#PAR?
Good questions! It does get confusing which is which and what is what. <g>
In the recent past your basic choices where RGB, SVHS and Composite.
There are two types or RGB which confuses things further. In the computer world
RGB usually means SVGA _not to be confused with SVHS 🙁
In the video world RGB is a 15Khz output signal which outputs Red Green and
Blue. You need a low frequency monitor as opposed to SVGA which typically
requires a 60Khz and up monitor. So aside from your SVGA monitor you need
another Video monitor.
Ok. so you've got an SVGA display card already and then the question is what
kind of video output framebuffer are you going to be using.
As you know the PAR outputs Component or CAV, SVHS or Y/C and Composite. Of the
three Component is the best, followed by SVHS and finally composite. In your
situation with a standard T.V. you will (per Allen's recommendation) be using
SVHS. Which is not bad but doesn't have near the resolution of the Panasonic.
(400 lines as opposed to 700 with the Panasonic) Beta SP is Component output or
CAV and has the highest resolution potential.
Less than a year ago most people had framebuffers that output RGB, SVHS and
composite. Composite is a standard NTSC signal and is the dirtest output of the
bunch. This is because all the signals like Hue, Luminance and Saturation are
all mixed together. SVHS and Component seperate the signals. As does RGB which
also has a fourth signal Sync.
Examples of Framebuffers that output RGB,SVHS and Composite where boards like
the Targa 32/64. The original AT-Vista had RGB and Alpha only.
Recently there has been a shift to Component or CAV as opposed to RGB. RGB and
Component are easier on the eyes with a long persistence monitor, than
Composite or SVHS. Typically Broadcast monitors are not long persistence but
Component output doesn't flicker like Composite.
All this is moot if you plan to do painting in Windows which is really why
you'd have a dedicated frame-buffer or for outputing to tape, which you won't
need to do if you have the PAR.
There are advantages to having a dedicated framebuffer but I think for the time
being you don't need to concern yourself with this as getting a good video
monitor along with a good SVGA monitor for Windows along with a good 24 bit
display card for painting is what you'll need. You may already have these I
don't know.
I don't know of any good books to recommend, but there are many multi-media
magazine out now which explain these inter-related topics concerning video and
computers. "New Media", and "PC Graphics and Video" are two I'd recommend.
-JE