OK, it's been nearly two weeks now. What news on the upgraded 3D graphics capability from the Sachs Home Front, Jim? :)

I haven't had much time to spend on this - I've just been hit by one thing after another for the last month. No time to even explain what's going on.

On the 3D front - Everything is working, but the system just won't let me "de-tune" it to do stereovision at 60 hz. I'll have to save up for a Samsung SyncMaster 2233rz monitor.

If the user is willing to put up with some flicker at 60 hz instead of 120, I think nVidia should allow it.

Sorry that you're going through another tough patch. :(

Re nVidia - I suppose they're trying to protect themselves and their customers. With the reports of people feeling ill when using 3D glasses, maybe they're trying to protect those people prone to that from themselves.

Jim must be going through the same patch I am lately, if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any it seems.

I too would like to say thanks for the great program. I've spent the better part of two days evaluating different 3D aquaria for a possible project and this one is the best.

Is there a guide to identify the corals, sponges, sea fans & other static critters?

Simico created a chart of all the corals and the names of them all. You can view it here:
https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...ead.php?t=4499

(scroll down a bit)

That needs to be updated with the feather-duster.

For updating my Flight simulator I find I need to get a more powerful computer and Video card and now a new Monitor as well. This now can be done as I have retired and in a home for the aged Uhggg.
Can any of you please tell me if the following will still work and show my favorite program " Marine Aquarium 3, before I part with the money,
Computer to be rebuilt and upgraded to :-
CPU + Fan Intel I5 760 INTEL CORE
4GB DDR3 , 1333MHz RAM 1
1GB Geforce GT240 DDR3 PCIE2 Video Card
and using a new Monitor ---Acer G245Hbmid
I am hoping I will not lose all the fish
regards to all from downunder
Paul Sydney well near it but further out in the Bush now.

Paul,

All of those components are way overspecified for Marine Aquarium 3, so be assured that MA3 will run fine on that system. Just make sure you re-install DirectX after you update to the latest drivers for your graphics card. (Voice of experience from many people here!)

new computer will it work for Marine Aquarium 3
 

Many thanks for your reply Mark, just what I wanted, the voice of experience
Now I can spend my ill gotten $ AU and still have my cake having eaten it.

Yes like he said. That will be a very nice system. No Problems there.

NEW COMPUTER SET UP
 

MANY THANKS AGAIN FOR RE-ASSURING ME E SHIREY

I HAVE ORDERED THE MACHINE NOW

MAYBE WILL HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND AFTER I PICK IT UP

G/DAY FROM SYDNEY AND ITS SUNNY OUTSIDE AND THE BIRDS ARE SINGING. BUT RAIN
IS ON ITS WAY FOR OUR WATER SUPPLIES & FARMERS

pAUL

Anytime Paul. By the way, get the "L" out of my name. hahahahahaha :) It's ESHIREY for Ed Shirey. But PLEASE call me Ed. All my friends do.

... and don't call me Shirley! ...... Now where have I heard that before? - :D

hahahahaha I know what you mean.

3D Vision update: My new Samsung Syncmaster 2233rz monitor came today, but I can't get it to accept any refresh rate except 60hz. Rates of 100, 110, and 120 show up on the list of choices, but anything besides 60 results in a black screen with a "Check Signal Cable" message. I tried researching this problem on the Internet, and I can find several other people with the same trouble, but no answers.

Edit: I just found out that it could be the cable I'm using. The monitor didn't come with one, so I used a general-purpose DVI cable. Apparently, the one I need has more pins. I'll look for one tomorrow.

From the specs on one site you should have had a DVI-D Dual link cable included in the box

Sometimes the ones that come in the box just aren't good enough. My brother had a similar problem connecting his Panasonic DVD player to his TV. $280 for the player and oh yeah, another $50 for the cable.

There are always the "gotchas". You think you got a good price / deal.. until you add up all the other things.

