Re: Second Sight Card

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

mkelsey@spam.eecs.wsu.edu wrote:

>supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) writes:
>> spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
>> 
>>>In article ab3189@wayne.edu (Charles A. Plater) writes...
>>>
>>>    Well it reads the SHR video data and then shadows it to the Oak
>>>chip, redrawing the graphics from scratch on either a 640x400 or a
>>>640x480 screen. For one things graphics will draw _slowly_ as the
>>>card is not able to keep up (I recall people saying they could see
>>>the screens being drawn in the Finder, even with an accelerator!).
>> 
>> Not even with an accelerator, only with an accelerator.  On a stock
>> GS, the Second Sight is fast enough to redraw the Finder correctly.
>> On a stock GS, only games cause it to go choppy.  On an Apple
>> IIGS that has an accelerator, the Finder screen is drawn to fast for
>> the Second Sight to keep up.  That's why you see a choppy display
>> when you pull down menus.
>> 
>
>What about rapid page flipping, is it displayed correctly as well?
>I recall running Prince of Persia on a Mac LC //e and while sound
>and video modes were beautifully emulated, Prince of Persia would
>toggle between a red-filled lores screen and hires when our "Prince"
>took damage, e.g. falling too far or getting struck by a panel 
>or enemy's sword.  The Mac LC //e crept slowly when toggling between
>these modes.  Is the SS under the same restrictions?

I think as long as the IIe program is not using double-hires, the SS
is fast enough to shadow page flipping of 8-bit video modes.  The
IIe modes contain less information.

So much for the bad side of the Second Sight, let's talk about some
of the great features.  If you are a heavy user of AppleWorks Classic
or ProTerm, you will absolutely love this card.  It replaces the thin
shadowy Apple II font with a bolder solid font.  The display now has
greater than 60khz refresh on an SVGA monitor, so it is easy on the
eyes.  I am one of those people that like to use the DOS version of
WordPerfect on the PC even though GUI versions are available.  AW,
like WP, has always been a fast and efficient text word prc. that I love.
After looking at WP text on modern SVGA monitors, the AW screen
left my eyes sore.  With a Second Sight, AW seems like a new
program!  Once again, I like it better than WP.  This is one benefit
that the Second Sight has that a simple scan double can't give.