CompuServe Thread

#IP 5.0

29 messages in this thread
#25540From: R.SATOHJul 25, 1991 4:41 AM
Ben, congratulations! How many more improvements can you make with this absolutely near-perfect software! I won't be downloading 5.0 yet cause I send my precious unit, for a modification, so please send my baby as soon as you can. I was betting that 5.0 wouldn't be release till my unit comes back, but I guess I was wrong. Now is this the version that you were talking about optimization and speed increase? I guess I'll find out but is picking colornearness- similar and easy like photoshop's magic wand. Magic wand feature (graphic intuition style) on photoshop is a only remaining fortress thats better than IP, so if you beat this one, your the best. THANX – via Whap!
#25548From: Charles BlaquiereJul 25, 1991 7:43 PM
Rawl, actually, one feature that's a real treat in Photoshop is the feathering setting. Without it, many effects are difficult or impossible to create. I haven't downloaded 5.0 yet (still using 2.6, eeek) but I haven't read anything on the Forum so far that leads me to conclude that IP has feathering. (Prove me wrong, Ben!) Blaq! – via Whap!
#25553From: Black Belt SystemsJul 25, 1991 8:34 PM
I think you're wrong. :^) There is a new transparency mode, called "Edge Transparency", that feathers in edges. IP 5.0, of course. Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25552From: Black Belt SystemsJul 25, 1991 8:32 PM
We'll have to wait and see what you think… I'm betting you'll like our way better. Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25554From: R.SATOHJul 25, 1991 9:42 PM
Ben You are always ahead. I couldn't resist so I went ahead and download it Since I don't have the unit I can't give you back instant feedback but one of the best new features are loading All IFF files and DCTV! Loading DCTV will help All networkers too view beautiful files create by DCTV-HAM-E on both devices. All DCTV user will benifit from this using IP to convert HAM-E files to IFF-24 files and view it, with the merciful permission given by you and Black Belt Systems. But better yet I suggest all DCTV user to also get HAM-E unit, because its a perfect combo. I confess I also have DCTV and so far I benifit more from HAM-E than DCTV. Another thing I haven't really double check this but my A3000 crashed when reading DCTV image under default preference and after loaded-> I went to DISPLAY and switch to 24bit, HI-Q, and Lace-> when calulating palette the machine just hang up. Another thing I changed and changed my Preference for all display types and I also deleted .24 <- loading extension, but when I reboot it, other changed to my preference except for .24 extension. Personally I always want to see all files so I don't want extensions. Please check on these things, but then again I may be totally wrong. THANX – via Whap!
#25558From: Black Belt SystemsJul 25, 1991 10:46 PM
I'm a little confused… you say it crashed when reading the image, but you went to prefs and changed things? I don't understand when it crashed – during the load, or during the palette calculate? Either way, we've not seen a single crash yet, and that DCTV loader has been running here for a number of weeks… ditto the 24 bit renderer. I'd sure like some more info, *especially* if you can give me a reproducable sequence that can make it crash here, or for others. If we can find it, we'll fix it and upload a replacement ASAP, fo course. Thanks for the kind words, otherwise. :^) Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25582From: Joe KuzmaJul 26, 1991 2:49 PM
I've noticed in IP5.0 that when loading 18-bit images, sometimes on larger ones there is a blue-band of coloring running across a small section of the image. The same image, processed through ADPro into 24-bit does not have the banding. Joe
#25592From: Black Belt SystemsJul 27, 1991 1:42 AM
Joe, please upload a sample image for us, and we'll find it and fix it. Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25597From: Joe KuzmaJul 27, 1991 10:43 AM
Will do. Joe
#25583From: R.SATOHJul 26, 1991 8:11 PM
I'm sorry Ben, false alarm, I wasn't able to duplicate the same problem so don't worry. I just got my unit back. It only took 3 day to modify and now I really enjoy it with new IP 5.0 + adjustment knob + DCTV hook up + no flicker or glitch with A3000 anymore. This is perfect. I'll try more deeper with IP and try to comment you about it later. Now again I may be wrong, but when I use NTSC-Filters-> it does not redraw a image-> is this mean that my image is already conform to NTSC standard?-> if it is, I remember it use to indicate me with a comment. What happened? THANX – via Whap!
