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- MVGAVU (c) Copr. 1989-90 Lawrence Gozum & Marvin Gozum
- ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
- User Manual
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-
- DISCLAIMER
-
- This product is distributed AS IS. The authors specifically disclaim all
- warranties ,expressed or implied, including ,but not limited to, implied
- warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with
- respect to defects in the diskette and documentation, and program license
- granted herein, in particular, and without limiting operation of the
- program license with respect to any particular application use or
- purpose. In no event shall the authors be liable for any loss of profit
- or any other commercial damage including but not limited to special,
- incidental, consequential or other damages.
-
-
- LICENSING AGREEMENT
-
- You may use this program for a 10 DAY TRIAL PERIOD. Should you find this
- program useful, you MUST register it; you will then be provided with the
- latest releases of the VGACAD system see last section of this manual).
-
- Freely distribute unmodified MVGAVU copies provided you charge $10 max.
- for distribution, in lieu of recognized Users Group guidelines (e.g., ASP
- or NYACC).
-
-
- WHAT IS MVGAVU ?
-
- MVGAVU is a GIF and BLD/PLT (BLoaD and PaLleTte) viewer, GIF slideshow
- program, and integrated component of VGACAD v1.6 (and up). MVGAVU is
- EASY TO USE, MENU-DRIVEN; unsupported and popular SVGA modes are already
- hardcoded. MVGAVU has unsupported modes; 320x400x256 DOUBLES your MCGA
- resolution, while 360x480x256 almost TRIPLES (270%) it - giving close to
- SVGA capability on generic VGA cards. In addition, a VGA 640x400x16 mode
- and Tseng 640x400x256 SVGA mode have been created. MVGAVU interpolates
- GIFs that are larger (up to 2KBx2KBx256) than your viewing mode to see
- the whole picture w/out scrolling and/or posterizes in 16-color EGA/VGA
- modes. As a versatile slideshow, it determines the best viewing mode for
- any GIF - automatically, maximizing your card's capability by displaying
- the optimal MCGA, EGA, VGA, or SVGA mode.
-
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- WHAT IS VGACAP ?
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- VGACAP is a tiny resident utility that captures 256 color pics in
- VGA/MCGA 320x200x256 or SVGA 640x480x256/800x600x256 modes. VGACAP saves
- 320x200x256 pics in a BASIC 'BLoaD' format; SVGA 640x480x256/800x600x256
- pics are saved in a *.RAW format ('GIF' them with RAW2GIF included).
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- REQUIREMENTS
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- MVGAVU requires a PS/2 or EGA/EEGA/MCGA/VGA/SVGA video card. About 512KB
- of RAM is required, although it uses less than that. The BRUN41.exe
- runtime module MUST be present in your path. A MCGA/VGA adaptor and
- analog monitor is required for VGACAP; it uses about 2KB of RAM.
-
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- HOW TO USE VGACAP
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- Run VGACAP before viewing a picture. Press <Alt-F4>, while viewing to
- saved *.BLD/*.PLT files (for 320x200x256) or *.RAW/*.PLT files (for
- 640x480x256 and 800x600x256). The first time you run the program it will
- save your screen and palette to SCREEN00.BLD (or SCREEN00.RAW) and
- SCREEN00.PLT respectively. If there is an existing SCREENxx.BLD (.RAW)
- or SCREENxx.PLT file, then it will increment to the next higher number.
- Use your favorite memory manager or reboot to release it from memory.
-
- When using a picture viewer (e.g., PICEM or VPIC) or application which
- requires a keypress to continue, hit another key after <Alt-F4>.
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- LOADING PICTURES INTO MVGAVU
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- MVGAVU accepts GIF and BLD/PLT files; at the start of the program, select
- [G]IF or [B]LD file types or [Q]uit to exit. You can select any filename
- by moving a highlighted bar (with arrow keys) and pressing <return> key.
- Pressing <Spc> allows changes the PATH, while <Esc> exits. A *.BLD file,
- must have a corresponding *.PLT file or a error message will follow.
