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Truevision T16I Targa 16 rare collectible vintage video edit card ISA Vista 1987

Item description

Rare and Collectible Card 
that inputs and digitizes analog RGB NTSC video
and displays it 
--  with 32768 colors !!!!

Truevision T16I v1.0 
Targa 16 ISA  Vista 1987 
with 2MB of RAM

The Targa 16 provided up to 512 × 482-pixel resolution at different color depths. 
Display device options for Targa 16 included analog RGB (CGA) monitors and Composite (RCA)  video monitors. 
obviously interlaced but this card also gives a LOT of colors.

the card has 2MB of RAM but needs only 512K for a full color screen
so it has enough room for an input buffer and output buffer
and that much extra again, and we don't know what it does with all the extra memory
but it is able to blend the live input with memory, at the bit level

the card has two crystal oscillators:
3.579545 MHz is NTSC color-burst frequency
7.15909 MHz is the NTSC M color subcarrier (2×3.579545 MHz)

there are no high frequency clock crystals on this card,
none of the type that you would find on TTL and EGA and VGA monitors,
this is similar to IBM PC CGA video cards where 
the oscillator signal on the ISA bus is used to generate timing 
(pc osc = 14.318MHz)

based on the above, one of three types of monitors will work to some degree:
The IBM Color Display (or a compatible CGA/Commodore/Amiga monitor)
A television-frequency composite monitor
An NTSC television (with an add-on RF modulator)

Each VDA/D image had its own unique set of 256 colors 
drawn from a 16-bit palette of over 32,768 colors. 
And it was possible to even display as many as 1,008 colors at one time 
by using up to four of the VDA/D’s eight color maps simultaneously, 
in different areas of the screen.

VDA/D images could be displayed on composite video or analog RGB monitors. 
The VDA/D even worked with selected digital RGB monitors 
such as the IBM Color Display (CGA) and the Sears Total Video System.

this is one of the first cards ever made by Truevision
Truevision went on to pioneer the desktop digital video editing industry 
with the introduction of the Targa videographics card in 1987 that would run in a PC. 
In that same year, NewTek announced its Amiga-based video capture board, 
the Video Toaster, but didn’t actually release it until 1990, 
so Targa truly was the first.

this card has the initials of the first staff members:

CC = Carl Calabria
KF = 
BH = Brian Hunt
BP = Brad Pillow
CS = 
JS = Joe Shepard
WS = 
DA = 
KA = 
CA = Cathline Asch
MB = 
KC = 
DC = 
CE = 
JH = Joseph Haaf
JH = 
SH = 

this "list the team members" idea seems to have started at the AT&T lab,
if you look at old AT&T ads circa 1987 (we found one, PC Magazine Mar 10, 1987)
 you will see small print that says:
Truevision design and development by: 
RADAKAKACCCEJHGHJHBHDJCMGMBPLRASJSJSOSJW and AT&T 1987

USED but in good condition.  WORKING!

Just the item as pictured, no documentation, no cables, no software

 Another ebay'r was kind enough to pass on this info:

In the late 80s, I worked at AT&T Graphics Software Labs developing the first 2D and 3D graphics applications for the Targas and Vistas. It was started by the same person who started Truevision and decided some apps were needed for the boards. Targa is actually an acronym for Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter. The name was chosen by Carl Callabria because he had a 911 Targa and loved it so much he decided to name the first board after it but it worked out that the name fit the acronym.

These were the first true-color boards for PCs and definitely pushed them to the limit. When I started, we were using 286s and you had to be pretty patient. We adopted the 386s as quickly as we could get our hands on them. They were so much faster (at the time.) We had piles of the Targas and Vistas all over the office. It's good to see the old Targa again. It brings back a lot of memories.

USA : No import fees or taxes.  Shipping includes tracking and insurance
CANADA : pay GST/HST so wait for an invoice before paying.  No pickup
OVERSEAS :  STANDARD shipping does not provide tracking or insurance

WE DO NOT FALSIFY IMPORT VALUES

ZOZ-065-0767

Shipping and delivery

DestinationServiceCost
CanadaUPS GroundFree
UPS Next Day Air$49.00 USD
United StatesStandard International$39.00 USD
UPS World Wide Express$99.00 USD
InternationalStandard International$39.00 USD
UPS World Wide Express$99.00 USD

Ships from: Ontario, Canada

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Frequently asked questions

What condition is this Truevision T16I Targa 16 rare collectible vintage video edit card ISA Vista 1987?

See the condition notes in the listing description.

Where does this item ship from?

This item ships from Ontario, Canada. Shipping options and costs are listed on this page before checkout.

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Rates start at free shipping via UPS Ground. Full destination options are in the shipping table above.

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Returns accepted. 60 days. Return shipping is paid by the buyer pays return shipping.

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