#25593From: Black Belt SystemsJul 27, 1991 1:44 AM
Um…. good question. I'll check Monday; NTSC filter should redraw the region it works on, as far as I know. Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25559From: John PendergrassJul 25, 1991 11:01 PM
Well, after DLing IP 5.0 and using it for about an hour, I had about 10 things that I was going to 'suggest', then I read the docs, and found out that most of there were there already, just a little more hidden than I'd expected….. imagine my joy! Rule #2: Read the IP docs. Transparency buffers: *just* what I wanted. Thank you. Multi-Select masks: I'd never thought of it before, but after using it once or twice, I don't know how I did without. (love the right mouse button 'reposition mask' button too!) Color masks! !!!! (hey, how about a DEFINE COLOR button in the mask panel now?) etc, etc, etc…. quite an upgrade! Two small glitches: 🙂 1) if you've defined a transparency buffer mask, and later delete it (when it was still 'active' as a mask), the mask seems to go to all -0-%; would be more natural to go to 100%, no? 2) when doing 'combine' (compose panel), and the secondary buffer is smaller than the primary, shouldn't you get a clean rectangular outline of the secondary buffer? Mine gives me a very, very poor one, with a lot of static at the top? Rule #1: Get IP 5.0. 🙂 –jp–seattle–
#25560From: Black Belt SystemsJul 25, 1991 11:07 PM
The transparency buffer going to zero is a bug. We'll fix it. Thank you. Using combine, you should get an outline, I think – I'll check with barry – did you have a very complex shape brush? That might have done that. Glad you like it otherwise. We're waiting for the NEXT round of suggestions now. :^) Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25571From: John PendergrassJul 26, 1991 11:05 AM
With combine my primary image was 352×440 and my secondary image was 320×400; I figured that I should get a clean outline of where to place the secondary, right? – instead some real garbage. Only the upper left corner was really useful, which was sufficient to place the image, but I thought I'd mention anyway. What a spectacular program. Give your programmers some sleep now 🙂 –jp–seattle–
#25575From: Black Belt SystemsJul 26, 1991 11:11 AM
John, that should have worked – we're looking at it today. Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
#25945From: Margaret CopelandAug 12, 1991 12:47 PM
Hi Ben, here because I'm here. I've been working with the DCTV zipper filter and my Mavica. Read a reasonable explanation of what type of image I'm getting in August 91 Publish, talks about how these still cameras work. Well the DCTV Zipper removal helps a lot. Did you get a Zapshot yet? Seems to me that if half of the horizontal lines are missing, maybe IP can interpolate them back and reduce the stair steps. The zipper removal works better than Anti-Alias.
#25952From: John PendergrassAug 12, 1991 8:05 PM
Margaret, you are using a ZapShot camera? If you don't mind, your thoughts? I've been curious about how well it would work with the Amiga (DigiView ?) for some time…. PS. Love SeaWasp.24. Always looking forward to your next efforts! –jp–seattle–
#25968From: Mike SchillerAug 13, 1991 12:12 AM
John: I have a XapShot model RC250 (the consumer field only model) and I've used it to digitize stuff into my computer using an Impulse VD-1. The Xapshot's image isn't a full NTSC image, and unless I run the output of the camera thru a TBC before going to the digitizer I can't bring the image into the Firecracker24. The Camera is really nice, and I use it quite a bit. It's nice having 50 shots per "roll of film" and being able to erase them anytime I want. You might want to look into getting a used VD-1, as there is a program to convert it's raw format directly into the FC24 (both are (or were) Impulse products) where you can then save as 24bit IFF rather nicely. There's even talk at Impulse of adding support for the VD-1 into Light24, along with the Epson EC300 scanner as well. -Mike Schiller In sunny Fort Lauderdale
#25983From: John PendergrassAug 13, 1991 8:05 PM
Thanks Mike. Having the FR24 and the HAME already, I'm not likely to go and get a VD-1 too! Have you ever tried the Zapshot with the DigiView 4.0 or such? Wonder what would happen…. Speaking of Light24…. do you have any further word on it? It's great that Impulse is thinking of adding VD-1 and Scanner support for it, but first: HOW ABOUT A PRODUCT AT ALL? (maybe you get copies I don't, but mine is getting old, and I despair of ever seeing a real Light24. I'm finding Black Belts ImageMaster F/C just fine 🙂 –jp–seattle–
#25995From: Mike SchillerAug 14, 1991 3:09 AM
John: While the VD-1 is an output device too, I never (well hardly ever) use it for that purpose. I use it strickly for digitizing images. I tried using DigiView with the Xapshot, and it seemed to do a fairly good job, although I could only digitize a B&W image, as I just sold my color splitter 🙂 In general I find that the slow scan types of digitizers don't seem to do as good a job as a frame grabing device like the VD-1, FrameGrabber, Framebuffer, etc. The only reason I mentioned the VD-1 as opposed to the others is that if a person has a Firecracker, then they can use the VD-1 to better advantage than somebody that doesn't have a Firecracker, and from what I understand VD-1's are fairly cheap these days (I bought mine used for about $100.00). -Mike Schiller In sunny Fort Lauderdale
#26000From: R.SATOHAug 14, 1991 5:37 AM
Can you give me spec and what you think of VD-1. Some of the thing I wonder is does it support color, image quality, capture speed, how many image it stores simultaneously, and does it overscan. THANX – via Whap!