-
- All pictures are interpolated to your selected mode; SVGA GIFs (e.g.,
- 640x400x256 to 1024x768x256) are interpolated to "fit to screen" when
- they are larger than your screen.
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- USING RAW2GIF
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- Use RAW2GIF to convert 640x480x256 and 800x600x256 captures to GIF. Run
- it and select filenames as you would in MVGAVU; RAW2GIF converts it
- automatically. To convert a single *.RAW file, pass the filename at the
- Command-line (e,g., "RAW2GIF SCREEN00" <return>)
-
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- VIDEO MODE SELECTION
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- Using standard IBM and PS/2 modes are the safest. When selecting SVGA
- modes, check with your manual or manufacturer for the chip set (e.g.,
- Tseng, Paradise, Video7, Trident, etc..) before selecting. TECMAR USERS
- MUST USE THE USER MODE SINCE IT USES NON-STANDARD VIDEO CALLING NUMBERS.
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- MVGA (Medium-resolution VGA) modes
-
- The 320x400x256 mode is the safest since it uses minimal VGA register
- modification and is safely within tolerances of PS/2 monitors and should
- run on the least "register-compatible" VGA card. It has an interesting
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- aspect ratio - double the vertical resolution of MCGA/VGA 320x200x256;
- many Amiga, Atari and MacII GIFs have this aspect ratio; viewing GIFs in
- this mode closely replicates "what the originator saw". When MVGAVU is
- invoked via Command-line this mode is the default since it is the safest.
- If VGA is not detected then MCGA 320x200x256 is used; if MCGA is not
- detected then EGA 640x350x16 mode (posterized if req.) is used; thereon
- an error message follows.
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- The 360x480x256 mode pushes generic VGA cards to its theoretical limits!
- It has the same vertical resolution of the SVGA 640x480x256 mode - the
- most popular SVGA format so far. With 270% more resolution, you can view
- 640x480x256 GIFs with more detail and less "jaggies". If a GIF has a 360
- pixel width and larger screen height (e.g., 360x960x256 LESTER), MVGAVU
- will automatically correct the aspect ratio and interpolate the picture
- to "fit to screen". If the 360x480x256 mode fails, your card is not as
- "register-compatible" as it claims to be; use the 320x400x256 mode
- instead. If the 320x400x256 mode fails, it is BIOS-COMPATIBLE ONLY !
-
- A new mode has been added - 640x400x16 (w/posterization if req.) - to
- view those Amiga HAM 640x400x16 GIFs (e.g., ANDI, and BARBARA) the way
- they were created; like the 360x480x256 mode, a "register-compatible" VGA
- card or PS/2 Model 50(and up) is required.
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- Preset SVGA modes
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- MVGAVU has hardcoded support for popular SVGA chipsets - Tseng (Orchid,
- STB,Genoa,Willow...), Paradise (Dell,AST,Compaq,Olivetti...), Video7 (V7
- FW/VRAM, new Dell...), Trident (Logix, Maxon, Imtec...), Everex, ATI and
- C&T. SVGA MODES ARE NOT VERIFIED; YOUR TOTAL VIDEO RAM AND CARD VERSION
- LIMITS YOUR CHOICES; CHECK YOUR MANUAL TO ENSURE THAT IT SUPPORTS IT.
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- A 640x400x256 Tseng SVGA was created since viewing your 320x200x256 GIFs
- with it, is much CLEARER due to 400% more resolution. Moreover, VGACAD
- v1.6 (and up) uses "Virtual Screens" for cutting and pasting 320x200x256
- pics into SVGA GIFs - composite 320x200x256 screens look great in this
- mode. Amiga, Atari and MacII GIFs use this aspect ratio multiple and
- look as close as possible to "what the originator saw".
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- View Jovian VIA scans (320x240x256 GIFs) in 640x480x256 or 800x600x256;
- these GIFs have the same aspect ratio and have the same effect of viewing
- 320x200x256 GIFs in the 640x400x256 mode.
