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Amiga computer related discussion => Recommended Amiga Dealers => Topic started by: Dragster on August 31, 2008, 05:30:40 PM

Title: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Dragster on August 31, 2008, 05:30:40 PM
Hi folks... as you might know, Tobias Seiler is suposed to be an ex-employee of Villagetronic, yes, the company that among other things, created the PicassoIV. Well, it turns out I sent my dead PIV board to him since January this year and I haven't had it back yet. I had been in touch with him and last time he said he had found the problem and that he would fix it, that was in May, however I've had no reply from him since then... I was wondering if anybody knows something about him... it's so frustrating to have expensive hardware overseas without knowing if you should wave goodbye your hardware forever or not.

I will appreciate any info you can provide me with.

Thanks!

D.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: alexh on August 31, 2008, 05:58:28 PM
Yes, he's ex-VillageTronic. He's a good guy. He sent me upgraded chips for my P4. If he's not finished yet then its because he's been too busy. Like me he wants to help everyone but in reality he has almost no time to help anyone.

Sending something like this to anyone without getting a contact phone number is crazy.

I've bought things from him before so I have his address, but I am sure you've got that too.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Tahoe on August 31, 2008, 08:54:27 PM
Don't worry yet, he is quite busy at times.

I have had dealings with him, and all went just fine! Could just take a while.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Rabbi on August 31, 2008, 11:29:46 PM
Um...I purchased a P-IV card with all its add-on cards, Concierto, Pablo, & Paloma from someone in the U.K.

The Paloma is good for the U.K. (only)?  Digital TV is coming here in the States this coming February 17th (?), 2009.

Question #1:  Was there ever an NTSC (w/American Frequencies) Paloma released?

Question #2: How would I know which Chips to look for to see if they could be upgraded?

Question #3: What does this chip upgrade fix/additionally offer?

Question #4:  About how much in US$ would it cost to get upgraded chips?

Question #5: How would I get in touch with Tobias Seilor if I need to upgrade the chips?

Question #6: Which driver would be better to use - CGX or P96, & why?

Question #7: What are the URLs that can point me to the latest versions of CGX & P96 s/w patches/upgrades?

I'm planning to install the P-IV in my A4000 shortly.

Thank you all in advance for your answers.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: alexh on August 31, 2008, 11:53:51 PM
Quote

Rabbi wrote:
The Paloma is good for the U.K. (only)?

Yup. If you have a PAL-I version it is good only in the UK. Want to sell it? :-)

It's not totally useless. You could connect to UK equipment (like a PAL Amiga or video games console) and display in a window/full screen using it. RF sucks though.

Quote

Rabbi wrote:
Question #1:  Was there ever an NTSC (w/American Frequencies) Pablo released?

RTFM (http://www.sophisticated-development.de/software/index.php?thisfile=.//Manuals/English§ion=English
)

Pablo is multistandard and supports PAL & NTSC. Only SECAM is not supported. 640x480 is the NTSC compatible resolution.


Quote

Rabbi wrote:
Question #7: What are the URLs that can point me to the latest versions of CGX & P96 s/w patches/upgrades?

CGX4 is commercial, you'd have to buy it (http://www.vesalia.de/e_cgx4.htm).

The last version of Picasso96 was 2.0

http://aminet.net/package/driver/video/Picasso96

There is a patch that mentions 2.1b but this was a home-made release for Prometheus & Voodoo3. I think it would work with 2.0

http://aminet.net/package/driver/video/RTG403994p
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Rabbi on September 01, 2008, 12:31:20 AM
Quote

alexh wrote:

Yup. If you have a PAL-I version it is good only in the UK. Want to sell it?

Yes, it's a PAL-I version.  Can I use that in Israel, too?    If I can't, I would consider selling it.

Quote

Rabbi wrote:
Question #1:  Was there ever an NTSC (w/American Frequencies) Pablo released?

RTFM (http://www.sophisticated-development.de/software/index.php?thisfile=.//Manuals/English§ion=English
)

Pablo is multistandard and supports PAL & NTSC. Only SECAM is not supported. 640x480 is the NTSC compatible resolution.

Sorry, that was a mistake.  I edited my post - I changed Pablo to Paloma in Q1.


Quote

Rabbi wrote:
Question #7: What are the URLs that can point me to the latest versions of CGX & P96 s/w patches/upgrades?

CGX4 is commercial, you'd have to buy it (http://www.vesalia.de/e_cgx4.htm).

Yes. I purchased it eons ago from Software Hut here in the U.S.


The last version of Picasso96 was 2.0

Yes, but which is a better driver of the P-IV h/w & why?
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: keropi on September 01, 2008, 06:27:56 AM
CGX works fine with the picassoIV
-BUT-
it does not support it's overlay function, so paloma will not work. In reality if you have a paloma, p96 is the only way to go.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: alexh on September 01, 2008, 06:50:05 PM
AFAIK there was no NTSC version of the Paloma.

It was still not available in March 1999 (http://groups.google.co.uk/group/comp.sys.amiga.hardware/browse_thread/thread/b95d58e568b36fdc/60379489559c0217?hl=en&lnk=st&q=ntsc+paloma#60379489559c0217) and Klaus Burkert (father of Picasso) died in April 2001 and probably took all development with him (assuming it had not stopped before then).

Olaf Barthel is perhaps another source of information in the absence of Tobias.

It would not be a case of replacing a chip and it will work. You'd have to replace the entire can tuner (the silver thing) and all the chips inside, perhaps change a crystal, change all the software for the new tuner etc.
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Dragster on November 11, 2008, 05:48:37 AM
Well, 5 months since last Tobias' reply... ;-( Does anybody has his address or phone? Please PM me.

Thank you!

Dragster
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: alexh on November 11, 2008, 09:10:53 AM
How can you not have his address if you sent him your card?
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: Dragster on November 15, 2008, 08:49:16 AM
@Alexh

Sorry, I meant email address... of course I have his snail mail address...


cheers
Title: Re: Tobias Seiler aka MastaTabs?
Post by: alexh on November 15, 2008, 09:39:04 AM
I PM'd you the details