HELP. VIDEO TAPE OUTPUT
19-Jul-93 05:24:05
Sb: #50062-HELP. VIDEO TAPE OUTPUT
Fm: Michele Bousquet 100237,162
To: Dennis Fenske 72163,3252
Your question on videotape will most certainly generate a lot of answers.
Making a videotape is most certainly a good idea. You have lots of options,
from going out real-time via a cheap-ish video output card ($500 and up) to
your home VHS deck, all the way up to going out via a Targa or Vista card
(video output card, $2000 or so for Targa, $8000 or so for Vista but fantastic
quality) and tape it frame by frame (single-frame controller $1000 and up, but
very smooooth-looking) to a BetaCam SP tape deck ($35,000 to buy, $200/day to
rent). My suggestion is to start with the el cheapo VHS tape and see if you can
generate some work from that, and use your earnings to make a better tape. Even
if the tape doesn't work out, your out-of-pocket is small; your only expenses
are the video output card and VHS tapes, which can most certainly be used for
other projects.
You might want to pick up a copy of the book AutoCAD 3D Design and
Presentation. This book (which I co-authored) has a section on video output
that talks about many different video formats and the pros/cons of each, and
also about the recording process. It is geared toward Acad/3DS/AniPro users.
With a VHS made at home one advantage is you can make as many copies as you
want right off your computer, and that a three-minute tape will take three
minutes to make. For the higher quality tape, you might be able to find
someone in your area with a Vista card, single framer controller and Betacam
deck who could tape it for you, at least the first time, which will save you
money over buying the actual equipment needed.
Michele