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- SVGA/EEGA User modes
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- To set your own modes specify the Screen Width, Screen Height, colors (16
- or 256), Video Mode, and Chip type (9=BIOS). Several *.CFG files are
- included; copy a special video mode (e.g., 800x600x16 and 1024x768x16) to
- MVGAVU.CFG and it will be invoked when you use the "X" option. CHECK
- YOUR CARD'S MANUAL TO DETERMINE IF IT SUPPORTS IT! To set a 256 or 16
- color mode, press "P"arameters. Once edited, it is saved and recalled
- anytime. Type the video mode in decimal (e.g. 255) or hex (e.g. &HFF);
- HEX ENTRIES *MUST* BE PRECEDED BY THE "&H" CHARACATERS. 16-COLOR MODES
- (UP TO 800x600 EXCEPT EVEREX & VIDEO7 MODES) MUST ALWAYS USE "9" (for
- BIOS) SINCE IT WILL TELL MVGAVU TO USE THE HARDCODED STANDARD PROCEDURE.
- FOR MODES ABOVE 800x600 (e.g. 1024x768), YOU MUST USE CORRECT CHIPSET.
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- (e.g., TSENG, VIDEO7, TRIDENT, etc). WHEN IN DOUBT, USE "9" (for BIOS).
- EV-673 users MUST use the "Everex" Chip type; EV-678 must specify the
- "EV678" Chip type. Since TECMAR cards are Tseng-based but use different
- calling modes, all its popular modes have been included as *.CFG files.
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- EGA/EEGA/VGA 16-Color Modes and Posterization
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- There are still a lot of GIFs in EGA 640x350x16 and VGA 640x480x16 modes,
- so we have included them in MVGAVU. If a GIF has more than 16 colors
- (e.g, 256) then the "best 16 of 64" EGA colors are selected/posterized.
- For a novel way of viewing of your 640x480x256 GIFs, view them again in
- 640x480x16 or 640x350x16 (posterized) - quite interesting !
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- Fixing Aspect Ratios
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- Some GIFs have the same screen and image descriptors (e.g.CARMEN2); these
- large GIFs result in distorted aspect ratios or require scrolling to view
- correctly (assuming you select a mode with matching aspect ratio).
-
- "5:6" aspect assumes originator was using a 320x200 or 640x400 screen
- aspect ratio (normally Amiga, Atari or MacII). Select this option to
- adjust for optimum screen size and correct the aspect ratio.
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- "1:1" aspect assumes originator was using a "square" aspect ratio. If
- you have 100 pixels on all sides of a sqaure, the square should appear as
- a SQUARE on your monitor, not some rectangle. 320x240(Jovian VIA),
- 640x480 (EEGA/MCGA/VGA/SVGA), 800x600 (EEGA/SVGA), and 1024x768 (SVGA)
- modes (should) have "square" aspect ratios. Select this option to fix
- such GIFs (e.g., SYLVIA.GIF, PAULINA.GIF, FMAID.GIF, ... ).
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- ADJUSTING THE VIDEO MODE
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- WARNING: TO USE THIS FEATURE YOU *MUST* HAVE A REGISTER-COMPATIBLE VGA
- CARD AND MULTIFREQUENCY MONITOR. DEPENDING ON SOPHISTICATION OF YOUR
- HARDWARE, MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO VIDEO MODES MAY TOTALLY DISRUPT THE VIDEO
- SYNCING PROCESS, BE PREPARED TO PRESS THE "*" KEY TO RESET IF SYNC
- SIGNALS ARE UNFAVORABLY DISRUPTED.
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- Some video modes (e.g., 800x600 and 960x720) have distorted aspect ratios
- (i.e., supposed to have 1:1 aspect ratios but isn't). To correct this,
- you can (1) compress the image vertically or horizontally or (2) offset
- the image on your monitor as if you were adjusting the vertical and
- horizontal scanning controls of your monitor. If you set your monitor
- for 1024x768x16, you will normally find that modes such as 960x720x16
- tend to be distorted.
