rjc@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) (03/21/91)
In article <1991Mar20.194243.11450@news.iastate.edu> xgr39@CCVAX.IASTATE.EDU writes: >In article <Mar.19.21.42.42.1991.16538@remus.rutgers.edu>, lcs@remus.rutgers.edu (Lyle C. Seplowitz) writes: >>>What else, well better graphics displays would be nice. I'm not >>talking about those 24-bit boards out now, I'm talking a change in the >>graphics chips. Why can't the Amiga have 24-bit color standard? What >>about 8-bitplanes of color? The low-end machine might not have all the >>graphic capabilites as the A3000, but users should be able to expand >>easily. > > This has been hashed and bashed before, by me in particular if by nobody >else. The problem is that the custom chips are already at their limits, >and no big improvements are possible unless the custom chips are totally >redesigned. Not just the custom chips, but the entire Amiga itself. 24 bits per pixel demands tremendous memory speeds and a bus customized for it. Look at the high end Suns with 24, 48, 56, and over 100 bits per pixel. Some of those systems have 24 bits color, 24/32 bits of Zbuffer, 8 bits Alpha channel, 1-4 bits overlay, etc. The Amiga w/24bit custom chip set would cost more than an Amiga3000 (i'm talking a A500 here) a fully expandible system like the A3000 redesigned with 24bit true-color would cost the same as a NeXT with NeXTDimension. Mac's don't have 24bit color built in, neither does IBM, it's too expensive. Mac's are 8bit, so is VGA. > Unfortunately, Commodore isn't exactly in a hurry to redesign the >custom chips. Commodore has not been investing enough in research and >development for the past five years, and recently slashed what little ^^^^^^^^^ Marc, when are you going to get it through your head that they slashed management and production jobs, not R&D. Commodore has been hiring new engineers all the time. >they were investing. Thus, I would not expect any improvements at all >in the Amiga's color, graphics, sound, or floppy I/O capabilities for >at least three years, minimum. No 24-bit color, no 8-bitplanes, no >improvements. Where have you been Marc? HAM-E=8 bits w/ 18bit HAM. DCTV=NTSC Composite (4 million colors) Toaster=composite. Colorburst=24bit. Firecracker=24 bit. A2410=8 bit. ^^^^^ Produced by Commodore. > I don't like it any more than anybody else, but this is the harsh and >bitter truth. When a company like Commodore invests nothing in their ^^^^^^^^^ Hmm, isn't it great how Commodore can spend ZERO R&D dollars yet produce the A3000, OS2.0, A2410, A3000UX, CDTV, and the A3500? They must be the most efficient company on the planet. Hell, they are more efficient than a Carnot engine. >future, the future cannot be expected to be bright. Commodore has not >been investing in their own future, and the future isn't bright for >either themselves or the Amiga. Marc, it's a good think you don't invest in the stock market because you predictions leave something to be desired. Your hindsight is 0/0 so far. > >> >>I hope this isn't too hopelessly jumbled. You should be able to get my >>point. I like Commodore and I like the Amiga, but Commodore needs to >>wake up and see what's going on in the computer world or they'll be >>left behind. Come on Commodore what are you doing? Actually, you should wake up and see what's going on in the computer world. None of Commodore's competition has custom 24bit chips built in, or 16bit sound. It's too expensive to sell as a 'standard option'. Most 24 bit systems are sold as _add-on_ options because not every can afford 24 bit , especially when they don't need it, or use it to it's full potential. >>-- > > -MB- > >> >>------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>:) :( :> :< :] :[ ;) :| :? :} :{ :* :^) :^( :+ :-) :\ :/ :! :$ :' :@ :O :# :<> >> l c s @ r e m u s . r u t g e r s . e d u >>------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >>Everything stated or expressed in this post is strictly my opinion or viewpoint -- /~\_______________________________________________________________________/~\ |n| rjc@albert.ai.mit.edu Amiga, the computer for the creative mind. |n| |~| .-. .-. |~| |_|________________________________| |_| |________________________________|_|
u3364521@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Lou Cavallo) (03/21/91)
G'day,
rjc@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:
** I don't like it any more than anybody else, but this is the harsh and
** bitter truth. When a company like Commodore invests nothing in their
* ^^^^^^^^^
* Hmm, isn't it great how Commodore can spend ZERO R&D dollars yet
* produce the A3000, OS2.0, A2410, A3000UX, CDTV, and the A3500?
* They must be the most efficient company on the planet. Hell, they
* are more efficient than a Carnot engine.
Ray, you have just cheered me up so well with that Carnot engine reprise
that I just HAD to waste the bandwidth to thank you in public!
Forget rec.humor... I want comp.sys.amiga.advocacy.funny !
yours truly,
Lou Cavallo.