From: rnollman@osf.org ()
Subject: More on the Merlin board
Originator: rnollman@serverx.osf.org
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:21:24 GMT

I just got off the phone with a person from Spectronics International
(nice guy).  These are the people who are doing the packaging for the
Visiona, Domino, and Merlin boards.

I had called XPERT in Germany to get some information on the Merlin
board.  The guy in Germany, who I think was the designer himself, was
helpful and suggested that I fax a written request for information and
any questions that I had about the Merlin board.  What I got back was
a copy of a printed sheet with 29 questions and answers about the
board in GERMAN.  I called back and asked if he had anything in
English.  He had nothing in English and did not seem particularly
anxious about the US market.  He said that if alot of people in the US
showed interest, he would speed along the English documentation.  I
asked him about the paint program that would included with the package
and how it compared with DCTV Paint (which I love).  He said that the
package was TV Paint Jr. (or something like that) and that DCTV Paint
was a piece of crap (he used a little stronger language) compared to
it.  I asked about how long it would take to receive a board once they
started shipping.  He said that existing orders would take 3 weeks and
that if I ordered now, I would probably receive a board in about 2
months.  That is if I wanted to get the German version.  I asked him
why he did not have someone translate the sheet of questions for the
English-speaking audience.  He said that they were too busy doing
other things.  He finally gave me the number of Spectronics.

I called Spectronics.  The nice guy I talked with was very helpful and
excited about the Merlin board.  He said he felt that it was mistake
for the Domino board to be released first, because he felt that the
Merlin board was so much more powerful.  The Merlin board is basically
a low-cost version of the Visiona board (it uses the same technology).
The Visiona board is a very expensive, high performance board ($4000
for the 85 mghz/2meg vram version up to $6000 for the 135 mghz 4meg
version -- there is a middle model also).  A little rich for my blood.

The Merlin will be released in three versions:

	1 meg	$699 (US)
	2 meg	$799
	4 meg	$999

The prices he quoted were approximate.  He said that they could vary
by as much as $100 when it finally is approved by the FCC.  Right now
that is where the process is.  I believe he said that they were
waiting for FCC approval or, now that I think of it, were waiting for
the board from XPERT so that they could start the FCC approval
process.  I asked if they actually had a board right now to test, and
he said no.

I asked about compatibility with other programs and he gave a list of
drivers that would be available at $50 each: Imagine, Real3D, Caligari
Broadcast, Caligari2, Scenery Animator, Vista Pro, AdPro.  Also
software includes (along with 24-bit paint program and other stuff
like anim player) a workbench emulator.  I am not sure why this is
important.  Could someone explain why this is important?  He mentioned
that I could run DPAINT under the workbench emulator but I would not
be able to get anything other than the relatively small number of
screen modes available in DPAINT.

I also asked about horizonal scan rates that I should look for in a
21" monitor.  He suggested that I should not get a monitor that goes
below 80 hz.  I know that the NEC 6FG tops out at 79 hz.  I have been
looking at the Ikegami.

He is faxing me some material, but he says that he does not have any
specs right now from XPERT and that it tends to be tough to get
answers from them.  I faxed him my questions.  He said he would try to
do a little arm twisting and get some answers from XPERT.

I am excited about this board.  I do not think that it is vaporware as
it will be shipping in three weeks or so in Germany.  Spectronics is gearing
up to support the board until a much larger distributor takes over.  They
have to rewrite the documenation in English and go through the FCC approval
process.  I need this board now.  I hope that I do not have to wait too
long.  But I remember the Colorburst fiasco.

Rich Nollman
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
From: dino@alex.com (Dino Fancellu)