This is an archive of CompuServe forum messages from 1985 to 1995, as saved in transcripts by John Foust.
Search Results (93 messages)
Smacker Sample File
Message #98824
To everybody: Hey, there's a new Smacker sample file in the libs – check it out, it looks terrific. It is a fly-by of the chapel model. 79 frames, full-delta, 320×240 – a mere 1 MB (down from 5.5 MB!). Thanks, ->Jeff
Another nice feature is the ability to scale the playback. Most people that license this technology also get the hardware tht goes with it – I think it a Thinking Machines box. This gets the compression to only take days instead of weeks. I understand that it does very well…
Chuck: Smacker usually works great under Windows. Some older Windows drivers have problems with SuperVGA applications though (so Smacker has some of the same troubles that Animator Pro has under Windows). We are working on a native Windows versio right now. I don't have any machines running OS/2, so I…
Yes, it won't be started on until after a Windows-Smacker, and a DOS-Sound-Smacker, though. We will have a converter that will move TGAs into a flic much sooner that though. I'm planning on the converter being able to rotate colors through the palette on each frame to up the apparent…
Thanks for filling Jesse in! P.S. FYI, Smacker has a lossless setting that keeps the quality perfect, but still beats PKZIP by 5%-10%.
Smacker is a compressor and playback system for flic animations. It can compress animations at several different settings – perfect, minimum, moderate, maximum. The perfect quality is lossless – it looks exact the same and will beat PKZIP by 5%-10%. On the opposite end, the maximum setting will usually get…
Sorry to nose in, but we also have a new player that ships with our Smacker flic compression product. The player and a sample flic can be downloaded in this forum. Search for "SMACK" and download the player and dino.smk.
We will make the script player available with the player. (So, it will be here on CIS!)
That's right – we charge no royalties, just a flat redistribution fee.
#Smacker Script Player
Message #98354
Hey, I'm going to do a quick and dirty scripting player for Smacker. So, to make sure that it has the features you need – what would you like to see in such a product? ->Jeff RAD Software
We're working on it! I'm waiting for a new specification called DCI, which will allow video playback to approach DOS speeds. Thanks for your interest, ->Jeff
No prob', hope you like it. ->Jeff
#97606-
Smacker FLIC Compressor
Message #97786
A license to redistribute the playback utility is $1,495.00 per product. You can also get a Source Code License, but it is much more expensive. Thanks, ->Jeff
Smacker Sample Files
Message #97673
To everyone that has been calling me: It looks like the forum libraries are full (boy, they need Smacker! ), so I haven't been able to upload the Shark animation. I believe that is also caused the delay on the DINO.FLC being posted. However, DINO is available in the GraphSup…
#97289-
Smacker FLIC Compressor
Message #97366
Phil: Have info faxed tomorrow. You know, it's funny – the hardest selling point thus far has been convincing people that it really does what I tell them it does. We don't have any UK dealers set up yet, so you can order directly from us. The compressed flics do…
I'm going to upload Dino.SMK and Shark1.SMK from the 3D Studio CD-ROM. I also have a rendered version the Chapel model that I'll upload. The player autodetects 26 different chipsets, in addition to its standard VESA support. Smacker has a fair number of options for smart playback, but this may…
I uploaded the player yesterday. I'll upload several samples today. I don't know how long it takes for the files to become available, however. ->Jeff
Nope, sorry, no shareware. The real-time back utility and a couple of sample flics should be up soon. Thanks, ->Jeff
#Upload
Message #97171
I would like to upload a compressed version of the DINO.FLC found on the 3D Studio diskettes. Can I do this? Who permission would I need to ask for? Thanks, ->Jeff
Smacker FLIC Compressor
Message #97127
The Smacker flic compressor is now shipping!! I'm letting everyone hear know first, because many of your comments helped decide the features that made it! Here is the standard Smacker info, and I'd be happy to answer any specific questions: The Smacker Video And Animation Compressor is now available! Smacker…
#Smacker FLIC Compressor
Message #97126
The Smacker flic compressor is now shipping!! I'm letting everyone hear know first, because many of your comments helped decide the features that made it! Here is the standard Smacker info, and I'd be happy to answer any specific questions: The Smacker Video And Animation Compressor is now available! Smacker…
#Weird FLIC Write Cont
Message #91205
I downloaded the ANIFILES.DOC and it explains that the prefix header is unnecessary, so I've started looking elsewhere. Can the ring frame be of any type? Or does it have to be Word-Delta compressed? To simplify my tests, I am writing out every frame as a LITERAL – will this…
#Weirdness on FLIC Write
Message #91194
I'm putting together a flic writer from the ubiquituous DDJ article. I have already put together several flic readers, so the read side is great. All of my readers read my written flic perfectly, but when I try to load my flic in Animator Pro, I get the error "Can't…
More news, VERY shortly!