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- There is a growing amateur interest in VIDEO GRAPHICS via 'GENLOCK'
- add-on cards (e.g., Jovian VIN, Willow VGA-TV). By adjusting the video
- mode you can control the aspect ratio and overall image size sent to your
- TV or video tape. 320x200 and 640x400 modes tend to send images that are
- smaller than the total TV/Video image; centering may be required. With
- 640x480 or greater modes, the image may tend to be larger or distorted;
- aspect ratio, image size and location adjustments may be required to
- match 'real' video images with your computer graphic images.
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- After an image is displayed, press "[A]djust Monitor. The following key
- options will be activated; this feature can be invoked in any video mode.
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- [->] move image right [ - ] compress horizontal aspect
- [<-] move image left [ + ] decompress horizontal aspect
- [dn] move image down [Ins] compress vertical aspect
- [up] move image up [Del] decompress vertical aspect
- [ * ] RESET ADJUSTMENTS
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- ADJUSTING CONTRAST & BRIGHTNESS
-
- If you view a non-posterized GIF or BLD/PLT pic you can adjust contrast
- and brightness. You have to do this for those Amiga, Atari and MACII
- GIFs since they usually have some "gamma error" - particularly brightness
- <sheesh>. Anyway, use the arrow keys to increase or decrease brightness
- and contrast. Make sure your NUMLOCK key is OFF !
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- [Esc] restores the original palette, while pressing any other key (e.g.,
- [return] or [spc] will exit vewing. Contrast and brightness adjustment
- levels can be increased or decreased with the [+] or [-] keys followed by
- corresponding rising or falling tones.
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- [->] increase brightness [+] increase adjustment level
- [<-] decrease brightness [-] decrease adjustment level
- [dn] increase contrast [*] reset adjustment level
- [up] decrease contrast [A] Adjust Monitor
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- With VGACAD v1.6 (and up) you can import the adjusted palette in your
- edited picture by pressing [backspace] key. When editing a SVGA GIF via
- VSCRN (i.e., "virtual screen"); eNCODe that GIF and view it with MVGAVU;
- adjust the palette, press [backspace] then exit to import that palette.
- ALL ADJUSTMENTS ARE PERMANANET !
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- CREATING/SAVING MVGA 320x400x256 & 360x480x256 OR SVGA GIFs
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- You can 'downsize' (squeeze) SVGA GIFs (e.g., 640x480x256) or expand
- small GIFs (e.g., 320x200x256) to 320x400x256 or 360x480x256. Downsize
- SVGA GIFs for fast-decoding or enlarge small GIFs for enhanced image
- processing with VGACAD or reduce odd SVGA GIFs (e.g., DGNLDY) to smaller
- SVGA modes (e.g., 640x400x256). Simply view your GIF any SVGA 256-color
- mode and press the [tab] key. MVGASCRN.RAW and MVGASCRN.PLT files will
- be created for GIF conversion with RAW2GIF. Subsequent saves overwrite
- these files; encode with RAW2GIF and rename immediately to preserve them.
-
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- GIF SLIDESHOWS, COMMAND LINE VIEWING & BATCH PRESENTATIONS
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- Up to 60 GIFs can be viewed in a slideshow. Press [S]how after selecting
- [G]IF. Move the cursor to select files and press [+] key to mark or [-]
- to unmark. [D]elay adds pauses (to 60 secs.) between GIFs. [V]ideo mode
- will cycle through "Maximum Modes". Press [S]how again to start show;
- press any key while the slideshow is running to stop. You can select
- different "Maximum Modes" but USE ONLY SVGA "Maximum Modes" THAT YOUR
- VIDEO CARD SUPPORTS! Thereafter, MVGAVU selects optimal modes.
