#Free Brochure
19 messages in this thread
To anyone who is interested in 24-bit image manipulation tools:
Black Belt Systems now has available, for free, a new 6-page full-color
brochure which describes Imagemaster.
The brochure contains forty-two color images which were produced, one way
or another, by Imagemaster. There is also a fair amount of descriptive
text.
If you've ever gotten a B&W or photocopied brochure from us, you'll want
to see this one – it has the detail that lets you know what you can get
accomplished. We believe that this should provide a good overview of what
Imagemaster is capable of.
To receive one of these brochures, call (800) 852-6442 in the US or
Canada, or (406) 367-5513 elsewhere. You can also FAX a request for a
brochure to (406) 367-2329. Again, there is no charge or obligation
involved; we just want as many people as possible to see this brochure,
because we're sure that once you see it, you'll understand why Imagemaster
is by far the most powerful, flexible and comprehensive image manipulation
system available for the Commodore Amiga.
Ben Williams
President, Black Belt Systems
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben,
You get promoted? I thought Anne was the pres.
-sja
I did indeed get promoted. Anne is no longer involved in any of the day to
day decisions. She is still CEO, and so anything that goes before the
board is run by her.
The only things that have to go before the board, by rule, are problems,
so there are many decisions that are entirely up to me now.
My new position is directly related to the runaway success of our
Imagemaster product.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
So, when you sit dodwn to dinner and Anne asks if there were any problems
at work today, do you respond "nope, just opportunities"? 🙂
We don't do that at dinner – it's too easy to let business take over your
life. She doesn't talk about who she sliced open, and I don't talk about
how many more Imagemasters we sold. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben:
Congratulations! (if they're called for?) I'm glad to hear that
ImageMaster is such a success for both BBS & you. I have Im (as you know),
but probably don't even use 10% of it's capabilities!
I know that once before you mentioned that nobody has asked about A2410
support, and I'm not really asking now (I don't think), but off hand, do
you think it would be a very hard board to support? It's my understanding
that it's fairly similiar to the DMI resolver, and you folks support that,
do you think it'd take more than a couple of hours to add a2410 support?
In case you havn't figured out by now, I finally found the C= support
files for the 2410 (I've actually had them for quite a while, just didn't
realise it!), and other than the few demos from C= and ADPro there's
nothing that supports the card. Personally what I'd like to see (not from
BBS, but from either C=, or maybe GVP via their EGS libraries) would be
support similiar to the DMI resolver, to mirror the WB onto the 2410.
I'm not sure, perhaps I'm just stupid or something, but I don't understand
why the A2410 is so maligned, when the DMI resolver is touted, and
basically the 2 cards are very similiar?
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Probably the reason that the Resolver is generally known as a better deal
is because of the support. As Black Belt has proven over and over again,
support is an extremely valuable portion of any product.
Digital Micronics has gone to extreme lengths to ensure that we were able
to support the Resolver, and the Vivid24. We have both boards, we have
extensive, and I mean *really* extensive support software from DMI for
them, people to call for help, and a certainty that we will GET help when
we call for it.
CBM has never made one serious step in our direction to ensure that we
support the 2410.
Now, the thing is, we're just about swamped with hardware to support; we
literally have ten (maybe more!) boards to do, all of which are on the
premises NOW. We have the most agressive software upgrade program in the
Amiga community and we, like most developers, have limited resources.
The 2410, again like most CBM add-on boards, is very poorly supported by
CBM. Examples? The 2091 – _years_ for a ROM fix; the multiport serial card
– laughable drivers; the 2065 Ethernet card – NO drivers; and the 2410 –
NO drivers (well, Unix, but as far as I'm concerned, that == NONE).
Supporting the 2410 "cold" would be easy IF we had the relevant hardware
description, and a board so we could maintain the support. It would not in
the least be similar to supporting the Resolver, which has a sophisticated
and comprehensive TIGA base underneath it, but inasmuch as we have, by
far, the leading technology for 256-color display in the Amiga market, we
could sure get it done.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben:
Know anyone that wants to tradein their Resolver for a wonderfull,
practically new A2410 University of Lowell graphics card? <G>
I guess I might as well ask if there's anyone that feels they need a
lobotomy for the fun of it!
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Uh, no. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
President? Congratulations! 🙂 When did this happen?
About a month ago. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Dear Mr Williams:
I have read a lot of messages about Ham-E and how good it is & how I should
find one to buy if I can. Why has it been discontinued?
Thanks
Matt
A lot of people have talked about why the HAM-E was discontinued, the
one that makes the most sense was one I read on USENET recently, from
a guy that talked to Black Belt, AFTER the release of the A4000.
Ok, here how it goes…
Black Belt knew about the new AGA chip set, and decided NOT to compete
with it, but they were under a non-disclosure agreement with CBM. They
couldn't say "because CBM has a new chip set". So, instead they said
they couldn't tell way due to a non-disclosure agreement.
I heard that the AGA chips were finished 18 months ago, but the Amiga
system for them took longer. If Black Belt had know it would take so
long for CBM to get the AGA out, they would have continued selling the
HAM-E a little longer.
During this time, a problem arose with the FCC. The FCC said that the
HAM-E wasn't approved. (Black Belt had stopped selling the HAM-E months
earlier.) Later, it was discovered that it was a paperwork snafu,
between Black Belt & the FCC.
The HAM-E was the first product that BLack Belt had tried to get approved
by themselves (without going through a third party). The FCC approval
is a two part process. The first part is passing the FCC's tests. The
HAM-E passed. The second part is registering with the FCC that the
product passed. The paper work for this part, didn't get finished. Black
Belt THOUGHT the Ham-E was approved, and the FCC did pass it. BUT the
"registering" part of the process was left imcomplete.
Black Belt, wasn't fined, and no charges were levied. And the case is
now closed.
Since, the HAM-E isn't/wasn't being produced, I don't believe Black Belt
chose to continue with the FFC approval.
At least that's what I inferred from the message on USENET.
Ron.
You've got those parts exactly correct – something that rarely happens
when information is moved by a third party. I'd like to complement you on
your comprehension and memory.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Thanks!
I've been developping my comprehension & memory skills, battling
flamers, bashers, and uses in need on the RIME, and Metro NETs. As well
as having a a read-only USENET feed, that forces me to sit back and
actually read ALL the messages.
The offline readers help alot, too. Gives my time to cool down and give
a well worded reply.
Ron.
I find the same thing about offline readers.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
It was discontinued for several reasons; upcoming technology from CBM
which was integrated into the system (AGA chips), the level of stock we
had and the cost per unit for remanufacture, and the problems we had with
misleading and/or vaporware advertisements from competition; specifically
MAST and Digital Creations. In hindsight, which (as always) is 20-20, we
could have done another run and it would have been a good idea; but we
could not be certain of that at the time, and so pciked the safest
course.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben,
Congradulations. But boy, it's lonely at the top!
>8)
Rich
Not so bad here, though… :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot