Bill Garber  wrote:

> "Michael Kent" 
wrote in message news:db759$483afa85$4087c017$26186{at}FOXVALLEY.NET...

>> limtc  wrote:

>> > My wish list - 640x480 mode for Apple IIGS (or better), with a VGA
>> > connector. Get a software expert to modify QuickDraw and/or Complete
>> > Pascal library (I am not sure what's involved), and I will not only
>> > get 2 cards from you, but will also write software to support it.

>> To anyone listening: This is my dream card for the IIgs as well.  Sign
>> me up for a couple, as long as they're reasonably priced.

> There be the rub. "Reasonably Priced". Sure, at one time a VGA card
> for PC was just that, but they were produced by the 10's and 100's of
> thousands. For the Apple IIgs they will be produced in the 100's only,
> if that many. Nothing is cheap when you have short runs. Uthernet is
> one prime example. An ethernet card for PC can be had for $15-$25,
> where the Uthernet is $90.

I consider $90 for an Uthernet card very reasonably priced, reasonable
enough that I bought two.  I don't judge "reasonable" by comparing it to
what I can buy similar capability for in the PC world.  I judge it by what
I can buy similar capability for in the Apple II world.  Others must be
doing likewise, since the last Uthernet production run sold out in about
two days.

The CFFA card is another example.  Rich Dreher has sold, what, 600+
cards at the $100 mark.

> I've been searching for that hardware that will make an RGB-VGA
> adapter for under $150.00, but so far, nothing is available. Either
> they cost a fortune for small quantities, or are simply unmarketable
> at all. I'll never give up though.

If all such a card did was get the IIgs video modes (including 80-column
text and 640x200 SHR graphics) to a VGA monitor cleanly, I'd pay
$100-$150 for it.  If it also added a 640x480x8-bit resolution that
worked with ThirdView and JpeGS, I'd pay twice that.  If someone got
Facelift working so that I could use most desktop programs at that res-
olution, I'd pay 3-4 times that.

> If I could afford a Second Sight card, I could possibly do something
> along those lines, but the last one with all of the documentation went
> for nearly $600. I ain't got that kind of money folks.

Some people do.  Those are your target market.  ;-)

Mike
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