[comp.sys.amiga.misc] More on A3000

tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu (Todd Green) (04/25/91)

Some more final questions, and updates about the A3000.  (Sorry to
bother, but I have to find this stuff out.).

I went back to the store where I could use the A3000, they were nice
enough to let me crash their machine 2 times ;).  Unfortunately there
system doesn't seem to be that stable and while there are very nice
people their knowledge of the Amiga is minimal.  They are running WB
2.0b2, 2Meg Chip and 4 meg Fast (I think), 1950 monitor, and it seems
a little buggy for the following reasons:

1)  I tried to do what the rest of you suggested and create a virtual
screen, and to use a higher resolution.  I went into the preferences
folder and used two apps to do this.  Screen Size and Overscan. (This
is from memory so the exact names might be off a little).  In any case
I could not get out of 640x200 resolution, nor create a virtual
screen.  I tried using the programs (typing in the numbers) and then
clicked both "save" and "use", I tried to reboot, nothing happened it
just stayed there in 640x200.  I tried asking the dealer he said "it's
a beta version of the OS and doesn't seem to be working."  Help?

2)  I noticed another problem when moving the mouse pointer.  Every other
scan line would "drop out" whenever I moved the pointer.  This produced
a very jittery effect.  I also noticed this happened when I scrolled
windows.  Every other line in an icon would disappear and the
reappear. (Same for the cursor when scrolling vertically).  I again
questioned the dealer and he said that it was due to the de-interlacer
of the A3000.  I can hardly believe this.  Again they were really nice
people but their expertise is well....lacking.  Has anyone else been
plagued by this?

Again I thank you for your time.  (Hopefully this will be the last
post).

Todd

-- 
Internet: tagreen@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
NeXTMail: tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu
BitNet:	  tagreen@iubacs.bitnet

johnhlee@CS.Cornell.EDU (John H. Lee) (04/26/91)

In article <1991Apr25.152150.5637@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu (Todd Green) writes:
>1)  I tried to do what the rest of you suggested and create a virtual
>screen, and to use a higher resolution.  I went into the preferences
>folder and used two apps to do this.  Screen Size and Overscan. (This
>is from memory so the exact names might be off a little).  In any case
>I could not get out of 640x200 resolution, nor create a virtual
>screen.  I tried using the programs (typing in the numbers) and then
>clicked both "save" and "use", I tried to reboot, nothing happened it
>just stayed there in 640x200.  I tried asking the dealer he said "it's
>a beta version of the OS and doesn't seem to be working."  Help?

The ScreenSize preferences tool for a virtual workbench works fine on my
A3000.  Just enter the new screen dimensions into the appropriate fields
and click Save or Use.  Overscan tool works fine as well.  To change the
mode from 640x200 to some other mode, use the ScreenMode preferences tool.
All three makes the changes immediately--no reboot needed.


>2)  I noticed another problem when moving the mouse pointer.  Every other
>scan line would "drop out" whenever I moved the pointer.  This produced
>a very jittery effect.  I also noticed this happened when I scrolled
>windows.  Every other line in an icon would disappear and the
>reappear. (Same for the cursor when scrolling vertically).  I again
>questioned the dealer and he said that it was due to the de-interlacer
>of the A3000.  I can hardly believe this.  Again they were really nice
>people but their expertise is well....lacking.  Has anyone else been
>plagued by this?

Yes, this is due to the deinterlacer, but since you were in 640x200 non-
interlaced mode, you shouldn't get this effect.  The effect isn't that
noticeable to me and I have my system set up for 688x458 (A3000-25 with
A1950 multiscan monitor.)  I was expecting all sorts of artifacts, but
was pleasantly surprised.  Perhaps your dealer's A3000 was out of
adjustment?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The DiskDoctor threatens the crew!  Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation.
	John Lee		Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu
The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.

sutela@polaris.utu.fi (Kari Sutela) (04/26/91)

johnhlee@CS.Cornell.EDU (John H. Lee) writes:

>In article <1991Apr25.152150.5637@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu (Todd Green) writes:
>>[about problems with ScreenMode preferences tool]

>The ScreenSize preferences tool for a virtual workbench works fine on my
>A3000.

Just be sure to hit return when you have entered the screensize parameter
in the string gadget.  At least on my 2.01, I can do the following:

  1.  Select the width string gadget with the mouse
  2.  Enter a value into it without hitting return
  3.  Select the height string gadget with the mouse

Now the width value displayed in the gadget is the same which I entered,
*but* the default width will *not* be changed.  You can tell by looking
at the default check mark right next to the string gadgets.  This `feature'
might be fixed in 2.02.

