Centaur Development presents the most brilliant new product line for the Amiga.....OPALVISION
Seeing is Believing
The complete Amiga 24-bit graphics and video system.
OpalVision is the complete 24-bit graphics and video system which thrusts the Amiga back into first place as the most powerful video and graphics computer in the industry. OpalVision links the ultimate video painting software with cutting-edge, high-quality hardware providing magnificent graphics and video capabilities. OpalVision's modular design lets you select only the features you need while providing expandability for the future.
OpalVision Mother Board
·The core of the OpalVision system. It is a true 24-bit frame buffer and display device with 16.8 million colors available for every pixel.
·Uncompromised, 24-bit higher-than-broadcast-quality, crystal-clear images which far surpass any composite video or HAM system.
·Standard Amiga graphics and animations can appear in front of or behind OpalVision images on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
·Operates in a wide range of resolutions up to a maximum of 768 x 480 pixels (580 in PAL).
·Double buffered 24-bit and 15-bit animation can be performed in medium and low resolution modes while 8-bit double-buffered animation is available in all resolutions.
·VLSI graphics coprocessor enables resolution changes, stencil modes, a host of transition effects and smooth scrolling between screens.
·"Palette-Mapped" design updates screen colors in real-time. Fade pictures in and out and change their palettes on the fly.
·Available in an internal version which occupies the video slot of the Amiga 2000 and 3000 series computers. The external version connects to the RGB port of any Amiga, including the Amiga 500 and 600 series computers.
·Includes a full range of bundled software.
Additional OpalVision Software (included with OpalVision Mother Board):
Opal Presents: A comprehensive icon-driven presentation program offering complete control over OpalVision images, Amiga graphics and live video (when the Genlock and Framegrabber is installed. Includes numerous built-in transitions and effects including wipes, fades and scrolling effects. Takes full advantage of OpalVision's double buffering and intelligent image pre-loading to minimize delays. Utilizes 24-bit image thumbnails in both editor and file requester. Trigger transitions by mouse button, timer or AREXX commands. Initiates CLI and AREXX scripts. Fully multitasking.
OpalVision HotKey: Lets you display OpalVision 24-bit images by pressing a key combination on your Workbench or while running other programs. Display OpalVision and Amiga graphics simultaneously.
King of Karate: The world's first 24-bit personal computer game! An exciting karate competition which is lots of fun and an excellent demonstration of OpalVision's capabilities.
Technical Info:
Double buffered full 24-bit, 15-bit and 8-bit true color modes, 24-bit and 8-bit palette-mapped display modes, Dual Playfield and Overlay Priority stencil modes.
Priority mask definition specifies foreground/background areas in 24-bit images.
Microcode graphics processor for system control, priority switching, hardware scrolling and panning.
20ns video switch to freely mix Amiga and OpalVision graphics.
Equipped with 1.5 MB of display RAM which leaves your Amiga's RAM free for other programs.
Expansion socket for additional live video special effects processor.
Automatically self-configures for NTSC or PAL operation.
24-bit RGB output with video bandwidth >7 MHz.
Resolutions Table:
Low Res High Res Low Res High Res Interlaced* Interlaced*
NTSC 320 x 200 640 x 200 320 x 400 640 x 400
NTSC Overscan 384 x 236 768 x 236 384 x 476 768 x 476
PAL 320 x 256 640 x 256 320 x 512 640 x 512
PAL Overscan 384 x 286 768 x 286 384 x 576 768 x 576
*De-interlaced when Scan Rate Converter is present.
PAGE TWO:
OpalVision Enhancement Modules:
A complete range of enhancement modules will be available soon. Add framegrabbing and genlocking, de-interlacing, Digital Video Effects (DVE'S) and input switching capabilities. OpalVision's modular design circumvents the usual problems with incompatibility and loss of signal integrity associated with the external components available from third parties and the "Rat's Nest" required to connect them. The expansion modules connect directly to the OpalVision Mother Board without tying up Amiga slots. Adding all of the modules create a complete 24-bit Amiga desktop video system.
