Mac PCI graphics cards

Article Abstract:

All six graphics accelerator/display cards support 1,600x1,200 resolutions and at least 16-bit color, and all offer generally acceptable performance. Radius' $1,199 Thunder 30/1600 is slow, especially when its high price is taken into consideration, although the card does support precise color management in graphics environments. The board offers sophisticated tools that let users match color curves and mid-tones. Number Nine's $699 Imagine 128 is the fastest board, except when it is used in conjunction with FreeHand. The control panel allows users to create independent settings for red, green and blue values and to save the customized settings. Matrox Graphics's $499 MGA Millenium is an average performer, but it alone offers QuickDraw 3D acceleration. The Millenium's control panel is well-designed, although it offers no special functions.

Full-motion video board, Full motion video boards, RDUSD, Number Nine Computer Corp., Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd., Radius ThunderColor 30/1600 (Graphics accelerator/display board), Matrox Electronic Systems MGA Millennium (Full-motion video board), Number Nine Visual Technology Imagine 128 (Full-motion video board)

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QuickDraw 3D accelerators

Article Abstract:

Newer Technology's $2,995 RenderPix 502 and Radius's $1,699 Thunder 3D QuickDraw 3D are two good Mac-based QuickDraw 3D accelerator boards, though both lag behind Windows NT-based OpenGL accelerators. Both support Apple's RAVE and QuickDraw 3D APIs and feature 3D Labs' previous-generation Glint 500TX processor and Glint Delta setup engine. Both boards offer fast 2D performance, with the Thunder 3D slightly edging the RenderPix. However, the RenderPix ran Apple's 'Gerbils' roller coaster demonstration nearly 10 percent faster than the Thunder 3D. The RenderPix's dual TX chips can operate in parallel, thanks to individual 8MB or 16MB banks of DRAM. The Thunder 3D double-buffers 3D at full 32-bit color.

Newer Technology Inc., Newer Technology RenderPix PCI/502 (Graphics accelerator/display board), Radius Thunder 3D (Graphics accelerator/display board)

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All fired up

Article Abstract:

The Macintosh-based DV capture hardware evaluated, namely Pinnacle's MiroVideo DV300, ProMax's FireMax and Radius' EditDV/MotoDV, emerged as better than their Windows counterparts as far as ease of use and editing support are concerned. Hardware-software integration on the Mac platform is excellent with Radius' MotoDV with EditDV and ProMax's FireMax with Adobe Premiere. Pinnacle's MiroVideo DV300 offers revised DVTools but has not reached its full efficiency. Among the Windows products, Fast Electronic's DV Master is at par with Canopus' DVRex-M1 in terms of hardware but is behind in software. Likewise, DPS' Spark Plus is now a stable product but software still lags.

Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing, Computer Auxiliary Eqp NEC, Computer peripherals, Video processing equipment, Video capture boards, Pinnacle Systems Inc., PCLE, Video capture board, Fast Electronic U.S. Inc., Canopus Corp., DPS Inc. (Fresno, California), ProMax Technology Inc., Canopus DVRex-M1 (Video processing equipment), DPS Spark Plus (Video processing equipment), Radius EditDV (Video processing equipment), Fast Electronic DV Master (Video capture board), Pinnacle Systems miroVideo DV300 FireWire (Video capture board), ProMax Technology FireMax-C (Video capture board)

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