-- 
Kari Sutela	sutela@polaris.utu.fi

johnhlee@CS.Cornell.EDU (John H. Lee) (04/27/91)

In article <sutela.672670060@polaris> sutela@polaris.utu.fi (Kari Sutela) writes:
>Just be sure to hit return when you have entered the screensize parameter
>in the string gadget.  At least on my 2.01, I can do the following:
>
>  1.  Select the width string gadget with the mouse
>  2.  Enter a value into it without hitting return
>  3.  Select the height string gadget with the mouse
>
>Now the width value displayed in the gadget is the same which I entered,
>*but* the default width will *not* be changed.  You can tell by looking
>at the default check mark right next to the string gadgets.  This `feature'
>might be fixed in 2.02.


I haven't checked that on my system, but I do know that the "Default" check
mark must be off in order for your new values to be used.  If it is on,
the default screen size set in the Overscan preferences tool is used
(makes sense, no?)  I agree--this seems to be a misfeature.  The tool
should ghost the field when the check mark is set, or reset the check mark
when the field value is not the default.

A small correction in my original reply post:  the "ScreenSize"
preferences tool is really the ScreenMode preferences tool.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The DiskDoctor threatens the crew!  Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation.
	John Lee		Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu
The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.

nguyent@balboa.eng.uci.edu (Thien Nguyen) (04/28/91)

In article <1991Apr25.152150.5637@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu (Todd Green) writes:
>Some more final questions, and updates about the A3000.  (Sorry to
>bother, but I have to find this stuff out.).
>
>I went back to the store where I could use the A3000, they were nice
>enough to let me crash their machine 2 times ;).  Unfortunately there
>system doesn't seem to be that stable and while there are very nice
>people their knowledge of the Amiga is minimal.  They are running WB
>2.0b2, 2Meg Chip and 4 meg Fast (I think), 1950 monitor, and it seems
>a little buggy for the following reasons:
>
>1)  I tried to do what the rest of you suggested and create a virtual
>screen, and to use a higher resolution.  I went into the preferences
>folder and used two apps to do this.  Screen Size and Overscan. (This
>is from memory so the exact names might be off a little).  In any case
>I could not get out of 640x200 resolution, nor create a virtual
>screen.  I tried using the programs (typing in the numbers) and then
>clicked both "save" and "use", I tried to reboot, nothing happened it
>just stayed there in 640x200.  I tried asking the dealer he said "it's
>a beta version of the OS and doesn't seem to be working."  Help?

To change to Virtual Screen, in the Preferences go into SCREENMODES 
program.  There you can change it to 640*400 by choosing 
NTSC:Hires-interlace, and then change the numbers of the Height and
Width to the numbers you want.  Then you can just type USE and the 
workbench will be using Virtual Screen.  
But make sure all the windows are closed before going into preferences.
From my experience with kickstart 2.02, it is quite stable when using
2.0 compatible programs.  

>
>2)  I noticed another problem when moving the mouse pointer.  Every other
>scan line would "drop out" whenever I moved the pointer.  This produced
>a very jittery effect.  I also noticed this happened when I scrolled
>windows.  Every other line in an icon would disappear and the
>reappear. (Same for the cursor when scrolling vertically).  I again
>questioned the dealer and he said that it was due to the de-interlacer
>of the A3000.  I can hardly believe this.  Again they were really nice
>people but their expertise is well....lacking.  Has anyone else been
>plagued by this?


The pointer jitter problem is there if you move the pointer very fast.

>
>Again I thank you for your time.  (Hopefully this will be the last
>post).
>
>Todd
>
>-- 
>Internet: tagreen@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
>NeXTMail: tagreen@lothario.ucs.indiana.edu
>BitNet:	  tagreen@iubacs.bitnet

zama@ellis.uchicago.edu (iftikhar uz zaman) (05/01/91)

What are the maximum dimensions on the "virtual screen"?  If the
monitor makes a difference, I should be getting a NEC3D...

Thanks.

(I skimmed the manuals for this and couldn't find it...)

es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) (05/01/91)

In article <1991May1.123117.26713@midway.uchicago.edu> zama@ellis.uchicago.edu (iftikhar uz zaman) writes:
>
>What are the maximum dimensions on the "virtual screen"?  If the
>monitor makes a difference, I should be getting a NEC3D...
>
>Thanks.
>
>(I skimmed the manuals for this and couldn't find it...)


	I believe it is essentially limited by chip ram. The new
agnus I believe it is allows for 32Kx32K regions. The old agnus
was 1Kx1K if I remember right.
	-- Ethan

"Brain! Brain! What is Brain?"