OpalVision Frame Grabber + Genlock Module:
·A true 24-bit frame grabber, genlock, composite decoder (color splitter), composite encoder, 256-level linear keyer with alpha channel output and live video effects processor.
·Broadcast-quality S-Video (S-VHS or HI-8) or composite input and output.
No external splitter required. Uses the Sony broadcast camera chipset for quality in excess of broadcast standards.
·Instantly freeze and save multiple video frames or a sequence of frames as 24-bit images. No still frame or signal preparation required for image grabbing.
·High-quality integration of 24-bit OpalVision and Amiga images with video. Define a 256-level transparency overlay (alpha channel) for OpalVision or Amiga images so live video can be displayed through transparent and semi-transparent portions of the image.
·All features are software controlled for fading, source switching, keying, etc.
·Uses external video or internal Amiga sync.
·Installs directly on the OpalVision Mother Board. No external wiring or power supply required.
OpalVision Production Switcher
·An external unit which plugs into the OpalVision Frame Grabber and Genlock for software-controlled switching between two video sources.
·Incorporates four video input signals each with its own color splitter. These four inputs can be assigned to A and B sources for switching in any combination.
·Perform cuts, dissolves, wipes and all the transitions made possible by the OpalVision Roaster Chip between two different sources.
·Each input includes both S-Video (S-VHS or Hi-8) and composite jacks. Output is provided in both S-Video, RGB and composite formats.
·Includes a jack for input of house sync, and output of the alpha (transparency) channel as a 1V p-p signal for production mixing desks.
·Requires and plugs into the OpalVision Framegrabber and Genlock board. No external power supply needed.
OpalVision Scan-Rate Converter
·Display Amiga Graphics, OpalVision 24-bit images and live video as rock-solid, non-interlaced, flicker-free images on any multi-scan or multi-sync monitor.
·Acts as an independent 24-bit frame buffer for two-screen multimedia applications.
·Perfect for high-resolution applications such as desktop publishing and word processing, paint and ray tracing software, etc.
·Requires and plugs into the OpalVision Mother Board. No external wiring or power supply needed.
OpalVision Roaster Chip
·Real-time processing and transformations of live video, OpalVision images or standard Amiga output. Take any live video signal. Flip it. Scale it. Wrap it on a sphere. Wave it like a flag. Do page turns to reveal a second source image. Provides an infinite variety of amazing, real-time Digital Video Effects.
·"Picture-in-Picture" capability allows the display of live or frozen video in a scalable window on the Workbench. Zoom in on a portion of the image and pan around for a close-up look.
·Includes software to design and accurately sequence custom video effects and transitions. Includes an expandable library of useful wipes, dissolves, wraps, etc.
·Plugs into the OpalVision Mother Board. The Roaster Chip is a fully integrated part of the OpalVision system and is fully compatible with all other modules. For effective use, the Roaster Chip and software requires the Genlock and Frame Grabber Module.
OpalPaint
An unequalled painting and image manipulation program. Fast. Real-time. Full 24-bit. OpalPaint gives you complete control over Opalvision's 16.8 million color palette. Includes a full-range of drawing tools and image-processing modes.
Tools
· Includes all standard painting tools: Sketch (Dotted & Freehand); Line; Filled/Unfilled Outline; Arc; Filled/Unfilled Ellipses/Circles/Rectangles; Text; Brush Cut.
· "Rip and Replace" repeats last drawing action after moving one pixel in any direction. Very useful for precise placement of brushes and objects.
· Definable level of anti-aliasing in any mode and with any tool
· Definable level of global transparency for all operations, or set transparency levels of individual RGB or HSV components.
· Texture mapping with 32-bit brushes, using any Drawing Tool, Drawing Mode and Transparency Gradient.
· Transparency overlays "painted" using Alpha Work Mode can be attached to cutout for 32-bit brush.
