[22;23;24m[1;3v[2"z29/12/90 NIK WILLIAMS BROADCAST COMPUTER PICTURE LIBRARY
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Hi, and welcome to the world of inexpensive high quality computer pictures, not
drawings or graphics, but real photographs, taken in the real world, and
brought to you using some very sophisticated hardware.
Please note that to the best of my knowledge all the contents of
this disk are in the Public Domain. Please feel free to copy it
and distribute it, (In its entirety please) for which only a small
charge to cover the cost of copying, ware and tare on the disk-drives
and postage, should be made.
It is not intended as a profit making item.
If you ran the pictures before reading this, then you've already seen some of
the highest quality digitised photographs available on a standard Amiga.
On a regular Philips or Commodore monitor, even through a TV using the A520
modulator, (yes thats the thing that pokes awkwardly out of the back of an A500
and takes up far more desk space than it should), I think you'll agree that the
pictures look pretty stunning.
The reason is quite simple, no expense has been spared!!
The digitising software is Newtek's "Digi-View", in its version 3 form. The Amy
its attached to and has "done the deed" so to speak is an A500. It has a 68020
and 68881 for the technical - which makes no difference to the picture quality,
though RAM expansion well beyond 1 meg does help when we're handling some of
the larger RGB files. As far as running the pictures is concerned any Amy with
at least its standard 512K of RAM should be able to handle them quite happily.
(I have to admit I've not tried to run them on an A1000 with 256K).
Given the above, why, I hear you ask are the pictures so clear and sharp? No
secret, its the camera. Its not a security camera, or a domestic video camera,
it has a bit more beef than either of those. Its a broadcast quality beasty of
the type you might use for putting pictures into some of the most expensive
dedicated graphics systems around. It really is broadcast quality unlike some
of the claims made by a few rather optimistic computer suppliers, and has
pictures on the telly quite regularly. It also happens to belong to me...er and
the bank.
Before you rush out and invest all your hard earned loot on a camera that'll
give you the same results, the bit about the bank wasn't all a joke. It set me
back a cool £32,000, and that doesn't include the car to put it in!!
OK so whats this getting at?
One of the outstanding features of all Amiga's is their exceptional ability at
handling graphics. Compared to systems costing hundreds if not thousands of
pounds more they come out very well, and for the price well....I'll stick my
neck out and say there isn't anything to touch them. Professional broadcast
graphics systems wont leave much you much change from £500,000 (yes thats the
right number of zero's after the five).
When you consider that prices currently for Commodores officially bundled A500
packs start at under £400, it has to be said that you're getting one helluvalot
for your dosh. You don't, admittedly get 24bit colour, neither do you have the
ulcer that accompanies the second mortgage; you do have companies like
Electronic Arts, NewTek, Progressive Peripherals & Software, Gold Disk - the
list is long - ensuring that you can get the best value for money by
utilising Amy's potential.
In the last twelve months the Amy has become more and more established as the
home, school, and even dare I say it, office, graphically orientated desktop
computer (Commodore are aiming squarely at the latter with their dazzling A3000
and the forthcoming interactive software). When a machine has the phenomenal
power of Denise, Agnus, et al behind it, (to say nothing of the 68000+ series)
its hardly surprising that you want it to do more than shootemup and
splatemdown (though its tremendous fun painlessly crashing into runways time
after time).
The Amy is a workhorse that can do lots more than just play, and to get the
best from graphics software is where the "Computer Picture Library" comes in.
DTP has long had available clip art. I find it invaluable, its saved me from
re-wallpapering one third of my office, (you have to stick the sheets with the
little clip illustrations somewhere), and its definitely livened up our flyers
and outward-bound stationary.
To the point; clip art for DTP
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- AND NOW -
NIK WILLIAMS BROADCAST
COMPUTER PICTURE LIBRARY
For
Desktop Video
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Sorry I took so long to get there.
You might be thinking whats the point of it? After all with Digi-View, and some
of the other excellent digitising software that's around, shouldn't I get
stunning results anyway?
The answer is quite simple. For ordinary everyday image grabbing the cameras on
the domestic market are pretty much OK, though my limited experience with them
seems to indicate that to get the best out of them can be a faff and a fiddle.
What they don't have (which is hardly surprising when you compare the cost - in
most cases a factor of around thirty-two) is the resolution or extra electronic
circuits of a broadcast camera to really do justice to Amy's quite staggering
potential.
Its quite likely that there'll be many occasions when you'll want that extra
sharp, more colourful picture to liven up a piece of work you're doing. Its
also quite possible that you'll not really be into digitising, but need a
picture as a starting point for a drawing, graphic or other piece of artwork.
Under circumstances like these, a bought in picture, at very low cost will in
all probability fit the bill much more suitably, leaving your hard won cash for
something else.
You see, despite the exceptional quality, NWB Picture Library sets are the
lowly sum of £15.99 for two disks with around ten pictures on them. This price
may well be reviewed, but whoever you are, and, bearing in mind the points
below, whatever you want them for, thats all it'll cost you. Am I mad or what?
They come to you in glorious HAM, with its clever way of getting all those
extra colours (don't ask me how) onto the screen at the same time. One
advantage of this is that you can convert them to ordinary IFF to import into
say Deluxe Paint, without really losing any more quality than if the picture
had been stored in 64, 32, or 16 colours originally. Converting them's a
doddle. Digi-View will do it, so will PIXmate, as well as I believe one or two
of the PD programs that are around these days.
So when might you use the Computer Picture Library?
Honestly, what a silly question!! How about a realistic background to that
animation, a picture to illustrate life in rural down town Rift Valley
Villages, an old motor car to liven up the desktop display that the school is
putting together, a selection of kids to put together with some music for a
video for granny...they all love kids...a relaxing picture show of the
countryside. A magazine cover for computer buffs, a run for an interactive
video on the green issue.....Your only limit is your imagination. As you've
already got an Amy you must have imagination. Right?
What of the choice of subjects?
Well at the moment it would be unfair to call it huge, but it is growing all
the time. A 'phone call will guarantee you an up to date list of whats
currently available. The Library's been designed so that under a generic title,
like motorbikes, there is a selection of pictures. The Library ranges from the
mundane to the somewhat more exotic and artistic. Obviously not everyone will
want every picture, but some thought has been put into making sure that the
sets currently available are useful. If what you want isn't provided for, then
ask for it. That way I can get an idea of what future disks should hold.
To be released at the end of January 1991 are:-
MotorBikes,
African Famine,
Children,
The Gower,
Vintage Adverts,
Marinas
Views of Vietnam
Still Life
The Nude
Art In Photography
And how may you use them?
This is the legal bit so read it carefully. I own the copyright on all the
pictures, yes thats right, I was there.
1/. You may, if you have purchased the disk set, and not copied it, or obtained
a copy of either an entire disk or one or more of our pictures, from somebody
else, use the pictures in your own desktop presentations ad infinitum, you may
copy them at will, and stick them on a hard disk or video recorder, for use by
yourself.
2/. You may sell the pictures in any modified shape, size and form, on any type
of media providing their source is clearly acknowledged on the medium used (ie
Nik Williams Broadcast Computer Picture Library).
3/. You may sell them in unmodified form on any media other than that known in
the computer industry as floppy disk, or other computer orientated removable
magnetic media providing their source is acknowledged as in 2/. above.
4/. You may sell them in unmodified form on floppy disk computer media,
providing that it is not your intention to provide a service in anyway similar
to the Nik Williams Broadcast Computer Library Picture Service. For example in
educational software where the pictures form part of a story, in all cases
providing their source is acknowledged as in 2/. above
5/. You may not, under any circumstances copy the disks and or their original
contents, including individual pictures, for somebody else to use.
6/. As of 29/12/90, it is not a violation of the licensing agreement to use the
pictures on Laser Disk, CD ROM, and Video Medium Specified for Terrestrial or
Satellite Broadcast. I would appreciate your cooperation in telling me about
such transfers, specifically because I believe the MTF of Amy Pics is really
excellent for these media. and, I'm interested to discover if I'm right.
7/. If you wish to use the pictures in any of the few ways prohibited above
please state your intentions in writing, to the address below, so we may come
to an agreement over their use.
Basically thats it. Once you've bought them you can do what you like, so long
as you don't copy them for anyone else, or let anybody else use the original
disks. This way it should be possible to build up the Library so that when you
want a pic, presto, its just a 'phone call and a few fivers away.
Whatever else, the pics on this demo are yours, I could ask for money if you
use them, but I wasn't born yesterday. Enjoy....I would appreciate a credit
when they are used.
All pictures on this and other NIK WILLIAMS BROADCAST Computer Library Picture
Disks are the copyright of N.J.N. Williams, and may be reproduced under the
above terms providing the disks on which the pictures are used have been paid
for as specified at the time of purchase.
The sets come on two disks, with around ten pics in total. £15.99 per set,
three or more sets less 5%, five or more sets less 10%, 10 sets less 15%. £1 to
cover mailing regardless of quantity. CWO please. Callers, please 'phone first.
To order and for further information, please contact:-
Nik Williams,
Nik Williams Broadcast,
Aspect House,
21 Brynmill Crescent,
Brynmill,
Swansea, SA2 0AL.
Tel 0792 470503
Fax 0792 645946
If, when all's said and done you need a special picture, that needs some
special treatment, 'phone and we'll do our best to accommodate. It'll be a
fairly inexpensive service, and if we can come to an arrangement over
copyright....it could be a lot less expensive than you think. Its always nice
to hear from fellow sufferers.......I mean enthusiasts!!
If you've never seen VILBM before, please read the notice that's supplied. Its
a program well worth using as your graphic and picture libraries grow.
I take the credit, or the blame for altering VILBM's icon, for those interested
its a likeness to the camera we use to source the pictures for the digitiser.
VILBM is not supplied with the Picture Library Disks, in a specifically worded
clause accompanying the program it prohibits commercial sale. I also must point
out that with disk files taking up around 150K of space there really isn't room
for much other than pictures. So far my efforts to crunch them, and get them
back have been thwarted. Anyone got any ideas??
Digi-View is a Trademark of NewTek Inc.
Deluxe Paint is a Trademark of Electronic Arts Inc.
PIXmate is a Trademark of Progressive Peripherals And Software Inc.
NIK WILLIAMS BROADCAST is a small company providing quality camera crews for
the broadcast and corporate video and film industry.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this self booting disk will
run properly, I can accept no liability for unforeseen circumstances. Heart
attacks from shock at the picture quality, tired monitors giving up the ghost
trying to get the pictures sharp enough etc.
The master disks have been checked for Viruses using VirusX by Steve Tibbet.
Cheers.
Nik Williams