From: mcohen@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: RE: ActionMedia II Questions
Organization: Clark University
Date: 13 AUG 92 03:41:53 GMT

In a previous article, weisee@aix.rpi.edu (Elizabeth A. Weise) wrote:
>We are getting to the final stages of specifying a multimedia system for
>training purposes.  We decided to use DVI technology instead of a VCR or
>laserdisc player.  IBM's ActionMedia II board set/software package fits
>our requirements perfectly.  However, the IBM rep. we spoke with said
>that the video output resolution was fuzzy.  The reviews I have seen
>have all said that ActionMedia video quality is not production quality, but
>it is adequate for training and presentations.
> 
>My question is to anyone who is using this board set:  How fuzzy is the
>resolution and is it adequate for training purposes?
> 
>We are using a DEC 486/33 with Asymetrix Multimedia Toolbook for authoring,
>and a 16" monitor with 1024x768 resolution.
> 
>Any answers (either post or e-mail) would be greatly appreciated.  We are
>ready to order this board set.  However, we want to check on the resolution
>issue before actually committing.
> 
> 
>-- 
>****************************************************************************
>Beth Weise / PhD Student / Dept. of Language, Literature, & Communication
>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute / Troy, New York
>Weisee@rpi.edu / Beth_Weise@mts.rpi.edu

Hi Beth,

  I went through IBM's Multimedia Training for dealers SE's last fall, and 
spent a week with the ActionMedia II (and the other IBM boards).  The NTSC 
output was what I'd call "fair".  Definitely not broadcast quality.  A little 
lower quality than the NTSC out of the M-Motion/A if you've ever seen that.  
I'd call it decent enough for training purposes though, as long as you aren't 
selling the resultant tape.  Best suggestion - see it, and if you need to, buy 
an encoder.

  That's of course assuming you mean NTSC output for your presentations.  If 
you're just doing presentations via the VGA-type port, you are golden.  Unless 
you're up-close to the monitor, the image/video is very good.

  Is the DEC 386/33 a microchannel machine?  Somewhat off the point, I know 
Intel sells a version of the ActionMedia for ISA.  (They manufacture the MCA 
version for IBM).  Rumors a few months ago were that Intel was going to sell 
the MCA board themselves (and cheaper than IBM).  As a side note, you might 
want to give Microsoft a call to see if their soon-to-be-announced AVI 
software (pseudo-quicktime for Windows) will work with the Intel/IBM boards.  
Chances are most future Windows software will support AVI, and if AVI won't 
support Intel DVI, you may be stuck changing hardware again.  Just me being 
paranoid.

  Anything else I can do, EMail me at MCohen@vax.clarku.edu.


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