#Video Boards
10 messages in this thread
I am looking for information on the OpalVision video board, anybody that has
info would be great! I also know Centaur Development has a BBS. Anyone know
what settings to use ie:E71 2400 XMODEM ??
Thanks!
Russ, I have the OpalVision board and I am very happy with it. Superb paint
program and excellent animation player (20 fps with my A2000 '040). The
additional modules aren't out yet though.
I use 8N1 for my settings on the BBS.
Now I paid $675 back in April and my friend paid $950 a year ago. Its
presently sell for around $380. Its a steal at that price.
Feel free to ask any questions.
John
one of my customers would like to know how to hook up opalvision to a monitor
AND also his Amiga's 23-pin RGB to a monitor at the same time (i.e. how to get
Opalvision and Amiga displays on separate monitors simultaneously). Any help?
My customer is under the impression that that can't be done – if he is right
that is a MAJOR drawback. Also, of course, it takes up the video slot where a
Toaster belongs! Haven't tried Opalvision yet (Toaster in video slot!) but have
heard it has great performance and now is at an outrageously low price. For
those not considering Toaster, Opalvision may indeed be the best way to get a
decent 24-bit display at low cost. Retina is pretty close, tho – and it easily
hooks up to a second (separate) monitor.
Hi Daniel,
To quote from the OpalVision manual:
"Warning: Never plug a monitor into the standard 23-pin Amiga Video Port
while an OpalVision card is installed in your Amiga. This may overload
the output circuitry in your Amiga and cause permanent damage."
Now in reality I think this only applies to simultaneous use of two
monitors, but the warning says never do it, at any time. I tried hooking
up a monitor to the 23-pin port only with the Opal card installed and the
display was very dim. Note I didn't have two monitors hooked up at the
same time.
If it wasn't for the great software included with this board, I would say
a Picasso II, Spectrum, etc would be a better choice. (That is if you can
get NTSC video out of them, which I am not sure).
Hope it helps.
I don't think Picasso puts out NTSC. I know that my Retina uses a VGA output
connector and requires a high-scanrate monitor, no NTSC. Only Firecracker24
does 'regular' RGB 'video-sized' images but even that one is extremely
difficult to get NTSC out of. No genlock I've tried will do it. Seems for now
that NTSC and 24-bit only mix in the Toaster. Someone out there please
enlighten me if I'm mistaken. Sure do like my Toaster.
Daniel, have you seen the ads for Retina Video Encoder, S-VHS + Composite
out for ~$125 (AmigaMan in Amiga World). This is an add-on to the Retina
board. Don't know if it's been released.
BTW Opalvision DOES output NTSC (you need to add external encoder for
video tape) and allows normal Amiga modes to pass-thru. Suppose to be
competition for the Toaster some day when the modules are released, though
there won't be any Lightwave included. They were courting Realsoft to
include Real 3D with the modules, but I don't think it will happen.
I thought Opalvision would only output NTSC if (and when ….) their 'genlock'
module becomes available (real soon now …). If you mean that I could simply
run it through an A520 video encoder that would make Opalvision much more
useful right now without having to wait for THEIR 'modules'. I haven't noticed
the NTSC output gizmo for Retina but I'd like one! I'll look at the AmigaMan
ad. Thanks for the tip. The Retina works great as a straightforward 24-bit
board. I now have FractalPro rendering to it 'live' and it is sharp. The
development process for getting FractalPro to write to it was very
straightforward and painless. Just added the code and it now does BOTH
Firecracker24 AND Retina – (and will do them BOTH if they are BOTH in the same
Amiga!). The MacroSystem guys definitely have a nice product in the Retina.
The ads for the new Retina Z-III say it includes S-Video & composite
output. Has anyone seen one of these new Retina boards?
…AutoPilot Engaged…
-Paul-
Daniel,
The OV material is very emphatic about not hooking up a monitor to the
23-pin rgb simultaneous with one hooked to the OV card. There are very few
reasons why one would want to do this anyway, since the OV card passes the
Amiga display through. I have been using two monitors for a long time on
my 3000, one connected to the OV card and one hooked to 15 pin 31khz port
with no ill effect. Yes, the price is definitely good for a great paint
program and a nice 24 bit display.
-Richard
Thanks. I'm starting to get the picture 🙂 Sounds like the A3000 setup makes
it easy to get 2 displays. I don't like watching everything on one monitor.
Firecracker24 will also let you hook up one display for everything but I still
use it as a separate screen. Firecracker24 easily lets you work on a 2-monitor
setup (1 for Amiga, 1 for FC24) and I much prefer it. Trying to watch
everything on one screen (though economical) is hard on my concentration.
Anyway that's my reasoning on why I'd prefer to have 2 screens. Maybe I'm in
the minority, but I wanted that kind of setup a long time ago. I hoped back in
the early 1980s that someday I'd be able to have the computer's display on one
screen and all the graphics on another. With most of today's 24-bit cards that
problem has been solved now for several years. Opalvision wouldn't work for me
on my A2000 or A4000, though (even if I did remove the Toaster), because I'd
definitely want its display on a separate monitor. I MUST agree that the price
of Opalvision and its highly regarded paint program are very attractive.