#Targa 2000
17 messages in this thread
Is anyone using the Targa 2000 for animation work. I have had one for a few
weeks now. The potential is great but I am having some serious problems with
the software drivers and utilities.
Would love to get some feedback from other users.
Martin Bowring
– Martin Bowring, Written 06-Jul-1994 @ 23:56:50
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.21
We have one but I only have limited access to it and not much experience on it.
After posting inquiries on the Truevision forum, there seems to be no/very few
utilities for it; nothing akin to Targa+ LOADTGA, SAVETGA, TTSHOW, etc. (if
you're familiar w/ T+). I'm trying like mad to get permanent access to it; so
far no luck.
Post some msgs on their forum; GO TRUEVISION.
It appears that there are still very few boards shipping. My dealer
told me it was shipping but when deliveries slipped I started
shouting, presumably load enough to get some action.
There is limited activity on the TRUEVISION forum as I suspect most
current models are in the hands of developers. I am an end user and
am interested primarily in the basic functions of the shipped
software, namely Premiere 1.1, the DVCR windows player and the
3DSTAR.IXP IPAS, and particularly in the playback and editing of
animations. It is possible to create Targa .DVM movie files directly
from 3D Studio using 3DSTAR and playback through the DVCR. I am still
trying to sort out my disk system but at a data rate of 2.2 MB/s the
quality of output from the hardware is great via this route.
The .DVM can be converted to a .AVI and then edited in Premiere.
Full video/audio editing is possible and by pulling in live scenes it
should be possible to produce very high quality video productions on
PC, and master to your chosen format.
That is the theory, in practice there are still many bugs and incomplete
functions which are causing me a lot of frustration and it is not possible to
produce a quality edited project. I work in PAL and Truevision have aknowledged
there are problems, but have not sorted them. Probably NTSC is better
developed. If I posted a list of problems perhaps you could compare your
experiences.
Martin Bowring
– Martin Bowring, Written 07-Jul-1994 @ 18:35:22
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.21
>perhaps you could compare your experiences.<
No problem.
The DVCR player works well; this is an audio/video sol'n which is very nice.
(An aside: does the Illuminator Pro/Max combo support audio playback? John T,
you there?)
3DSTAR.IXP? What is this?
Premiere 1.1 for Win: I've had a _little_ hands on. I think it's slightly
scaled back from the Mac version. Have you had any problems w/ horiz.
"spikeyness" w/ field rendered anims? i.e. moving objects show their fields? I
had problems w/ that; I'm not sure if it was just a setting I was missing.
I have heard their PAL is not quite ready yet.
The MAX does not _yet_ do audio playback, but that's an application that's
currently being written. I think it may be ready for preveiwing by Siggraph.
John Tissavary (LUNA cie)
More & more this Siggraph is shaping up to be a real winner; can't wait. Thanks
for the reply.
Wait till ya'll see the demo reel. It's FORTY-ONE MINUTES LONG. <g>
And everyone at the party gets one!
– G
You can name it… ah… _Way_ Beyond the Mind's Eye.<g>. II even!
>>3DSTAR.IXP? What is this?
It is a 3D Studio IPAS which renders through Video Post to the Truevision .DVM
format. This works well once you have field order and data rates sorted out and
it produces excellent real time playback. It requires to have the 2000
installed so for longer renders go out to sequential files (with fields on)
then back through video post. It was included in the latest software update.
>>Have you had any problems w/ horiz. "spikeyness" w/ field rendered anims?
i.e. moving objects show their fields?
This is still a major problem, which I don't fully understand and Truevision
won't expand on. I felt that there was some sort of vertical misalignment of
alternate field lines causing the very distracting "spikeyness" you refer too.
Probably it is something to do with the way the .DVM is processed. I did a
number of simple tests using 3DSTAR and Premiere, testing all combinations of
file generation. I concluded that it was essential to render in fields, not
frames, and that the field orders for 3DSTAR and Premiere were different. Not
very handy! With the correct settings it is possible to create animations with
3DSTAR and edit in Premiere using the latest software.
