Subtitling projects on a GS

[jefbla@bconnex.net (Jeff Blakeney)]

dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff) wrote:

>Jeff Blakeney (jefbla@bconnex.net) wrote:

>: I know I was talking about using my VOC for doing titling a while back
>: but I can't remember if I ever mentioned writing software for it.

>: I would like to do so as I would much prefer to overlay 320x400 or
>: 640x400 images/text on my videos than 320x200 or 640x200.  The only
>: problem is, I can't afford the $19 US to order the developer's kit
>: from the ByteWorks.

>Ummm...While the VOC can supposedly be interlaced with the GS video output to
>get 640x400 resolution (wouldn't it be great if someone would write a Finder
>patch to allow for this in desktop programs?

That is yet another programming project I would like to get to work
on.  Until I get the developer's kit, I won't be working on it.  I was
also going to leave it as open as possible to leave room for adding
Second Sight support.  Maybe make it a CDEV that allows you to select
the resolution and number of colours that you want to use.  But if I
can't afford $19 for the developer's kit, you can bet I can't afford
the $200 for the Second Sight.

>Or a graphic viewer for
>those widely-available 640x480 images?), my understanding is
>that you can't overlay that using the VOC because the alternate lines are
>coming from the standard video hardware, which can't genlock with the
>incoming video.

The VGC, both on the IIgs motherboard and on the VOC, is capable of
producing 400 vertical resolution on its own.  This has been disabled
on the IIgs motherboard (I'm pretty sure anyways) but could possibly
be rigged to work again with a few parts and a soldering iron, I
haven't even considered looking into doing this however.  BUT, the VOC
VGC has all the necessary hardware to do this AND it overlays just
fine.  All the VOC does in interlaced mode is to take the odd numbered
scan lines from one bank ($E0 or $E1, I can't remember which way
around they are) and the even numbered scan lines from the other bank.

What I did to test this was to set up my VOC and run a slide show that
I got from an archive called VOC.400.BXY which I believe was created
by Todd Whitesel.  This program displays a slide show of 320 and
640x400 images on the VOC.  I hooked up my VCR and checked out my RGB
display and all the lines were being overlayed.  Another way to check
is to use SuperConvert to convert a graphic to 320 or 640x400 and
choose the "View interlaced on VOC" item from the "Screen Image" menu
then run some video into the VOC.  This also satisfies your desire for
a viewer program.

>On the other hand, if you have access to a composite keyer (either chroma
>or luminance) you could then take the interlaced signal and key that.  But
>it would require external video hardware...the Videonics MX-1 could do it.

>Of course, if you have decent outboard video hardware, then you might be
>better off with a proper CG, with 525-line resolution...

I would love to have more equipment but my budget won't allow it.  :(

>I am interested in this stuff, since I am a video guy myself, AND I have a
>VOC in my GS, so keep posting if you find the answer to your problem!

Another idea I had while playing with my VOC one day was to run the
composite video out from my IIgs motherboard to the video in on the
VOC.  I then set the Video/Graphics Mix of both the Key and the
Non-Key colours, using the Video Mix NDA, to 50% graphics, 50% video.
I discovered that it would be possible to display 320x200 256 colour
and 640x200 16 colour (pure, not dithered) images by using the graphic
in bank $E0 as an intensity image using shades of gray and putting the
standard 4 or 16 colour image in bank $E1 and having the VOC display
that.

The only hitch to this trick is that you will have to, and I haven't
attempted this yet, adjust the horizontal position of your overlayed
image so that it lines up perfectly with the image from the IIgs
composite video out connector.  I have archived several messages from
comp.sys.apple2 describing what the different pots. on the card do and
I believe one of them was for horizontal positioning.  The vertical
didn't seem to need any changing but that may just be my board and I
would love to have someone else try this out and let me know if
their's is the same way or not.

Anyways, this post is getting a little long so I'll let you absorb all
this information and we can continue talking about it if you'd like.