Ebay, refurbished, $149, no cable or manual.

A good man can always do without a manual... the cable might be a challenge :D

Here's the link to Samsung's support page for your model.

Good luck with the cable. I can hardly wait for you to experience MA3 in all its glory!

OK, I got the cable ($31 at Radio Shack), and the 3D is working. While the 3D effect is slightly flatter than with the old Revelator system, it's still very good. You can adjust the depth of the effect, but only from the screen surface away from you. With the old Revelator system, you could bring the whole scene towards you, in front of the monitor.

Since I developed all the 3D in this program "in theory only", without ever having seen it in stereovision, I was concerned about holes and objects showing up where they shouldn't. But I'm happy to report that it's virtuallyt free of such anomolies, and looks great in stereo (as Wiz had hinted). :)

The Samsung 2233rz is defintiely an entry-level 3D experience, though. There is major ghosting of high-contrast objects. I read up on this at several websites, and found that few people know what they are talking about. Most claimed that it was the fault of the video card, drivers, or shutter glasses, and not the monitor, but it is clearly the monitor. The way I would describe it is "brightness rebound". When the pixels of a bright or dark object are switched 120 times per second, they go past the target value for an instant - just long enough to be registered as a negative image by the other eye. This is rather annoying, and gives me a headache after a few minutes.

nVidia's contributions to the system work well. The wireless shutter glasses are really pretty nice. It takes a lot to get them to lose the signal from the transmitter. They are rechargeable from the same mini-USB cord which powers the transmitter.

See, you are a better man than you thought you might be.:TU: but your fans already knew that:D

:TU: :D

(And, what Ralph said. :D)

Yep, we always knew it :D.

Same here.

I think as a screen saver, this is simply the best. Had I known about the issues with delvelopement and rolyalties etc. I would have bought 2.6 from here to maximize Jim cut of the $$ I bought my upgrade thru this web site.

I have seen a few other screen savers and although they newer, have more bells and whistles, they don't hold a candle to MA3.

The competition usually are resource hogs. MA3 runs perfect on my ASUS netbook with Atom processor. I probably couldn't even load 1/2 the others. Win for MA3.

I don't believe a screen saver should be a game like some of the other savers out there. Why do I need to feed the fish? Why do I need to interact with the environment? Its a screen saver, not a video game. A fish tank is made to be looked at and admired, not swam thru IMO. Win for MA3.

My only disapointment is that it seems to be a one man show, and developement is slow. I'd love to have this level of screen saver for the sharks and a few other screen savers.

:TU: Jim you're awesome, and so are those who have been helping you along the way. This is the best sreen saver. Period.

Thanks for the kind words.

So I took Chandler to her newly remodeled pediatric dentist's office the other day and every brand new computer, at least 10, was running MA3, but without Harvey, so I informed the dental hygienist about the lack of an eel in the cave and she kind of made fun of me by saying something like, oh, we're not that tech savoy here. I was about to offer to update them all, but after thinking about it, I doubt they would let a stranger touch their new computers, so I dropped it. I'll check again when I go back in a couple months and come prepared with the newest version on DVD and talk directly to the dentist. :)

Most people aren't. It's one of the main reasons why I wished that Jim had a "check for updates" button in the settings. If all someone had to do was click a button, only if they wanted too, then it checked and updated if there was anything it would negate that type scenario.

