Conference hydra::amiga_v1

>>The MicroWay Flickerfixer:  Will it work in both PAL/NTSC modes?  The 2.0
>>operating system supports switching between the two, but will the flickerfixer
>>adjust?????? 
>>  


>No the flickerfixer will not adjust because their are two different
>MicroWay products, one for NTSC machines and another for PAL machines.
>
>The Commodore A2320 Display Enhancer card WILL automatically adjust to
>either PAL or NTSC display mode and give you severe overscan support in
>both modes i.e. 768x489 in NTSC mode and 768x576 in PAL mode (this is
>much more than the MicroWay product).  The A2320 will also automatically


So does anybody understand (can you explain) how the MicroWay Flickerfixer will
fit in with 2.0 and the Enhanced Chip Set? Will it be useless with the new 
chip set, will it be totally supported or will it be somewhere in between?

Chris

    
    Does the 2360 fit in the 2000's video slot? If so, what happens to the
    2300 genlock?
    
    Also, will the 2360 allow non-flicker modes on a standard RGB monitor?
    In other words, a 48 line interlaced display without flicker.

The MicroWay flickerFixer will work perfectly well with WB2.0 and the ECS
in the modes it was designed for.  ie. a NTSC flickerFixer will work with
the NTSC modes and a PAL flickerFixer will work with the PAL modes.

The biggest advantages of the Commodore A2360 is the ability to do both
NTSC/PAL in severe overscan (768xWhatever), while the MicroWay product
will only support moderate overscan (704xWhatever).  Another plus is
the scan doubling in the low-res modes to help elminate high speed motion
problems.  That I'm not too familiar with, since I don't really notice
it with the MicroWay flickerFixer.

You will always need a multi-synch monitor (or at least 60hz VGA) to produce 
a non-interlaced hi-res display regardless of what you are using:
MicroWay flickerFixer, CBM A2360 or the ECS (productivity mode).

The MicroWay flickerFixer is still very useful, you just can't switch 
between PAL and NTSC.

Steve

RE:.-1

Note that this only removes motion artifacts in non-interlaced modes
with scan doubling. Otherwise it is the same as the fF.

I am not sure it is better than the fF in any meaningful way except for
the PAL/NTSC capability. Until I saw it on the "net" I was not even sure
Commodore was going to release the product to the general public. It's
effect on the fF is certain to be discouraging to 3rd party hardware 
developers for the Amiga.

	Thanks,
		-SES

    .3 
    The 60Hz for VGA.  Is that the vertical refresh rate?.  The reason I
    ask is the VR241A is rated at 48Hz to 62Hz vertical refresh rate.  15.72
    KHz Horizontal rate and 20 MHz Bandwidth.  THe Display characteristics
    is .31 mm dot pitch.  How does a good Multisync monitor compare with
    this.
    
    Alan
     

    Does anyone know (or have tried) to use either the Flicker Fixer or
    the A2320 with the Tandy PC monitor that Digital resells?
    
    -tnx,
          Jeff

    I finally entered the modern age, with an NEC-3D and an A2320.  I
    debated a long time before deciding on this combination.  The A2320 had
    the best set of tradeoffs for me (your milage may vary) and I got a
    decent price on the monitor ($535+tax at the computer show at the New
    England Trade Center a couple of weeks ago.)

    Only one problem: I bought the A2320 from Creative Computers ($239),
    but it turns out to have the 777=888 problem.  I called Online Systems
    to see if they would do warranty service on it and they said no.  I
    called Creative, and they are willing to let me send it back and THEN
    send are out of stock (supposedly will get them end of next week).

    I want them to send me a new one and allow me to return the old one
    after I get the new one.  I feel they were negligent, since the problem
    is well known.  (I presume Commodore knew which serial numbers were bad
    and informed the dealers.  Is this a bad assumption?)  The board they
    shipped me came out of their retail store, and the seal on the box was
    already open when I received it, so they were in a postion to check the
    board in any case.

    I asked to speak to the supervisor, who was "out" while I was on the
    phone (my dime), so I requested that the supervisor call me back, but
    no call until after working hours on the west coast.

    Should I be able to get this fixed locally under warranty?  The guy at
    Online said that he couldn't fix stuff bought from mailorder, but I
    thought that was only systems.  I think he just doesn't want to.

    I guess tomorrow I will try again to talk to a supervisor.  Another
    thought on my part is to get a return authorization, tell them to ship
    me another and put it on my Visa, then return the defective one and
    refuse the bill because they owe me a credit.

	Paul

    The mailorder restriction could well be true, because the product is
    CBM. They have been putting a lot of pressure on the gray market. You
    have to consider that the repair cannot get paid until they submit to
    CBM. I tend to think it was send this back to cbm, and they will
    replace it. This would apply to official CBM dealers. System Eyes did
    a repair, exchange whatever for a customer of an early unit. At any
    rate you should seek service from the vendor you bought it from. 
    							bill

    
    Assuming you charged the defective unit, do the following:
    
    o  Return the unit to the dealer you purchased it from. Be sure
       to return it through UPS or FEDEX. Keep the shipper's receipt.
    
    o  Write a brief note to your credit card company explaining that
       you received defective merchandise and were returning it.
       Attach a copy of your original receipt, a copy of your return
       shipper's receipt, dealer info (name address, and so on), and 
       your credit card number. 
    
    o  Follow up with your credit card company by phone one week later.
    
    Your credit card company should remove the charge from your bill.
    They'll probably send you a little form to fill out too.
    

After an extended discussion with a supervisor at Creative, we finally
agreed that they would ship me another board (when they got more), and I
got a return authorization for the old one.  Ultimately both would be
changed to me, one rebated.  I also can refuse to pay the bill on the
first, though I didn't mention that possibility to them.  That sounded good
enough to me - all I'm out is the price of a phone call.

BUT, the new board came today, and it manifests the SAME problem!!!

I have considered the I am only imagining that I have the problem because I
am aware of the symptoms - after all I don't have a working one to do a
comparison with.  But I have prepared a variety of graphic patterns to
examine the problem and it seems obvious to me.  The (gray) colors 777 and
888 display at ALMOST the same intensity - they are just barely different
enough to discern at all if you are looking closely for it.  The difference
is MUCH less that that between 666/777 or 888/999.

The new board is a lower serial number than the first one, and the resistor
packs which are mentioned in August A/W as the culprits appear identical.
So I think they have sent me another bogus board.  What I would like is to
talk with someone who knows by serial number which boards are bad, or who
can give me the a way to verify via component numbers.

I tried calling the Commodore cust support number, which redirected me to
1-800-448-9987, which referred me to a service center in Bedford.  They of
course aren't open now and probably won't be over the weekend.

Could someone post a query to the developers for me on CompuServ?  (That is
where they hang out now isn't it?)

Meanwhile I guess I will call Creative again.

	Paul

The story is not over yet.

I spoke with Creative, and was told (at that time) that the service person
at Creative would try again, actually installing the fix.  So I returned
the first board to them together will letters explaining everything.

After a couple of weeks I called them because I had heard nothing.  They
had my return, but apparently had not processed it.  Finally this weekend I
received a letter from them with a new story.  I followed up by phone,
learning the following:

- They seem to think I am a hypochondriac.

- The service guy says he saw the problem with the first board on his
  A2320, but that he tested the second one (on his Sony 1304) and did not
  see the problem. Thus they think there is nothing more they can do for
  me, except switch me to a FlickerFixer or a FlickerFreeVideo, which is
  what they prefer.  (Interesting that they saw the problem on a higher
  serial number board, and not on a lower numbered one.)

I have tried calling Commodore for any info on this, but they insist that
ALL service issues must be handled through service centers - the only
alternative is to post a complaint about a service center in writing to
Westchester.

Tomorrow I will call AW for detailed info on their product review which
identified the problem.

If anyone knows a phone number or email address for someone (preferably
commodore employee) with details of this problem, I would appreciate
hearing about it.

	Paul

    I've seen several comments from Scott Hood on USENET indicating he was
    directly involved with the design of this product.