shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com (Chris Shatara) (08/14/90)
In article <116@alchemy.UUCP>, hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink) writes... >I do agree that the 3200 color display and manipulation technology is an >exciting thing for the ailing GS. It is just unfortunate that people liek >Jason Harper, judging from an interchange of information I had with him while >working on the Visionary project by the ill fated Virtual Realities, find this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Did Virtual go under? ============================================================================= | Chris Shatara | Internet: shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com| | Opinions expressed are | DEC Easynet: islnds::shatara | | mine and mine only! | UUCP: ...!decwrl!islnds!shatara | =============================================================================
jonah@amos.ucsd.edu (Jonah Stich) (08/14/90)
In article <1839@mountn.dec.com> shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com (Chris Shatara) writes: >In article <116@alchemy.UUCP>, hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink) writes... >>working on the Visionary project by the ill fated Virtual Realities, find this > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > Did Virtual go under? Frrom what I hear, Viirtual kindly decided that the GS was a dead market, and that they would only support the Mac from now on. :( Another company, New Concepts, is now in charge of the Visionary, and have given it some new funky name. They have a whole bunch of ace programmers working on what sounds like excellent software, sp things are actually looking up. Supposedly they're going to make the Visionary capable of digitizing REAL TIME 30 fps!! Of course, the memory needed for that might be a bit prohibitive, but it's a neat thought! >| Chris Shatara | Internet: shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com| Jonah Stich jonah@amos.ucsd.edu
toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (08/14/90)
jonah@amos.ucsd.edu (Jonah Stich) writes: >excellent software, sp things are actually looking up. Supposedly they're >going to make the Visionary capable of digitizing REAL TIME 30 fps!! Of course, >the memory needed for that might be a bit prohibitive, but it's a neat thought! Well... that depends. I was planning to build such a project, and know exactly how it can be done. However, TI turned out to be far less generous than I planned, and the chips the project depends on (the Video RAMs) cost more than my meager budget allowed. I had to drop the class, but I still have much of the setup, and later this summer I intend to get at least the analog section working. The analog section (90% donated by Signetics -- thank you!) is eventually going to digitize 12 bits (4096 colors raw, no restrictions!) at any dot clock I give it (up to 22 mhz, the maximum for the digitizers) and redisplay the digitized picture IN REAL TIME. Frame grabbing is performed by using video RAMs to take a snapshot of one frame's worth of video. A full NTSC frame (interlaced, 1/30th of a second) at a dot clock of 14 mhz (80 colums or Double Hi-res uses that) would produce a picture slightly under 768x512 pixels and would take about 768K to store. The last price Quoted to me by Texas Instruments for this much VRAM was six 44c251's at $40 each or $240. They probably cost less now and they might even be willing to sample them (a few months ago they were so new you couldn't even sample them!). I'd like to know more about these people. Where are they (LA area so I can visit them during school?) and what is their phone number? Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu
lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) (08/15/90)
Virtual Realities is more or less kaput. At least as far as the Apple II is concerned. It's really unfortunate; as the Visionary card was a really nice product. I understand, however, that the card will still be sold, and supported, by LRO Computer products (as will Virtual's other product, the Inner Express). The Visionary got a real nice review this month in Incider magazine. Unfortunately, it came a little too late. Hopefully, we'll see this fine product live on. There's some interesting things you can do with it... anyone seen the Paula Abdul demo that is going around? (looks like a mini-movie). Well, with a Visionary card, and a frame-grabber program, you can make these movies with your VCR. Lynda
scottg@gnh-starport.cts.com (Scott Gentry) (08/16/90)
Chris, in your post you ask... > Did Virtual go under? To the best of my knowledge, yes. Scott... _______________________________________________________________________________ | Scott Gentry * ALPE AFL Scott * I never said that!| | 2051 Mercator Drive * GEnie W.GENTRY * But you never | | Reston, VA 22091 * UUCP: uunet!ingr!ne1300! * know! | | (703) 264-5652 * brnded!scott * Do You? | |_____________________________________________________________________________|
wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (08/16/90)
What exactly is this Visionary thing? bill gulstad
toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (08/17/90)
wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes: >What exactly is this Visionary thing? The Visionary is a video digitizer. It's essentially the 'Apple DMA SCSI' of video digitizers -- all it is a digitizer interface and a DMA generator. It has quite adequate capability for real-time digitizing, but needs good software (which is, of course, in beta) to really sing. Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu
shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com (Chris Shatara) (08/17/90)
In article <1990Aug16.194944.8252@laguna.ccsf.caltech.edu>, toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) writes... > >has quite adequate capability for real-time digitizing, but needs good software >(which is, of course, in beta) to really sing. > >Todd Whitesel Will the "new" software work with the original VisionPlus board or does it require the new microcode? /chris ============================================================================= | Chris Shatara | Internet: shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com| | Opinions expressed are | DEC Easynet: islnds::shatara | | mine and mine only! | UUCP: ...!decwrl!islnds!shatara | =============================================================================
toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (08/18/90)
shatara@islnds.enet.dec.com (Chris Shatara) writes: >Will the "new" software work with the original VisionPlus board or does it >require the new microcode? I haven't the foggiest. I'd recommend upgrading to a Visionary and not worrying about it. Hopefully whoever picked up the Visionary after virtual folded will be continuing the upgrade program. Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu