This is an archive of CompuServe forum messages from 1985 to 1995, as saved in transcripts by John Foust.
Search Results (589 messages)
It's put out by Shereff Systems (that is the correct spelling — a mixture of the partner's — Sharon and Jeff — names) of Beaverton, Oregon. I don't have the phone number offhand, but they are listed with Directory Assistance… Pete
While I'm on the subject, another genlock that doesn't get much mention is the Omicron, which would be of interest to Betacam users because it puts out a true component (Y/R-Y/B-Y) signal compatible with that format. Of course, it does cost $3,500, but someone who is using Betacam as a…
Actually, Vance, I hadn't *forgotten* the Magni; I just haven't tested one personally. From what I understand, though, it's not appreciably better than the 2000S, and I believe it's more expensive. Does it have Y/C in and out? And if it does, does its keying circuit do the keying in…
Let's try that again… It's just that from a technical standpoint I know that the RF modulator route just doesn't cut it in the professional arena. Pete
Mmmmmmm….. I can appreciate what you say about the Scanlock. It hasn't been getting particularly good reviews. When you look at genlocks overall, there are two types: genlocks designed by video types who got into computers, and genlocks designed by computer types dabbling in video. The Scanlock is in the…
Karl, To put it in perspective — yes, it IS a disadvantage to not be able to store the DVE's. But there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ON THE MARKET that does what PVP does. Try taking a full-screen-sized, high-res, overscanned, 16-color screen (yes, the ENTIRE SCREEN) and zoom it in from…
Vicky, I have to disagree with you when you say that the RF modulator can be used to record graphics to tape. Particularly when the addressee of your message is someone so obviously interested in high-end applications for the Amiga. A composite video signal is a tremendously complex signal, and…
#33681-
Video Toaster (again)
Message #33725
Karl, Just to clue you in about the VP-1… it's an outboard box that you attach to a PC via the RS-232 port. All the information about fonts, line attributes, shadow, etc., are set up as a mnemonic text description in a word processor or text editor and sent to…
Karl, On my 68030-accelerated machine they take about 15 seconds to generate (not exactly like Video Effects 3D, eh?). I'm told that on a stock machine they take from thirty seconds to a minute and a half. The drawback is that the DVE is in a nonstandard format and PVP…
Thanks, Karl. I got a REAL kick out of that one! If you've ever used the VP-1, you can imagine the chaos at master control as they watched the opening graphic spin in. The package I used was ProVideo Post. I saw it demo'ed by Orin Sands at AmiExpo in…
Hi, Greg! I can answer a few of your questions and leave the rest to others with expertise in those areas. I too work in a unix environment. Amiga's unix is said to be a full implementation, fully licensed from AT&T, even entitling Commodore (you'll see them listed as "C="…
Just because he has installed the "regular" SuperGen doesn't say anything about his capabilities to install a 2000S. The regular SuperGen is an external box that just plugs into the RGB port. It does not occupy the video slot. Anyway, for whatever reason, your machine is refusing to boot with…
Harry, Check out my message #33421 to Steve Koster on this subject. More information would have to come from Progressive Image Technology. I was disappointed about two things in the Toaster design. One is the absence of S-video signals; since SVHS and ED Beta are very common formats in the…
The 2000S does indeed have S-video outputs. In addition, it is one of the few units on the market that maintain signal separation throughout the overlay process. Several other genlocks on the market are equipped with S-video in and out ports but internally combine the signals, perform the overlay in…
Steve, I spoke directly with the NewTek folks about this. From what I can gather, the Toaster is MUCH more sensitive to timebase error than a genlock, possibly because it is processing the incoming video as data rather than just syncing up to it and overlaying graphics. Thus, inputs must…
Ozzie, It should work just fine. I'm set up with a 2000HD, GVP 68030 4meg, and 2000S. I think you will be impressed with the SVHS output. BTW, JDK Images has just released ProVideo POST (an upgrade to the ProVideo CG1, Plus, and Gold line). Take a look at it,…
Harry, Get the SuperGen 2000S. And keep your eyes out for some fancy additional hardware for it that will knock your sox off (and will lock to nonsynchronous sources…) Pete
>> … while the graphics it did produce looked great on the RGB monitor, >> its picture was fairly fuzzy and washed out after being recorded and >> displayed on a regular NTSC monitor. Sounds like you had a lousy encoder (or genlock). The Amiga produces an RGB analog signal…
Steve, Pardon me for jumping in, but I saw the Toaster demo'ed at the World of Amiga show in NY, so I can give you some idea of what it's supposed to be all about. First of all it's a four-input SEG (all composite, unfortunately, no S-video). It's a dual…
In similar situations I try to find a knowledgeable engineering type in my area who can take a look at the equipment. I agree, factory service ain't what it used to be. Maybe you should get on the BPFORUM and see if someone over there might be local to you…
> Hmmmm… is there a medical treatment for that condition? Pete
I was talking about being able to genlock the output of HAM-E over live video. Since HAM-E attaches to the video port, that puts it downstream from the SuperGen 2000S which means that the 2000S would see the input to HAM-E rather than its output.
