MacVision II

[pocketscience]

I'm looking for any information you amazing bunch might have on the MacVision II digitiser. I know of the original MacVision - little beige box with two large dials on the front and the awkward power supply plugging into the DB9/DIN8 serial adaptor.

However I'm finding very little by way of info on the "II" variant... which I believe looked like this:

Cheers,

 

[retr01]

Yes, both pictures of MacVision models as shared by @pocketscience were digitizers that captured stills from a camera. Those were designed and produced by Koala Technologies based in San Jose, California. As you know, the first one is black and white. Bill Atkinson helped to develop the software that was packaged with the device. MacVision 1.0 was produced as early as around 1984.

Around 1988, Koala Technologies came out with MacVision 2.0 and then 3.0 in 1989, which could digitize to 256 shades of gray.

Then the third one is the Koala MacVision Color Video Digitizer. I am looking through some sources to locate more information. Here are a couple of pictures I have found so far:

 

[retr01]

I have found some comments about the MacVision Color Video Digitizer from a review article, "Frame by Frame" in the MacWorld magazine from March 1992. I have highlighted those comments. I will continue to hunt for more information.

 

[pocketscience]

Cool, thanks. I have lots on the original but struggled to find anything on the other. Didn't know it was colour! I've got one of these arriving in the mail, so guess I'd better find something to use it with, including software which I don't have. I have an original one with it's basic software, but 100% certain that software won't handle SCSI or colour!

 

[retr01]

It is color, but I do not know how many colors. I am not sure if around that time in 1992 that Koala Acquisitions (as the business name changed by that time) advertised anything about the device. I will keep looking.

And you are welcome, @pocketscience!

 

[retr01]

Some tidbits I learned about Koala Technologies, it was founded by George M. White, Ph.D., in 1981 to produce the first touch tablets before the mouse became popular. He was the Chairman until 1986.

 

[retr01]

An excellent write-up about the MacVision in a few paragraphs pointed out the MacVision as one of the "scanners" using the camera: