vinsci@nic.funet.fi (Leonard Norrgard) (06/19/91)
[Followups directed to comp.sys.amiga.graphics]
Since I got a number of request for more info on the Visiona graphics
card, here it is:
- true color option (full 24 bit)
- programmable resolution (see below)
- "" refresh rate & palette
- several versions, including one for the A3000's Zorro III bus
- integrated single-frame-recorder interface
("Einzelbildrecorder-Ansteurung", I guess that's single-frame-recorder
controller...)
Resolutions: they mention in the broschure that it would be impossible
to list all resolutions programmable, but list these as examples:
1600 x 1280 x 8 (256 colors) 75 Hz interlaced
1280 x 1024 x 8 (256 colors) 60 Hz
1152 x 900 x 8 (256 colors) 60 Hz (SUN 4)
1024 x 768 x 8 (256 colors) 90 Hz
1200 x 900 x 24 (16M colors) 50 Hz interlaced
1024 x 768 x 24 (16M colors) 60 Hz interlaced
800 x 600 x 24 (16M colors) 50 Hz
640 x 480 x 24 (16M colors) 75 Hz
Then they go on to say that these are just samples, and that eg. the
Sun 4 sample could as well be 98 Hz. In an earlier section they say
that the card can be programmed to all current TV standards (PAL,
NTSC, D2MAC, SECAM and others).
The card is to come in three versions:
1. Visiona Paint & Visiona paint plus
2 Mb RAM fast VRAM installed. The plus version has 4Mb VRAM,
allowing higher resolutions to be used. Compatible with A2000
up to A3500 (I suppose they mean the A3000T with that).
1.1 As 1. but with FAST option
Gives yet higher resolutions and refresh rates. Includes faster
VRAMs and a faster graphics processor (they don't mention which one
they're using though... the somewhat fuzzy photo shows an Inmos 300
chip, though).
2. Visiona Highpaint
"Available by January 1991" :-)
This is the A3000 version with support for the faster Zorro III bus.
Has option for installing a T800 transputer with a max. working
space of 8Mb. Compatible with their TimeHopper external cache for the
A3000 series. The card is only for the A3000 series.
3. Visiona Highpaint Art
"planned for 1991"
Has a fast 64 bit interface for "a hardware drawing unit" (isn't
that a graphics processor??) They go on to say that this enables the use
of the Intel I860 chip to draw & manipulate directly using hardware.
They go on describing things I don't understand, except for the
possibility of 64 Mb video ram... The card is only for the A3000 series.
From the photo it is also clear that the board was designed by Hendrik
Horak: "Copyright and Boardengineering by Hendrik Horak 1990".
Enjoy,
-- Leonard