#Targa+ gettga and Win31
23 messages in this thread
I just realized that a good way to get my darn 486/66 to multitask while doing
3DS related stuff would be to use a batch file with SoftVTR to do the recording
instead of doing this from 3DS. I figured I could run this task in the
background under windows.
The problem is that when I use gettga.exe to display an image in the
framebuffer (why Truevision calls the display program "gettga" and the grab
program "puttga" is beyond me!), it shows up with all these horizontal lines on
it if windows is running. This works fine under dos without windows. It looks
like ever other group of four or so scan lines is being skipped. Does anyone
know what is going on?
It seems there is a conspiracy to keep me from doing more than one thing at a
time on the computer while doing 3DS-related stuff. I can hardly wait for the
dpmi-compliant 3DSr3. Of course, I may still have this Targa+ problem if
nobody knows what to do about it. Then again, I will switch to OS/2 2.1 by then
so the problem may go away. In the meantime, I'm thankful I have my modem
hooked up to this old 386sx.
Bailey
Bailey,
Might be caused by not excluding the frame buffer address in the system.ini
file. I don't have direct experience with the targa and windows but other
cards have been susceptible to this. I figured I had them working in DOS and
Windows would follow, but not always the case.
Just a thought.
Good Luck
Fred
Bailey,
Fred's probably got it right. Make sure your SYSTEM.INI has an
EMMExclude=D000-DFFF (or wherever the Targa is installed) line under the
[386Enh] section. Actually, you may have to exclude the whole range A000-DFFF
if it's still troublesome.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Kevin,
That was it! I am surprised the machine didn't lock up instead of skipping
every other group of 4 scanlines.
Thanks!
Bailey
Bailey,
Just as a suggestion try changing the font setting of the DOS box when the
image is being displayed. The font setting is under the control-menu box –
in the upper left. Let me know if that does it.
Dave Mennenoh
David,
Thanks. It turned out that I was not excluding d000-dfff in system.ini
(but I had done this with QEMM). If I remember correctly, the machine used
to lock up until I figured out to make the exclusion wiht QEMM, so when I
saw a different symptom (every other group of four or so scanlines not
being updated) I figured the problem was different. A couple of guys here
pointed out the d000 thing was usually the problem when using the Targa
with windows, so I tried that and it works no.
The funny thing is that I have been able to use the Windows-based frame
grabber utility that came with the Targa+ all along with no problems.
Bailey
Bailey,
To add to what others said, you might want to check the TV forum .. a while
back I had similair problems and they uploaded a .PIF file which was
appropriate to run GETTGA from.
Ang
Angelo,
I downloaded the gettga.pif from the tv forum & it still doesn't work
Rick
Rick,
>>I downloaded the gettga.pif from the tv forum & it still doesn't work
Did you also exclude the D000-DFFF range (assuming that's where the board
is) in the SYSTEM.INI file as well?
ex: add the following line under the [386 Enh] banner:
[386 Enh] EMMExclude=D000-Dfff
If that doesn't work .. it beats me. If had inconsistant luck getting it
to work.
Ang
Angelo,
I've excluded just about everything to get the windows to work with the
targa.
By the way… an old message said something about a homemade utility to
digitize video. Did you ever bring that in from home? I'm about ready to
start using that other ca-6 cable.
Rick
Ang,
Almost forgot, could you please send a couple 3rd Dim. copies if printed
before the 13th. I'll use them for door prizes.
Rick
Question: Is there a targa file available anywhere of BARS (color test
pattern)? I don't have BARS anywhere except on other tapes, and don't
really want to go throught he hastle (and possible tweeking of) of
capturing it.
Thanks in advance,
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
John:
I uploaded a colorbar pattern (NTSC) as a zip targa file some months ago.
It's located in the Autodesk/General Library and can be found as "NTSC
COLOR BARS" Also, there is a utility that generates bars on your VGA
monitor. It's calles "BARS". Do you know how to use blue glass or gun to
calibrate the NTSC monitor?
PS: I don't have any experience with Hi8 in frame accurate recording. I
only use Hi8 for underwater acquisition. I am not a proponent of hi8 for
any form of editing, period!