> that Joe Schmo sitting home watching TV and drinking a beer would have a difficult time noticing the differce between material mastered on 3/4" (or maybe even 3/4"SP) and material PROPERLY mastered on SVHS and postproduced using sufficient attention to the format's limitations. One other thing, and this is…
>> [Super VHS] seems to offer little improvement over when we used all VHS. >> Could we be doing something wrong? Hmmmmm…. well, it depends on what you're using it for. Personally, I think that for many applications SVHS is fine as a mastering format in the field. Once you…
Whether I use a TBC or not depends on what I'm doing. The one I use at the moment is a Microtime, when I use one at all. Often the stuff I'm doing is packages that will roll in to other shows, in which case it will be fed through…
Ben, I've been reading the HAM-E stuff and… my A2000 is equipped with a SuperGen 2000S genlock. Since this occupies the video slot, I'm guessing that HAM-E won't do me much good..? Pete
JVC is earning a nasty reputation for having incompetent service people in the U.S. I have JVC 3/4" gear & am no happier with it than you are with your SVHS stuff. My own SVHS gear is Panasonic (if you were happy with their regular VHS machines you should have…
…"Only Amiga makes it possible"….. 🙂 Pete
There are two genlock "camps." Genlocks are designed by: (a) Video people who got into computers; or (b) Computer people who got into video. I have a strong preference for the former, since construction of a good video signal is in some ways more alchemy than science and that takes…
#99834-
#Graphics/Video taping
Message #99867
The problem, of course, is that most people don't understand the difference between a Lenco, GVG, or other decent encoder and the one-chip video game encoder the 1000 used to use…. they figure NTSC is NTSC. And the average independent (read "home") videographer who does weddings or whatever doesn't have…
#99835-
#Graphics/Video taping
Message #99865
>> At least, have scopes on hand and listen to them. Hmmmmm… My scopes NEVER say anything — they just draw squiggly lines that I'm supposed to interpret…. Where'd you get TALKING scopes..? 🙂 Pete
>> Eight months is unfortunately not unusual >> in this business. You're right. And that's unfortunate. What's more unfortunate is when they spend the eight months telling you that the product will be shipping in "about another three weeks." I, like you, hope it comes out soon and is a…
Now that I've read the rest of the thread… I've got a 2000HD; I'm using that controller and drive, NOT the controller on my GVP '030 card. And no problems at all…
Hmmmmm… Nope, never seen THAT before! And I use AniMagic quite heavily…
#32249-
#AniMagic and '030/
Message #32259
I'm using the same setup with no problem. GVP '030 @ 28MHz w/4MB on a 2000HD. What kind of "garbage" are you getting?
Unfortunately, you've got more than one problem here. First, VHS is a horrible tape format for color graphics under the best of circumstances. NOTHING you can do will make them look as good as you'd like. SVHS is somewhat better, but keep in mind that the color processing circuitry is…
There have been a couple of minor "quick fix" updates. There's a major rework of the program due out RSN (aren't they always? ). That's supposed to hit at the same time as their font enhancer program, which is supposed to be able to take a large font and allow…
#98889-
GenLock Info!!
Message #98892
Get the SuperGen from Digital Creations. At the price range you mention, there is no contest.
#16286-
More Color Splitter!
Message #16292
If you take from the luma out, all you're getting is a monochrome signal. So a color splitter won't work, because there's nothing to split! The only help the luma out would be is if you're using a color camera and the filter wheels; the luma out strips off the…
#98410-
#Video Toaster
Message #98518
True RS-170A goes beyond displaying a stable signal with proper color vectors. The RS-170A spec identifies four color fields with extremely rigid requirements for the relationship between subcarrier and horizontal phase. Since, unlike a genlock (which passes a source signal through, hopefully unscathed), the Toaster must ENCODE a signal, this…
Noticed your message (I'm a freelance video engineer)… (1) The focal length of your lens will increase if you increase your lighting enough that you can stop the lens down. The smaller the aperture the greater the focal length; so if you have it wide open now because your lighting…
If I remember right (and I don't, necessarily) I believe that color existed before the RS-170A spec, that is, while RS-170 was still in effect. I seem to recall that RS-170A was simply an attempt to standardize and regulate technology that was already in existence. So for a time, it…
Sounds neat. Our cable company knows nothing about the amiga; they have two 386-based machines with TARGA boards (great graphics but no animation capabilities). Nice studio – 16-input Ampex Vista switcher, single channel DVE, etc. Did an opening for a talk show on law and lawyers by having the title…
Just out of curiosity, where are you based and what cable system are you volunteering at? (I teach production to public access applicants for Cablevision of Connecticut in Norwalk, CT).
Actually DigiView COULD grab just the luminance signal. Remember that a color video signal is, essentially, a black and white signal with the color signal pasted on top of it, so to speak. The presence of that signal shows up as a herringbone pattern when digitizing with the old version…
Just to clear up this NTSC -vs- RS-170 issue once and for all (it's gotten everyone somewhat confused!): RS-170 is the older set of technical specifications for the construction of a broadcast-grade NTSC signal. It has been supplanted by the newer spec, RS-170A. NTSC and RS-170A are the same thing,…
Hi, Karl. Maybe I can help clear this up; the waters have indeed become a bit muddy. First of all, this hasn't got anything to do with the signal being modulated. There are some terms getting thrown about here: RS-170A is a standard for a broadcast-quality NTSC color video signal.…
The Infamous V.T.
Message #16052
I hate you guys!! I waited *YEARS* for the Toaster to become a reality, and finally broke down and spent my life savings (the exaggeration here is only slight) and purchased a SuperGen 2000S. What do you do? You promptly present the most stunning piece of video gear for the…
To go a step further (correct ME if I'm wrong, since I don't *have* a color splitter), the color splitter probably does NOT send you a red, green, or blue image: it probably sends out B&W images containing only the red, green, or blue info as though the appropriate color…
In addition to the other replies here, have your friend keep his eyes open for their new (shipping-real-soon-now) product, ProVideo Post. It has some new features and *does* start from WB instead of the CLI. Pete
Page 11 of 12