Re: Second Sight

[mspector@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mitchell Spector)]

In article <52hdic$4s3@madeline.INS.CWRU.Edu>,
John L. Graham <fl332@cleveland.Freenet.Edu> wrote:
>
>I dunno, I have a pair of Second Sight cards and I really like them.
>Being able to sling a nice big monitor on my GS has been a real eye
>saver
 
    Agreed. Being able to use a modern PC SVGA display does offer
some major improvements over the aging AppleColor RGB (small 12"
display, low video refresh rate, a .37mm dot-pitch, rounded CRT).
Though beyond adding a "new RGB" port (albeit a flaky one) to your
IIgs, I see little value thus far...
 
>and being able to view GIFs and JPEGs the way they're supposed
>to has been helpful.
 
    This seems to be the only application available for the card!
If all I wish to do is view GIF and JPEG images, in full color and
resolution, it would almost make more sense to purchase a used
386/486 (with monitor) and dedicate it for this task. You could
certainly afford one for the same cost as the Second Sight.
 
>The lack of Double HiRes support can be a pain, and I was disappointed
>with the developer's package. I was hoping it would have been more
>straight forward to use from my own software.
 
    There's more than just Double-Hi-Res support missing from
firmware, I can list a number of flaws and missing emulations not
present or fully supported. It doesn't look as though Sequential
System is even interesting in correcting the problems any longer.
 
>Was it worth the cost of the card and monitor? For me it was, but
>that's definitely a judgement call.
 
    Personally, I'm highly disappointed by the Second Sight. Reflecting
back, the TurboRez was clearly the superior video board and would have
done much better (even if software support turned out to be the same,
at least it probably would have been a solid product). Oh, and yes,
it would have supported the connection of a modern PC screen, with
at least a 640x480 mode according to Bill St.Pierre.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca