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-
- The AVT and Robot Color
-
- The AVT supports all the new Robot modes as implemented in the 400c,
- 450c, and 1200c - including the Automatic receive modes.
-
- Operating the Black and white modes is perfectly straightforward. You
- pick the speed, the memory (R, G or B) and go.
-
- For color, things are somewhat different. Robot elected to implement a
- pseudo-composite format that, in this version of the AVT software, must
- be processed after reception. This is done automatically, and is
- fairly quick. You'll note a small cursor running down the side of the
- screen - that indicates how much of the received image has been
- processed. Once the image has been processed, it will be displayed as
- appropriate.
-
- For Robot color, you'll need to pick the speed, press the composite button
- (next to the RGB buttons on the left), and then either receive an image
- or convert for transmit, as explained next.
-
- For transmit, the same proceedure must be followed, in reverse.
- Note the "RoboSynth" ICON on the control panel. If you position the mouse
- over this icon and click the left button, a window will open with four
- buttons in it that are visually identical to the Robot mode buttons
- in the main control panel.
-
- Remember that 12 and 24 second are 128x128 (low-res) and 36 and 72
- second are 256x240 (hi-res).
-
- If you have an image loaded (or receieved) in either the hi or low
- resolutions, you can ready it in this window for robot transmit.
-
- If it is a low res image (that is, you received it in ANY mode that
- is a low-res mode [see the chart in the Grab.doc file for
- details on which modes are whice), then it is ready to convert into
- either 12 or 24 second, just by pressing the appropriate button.
-
- If you recieved the image in hi-res, however, you must either transmit it
- in hi res (either 36 or 72) or you'll need to change it's resolution
- before trying to send it in lo-res. This is easily accomplished by
- pressing the >128 button. It means "convert to 128x128 from
- hi-res. Conversely, if you are in lo-res, say for instance that you
- received the image in 24 second composite or perhaps 24 second AVT,
- you'll need to convert it UP in resolution.
-
- This is done with the >256 button, in this same window. Once
- converted (You'll know it's done because the little "light" on the
- button will go out) You can press either of the 36 or 72 buttons and
- it will be prepared for transmit.
-
- There is a special memory area (buffer) maintained in the program
- for use with Robot Color images. This area is what receives the
- "compiled" transmit record that is prepared by pressing any of the
- Robot TX conversion buttons. You know when you have a valid image that
- is ready to transmit because there are four little simulated "LEDs"
- at the lower right of the control panel, with 12, 24, 36, and 72
- marked under them. When the buffer has an image ready for transmit,
- the appropriate LED will be lit. If there is no image ready for
- transmit (perhaps because you changed modes, or loaded a new image
- from disk) There will be no LEDs lit, and you will NOT be able to
- transmit composite color - pressing the TX button will have no
- effect.
-
- It is very important that you use the Scope to aid you if you wish to use
- the Robot "Automatic" mode. You need to be Exactly on the same
- frequency that the transmitting station is in order for the automatic to
- work. The AVT does NOT implement the Auto-tune function found in the 450c
- and the 1200c - We found that running that type of tuning system
- causes a severe loss of sensitivity, and opted to leave it out.
-
- If you do happen to receive an Robot composite image off-frequency,
- you will notice that the image is "tinted" the wrong color. If you were
- too high in frequency, it will be reddish; if you were too low,
- it will be greenish. In the Robosynth window, you will see a slider,
- called a proportional gadget in Amiga terminology, that can adjust the
- tint of a received Robot image. There is a caveat to using this
- function, though - you MUST use it immediately after you receive the
- composite image, as the received image is maintained in the same buffer
- that is used for transmission, and it will be replaced if you do anything
- at ALL like change to another mode, transmit an image, load an image,
- etc.
-
- For higher quality images, and an extremely sensitive and reliable
- automatic mode, try the AVT modes; they are far superior to the
- Robot modes in any case - inherently better, top to bottom.
-
-