CompuServe Thread

30fps HAM?

7 messages in this thread
#21470From: Jeffrey HeftAug 27, 1992 1:12 AM
Is there a hardware and/or software configuration for the 2000 or 3000 platforms that will allow Deluxe Paint IV animations to run at or near 30fps in HAM/Interlaced/Max overscan mode even when all or most of the pixel map is changing every frame? Will any of the new video display cards allow me to play RAM animations that are: at least 640 x 480 (overscan); at least 12 bit; completely change pixel maps each frame; at or near 30fps? TIA, JDH
#21501From: Charles BlaquiereAug 28, 1992 12:50 AM
Jeffrey, for maximum speed, you can bypass the compressed ANIM format and simply load all your frames in Chip RAM, then page-flip them. You can display up to 30 fps this way. Of course, you are limited by the number of frames that will fit into Chip RAM; on an A3000, with 2M Chip RAM, you can fit about 15 frames of maximum overscan, interlaced, HAM graphics. Obviously your animation would need to be some kind of loop in order to work with just 15 frames. The best software available to do this kind of thing would be The Director 2.0, which gives you total control over such things as blitter operations, and loading and page-flipping of full screens. Blaq!
#21503From: Paul ToalAug 28, 1992 5:06 AM
Blaq! Hello again 🙂 While we're on the subject, have you found anything faster than RTAP for playing compressed files off the harddrive? My neighbor was sad when I blew away his Mac Quadra by running a 22 meg hires animation at full speed. I do have an '040 and 32 megs of 32 bit RAM but I don't think that really makes much of a difference. Food for thought, or a thread… Is a chip RAM accelerator possible? If so, what's the big deal? Why doesn't RCS just make it and sell it? John Foust knows of the technology required and didn't sound to impressed or hopeful. There's also a red bishop in Australia that supposedly has one. –Paul Still on AutoPilot
#21512From: SyndesisAug 28, 1992 10:53 AM
Not me! You must be thinking of Dean Brown, or Ben Williams, the other curmudgeon. 🙂
#21536From: john meggieAug 29, 1992 11:08 AM
Paul, speaking of Chip RAM accelerators, did you see the ad in the September Amiga World (p.36)? "The Fast Lane" Chip RAM accelerator from Black Knight Peripherals – $269 without Agnus (1MB or 2MB). They're looking for Beta and Gamma testers (including *free* hardware). Other neat products in the ad. John
#21555From: Paul ToalAug 30, 1992 2:34 AM
I didn't see the ad yet. That was my reference to red bishop, black knight. Get it? 🙂 We'll see at WOC, maybe. –Paul Still on AutoPilot
#21565From: Peter GreciAug 30, 1992 4:43 PM
Theres a Copany Called Black knight Industries who claim to have a Chip Ram Accelerator MIDGARD GRAPHICS, CREATORS OF QUALITY ANIMATION.