Re: Second Sight SVGA Board Info (text only)

[m_spect@pavo.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article bazyar@netcom.com (Jawaid Bazyar) writes...
>
>SecondSight� SVGA Board
>Specifications & Features
>[snip]
> 
>The following existing Apple II and IIGS video modes are emulated for 
>display on an SVGA monitor or crystal-clear display on a GSRGB monitor.
> 
>	40 & 80 column text
>	Lores / double lores
>	Hires / double hires
>	320x200x16
>	640x200x4/16

	How well "emulated" are these current Apple II modes? Will 40/80
column ASCII text have the same appearance, Hires and Double Hires color
bleeding effects look exactly the same? As for Apple IIGS-specific graphic
modes, can it emulate _multiple palettes_ properly, if at all? What will
happen when running current software that uses 256 or 3200 color images?

	Having to emulate the above modes makes it sound as if the Second 
Sight disables the VGC chip. In which case, what would happen if you wanted
to run software using the GS's VGC? (reason for wanting this explained later
below). Can the Second Sight be disabled by firmware, returning control to 
the VGC, or are all built-in IIgs graphic modes permanently shut down until
the card is removed?

>  Text
>	80x43
>	80x50
>	80x60
>	132x60

	Ahh, it seems we'd finally have access to *true* color ANSI text, not 
too mention true VT-100 with bold, blink, flash, etc. :) What about an 80x25 
text mode, isn't that part of the SVGA chip on board?

>Common Questions and Answers
> 
>Q. How many colors can Second Sight display at one time?
>A. 256 at a time (256 colors per pixel, or 8-bit pixels) from a total of 
>   16.7 million colors.

	True 8-bit color on screen is certainly a step-up (even more so when
you consider resolution as well), but what about more? With 1mb VRAM on a
Second Sight, is it at all plausible to have 32,768 colors on screen at once?
Something like 640x480x32,768 would be nice...

>Q. How is existing software improved by the Second Sight?
>A. Existing software is not generally improved automatically, except for 
>   one thing: because the IIGS's super hires mode is simulated using a 
>   640x400 mode in the VGA controller, there are no black lines running 
>   through graphics or text.. pictures and text are solid.

	This has a nice affect in higher resolution modes (and text), but
quite applauling to look at using 320x200! Will this mean we'd have to 
play Rastan, Arkanoid, The Immortal...use Platinum Paint, DreamGrafix,
Prism with large chunky looking pixels? I hate to have my IIgs software
degraded to looking like all IBM with MCGA 320x200! Will there be a way to 
disable this kind of MCGA-ness (ie - get back our small pixels with
visable scanlines) or would all GS software be doomed to look like this
so long as the card is installed?

..Other important questions:

- Any plans to have Second Sight support to video-digitizers?
  (ComputerEyes GS, Visionary GS, Quickie-C)

- Does the Second Sight make any connections to the VGC on the GS
  motherboard? If so, how will this affect the ROM 3?

- Will it be a 100% DMA compatible?

- Was it designed with future upgrades in mind? (other than 512k->1mb VRAM
  expansion option). I'm curious if it could support higher resolutions or
  more colors on screen we desire it a few years down the road... :)


> Jawaid Bazyar              |   Like UNIX? Like your Apple IIGS? Then ask
> Procyon, Inc.              |   me about GNO/ME for the Apple IIgs!   
> bazyar@netcom.com          |   P.O Box 620334
> --Apple II Forever!--      |   Littleton, CO 80162-0334   (303) 781-3273

Mitchell Spector
m_spect@pavo.concordia.ca / spector@vax2.concordia.ca