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1996-06-01
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**********************************************************************
Positive Image Now Available
**********************************************************************
Floppyshop are delighted to announce the release of Positive
Image, a high end image processing tool developed primarily for the
Atari TT and Falcon030 but which also runs capably on a standard ST.
Positive Image has come about as a result of extensive research
into professional photographic image retouching packages on non-Atari
machines. The result is an image processing studio, such as has never
before been seen running on Atari computers!
Positive Image runs on any TOS based computer but is enhanced to
take full advantage of the improved hardware on the STE, TT and
Falcon, especially the DSP on the Falcon. The blitter (if present) is
also used to maximum effect. There are two versions of Positive
Image, one for 68000 based ST/e's the other for 68030 machines
(including PAK 68/3 accelerated ST/e's and Apple Macintosh machines
running MagiC Mac). The basic 68000 version contains all the
features of its big brother, being limited only by the slower
processor speed and lower resolution displays. If your ST/e, TT or
Falcon has a processor accelerator or graphic card fitted, this
too will be used to its fullest capabilities.
Positive Image is the ONLY GEM based image processing program to
allow the editing of 24-bit True Colour graphics on an ordinary ST
in any resolution (including low res!). A high spec system is not
necessary in order to run Positive Image, but the program will take
full advantage of the increased processing power if it is there! The
following is a list of the program's main features:-
System Compatibility
* Minimum requirements: 1 Meg of RAM only, 4 Meg of RAM (or
more) and a hard drive are recommended for serious use.
* Supports all screen resolutions (including ST low res) on the
ST/e, TT and Falcon including overscan, all virtual screen drivers
and the various resolution boosters such as Autoswitch Overscan on
the ST and all known hardware and software resolution boosters on
the Falcon 030.
* Compatible with all official releases of TOS (1.0, 1.2, 1.4,
1.6, 1.62, 2.05, 2.06, 3.05, 3.06, 4.01, 4.02, 4.04) and the developer
version of 4.92.
* Fully compatible with GDOS 1.1, AMC GDOS, FontGDOS, FSM GDOS,
SpeedoGDOS v4, SpeedoGDOS v5, NVDI 3 and NVDI 4 with regard to both
font and printer support.
* Compliant with all 100% GEM compatible graphics cards.
* Fully compatible with MagiC Mac.
* Fully compatible with Gemulator 4.
* Supplied in two versions for the different models in the Atari
range. The basic program runs on any Atari and the 68030 version
runs on any 68030 or 68040 based TOS compatible system and takes
advantage of the DSP in the Falcon.
Multi-Tasking Features
* Fully compatible with Multi-TOS, Geneva and MagiC 3 or 4.
* Supports extended AES messages from Multi-TOS, WinX, Geneva and
MagiC 3 or 4.
* Supports the Xacc and AV protocols for sending messages
betweenprograms.
* Support for Multi-TOS and MagiC 3 and 4's drag and drop
protocol whereby a group of images are dragged onto an open
window and are all loaded in a single operation.
General Features
* Extensive file support allows the following graphic formats
to be imported: AIM, Degas, Windows and OS/2 Bitmap, EZ-Art Pro,
IFF (including Deluxe Paint ST, standard HAM, high res HAM, HAM6,
HAM8, HAM12 and 24-bit HAM), IMG (including HyperPaint X-IMG and
conventional X-IMG), InShape, Imagelab, JPEG, MTV Raytrace,
NeoChrome, PC Paintbrush, Photochrome, Portable Network Graphic
(PNG), Prism Paint, True Paint, Spectrum 512 (both 50hz and 60hz
pictures), TrueVision Targa, TIFF v6 (including CCITT fax and JPEG
support) and Tiny.
* Saves out in most popular formats including TIFF, BMP, JPG,
PNG, TGA, XIMG, EZA, P?1 and NEO amongst others.
* Full support for true (i.e. non paletted) 256 level
Greyscales, fully preserving the colour depth. These are even
supported for image formats which do not ordinarily handle this
type of image!
* Comprehensive file information (filename, format, compression
method, dimensions, memory required, memory free) given when loading
images.
* Handles conversions between monochrome, 16 colour, 256 colour,
Greyscale and True Colour, performing colour quantisation or
palette boosting as necessary.
* Colour selection compliant with both RGB and CMY standards.