#26005From: Mark SterlingAug 14, 1991 9:26 AM
John, Looks like Light24 is about to ship?! It does include scanner support(Epson?). It also has some deal for importing an object from Imagine and rendering it in LIGHT24 in a scanline mode as a brush. You can set up camera angle, light source, etc. Sounds very interesting to me. Hopefully they are feeling the pressure from other 24 bit products. My version DL'd from here is getting old too. I'm having a lot of fun with IM/FC as well. ….Mark
#26014From: jeff brownAug 14, 1991 3:21 PM
Any idea what the program to convert "NTSC*" files to IFF-24 is? I have a VD-1 sitting around unused since I got the F/C, and would like to be able to do 24 bit frame grabs. Any help is appreciated. (If I remember, the progs supplied w/ the VD-1 only saved out as 12-bit color). Thanx, …Jeff.
#26028From: Mike SchillerAug 14, 1991 9:09 PM
Jeff: The program is called "VDZ". the "capture" program supplied with the VD-1 makes files that are a full 21 bits, however it's totally incompatible with anything else (other than VDZ that is). The format for VDZ is 'VDZ filename 768 <– or 512,1024,384 and the program will take the file (saved with capture) and transfer it over to the firecracker at the desired resolution. You can get the VDZ program from Impulse, you should call them, and ask to speak to Mike (not Halvorson, the other Mike – I don't remember his last name). While you have them on the phone, you might want to ask them about support for the VD-1 within Light24 too, as they mentioned that they were thinking about that as well. -Mike Schiller In sunny Fort Lauderdale
#26039From: Mark SterlingAug 15, 1991 10:57 AM
Jeff See Mike S.'s reply for most info you need. The "other Mike" at Impulse is Mike Dammar. If you are thinking of selling your VD-1 please let me know as I am interested. You may want to keep it in after you get VDZ. ….Mark Sterling 74335,1677
#25977From: Margaret CopelandAug 13, 1991 12:09 PM
I bought a Sony Mavica here in the SFBay Area for $200.00. For a point and shoot camera, that's enough to pay. I bo rrowed a friend's color splitter and am using the Digiview on my 1000. To make a long story shorter, I have to run the 1000 on floppies to use the Digiview so I am unable to get IP going and run it that way. However if I ever get my 500 straightened out, I'll have 7 megs, should be able to do some multitasking. Meanwhile I saving the scans as DigiviewRGB, then restarting the 1000, running IP and using the DCTV zipper on the whole image.The camera is field only (not like the better ones) so I'm experimenting with the best screen size to capture the image. I'm getting better at it but the images still look poor full screen in composite compared to the RGB view of it. They look acceptable reduced 50%.
#25984From: John PendergrassAug 13, 1991 8:05 PM
I gather that the Sony Mavica is also a 'digital' camera, ala Xapshot? For $200 it sounds interesting…. –jp–seattle–
#25988From: Margaret CopelandAug 13, 1991 10:21 PM
I got it at Whole Earth Access, electronics chain here. I don't think it allows you to get as close as the Zapshot, only 5 feet but Sony no Balony.
#26022From: Black Belt SystemsAug 14, 1991 8:51 PM
No XapShot yet – couldn't FIND one on my trip. Going to Denver this weekend for a wedding, may look there if I have time… 2 days driving, 2 days wedding, so I doubt it, but maybe. :^) Ben Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S