#Targa questions galore
8 messages in this thread
Actually, this question is intended to all, but I've really
liked your posts, so I thought I'd put it to your attention. I am in
the process of setting up a 3ds settup, though my 3ds software hasn't
arrived yet, and I'm hoping you could answer some questions. It has
been several years since I had any experience with computer
animation, & that on the Digital Arts 3D program, so I'm far behind
the times. I'm lucky in that my best friend is a Novell CNE and can
help me with my hardware questions, though not the video/animation
specific stuff. Any help is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!
Currenty I've got the following:
486dx2/50 w/ 8mb RAM, 500mb of disk space and a VESA local bus video
card
486slc66 w/ 20mb RAM, 450 mb disk space, and a SCSI 525mb tape backup
unit.
Both systems have Intel Etherexpress 16's, and will be connected via
WFW, mostly because I don't want to take the time to figure out how
to do Lantastic right now, in addition to the learning curve I
anticipate in learning 3DS. I have the file 3dsnet.txt, as per the
generous advice of many of the denizens here, and am getting through
it slowly. (I stop every time I see a new term and try to find out
what it is. <S>). My questions are as follows:
1-What is a TARGA board, what does it do, & where do you find such a
beasty?
2-Are there equivalents by other companies, if so then where do I find
them?
3-What books (besides the provided manuals) &/or periodicals would
you recomend. (I have INSIDE 3D STUDIO Release 3.0)
4-Seeing the above configuration, what are the next three purchases
you'd expend capital on, in order? Our initial plan is to get a
CD-ROM first, and then a……..??? What would your next choice be?
We have periodic expendable capital that we can put into the studio,
but it comes in small chunks and we just need to start making a
"purchase plan" for the next few months.
1. A targa+ board is a relatively low cost frame buffer. It receives
a rendered image from the 3DS renderer and outputs to image in
various resolutions to your monitor. It most typically is used to
generate a 512X486 24 bit output to a TV monitor at NTSC frequencies
for video display. It is separate from your VGA monitor and VGA
card. There are several models of the targa+ but the best bang for
the buck seems to be the targa+ 16/32 model. You buy these targa+
boards from a knowledgeable dealer/VAR as most people need tech
support to getting them setup right. There are several on this forum
that can help you out. 2. There is a targa+ clone board and usually
the same dealers will offer these too at a slightly lower price. I
chose the name brand because there wasn't much of a difference in
price to justify not having the real targa+. 3. Daily reading of the
threads on this forum will make you a most informed animator, keep
you on the cutting edge, and have access to some of the worlds
leading tech support people on an interactive basis. Books are fine
but usually you only find one technique or recipe for an effect
whereas this forum will give you a variety of solutions from some of
the most creative minds on the planet. 4.If you already have 3DS you
need to expand your RAM to a minimum of 16 megs per machine. Second,
dump the WFW as it has been well documented that WFW is not a
transparent, trouble free network solution with 3DS. With two
machines get Lantastic, NOW! I don't care if it does take you 3
hours to get it set up. You'll waste more time than that on your
first rendering with WFW. The cost will be under $200 for the
software. You will need to go back to regular windows 3.1 and
specify Lantastic 5.0 in the windows setup. Windows 3.1 runs better
under Lantastic 5.0 than WFW. You will need to buy the Lantastic 5.0
AI to use with your ethernet 16 cards. While, WFW works for small
data packets the WFW protected mode speed tends to corrupt the
packets on large file transfers with the ethernet 16 cards. This is
a well documented limitation of protected mode and the ethernet 16
cards. You'll want a good reliable network so you can model on one
and render on the other machine. Third do get a framebuffer, or
depending on the budget get a DPS PAR to lay your animations to tape,
any VCR, even a cheap home VHS machine can be used with the PAR. The
PAR will substitute for a frame buffer for most of your 3DS work but
not all. It won't work for the materials editor. The PAR will run
you 2500-3000 depending on your ability to shop discounts. The
targa+ about 1300-2000.
You can live without a CD ROM for now but if you decide you need one
for data and can spare $175-200 a Mitsumi is pretty good deal.
The suggestions above is the priority I would put if I had your
situation and what I know about the business.
Many Thanx for the info! You've given me a lot to think about, & now I
have a vague idea where my next purchases need to be, if not a time
frame for those purchases.
I do wonder how people who are not part of an existing production
company can afford the startup costs. I am not complaining, so much
as just trying to find a way to get the equipment together to do a
first rate job. Obviously, you only get one chance to make a good
impression & I want to make the most of that first chance, you know?
Once again thanks for your speedy reply. When my 3ds package arives,
they said one to two weeks, I'm sure I'll have plenty more "basic"
questions, but I'll try not to be a pest about it.
CIAO… Tom Helmers/Antony Chessor
Has anyone established if WfW 3.11 fixes any problems with this?
>>Has anyone established if WfW 3.11 fixes any problems with this?
THIS? If you mean the protected mode / ethernet /large file transfer problem
the answer is windows 3.11 still operates the network in protected mode.
What's needed is faster network cards. It's a hardware problem so I
understand. I have not evaluated 3.11 with the proper hardware though. I have
to go on what I was told.
I just priced a PAR directly from DPS and they indicated the list was just
under $2000 for the card. Sounds like a great deal to me. Brent Bonet – POP!
Multimedia Atlanta
Brent,
>> Sounds like a great deal to me. <<
The best around for a variety of reasons. Its closest competitor is still in
Beta and will appeal to a different audience. IMO. Its one of the few products
you really get more than you pay for. Like 3DS. 🙂
-JE
PMJI, but I noticed on the list of computers that you are planning to
run 3DS on, that one is an IBM SLC chip. This chip does not have a
Math-co built in as does the 486DX chips by Intel. Often times these
computers are sold with a separate Math-co chip on the mother board,
if so in your case then you are O.K. If not then 3DS will not run on
that computer, you will need to purchase either a Math-co chip on an
emulation software such as Q387. Just a thought <g>.