* Supports separate editing of the red, green, blue and mask
channels with colour images.
* Subject to memory and/or available hard drive space, an UNDO
buffer is available at all times, allowing 'mistakes' to be
reversed easily. UNDO works for almost all operations in Positive
Image.
* All images are stored internally in 24-bit format and all
operations are carried out on the 24-bit representation held in
memory. This ensures that the same quality results are obtained
whether pictures are edited in monochrome or True Colour.
* Near-instantaneous screen redraws in True Colour mode.
* Images can be intelligently rescaled and anti-aliased to suit the
size of your paper (or the dimensions of your choice provided they
do not exceed that of your paper!). Realistically you can print out
an image at up to 400% of its original size at 300dpi without any
noticeable loss of quality.
* Optionally uses windowed dialogues which may be moved to
a more convenient location when work is being obscured. Access to
the menu bar or other GEM applications is also supported when
running under MultiTOS with this feature enabled.
* Multiple dialogues can be open at the same time and you can move
between them freely, even under single-tasking TOS. In fact
different tools can be active for different images and Positive
Image always remembers the currently selected tool for the
appropriate image!
* Includes its own virtual memory feature which runs on any Atari
with a hard drive. Positive Image is also fully compatible with
TT Fast RAM and virtual memory drivers on the TT and Falcon such as
Outside.
* Supports multiple loading of up to five images at once from the
Selectric file selector and inserts the filemasks for
supported formats into Selectric's list of masks. These features are
also available to users of the Freedom file selector.
* Makes use of the GEM Clipboard for cutting and pasting of blocks.
* Allows you to specify your Clipboard directory and creates a
Clipboard for you if you don't already have one.
* Retains multiple blocks in the Clipboard to facilitate easier
creating of montages.
* Clipboard support includes the ability to clear all blocks or
delete individual blocks after use.
* Support for Brainstorm's DSP based JPEG decoder on the Falcon.
* Standard GEM compliant keyboard shortcuts for all menu options.
* Iconification of images to maximise desk space.
* All your preferred settings can be saved as default to save
valuable time when next using the package.
* Floating toolbar with short tool descriptions being displayed
(except in 40 column modes) as you hover over their icons.
* GDOS fonts may be unloaded when not in use, in order to save
memory.
* All the common text attributes such as bold, italic,
underline and outline may be applied to your text and previewed on
screen before use.
* Powerful block handling features include the choice of 11
different overlay methods with user definable transparency feature.
* The ability to use any of the RGB channels of the block or
image as a mask channel when pasting blocks.
* Supports the creation of 3D random dot stereograms and
foreground enhanced stereograms.
* Sixteen zoom levels allow you to scale an image up or down to a
maximum factor of eight. When zoomed (in or out), blocks, brushes etc
are all scaled accordingly. Outsize images can be zoomed out to view
the entire image for pasting blocks or defining localised regions
for processing. Zooming in allows fine editing right down to
individual pixels.
* Fully illustrated in-depth 136 page manual which covers not only
the use of Positive Image itself but also the fundamentals of
image processing. Includes extensive cross-referencing, a glossary
of over 250 terms used within the manual, a guide to the various
graphic file formats and a handy trouble-shooting section. Written by
a former regular contributor to several popular Atari magazines.
Falcon Specific Features
* 3D graphic interface.
* Compatible with 32Mhz and 40 Mhz accelerators (including BlowUp-
FX).
* Fast DSP code handles most processor intensive operations such
as re-scaling, rotating, filtering, dithering and such like.
* Works on both VGA and RGB monitors as well as ordinary TV sets.
* Fully compatible with ScreenBlaster BlowUp030 and other
resolution enhancers.
Printer Support
* Fully supports printing from any version of GDOS or SpeedoGDOS.
* Also includes its own printer drivers as an alternative
to those available with the various GDOS versions.
* Non-GDOS based printer support includes all 9-pin and 24-pin
Epson and IBM models, HP DeskJet (colour and mono), HP LaserJet,
IBM ProPrinter, Epson Stylus (mono and colour) and Postscript
printers.
* Supports half-toning, random dithering, clumped (the method
used by newspapers) and Floyd-Steinberg dithering as options to
use when printing out.
* Uses data compression when printing to HP Laserjets and
Deskjets to reduce printing time.
