#IP-6.3
18 messages in this thread
Ben: I just downloaded IP 6.3 thinking "Great, they probably have the Ham-E
render color fringing problem corrected!". But noooo, it still has the
problem and I just spent 1/2 hour of online time for nothing. Well maybe
not for nothing but the bug fixes were not the one's I had hoped for. It
would be nice if you seperately uploaded a text file describing the bug
fixes and/or enhancements so we can decide if the download is worth it.
Better yet, it will be nicer when the bug is squashed.
John – K7KB (via Whap!)
Joh, we've not yet looked at that one; sorry. Should be in the next one – I
*very* strongly suggest that if you need to know if a specific issue has
been addressed, you leave a message asking the question directly before you
spend the DL time.
We will not be posting any more docs, or revision lists, online anywhere
for further upgrades of the software. For those who have purchased the
manuals, regular documentation upgrades will arrive at no charge, letting
them know exactly what's going on.
The situation is this:
With the release of Imagemaster, we have to make allowances for piracy; we
don't wish to provide documentation to anyone who has not purchased
Imagemaster, or a HAM-E. That's why there is a requirement for you to
provide a serial number when you purchase a manual. It assures us that
you're a real HAM-E customer – only you, and purchasers of Imagemaster are
to be privvy to that information from now on.
We have to deal with the realities of the marketplace; while we do wish to
continue to support you and all other HAM-E customers, we have NO wish to
support the myriad of thieves out there.
Ben
I understand the piracy issue Ben. But I don't think a pirate will get much
from just a README file. If he has copied the book, then he has most of the
documentation anyway. You are going to have to keep the legit users
informed on new features and bug fixes in IP/IM as it progresses. If you
don't want to post them here, how about setting up your BBS with a special
IM/IP directory that requires a special access level. Someone calls the BBS
and leaving you a note requesting access with his name and serial number of
his Ham-E or Image Master disk. Once it has been verified, then the user
gets granted the special access and can download special notes, docs,
updates, etc.
John – K7KB (via Whap!)
Legit users will recieve paper updates from us on a regular basis, if they
have purchased the manual. So they'll be kept informed.
There will be absolutely no electronic documentation in the future.
Ben
OK Ben, if Black Belt sends out the update sheets to the registered users,
then I don't see much of a problem. But I still think a private directory
on your BBS is a viable solution, except those times the line noise is so
bad I have a hard time reading the regular text 8^)
John – K7KB (via Whap!)
you have my utmost support on your attempts at thwarting piracy, now
that ImageMaster is out. With the older programs, the hardware needed for
output served as a large dongle; now, no more. Let's hope you sell
bazillions of those puppies. You deserve every cent you get.
Thank you, Charles. We've made every attempt to have the CP be as
unobtrusive as possible.
How are you going to handle the docs for the frequent updates of IM and (to
me more important!) IM F/C? Will you automatically mail out written docs
with every revision, or will there be readme files?
What about new features in IP itself? Since the manual you are mailing out
is for IP 6.0(1?) and now you've released IP 6.3, how will users know of
the new features? Again, will you mail out? since there is no doc file
online, etc?
Just curious. You know how highly I think of the program. It needs docs,
and I'm curious how you're gonna make sure everyone gets them. TTFN
–jp–seattle–
IM Users get new docs with upgrades. Upgrades for IM (and IM F/c) only come
by mail, so we just send them at the same time as the update. The Addendum
"mini-manual" will be updated each upgrade appropriately.
IP Users who ordered the manual will receive a new addendum also, via the
mail at no charge. The s/w itself, IE the disks, they are charged for, as
previously, or they can get the s/w from the nets or our BBS>
Unregistered users probably don't even know we HAVE a manual – nothing we
can do for them until they contact us <shrug>
In the case of Black Belt products, not registering is a SERIOUS mistake.
Ben
So, has IM F/c been sent out yet? (6.0/1/3/etc???)
I have no problems with your policy. Was just curious about how I (among
others) would get the docs. Maybe I'll just order the IP manual anyway
(but won't it be similar to the IM F/c manual?) Thanks….
Thanks for the word on DigiView too…. good luck tracking it down. Let me
know if I can help in any way.
–jp–seattle–
John,
I got my IM F/c manual with addendum about a week ago. I'm suprised you
didn't get yours yet. The manual looks very good. It also came with the
latest version of the program!! Haha I got it first. P^)
….Mark 74335,1677
John, IM F/c went out some time ago. Give the girls a call on the 800 #;
make sure you have a registration form, etc. You should have had it.
Ben
OK, I'll call. I think your office makes a point of losing my registration
for the IM F/c 🙂 I've gone through this every upgrade (three now, I
think) No problem; it lets me talk with the nice voices at the other end
of the line 🙂
800 phone number?
