CompuServe Messages

"…. that the drives currently available were not even remotely capable of working with the Flyer (that was spring of 94), but that capable drives at the 3.7 MB lower limit for the Flyer to do "D2 allowed" compressed video would be available by fall — we were working with their prototypes…… ….as I said we are working on getting to the limits of the algorithm and we think we can squeeze more out of it. I'm puzzled as to why I would say we are working on bettering those modes, and you would say you're disturbed about it……." Chuck, the underlying frustration and dissappointment in the HD issue is based on Newtek's decision to release the Flyer before drive technology was able to work flawlessly with the Flyer. The message that people are trying to give you here is that Newtek should have either delayed the Flyer until the drives were more robust, or developed a 'worst case scenario' design that would have worked flawlessly with existing drive technology. For example, a design that used two 'ordinary' drives running in parallel, with data inteleaving, plus associated high speed caching. If each put out 3.5 MB/sec….or even 3…, then the two could pump 7….or 6…..more than enough to have avoided all the drive problems that people have struggled with. And at the lower street prices for 'ordinary' drives, having to get twice as many may have been a lot less painfull than having to worry about dealing with glitches, crashes, and lost work. More power to you in pushing the envelope on the 'algorithm'. But unless NT is VERY confident that the fruit of that effort will result in more than a tweak, pursuing a breakthrough solution (such as doubling drives) may be more in Newtek's best interests. Regards………….Nick