From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: [don't] Avoid the Amiga 4000
Date: 12 Oct 92 05:53:45 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Oct12.032423.12844@ra.msstate.edu> skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu (Skip Sauls) writes:
> In article <35767@cbmvax.commodore.com> mks@cbmvax.commodore.com (Michael Sinz) writes:
> >grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
...
> Speaking of add-ons, I'd guess that you would at least need an RF modulator
> to get composite NTSC out.  Would the A520 and similar devices work?  I'm
> not a hardware type and have been wondering if the 24bit versus 12bit video
> will affect all of the RF modulators, genlocks, and that sort of thing.

As a first approximation, any video device that works in the Analog domain
should continue to work, and any device that uses the digital RBG bits in
the video slot should work, but obviously dooesn't know about the extra
12-bits of color that are available.

Some devices that are overly rigid might need some tweaking - the analog RBG
is now coming from a current-mode DAC (instead of the old resistor ladder/
emitter follower video hybrid) and such DAC's are usually more sensitive
about termination and may have a different DC offset on the signals.  Well
designed devices should handle this in stride.  Likewise there might be
some minor timing differences in the digital data, the new Lisa chip is
much "faster" than Denise on her best day.

> I cannot understand why some people insist on a de-interlacer for the A4000.
> Why on earth is it needed if it can be done in software?  As an A3000 owner,
> I can attest to the fact that it is a great hack, but there are many little
> annoyances that I'll be glad to be rid of.  The pointer breaking up, the
> damn half-line flicker, the shimmer on cold mornings (of course I haven't
> switched either the monitor or A3000 off in months and don't know if it still
> does it :-), etc. are problems that can be ignored, but I'd rather not have
> them at all.

Well, people probably bitched when they stopped putting tail fins on cars
even though they weren't really sure why the needed them.  On the other
hand, the display enhancer is useful if you don't have any alternative.
Now you have an alternative or you can buy a bolt on tailfin if you wish.

> BTW, no one has said anything about the new hires and superhires sprites.
> Can the mouse cursor be in one of these modes?  I hope so, as the lores
> sprite has driven me crazy for years and is very pitiful looking compared
> to the rest of the Workbench.

Hardware yes, not sure what the software offers you.

> And you folks at C= certainly delivered.  I was hoping for at least 8bit
> color in 640x400 NTSC, but didn't know if you'd be able to get that in
> the Productivity and SuperHires modes.  All I can say is that I am truly
> impressed and am quite pleased with the A4000's video capabilities.

Given the amount of development time it takes to get out new chips and
software, we had to take a pretty big bite for it to be worthwhile.  It
boils down to bandwidth, if you can get 2X with 32-bit memory and 2X with
page mode accesses, then do both for 4X and you can do 8-bit planes in
any of the modes.

> Good point.  Several of the bitchers and whiners have admitted that they only
> have one drive, but they all seem to think that SCSI is needed anyway.  I am
> not sure what you guys will come out with next, but it is my guess that the
> IDE will make a lot of sense in a lower-end AGA box.

Well, since then A600HD uses a 2.5" IDE drive, one might suspect that any
other low-end efforts might also support IDE.  IMHO having the machines come
off the shelf with a hard-drive option increases their utility and ease of
use by about 10X.

>                                                    (I do want SCSI
> >and so does the marketing department and so does Lou who had stated
> >that the SCSI board will be made and that highend machines will be
> >introduced with it on the motherboard in the future)
> 
> Will it be the 4090, 4091, 3090, 3091, or what?  Any idea what the retail
> price might be?  SCSI-II boards for the Mac and PC are not cheap and I
> don't really expect C='s board to be either.  However, if it is Zorro III
> and is really fast, I'll buy one just to say that I've got a Zorro III
> card in my machine.  :-)

Well, it's currently the XXXX, but it's probably change before it gets into
production.  Maybe you should start a pool on what it turns out to be?  I'm
not even going to guess about pricing, this is something over which we have
less control than model numbers.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     work:   to be avoided at all costs...
but no way officially representing:   uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
Commodore, Engineering Department     domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com