where is Harvey ?
 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Marine Aquarium 3 (Download and News)
Some years ago, due to numerous update versions, of MA 3, there was an anouncement that a page would be set aside for such notifications.
I the other night received an E-mail from the forum of a posting by Pat Scarr of his visit to his dentist.
He mentions his offer to add Harvey to the cave. Thus somehat perplexed but allerted I went to look for a new download page.( I was hoping for my wishlist Banded Srimp )
Found Harvey on the above page Plus some discussions, downloaded it and Harvey is in the cave on my computer. He pops his head out quite often , but yoou masst wait for the auto pan to go past al least once
Can you advise if other updates will be advised of any creature Packs in a more easier and reliable method ? Please ,
I am always on the lookout for more of the natural effects and interesting items to add to my simullateed table top reef and decorate Jim's great work
Many Thanks Jim please forgive my awful typing, these days.
Excuse old age as the months pass even quicker
these days . Maybe your Reef will see me out ?
NB I am going to Cairns next year in November to watch the spectacular TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN on the 14th , but will linger there awhile to see some of the reef but expect the only fish I will see will be hot and on a plate. No Scuba diving these days or even snorkling, due to my age and health.

The News and Announcements page is the one which was set aside for new items (NEW: Zebra Moray Eel). I'm open to suggestions, if you can think of a better way of making announcements.

Harvey THE EEL MA 3.2
 

Thanks for your response Jim, also I do note that the pages seem to have moved around a bit and it is now quite easy to trace that page that was set up for messages and the message about this new item is quite clear that this new item is there to be downloaded.

I can not suggest anyting better than what you have just put in place and would not presume to do so.
I only rambled on a bit last night as I was indeed a bit wrong in my post and not clear , the new addon was not on that page, but I forget which other way I found it and can not trace back now due to your changes BUT having said that I again post that it is now in the most obvious location to remember to look for anything new.
I do hope that my postings helped any other new forum members to now locate any new changes. In fact I will be dropping by on a more regular time frame to keep track of anything else you may finalise , hint a prawn for the BBQ !!! banded & striped and long legs like a Shrimp .Looking forward to that
Thanks again
Paul downnder Sydney

Maybe start a twitter?
I check my twitter every day to see what companies are up to. makes me a bit :loco:

Not sure how Twitter works.

It's like text messaging (limited to 140 characters) but everyone can read it. It's sort of an exhibitionist "Here's what I am doing this minute" feed that people can follow. I tend to group Twitter into the 'silly' category, and I've always joked that I can't even say hello in 140 characters, but people seem to have so little time these days, if they can get a brief message from you about what's happening, they might be inclined to click the link and read more.

If you set up a Twitter account, you could set it to 'follow' anyone you are interested in, admire, or shares similar interests. That's any movie director, writer, animator, programmer, designer, politician (lol), celebrity, architect, corporation, etc. And everything they post to their Twitter accounts would appear on your 'follow' feed. Sort of like a running headlines list, but everything from the mundane to the bizarre to a few things that are actually interesting. :)

Twitter is the fastest way to take a picture and make it available to all your friends/followers as if you could stuff it in their mailboxes simultaneously. We're talking < 60 seconds to get a picture out to everyone on your list.

I have a Twitter account, but I don't "tweet" or broadcast with it. I just follow all the people I'm interested in and check it daily to see what they are doing.

Note that most people associated with a company set up multiple Twitter accounts. You would probably set up a SereneScreen and a JimSachs. You might cross-promote and mention things on each other's. But the JimSachs account would also have anything that you want shared, like pictures of the house, any observations you make which are interesting, etc. SereneScreen would be more of a business account, with just announcements on updates, discounts, availability, etc.

ANNOUNCEMENT PAGE AND LINK SUGGESTED
 

Hello
I may be a bit old fashioned, I do contribute to Facebook but only since there are many links to Astronomy related folks there . I would hate to have to become a member of every social page as it is with all the inheritant dangers involved.
I pointed out that the Serene Screen forum did have a page devoted to announcements to avoid the clutter of all the other members posts regarding the devolpent of Beta 3.
That was done at the request of Jim himself ages ago to avoid that clutter and resultant necessary searching aound all the other ( important info ) posts.

I do consider that opening up in yet another social page just courts further confusion and disaster. I had raised that answer as I did see some posts by SS members who could not apparently find the announcement page and apparenntly did not even now of its existence.
Seeing all the Social activity on Social pages would add to the haystack. Why not just use our own forum ?