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- In EGA 640x350x16, ALL pictures are interpolated and posterized, if
- necessary. Use this mode to see all your GIFs "posterized". 64KB MCGA
- cards will output as EGA 640x350x4 grey shades.
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- With MVGA 320x400x256, MCGA 320x200x256 and EGA 640x350x16 modes are
- automatically selected from; if you select this mode on an EGA or MCGA
- card, MVGAVU will adjust accordingly. If MVGA 360x480x256 is chosen,
- MVGAVU assumes a "register-compatible" VGA card present and selects from
- the above and MVGA 640x400x16 as well.
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- You can also set SVGA 640x400x256, 640x480x256 and 800x600x256 for any of
- the SVGA chipsets supported by MVGAVU. THESE MODES ARE NOT VERIFIED AND
- ASSUME YOUR VIDEO CARD SUPPORTS IT.
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- Command Line Viewing & Batch Presentations
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- MVGAVU can be used in a batch (*.BAT) file for presentations. In Command
- Line mode, only your picture is displayed and pressing any key (except
- [tab], [backspace], [A]djust Monitor and Contrast/Brightness adjustment
- keys) after its display will end the program. No menus or prompts
- interfere. Type "MVGAVU [file] <ret>" with no extension and optional
- path (e.g., MVGAVU \gif\svga\zoe). MVGAVU searches for the first
- matching *.GIF then it searches for a *.BLD file which can abe viewed
- only in MCGA 320x200x256 mode and must have matching *.PLT files in the
- same drive/directory. GIFs are viewed with 320x400x256 as "Maximum Mode"
- (described above) and will optimally select between MCGA 320x200x256, EGA
- 640x350x15 and MVGA 320x400x256 - and interpolate (or posterize)
- accordingly; MVGAVU selects the 'best' mode.
-
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- THE CHAINED VGACAD ENVIRONMENT
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- BRUN41.exe is a runtime module distributed under licence with Microsoft
- in connection with this program. Place it with MVGAVU or anywhere your
- PATH has access to. MVGAVU is a part of VGACAD (v1.6 and up). ONLY ONE
- COPY OF BRUN41.EXE IS REQUIRED.
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- REGISTRATION
-
- REGISTRATION OF MVGAVU IS BASED ON 'PERSONAL USAGE'. CORPORATE OR
- ORGANIZATIONAL USERS *MUST* REGISTER ALL COPIES USED ON AN INDIVIDUAL
- BASIS; A SPECIFIC PERSON (NAME) MUST BE EXPLICITLY ASSIGNED TO EACH
- REGISTRANT WHO WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRESPONDING REGISTER.OVL FILE TO
- INDICATE REGISTERED USAGE. REGISTRATION GRANTS A SPECIFIC PERSON (NOT A
- JURIDICAL PERSON OR CORPORATE ENTITY) THE RIGHT TO 'USE' MVGAVU.
- ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
- │ ALTHOUGH WE WILL TRY TO RESPOND TO YOUR REGISTRATION IN 2-3 WEEKS,│
- │ PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 4-6 WEEKS DELAY TO PROCESS YOUR REGISTRATION. │
- └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
- As token of our appreciation (i.e., to registered users), we will send
- you the the latest version of the VGACAD system; many of the programs
- listed below do not require a graphics card.
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- GIFPUB - converts 256 color GIF/PCX files to B&W for desktop publishing
- (DTP) as .PCX (Ventura, First Publisher, Publisher's Paintbrush, WP,
- Pagemaker). Variable sizing/contrast/brightness. Histogram-equalization.
- No graphics card required.
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- GIFDOT - has all the features of GIFPUB for printing on IBM/Epson
- printers. Several sizes. 8 pics/page. Single/Double Pass printing.
- Preview in CGA/HGC/EGA/VGA/EEGA/SVGA. No graphics card required.
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- GIFBIT - converts B&W PCX files (e.g., scans to 32KBx32KB !) to grey
- shades for VGACAD image processing, GIFPUB redithering, GIFDOT printing,
- or VGA2EGA conversion - it edits those "scan line jitters". Viewing
- modes in MCGA/VGA/SVGA. No graphics card required.