· Magnify tool with complete zoom in/out control
Modes
· 18 built-in Drawing Modes, including Paint, Tint, Colorize, Brilliance (Brightness), Contrast, Gamma, Additive, Subtractive, Mosaic, Smear, Smooth, Shade, Sharpen, Negative, and many others. Most modes have independently adjustable parameters via an on-screen slider. For example, you can adjust the Smear amount from 1% to 100%. All Drawing Modes are used in conjunction with the drawing tools; apply effects to either limited areas or the entire image.
· Additional Drawing Modes on disk for unlimited image processing power and expandability. Includes such Drawing Modes as Add Noise & Convert to Grey.
· True 24-bit multiple gradients, with adjustable radial, linear, horizontal, vertical, border, and point gradient fill choices; gradient colors can be either RGB or HSV color spreads
· Transparency gradients. Define multiple levels of transparency for a fill, similar to color gradients. Can be used alone or in combination with color gradients
Resolutions / File Formats
· Loads IFF (any resolution, including HAM), IFF-24, JPEG, OV_FAST. Saves IFF-24, JPEG and OV_FAST.
· Define unlimited spare pages. Spare pages can be any resolution and page size.
· Rubthrough from any one spare page to the same or another spare page.
· Supports all resolutions of the OpalVision card.
· Page size in any resolution is definable up to the limits of available memory, or hard-drive space if the virtual memory option is utilized up to 32,768 x 32,768 pixels. Large images can be scaled for viewing on standard screen.
· Two different stencil types: Keep-out stencils (like artist's friskets) which can be drawn with the painting tools over any area of the image. Color stencils can include or exclude ranges of color.
· With one mouse click switch between three different Work Modes that all use the same Drawing Tools: Paint mode, for normal painting and image processing; Stencil Mode for drawing keep-out stencils, and Alpha mode to paint with grey scales representing transparency. This transparency mask is used with 32-bit cutout brushes and is supported by the OpalVision Genlock and FrameGrabber for semi-transparent live video overlays.
· OpalVision Frame Grabber/Genlock can grab images or cutout brushes directly into spare pages and the work area.
· Combine Drawing Tools, Drawing Modes, texture mapping, transparency and effects for incredible image manipulation power.
Palette Control
· Supports several methods of real-time 24-bit color selection. Choose colors from RGB & HSV sliders, use the 16.8 million "color picker", choose from a list of named colors, or use OpalPaint's color mixing area to create your own.
· A working palette of 260 selected colors is available at all times. Load and Save custom color palettes. This palette can be changed at any time without changing colors already in the image. Colors in gradients, smoothing, etc. are not limited to colors in the working palette.
· Includes pre-defined palettes, such as Pastels, Metals, Ocean, Skintones, Camouflage, Fluros, etc. Each has its own pre-mixed mixing area for easy color selection.
Unique Features
· Easy, intuitive icon-based interface. No cluttered screens of buttons or layers of menus.
· Fast, real-time operation. No waiting for buffer updates or working on a second screen.
· Virtual memory support. Store unused portions of the image, spare pages, or spare cutout brushes on disk to save memory. This allows you pages much larger than memory would typically allow.
· Unique nozzle brushes can be independently used with adjustable "Artist's Tools" such as a perfectly smooth airbrushes, pencils, charcoals, texta, oil paints, etc. In addition, the "paper type" can be adjusted, such as smooth, rough, watercolor paper, etc. for realistic, real-world effects.
· "Magic Wand" allows automatic filling or cutting or irregular objects using edge detection
· Supports pressure-sensitive Wacom® drawing tablet in conjunction with Artist's Tools for incredible real-life effects. (Requires Workbench 2.0)
General Characteristics
· Load/Save file requesters show an "Art Gallery" of 24-bit "thumbnails" or miniature representations of Images, Cutout Brushes and Palette sets on disk for visual location of files. Create Art Gallery thumbnails for existing IFF images.
· "Undo" button for any operation.
· "Dynamic Undo" Use the right mouse button as an eraser to paint from the undo buffer with any tool
· Keyboard equivalents follow DPAINT® standard where possible.
· Full AREXX support and fully compatible with all Workbench versions.
