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%% The Retina ZIII 24-bit Video Board                 by Jason Compton %%
%%                                               jcompton@bbs.xnet.com %%
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Here begins a monumental review in that it is the first non-emulation
hardware I've ever reviewed, and it's the first 24-bit video board I've
ever reviewed.  That in mind, I'll jump right in, with the first thing any
Retina user will encounter...

The Packaging!
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At first, I thought NoahJi's had accidentally sent me another Toccata
(note: I have dropped the Toccata review because of time restraints).
They've got the EXACT SAME PACKAGE DESIGN, right down to
the fonts on the box and the lightray-design behind the pictures of the
boards at the exact same angle.  MacroSystem does not go all out
when it comes to putting a box together.  To their credit, there is a 
little English on the box.  Not much, though.

To its credit, it is effective enough packaging that does the job of 
getting the product to you.  Sliding the recyclable cardboard box out 
of the jacket with the design and opening it up, reveals the next two 
important pieces...

The Included Software!
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Two disks come with the Retina ZIII: one is the rather necessary Retina
software (in my case, V2.2), the other is the 24-bit paint program VDPaint.
The Retina software installs using the Commodore-supplied program and
is easy enough to work with.  The paint program is a bit less friendly to
install (not really any included hints) but still not a huge project.  The
paint
program has an 000 and 030 version, as though someone who is buying
a 24-bit video board that cost hundreds of dollars wouldn't be interested
in an accelerator.

At any rate, once the software is installed, you might want to know how to
use it, right?  You bet you would.

The Manual!
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I could have used a lot of words to describe the manual, but I think the
best is: bad.  "Bad" gets right to the point.

It comes as a bound 42-page booklet, which is at least half as big as it
should be.  24-bit video, Workbench emulation and screen retargeting
are not simple topics, and the manual does not do a good job of it.

I called Eric Kloor of NoahJi's on it, and he summed up the problem:
The really nice English manual is copyrighted by MacroSystem US.
Apparently, this is not a cooperative situation and so here we are,
with a manual that seems to have come from the original MacroSystem
edition.

At any rate, the parts up through the installation are fine: it's tough to
screw
up putting a Zorro card in a slot, and there are no special requirements 
for heat or anything of the sort.  It's when you get to section 4, about 
first using the card and setting up the Workbench screen emulation that 
the problems hit.

Problems?
---------
Well, yeah.  Not too bad, actually, after some initial fine-tuning with 
the Workbench prefs.  See, the Retina software relies partially on good 
old Screenmode-for resolution height and width.  My primary problem comes
when I follow the instructions and make the Screenmode sizes match
the size I have selected for Workbench in the software (wait, I'll get to
the software next time).  The screen does not update anything near
correctly-it's not even the right size or colors.  Gadgets aren't where
they're supposed to be.  Needless to say, it's not good and I get mad
when it happens, but I have Screenmode set to 760x470, and Retina
thinks this is 800x480, and it looks great, so I won't complain.
Another problem, not entirely the Retina's fault, is the refusal of some
programs to take advantage of a higher-resolution screen than a
standard Amiga can comfortably handle.  With others, like Final
Copy II and Terminus, some trickery is required to get over programs'
preconceptions, like not being able to extend more than 25 lines on
screen in Terminus unless Console is set to Laced, even if it's a 
1024x768 screen.  FCII requires that you set the Workbench to the
resolution you like, then start with "Same as Workbench."  Not serious.

There are some other basic rules, too:

1.  Anything that takes over the Amiga you may as well forget about, 
since you need to run the RetinaEMU program to retarget video, and
PHYSICAL pass-through on the Retina is an extra-cost option as a 
part of an add-on board.  Of course, you're free to disconnect the video
from the Retina when you're going to use these programs.

2.  Screen blankers and some screen hacks (BusyPointer) don't work.
Same for mouse blankers, but Retina allows a high-res pointer so you
can at least make it small.

Retina's software DOES come with a screen blanker if you're that
reluctant to hit your monitor's power switch.  Personally, I think screen
blankers should have gone out of style when one-piece, one-power-switch
Macs went out of style, but some look nice, at least.

That'll do it for this week.  Next week I'll tell you how it actually 
PERFORMS in day-to-day use.  Until then, keep the JPEGs warm.