* Images can be printed to disk if memory is low. These files can
then be double-clicked from the GEM Desktop and sent directly to the
printer. They can also be printed out from PC, Mac and Unix
machines if you transfer them via a PC formatted disk.
* Can export images in PostScript format.
Image Processing Features
* All the usual tools such as Brightness/Contrast, Contrast
Stretch, Negate, Threshold, Histogram and Equalise are present
as well as many revolutionary new ones.
* Images can be rotated to any angle in either a clockwise
or anti-clockwise direction to an accuracy of one degree. Uses DSP on
the Falcon.
* Real-time mirroring of images.
* Comes supplied with six commonly used image processing filters
(including smooth, sharpen and remove noise) built-in.
* Allows the user to create his/her own external filters for
use with Positive Image. The package includes about a dozen
useful pre-defined external filters including Blur, Emboss, Erode and
Vibrate.
* Supports 256 level (8-bit) masking. Includes a configurable
gradient mask tool which allows you to create your own masks.
* Allows processing of user defined rectangular, circular,
elliptical and bezier area definitions within Greyscale and True
Colour images without affecting other areas of the image.
* Powerful auto-trace tool supports user-defined tolerance level
to allow easy selection of multi-coloured areas of similar RGB value
eg; could be used to select a sky background.
* Pixel precise area selection of any shape supported by use
of Alpha Channel handling.
* Image warping (two different implementations supported) and
shearing enable life-like twisting and distorting of images. The
closest you'll get to morphing on a non-frame based package. You must
see these features to believe them! They are fully operational in
the demo version!
* Supports gamma correction of images for screen and/or printer.
Image Retouching Features
Besides having a powerful compliment of image processing tools,
Positive Image includes a number of localised retouching tools with
user definable brush size and shape. These are for the main part,
similar in concept to those found in any standard graphics package,
but further enhanced to fully exploit the image processing
capabilities of Positive Image. The retouching tools are as follows:-
* Sharpen/Blur - A dual purpose tool which applies a local
high pass sharpen (or blur) filter to the pixel beneath the mouse.
* Dodge/Burn - A dual purpose tool which lightens or darkens each
pixel in the area beneath the mouse, when used on Greyscale or True
Colour images.
* Eraser - Erases any given area with the eraser adopting the size
of the currently selected brush.
* Fill - A standard fill tool as found in most graphics packages
but with user control over opacity, fade and strength.
* Spraycan - A traditional airbrush tool with the added advantage
that you can set opacity, fade and strength to suit.
* Paint - A standard painting tool which applies your chosen
colour to the image relative to the size and shape of your selected
brush.
* Pencil - Identical to paint except that it always works at
single pixel level, regardless of the size of the brush.
* Rubber Stamp - A multi-purpose cloning tool.
* Full user configurability of all image processing tools allowing
you to set the Opacity, Fade and Strength to make them work like
'real' paint!
All retouching tools may be used in Positive Image's variable zoom
mode to ensure pixel precise accuracy,
Price
Positive Image is available NOW. It normally costs 79 pounds + P&P,
but you can order your copy at a special introductory price of
just £65.00 + P&P (UK 2 pounds, Europe 5 pounds, rest of world
10 pounds) for a limited period only. Overseas customers please
check to see if we have a distributor in your country. If not,
please note (when ordering from Floppyshop) that payment must be
made in UK currency (Eurocheque, Post Giro, International Money
Order or a cheque drawn on a UK bank). To be honest, you will probably
find it easiest to pay by credit card.
**********************************************************************
Contact:- Floppyshop, PO Box 273, Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K. AB15 8GJ.
Tel:\Fax: 01224 586208, International +44 (0)1224 586208
email: sdelaney@steil.wintermute.co.uk
**********************************************************************
Positive Image Distributors
SWEDEN, NORWAY, FINLAND, ESTONIA, LATVIA and LITHUANIA - Falcon Pro
Center, Vaederlekstorget 12, S-418 32 Gothenburg, Sweden.
NETHERLANDS - Atari ST Computerclub Nederland (ACN), Postbus 5011,
2000 CA Haarlem, The Netherlands.
DENMARK - Indigo 2, Montanagade 29E, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
NORTH AMERICA - Computer Direct, 10338-59 Avenue, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada. T6H 1E6
UK, IRELAND and all other territories - Floppyshop, PO Box 273,
Aberdeen, AB15 8GJ, Scotland, U.K.