–jp–seattle–
Yep – use the 800 number.
Ben
I just bought ImageMaster yesterday, and I like it! At first I couldn't
seem to get the external modules to work, but after reading thru the manual
(always done as a last resort :> ) I got them working fine too. Now the
only thing I can't seem to do even after looking thru the manual is to get
it to save the preferences fro interlaced output rather than
non-interlaced. Is there a way to do this? The version I have is version 1
rev 2 is that the latest version? Also is there any upgrade path from Im to
Im f/c24? I bought the regular version because I like to be able to use the
standard screen even though I've got a FC24 because I'm using 2 monitors
(even thou I DO use the genlock cable), and sometimes it's just easier to
do something fast on the flickerfixed screen rather than the FC24 screen,
as it's much closer to me. Would it be possible (without having to spend
the full retail price of 2 products) to have both Im & the FC24 version? Or
is it possible to use the FC version as if I didn't have a FC (basically
just like the base model Im)? Thanks in advance.
The F/c version runs only directly on the firecracker. There is no upgrade
path. However, there *is* an FC24 PI Module, which you can find here in
DL6, that will drive the output directly to the FC24 anytime you want to
see it, in any resolution you like.
I'm glad – really glad – that you like Imagemaster. That does seem to be
the consensus, but I know you're one of the "picky ones". :^)
We're at 1.4 here now, and expect to be at 1.5 Monday or tuesday. Like
anything else we make, having the "latest" version is something you get to
savor for a very short time, if at all. :^)
Saving interlaced mode. Ooops. :^) Nope, we missed that one. I've written
it down, and we'll skewer it into the code on Monday, first thing. It
*should* have been in the setup panel, of course. Sorry about that. So,
you'll see it in 1.5
Is there anything that can be done with F/c that can't be done with the
standard Imagemaster? I have the PI module for the FC (along with the jpeg,
pmbc, and raw) so I've been enjoying using it with the FC. If the only
benefit of the F/c version is that you get to see the image on the FC while
working on it, then I'll stick with what I have, as I already have Light24
(to use directly on the FC24), and really like being able to see the image
up close (my second monitor is about 4 – 5 feet away, and while this is
great for viewing images, it does sort of make it hard to WORK with them).
I do have some other questions thou. I'm running a 720×480 WB under 2.04
with a 2320 card, and was wondering if there's any way to use the full
overscan for the Im screen rather than having a smaller 640×400 screen? As
I just bought Im yesterday, and sent in my registration card today, will I
have to pay to get 1.5? How often is the requestor asking for a word from
the manual supposed to popup? I've been doing some reorganizing of my HD,
including defragmenting it, and have had to answer the question about half
a dozen times in the last few days, is that normal? Is there any way using
the FC24 PI module to dump the picture out to the FC24 at the file's native
resolution rather than adjusting it for the rez? What I'd like to be able
to do is dump a file to the FC24 so I can see if the pic needs to be scaled
as most GIF's need to be squeezed down 86% due to the difference in pixel
aspect from a PC to an Amiga, and the current way that Im works, it seems
to fix this (sort of) onscreen, but not in the file. Is there a way to have
Im scale pictures? If so, I'm at a loss as to how to do it! Ben, Im is a
really neat program, and as you can tell I'm having lots of fun with it,
and could probably ask another dozen or so questions about it, but for now
I'll leave it at this. Thanks
Wow. :^)
No – Imagemaster F/c has only one feature that the others don't, that's in
the palette. Look in the manual and you'll see the difference described.
Essentially, it's a spray paint mix area, similar to what you have seen in
DCTV paint.
Other than that, Imagemaster and Imagemaster F/c do exactly the same
things.
No, there is no way to set the working display to overscan. That locks us
out of the disply too much, and the display stuff is slow enough as it is.
When you stop re-organizing your HD, Imagemaster will quit pestering you.
You're changing your computer around, and it can tell you are – it thinks
it MAY have been moved to another computer, and so it asks for a password.
Essentially, if you install new hardware, change an assign – it's going to
bug you. Otherwise, it'll go about ten days before bothering you again.
Scaling: We called it stretching (probably not very smart of us, but hey…
:^). Look in the index under Stretch Clip, and you'll be all set. Plus, you
can use Stepped Zoom to do x2 or /2 stretches. Er, scales. (I dunno, scales
belong on snakes :^)
Note that scaling also modifies the aspect ratio (which is what you want
for your GIF operations); you can reset the aspect ratio to anything you
want in the buffer panel.
You have more questions, please feel free to ask. Tell you what, though…
it's easier for *me* if you ask each question in a separate message…
plus, if further questions come from the explanation, then the thread will
follow them naturally, instead of all bunched up.
Ben