#HAM-E Has Arrived!
20 messages in this thread
Hi there,
Just wanted to tell y'all that at least one HAM-E has made its way to
its owner's anxious, trembling hands. 8^) My HAM-E arrived yesterday
evening via UPS. Hurrah!
The HAM-E unit itself is a beige/grey metal box about 8.5 x 9.5 x 2"
with an RGB input on one end and an RGB output and AC adaptor input on the
other end. Opening the case reveals a PCB with the usual chips and other
doodads <grin>. Depending upon your particular Amiga (specifically your
Amiga's Agnus and Denise chips), it may be necessary for you to open up
your HAM-E and make some adjustments to the unit. I had to do this…the
adjustments are easy to make and the instructions are clear about what to
do and what _not_ to do, but even so the squeamish may find this a bit
intimidating. 😉
Software includes the HAM-E processor (converts images to HAM-E or REG
format), an Intuition front-end for the processor, the latest version of
Ben's REG paint program, an image viewer, and a bunch of standard and ARexx
scripts. I've been using Mostra to display the HAM-E and REG images I've
thus far created…it works fine tho I did have to adjust my screen
placement in Preferences to allow overscanned images to display properly.
So…how do the new modes look? Pretty d*mned good, I'd say. 8^) In
HAM-E mode color banding (aka "stairstepping") is virtually
non-existent…transitions are smooth, just like they should be. REG mode
is also surprisingly good; it rivals and in some cases surpasses standard
HAM.
Documentation on the rendering engine itself is rather sparse…I've
figured out a lot just by experimenting, but there are still some
parameters I don't understand too well. Lots of options, tho.
One negative so far: the rendering software won't load any of my
TAD-processed 8-bit greyscale images. Bummer…my first HAM-E uploads were
gonna be greyscale pics. I'll have to rescan some of them at 6-bit
resolution and see if that works.
Well…I'll be uploading some HAM-E and REG images as soon as I feel
more comfortable with the software and more confident that I'm producing
the best
<grrr…bleeping message length limit <grin>>
I'll be uploading some HAM-E and REG images as soon as I feel more
comfortable with the software and more confident that I'm producing the
best possible images with it. Can't wait for the TADpro HAM-E module! 🙂
To sum up: the HAM-E is here and it works! Congratulations, Ben (and
Greg), ya done good.
-Dave
Dave,
I too received my Ham-E on Tuesday. To all Ham-E owners and those
interested in the booger, I am posting comments to Black Belt Systems in
Amigavendor to facilitate sharing problems, solutions and usage. Due to
the slower scroll rate, the messages should stick around a bit longer than
on the other Fora.
I have suggested to Otto Smith of Seven Seas Software that Ham-E hooks be
added to their fabulous Mathvision. I you or any others agree, please let
Seven Seas know of your interest.
Michael
Try loading them into DV 4.0 and saving RGB that might work. I got my Ham-E
on monday and I love it! I just raided Truevision's TARGA board and have
converted the Eagle pic, but I also sent it to Ben at BB to see how well he
can render it ( the conversions fantastic).
BEN Leigh's Computer's
oh yeah I also fooled around a bit in Dpaint with it (set grid to X=2, Y1)
and I discovered as long as you keep the "cookie" at the top of an image or
brush, you can paste together multiple pics!
Ben,
Could you describe the steps required to "paste" several brushes or pics
with Ham-E? I'm not clear on the concept.
Michael
Well first I loaded Dpaint3 (would probably work with any hi res paint pkg)
loaded the first pic in, cut off the bottom (so that the next pic wouldn't
interfere with the first) loaded the next pic as a brush (remeber dpaint
thinks they have the same pallette) and pasted it down at the bottom of the
cut off area (note the pics have to be the same std interlace with
interlace, non interlace w/ non interlace). Wolla! each pic will be
seperated by the cookie line but the sections will work. BTW this same
method works with Hi-res graphics (with the right pallete) and Hame-E pics
(think of the possibilities!
BEN Leigh's Computer's
Thanks Ben…I'll fool with that this weekend
Michael
Ben,
Digi-View 4.0 doesn't load IFF24 files properly (not even the ones it
generates…it messes up the brightness and contrast levels), so that won't
work. Looks like I'm stuck–as far as greyscale images as concerned–until
Ben adds 8-bit support to the hame program.
Yes, I've noticed that DPaint will load and display HAM-E and REG
images. You can do some very basic things with the images, but Ben's Paint
is a much better REG editor. 8^) (BTW, Paint will also load HAM-E pics.)
-Dave-
The Ham-E software can steal the proper info from digiviews internals while
it's running, try it that way.
BEN Leigh's Computer's
Ben,
That's exactly how I tried to use DV4 with my 8-bit greys and hame. See,
Digi-View doesn't decode IFF24 files correctly (it seems to _en_code them
ok, tho), so by the time it loads a TAD file into memory the damage has
already been done. Anyway, Ben says the latest version of Paint should
load 8-bit files directly…I'll soon find out. 😉
-Dave-
Question: Can HAM-E be used with a flicker-fixer without swapping cables
or getting an AB switch? It doesn't seem like it is possible, but you never
know.
— Ethan
Ethan,
No, the HAM-E won't work with a flickerFixer…the FF converts the
Amiga's video rate in all modes to 31.5 KHz. The HAM-E deals with 15.75
KHz video only. So you'd need an A/B switch. The HAM-E might work with
C='s deinterlacer, provided–of course–that you switch off the
scan-doubler. You won't get a deinterlaced HAM-E output, naturally, in
that case.
-Dave-
Well, if the HAM-E is an external device, then it should be no problem.
With the A2320 (Commodore's FF), you can turn off the de-interlacing logic.
This was done to support external Genlocking and the new SuperDenise modes.
Ted
Ted,
Ahh…so C='s deinterlacer is a real product? (For the 2×00 series
Amigas, I mean.) Great.
Nonetheless, even C='s delacer won't work directly with the HAM-E.
Peter Selverstone, the fellow who designed the flickerFixer, tells me that
the HAM-E only works with the Amiga's 23-pin RGB output. So you still need
a switchbox or a separate monitor.
-Dave-
Um, David, I thought the FF's 31KHz video output was IN ADDITION to the
normal video output of the Amiga. It seems this way there should be no
reason why they couldn't work in tandem.
This is correct. Both HAM-E and external genlocks connect to the 23 pin
RGB connector and cannot be connected to the flickerFixer output.
FlickerFixer never modifies the signals on the RGB connector so there is no
compatibility problem. The flickerFixer can be used simultaneously with
HAM-E, but if a single monitor is used then a switchbox is necessary.
Peter.
Christopher,
Yes, of course, the flickerFixer's video output is in addition to the
Amiga's standard RGB output. Using a switchbox or a separate monitor will
allow the HAM-E and the FF to work in tandem. What Ethan was asking, tho,
was whether or not the HAM-E will work with a flickerFixed video signal. It
won't.
-Dave-
David, HAM-E cannot be connected to anything other that the 23 pin RGB
connector of the Amiga itself. It requires digital RGBI signals that are
not available elsewhere. A switchbox would be required with any video slot
board. Peter.
Peter,
Thanks for the correction. I'll dump my errant message(s). 8^)
-Dave-
Peter:
Do you know how the C= deinterlacer board compares to the flickerfixer? I
have a FF, and a few people I know locally suggested that I sell it, and
buy C= board. Is there any reason to do that?
-Mike Schiller
In sunny Fort Lauderdale