CompuServe Messages

Jon, Since no one has replied as yet, and I believe I can at least point you in the right direction, I'll line up a basic system for you; this sort of animation is one of my interests. A "starter" system might include at least the following: Amiga 1200 with 2 Megs extra RAM. A 500 could work, but with fewer colors, and slower playback rates. Extra disk storage — a hard drive is really a necessity. 80 megs or more (much more!). Digitizer–NewTek Digiview is an excellent low-cost digitizing solution. It takes several seconds to grab an image from a video camera. Video camera–Any camera can be used, but best results are abtained with a high-res B&W camera. (Red, green, and blue are handled through a color wheel.) Genlock–prices vary, but so does quality. Digital Creations SuperGen is a good choice for many. Film output–If preferred, files can be sent to special service laboratories, for a fee. Or, do-it-yourself film recording straight from the screen can be done (although there is some noticeable warping). Software–Electronic Arts' DeluxePaintIV is still the king of paint, although Digital Creations' Brilliance is gaining much popularity. DPaint offers cell animation techniques like onion skinning. This is a very basic system, but with a little time, energy, and creativity, it can go a long way. I've become somewhat of an "expert" at running bare-bones systems (because of my "bare-bones" wallet…!). I am sure others can help you fine tune and even price a basic system. I bid you well on your endeavor! JFR