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- SQZGIF - converts LARGE GIFs (up to 2048x2048x256) to several sizes and
- video modes using "color averaging" to blend/smooth "jaggies" and retain
- a maximum of color information; use outputs in GIFPUB, GIFDOT, VGACAD,
- MVGAVU, VGA2CGA or VGA2EGA. No graphics card required.
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- EGA2VGA - converts GIFs (16 colors and below) or ANY VIEWABLE 2-16 color
- EGA/EEGA picture to 320x200x256; creates 256 new colors; outputs directly
- to GIFPUB, GIFDOT, VGACAD, MVGAVU, VGA2CGA or VGA2EGA.
- No graphics card required.
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- VGA2CGA - converts 256 color GIFs to CGA! See "405" colors in an
- unsupported 160x100x16 CGA mode. CGA/EGA/MCGA/VGA required.
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- MAC2GIF - converts .MAC ("readmac") pictures to 5-16 grey shades or color
- and saves to .GIF or BLD/PLT file. EGA/MCGA/VGA required.
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- VGA2EGA - converts 256 color pics to 16-color EGA. Error-distributed
- dithering. Variable sizing/RGBICMY/contrast/dithering levels. EEGA
- support up to 800x600. GIF or optional PCX save to 4 RGBI planes for
- Desktop Color Separation. EGA/MCGA/VGA required.
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- VGACAP - tiny TSR, captures MCGA/VGA/SVGA screens (from 320x200x256 to
- 800x600x256). MCGA/VGA required.
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- RAW2GIF - converts SVGA screen captures of VGACAP to GIF.
- BLD2GIF - converts MCGA/VGA screen captures of VGACAP to GIF.
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- VGACAD - extensive paint/image processing program for VGA/MCGA users
- (edit GIFs up to 32KBx32KBx256 !!!); airbrushes, color and grey image
- processing functions (smoothing, noise removal, shading, contrast
- stretching, edge detection, ...), splines, Cut&Paste, variable sizing,
- 256-color gradient/pattern fills, MORE ! MCGA/VGA required.
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- WHAT'S NEXT ?
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- Aside from enhancing existing releases with greater capabilities (e.g.,
- expanded memory, virtual screen, SVGA functions, other graphics formats),
- we are developing VGACBT (Computer-Based Training program) and MANNEQUIN
- for Advertising/Fashion Design or creating your own artistic nudes.
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- Support maverick authors like us and we will continue developing products
- like nothing seen commercially - otherwise they will simply "DIE" from
- lack of support ! Compare the cost/benefit ratio of any of our products
- with commercial products. You, and you alone, determine whether it will
- be worthwhile to continue developing. Support the User-Supported
- (Shareware) concept. Register you Shareware copies. To register, send
- the registration form and check or money order payable in USD to:
-
- Dr. Marvin Gozum
- 2 Independence Place #303-2, 6th & Locust
- Philadelphia, PA 19106
-
-
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
-
- We would like to thank John Bridges for releasing VGAKIT.ARC which
- included source code for 'bank switching' the Tseng, Paradise, Cirrus,
- Trident, Everex, C&T and VGA Wonder chips and source for the now, popular
- 360x480x256 mode. Also, we would like to thank Mike Abrash for
- publishing source code (in Programmer's Journal) for the 320x400x256
- mode. Seminal variants have been developed based on their evolving work
- into MVGAVU. We are grateful to Don Babcock, for QBASM's GIF adaptations
- of Tom Pfau's Public Domain LZW source (in LZW.ARC) for QB4 linking,
- which provided invaluable guidance in resolving QB4 memory allocation
- problems. Thanks a meg - John, Mike, Don and Tom !
-
-
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- ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- Graphics Interchange Format and GIF are trademarks (tm)
- of CompuServe Inc. an H&R Block Company.
-
-