🚀 go-pugleaf

I am putting together a research workstation for a major project
at Michigan State University and need some help in choosing a
computer to serve as the platform.  The workstation will be used
to obtain and process images and thermocouple data, and will
serve simultaneously as a motion controller.  I have identified 3
different systems (with appropriate peripherals) that fulfill the
requirements: an A2500/30, an IBM 386, and a low-end color
SPARCstation.  I have cost information (including educational
discounts) for these systems, but lack the experience to evaluate
the relative performance of these machines in order to determine
the best cost/performance value.  

The most critical and time-consuming task will be the image
processing, which will involve dividing one grey scale image by
another (in floating point) and performing convolutions.  Cost,
of course, is important, but speed is equally important.  Due to
the availability and low cost of AT compatible data acquisition
(DA) and motion controller (MC) boards I have decided that an AT
compatible bus is necessary.  Frame grabbing, and genlocking
capabilities are also required.

Here are my proposed configurations:

  A2500/30             IBM 386 (w/AT Bus)       SPARCstation
    AT BridgeBoard       USA Video Genlock/       Ethernet to
    Flicker Fixer        Frame Grabber            IBM AT which
    SuperGen Genlock     or Targa M8              has same set-up
    Frame Grabber        (IBM MC and DA           as IBM 386.
    (IBM MC and DA        boards inside)          <---------
     boards in           Math Coprocessor
     AT slots)

I am aware that there are data acquisition boards for the Amiga,
but I need one that has cold junction temperature compensation
for thermocouple data, and I haven't seen any motion controller
boards for the Amiga.  I can get a Sparc for about 7k.

Any insight into this problem would be greatly appreciated
(including options I have not considered).  We quite often have
VIP's touring our lab, and it would be a great opportunity to
show off the capabilities of the Amiga.  I must make a decision
soon, so please respond as soon as possible.

           Thanks, Jeff Wille  (wille@frith.egr.msu.edu)

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