>>I have heard their PAL is not quite ready yet.
I think you may be correct. Even with these problems I am still pleased with
the performance of the Targa 2000 and it is getting a lot of interest from my
clients. I would have liked the option of a PAR but the PAL version is not
available yet.
Martin Bowring
– Martin Bowring, Written 11-Jul-1994 @ 17:26:45
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.21
3DSTAR.IXP…was included in the latest software update.
Latest update of 3DS or T2000? and is it available here? I'll check the lib.
today.
Thanks for the rest of the info. It'd be nice to see this board get established
as widely as the T+ did as far as utility developments.
I got it direct from the UK distributor. It may yet be a Beta release.
All the drivers including Premiere codecs appear to be Truevision's
responsibility and certainly the PAL versions are still "evolving".
There is a developers toolkit but I haven't yet got round to asking
the status or price. I agree that a product like this needs a lot of
good software to make it as widely accepted as the Targa+. I
understand that a number of developers are working on applications
such as non-linear editing, I hope some are working on the more basic
utilities to control how files are created and accessed. When I
bought the card it was the only (reasonably priced) product to give
PAL digital animation playback. I understand the Matrox MAX is now
shipping and that the FAST and PAR cards will be around later this
year. Then applications will become a real marketing requirement.
Martin Bowring
– Martin Bowring, Written 12-Jul-1994 @ 19:41:54
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.21
…Beta release….
Thanks for the info.
Right now the board's pretty much limited to what Premiere for Windows can do.
Just a matter of time for the utilities to start appearing.
What kind of board is the Targa 2000? Is it compatable with anything else?
Chuck Walbourn – Vibrant Graphics
It is kind of a rare mix. Part of the DVR technolgy, the Targa 2000 is an EISA
board that implements accelerated 24bit high resolution display (so that cover
DTP, painting, photo work), video in a window, non-linear realtime video play
and capture with 16bit stereo sound at a 10:1 compression ratio. All with
different kind of video outputs/inputs. At least, that's what the specs say <g>
I am waiting for Siggraph and Don Landis (as the unbiased part on this
"battle") to make his report on the MAX, the PAR and the Targa 2000. I think
Don to be the most "interested" in researching all the desktop solutions
avaliable (that doesn't mean that I won't welcome input from Martin Foster and
John Tissivary, the "biased" parts, as well <g>).
ana /krazy images
Hi Ana:
You should consider me somewhat biased at this point as well. I do
own a PAR and paid for it just like most do. My bias is that I want
the PAR to improve and I think strong competition will do it. The
MAX and Targa2000 will be that competition. If the MAX would have
performed to Matrox claims last Spring, I think we would have seen
the new version of the PAR software (PAR's weakest aspect) on the
market by now to stay competitive. DPS is comfortably sitting on the
king's throne at this time since they have no real competition.
Thanks for the compliments, I'll try not to let you down with my
"unbiased reporting" The only problem is that unbiased reporting
doesn't pay very well. <BG>
So you are now judge and part, right? <g> I hope to see a lot of reports from
everybody at Siggraph this year 🙂
ana /krazy images
It is a single EISA board combining JPEG compression/decompression,
audio and video I/O. Unlike the PAR which controls the disks
directly, you need a fast disk and controller. There is a detailed
description in the Truevision forum.
With the board you are able to import/export live video and edit with
the supplied Premiere 1.1. More meaningfully for my uses I can
playback animations and edit them into complete multimedia
presentations with live clips and audio. A lot of the discussions
here argue about quality. I am currently able to get sustained data
rates of about 2.3 MB/s which is nearing the 10:1 I have seen quoted
as Avid's Betacam quality, but I am still trying to sort out my disk
setup. For "clean" animations this gives a near perfect playback. The
hardware claims to support compression ratios of about 5:1 which
should be enough for the most critical eye.
Martin Bowring
– Martin Bowring, Written 12-Jul-1994 @ 19:28:24
Using: Windows NavCIS PRO 1.21