#Windows for WorkGroups
Message #72966
I have a number of clients using R12 for Windows with Windows for WorkGroups 3.11 and I am having trouble sharing plotters over the network using anything but the System Printer driver. Does anyone have a solution to sharing plotters over the network using the standard AutoCAD for Windows ADI…
Not just yet, it uses a DOS extender that we're wrapping up getting the rights to distribute, probably Monday.
We're talking a flic compressor that we recently finished and are considering marketing. I am going to upload a sampled compressed flic with the player today or tomorrow. ->Jeff
I'm going to upload a compressed Chapel.3DS
It's a completely new format. Right now, you simply choose the file to merge with the flic, and how much data you'd like interleavedd in each frame.
A minimum of 4 to 1, and probably somewhere closer to 8 to 1.
Yeah, the hooks are already there for other people's sound drivers. I was just curious if the included player should supply sound drivers.
Oh, BTW the Access game comes out sometime in spring. ->Jeff
I'll do the Chapel.3ds and upload it with the player. ->Jeff
Sure (on the more info). Where we're at now is that we have a command line comrpessor that does the initial lossy swishing, a command line utility that will merge detail back into the flic, another command line utility to merge in any other kind of data (sound, another flics,…
Yes, audio (or any other data) can be interleaved, but the playback system doesn't currently contain sound drivers, a programmer would have to add that. Is there a need for sound drivers to be built-in? Opinions? ->Jeff
Gotcha. I agree that most games are too slow when run off the CD-ROM. I do, however, like when they just ship the software on CD-ROM, so I can start the installation and walk away. I believe the compression rate is good enough for diskette based products. And no, the…
Our method has no specific ties to the CD-ROM format – it's just much faster when played from the hard drive. You can also preload if you've got the memeory. ->Jeff
Yeah, the code was written specifically for games – Access's new one. The compression quality and speed is much, much beyond what's in 7th Guest. ->Jeff
Your situation is the exact problem Access Software was trying to solve (full deltas). What I was figuring would make up the end user kit would be: a command line compressor, a utitility to merge back an original detail flic back into the compressed file, and finally the player. ->Jeff
Mark: It can playback 30 frames/sec on an 386sx, but it is 386 code (it could be ported to 286 code, with a bit of a slowdown). ->Jeff
#New FLIC Compressor
Message #64760
To all: We have developed a FLIC compression system that has real time play back. It will compress flics a minimum of 4 to 1 up to as high as 10 to 1. The player supports all 8 bit VESA modes, and can interleave sound with the data. On a…
#AAPro 24 bit soon
Message #49580
To all: Has anyone heard if the next version of AAPro will support 24 bit color? Any ETA announced yet? Thanks, ->Jeff
#CEL Format in Ani Pro
Message #835
Hey, does anyone know the new format of a CEL file in Ani Pro? We were able to figure out the old format, but the new one seems to include some sort of compression. Any ideas, hints, filenames?
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