (wipes, fades, pans) are >also supposedly possible and the device is genlock compatible. >If this is all true, then M.A.S.T has at the most a Toaster-Killer and >at the least a very very popular product here. Unlike the Toaster, it >doesn't come with a super-slick 3D modeling package (which may still >buy the Toaster staunch adherents in the broadcast market), but at these >prices, that's got to be forthcoming from a 3rd party supplier at some point. Although it sounds like a good product, I wouldn't call it a "Toaster-Killer." The Toaster's resolution is such that it can be used for broadcasting purposes. Any larger resolution would not be needed, as a television couldn't display the larger boundries. I know that you weren't able to get the full specs on M.A.S.T.'s board, but I'd curious to know whether or not it has dual frame-store buffers, luminance keying, TRUE broadcast-quality output, multiple inputs, included CG software, etc... :) It seems that M.A.S.T. isn't the only company trying to compete with the Toaster. Is it Applied Engineering that is releasing the "Video Blender?" Anyone have further information on this thing? - Clint
iank@microsoft.UUCP (Ian KENNEDY) (01/24/91)
I made the mistake of buying M.A.S.Ts twindrive floppy. The unit I recieved was non-functional. I sent it back and recieved one that works...sort of. As long as I don't try to use BAD or another "disk intensive" utility to write to it I have no problems. Anything that that writes to the drive excessivly will eventually fail or generate bad data. After this experience I'm very wary of anything these guys have to offer. The concept of a display device that plugs into the RGB port on a computer seems a bit...un-flexable. What can you use with it? Does it support Intuition, therefore Workbench. Will it work with the ECS? And after using the toaster, I find very hard to believe that a device of this type will provide anywhere near the performance of the toaster. These are the same guys who advertised a 68030/scsi/8MBram expansion device last year. Haven't seen it yet. They also advertised a de-interlacer device called "flick-off" that never showed up on the market. For being such a large, "international" comapny they never seem to have in stock what they advertise. /*************** Ian Kennedy My views are not those of my employer. ****************/ t