Don,
To use the Blue Gun control to adjust your monitor, simply send bars to the
monitor turn on blue gun only and adjust the color and hue controls until
every other bar is the same. What you will see is a light blue bar and
next to it a dark blue bar. The object is to get every other bar, either
light blue or dark blue to be equal in density as the other like bars. The
color control will affect the density of the image and the hue will shift
the color between the bars.
Good Luck
Fred
P.S. you may be interested in the message to Greg.
I believe you addressed this NTSC colorbar monitor adjustment procedure to the
wrong person. I was responding to a request by John Tissavary for a targa file
of NTSC colorbars which I had uploaded some months ago. I was just inquiring
whether he knew how to do the adjustment procedure. As some monitors do not
have a blue gun switch and therefore, you have to use the blue glass method,
although not as accurate.
I do have a question on monitors for you: I have a JVC 9" with
x-pulse on. The video at the cross is slightly skewed to the left
with clean camera or signal generator video fed to the monitor. The
fast AFC switch affects the amount of skewing. ie in fast AFC it is
more skewed than in normal AFC. If I remove the 3.58 burst the cross
looks perfect. I've seen other monitors (same model) and they look
OK. I don't have a manual or circuit diagram for the monitor and
it's not in warrantee. Do you know of an adjustment to remove this
skewing? It's not worth the service tech's fee to fix this minor
imperfection but I'd appreciate it if you have any thoughts on this.
Thanks, Fred. I think that message was to me, not Don. I'll check out Blue
Gun.
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
Thanks for the BARS tip. I don't know how to use blue glass or gun, but am
interested. I am currently not using an "official" monitor, (I'm using a Sony
KV-1362, the one Videotek uses to build their reciever/monitor), but plan on
purchasing one in the next month or two.
I didn't mean to imply that you used Hi-8 for editing, just that you have
experience with the medium, since you do use it for acquisition.
I'll download the files you pointed me too, ASAP. Thanks a million.
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
John:
>> Is there a targa file available anywhere of BARS (color test pattern)?
Actually, even better would be the RGB or HLS colors for each of the bars!
That way you could plug them in through 3DS and see EXACTLY how they look
when run through your entire system!
I put up a request for them and a true test pattern last year, no one
responded. Anyone know the exact colors?
Greg Pyros
Greg
I can't answer your question directly, but I did download a program from
the Truevision forum called, TrueNTSC. This is a great program for a
variety of reasons, not the least of which is a great variety of short
succinct explanations of video signals.
In the program you can step through explanations that are accompanied by
pictures and charts and graphs, the best I've ever seen. The author of the
program is Anthony Watts. He is with a company called ItWorks, P.O. Box
7403, Chico, CA 95927. His phone is (916) 342-0141 and his FAX is (916)
342-2405.
He may be able to give you a definitive answer.
BTW the program is "TVNTSC.ZIP" over in the Truevision forum. The keywords
are Truevision Application.
I hope this helps. If you investigate, I'm sure the rest of us will
appreciate the answer. If you don't one of these days I am going to build
a set of bars while split screen with SMPTE bars watch the waveform and
vector scope and record the colors. I'll let you know, but I wouldn't hold
my breath, I've been thinking about this for years.
Good Luck
Fred
Fred:
>> TrueNTSC
Thanks for the info! Anthony Watts is in Chico, not that far away from us.
I'll try to give him a call, get the info, and post it here.
>> I'll let you know, but I wouldn't hold my breath, I've been thinking
>> about this for years.
I can relate to that one! ;^)
Greg Pyros
>> Anthony Watts is in Chico, not that far away from us…
Compared to what, Moscow? Chico is way up in norCal, isn't it?
Couldn't let that go alone… <g>
Gus:
>> >> Anthony Watts is in Chico, not that far away from us…
>> Compared to what, Moscow? Chico is way up in norCal, isn't it?
Yea, yea! I was thinking of Chino, which is pretty close! Well, it's still
closer to me than to you! <g>
Greg Pyros
What an idea! I hope somebody comes through.
Regards,
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)