#Amiga out of Market?
30 messages in this thread
I thought his comment "the world of desktop video would be completely
different if Newtek had picked the MAC as their platform" was
interesting… It's true that Commodore has done little to help, but those
comments smack of sour grapes from a Mac Fanatic. You really can't expect
this guy to say anything else, considering his position. It's kind of
disappointing that he had to resort to that in his article just to make
his position look stronger.
The Amiga is still largely accepted in the video market, despite
Commodore. (Witness shows like "Babylon 5" and "Seaquest", and products
like the DPS PAR). Other platforms are rapidly catching up, but the Amiga
still has a strong following.
And people wonder why Amiga users get riled up when they read things like
that….
FYI- Just for the record. The article was written by Tom Negrino. The
credentials and quotes from the article should be attributed to Scott Billups
not the author. Sorry for any confusion.
Ah…Ok…then my comments were directed at what Billups said. 🙂
Steve
>>The Amiga is still largely accepted in the video market, despite
Commodore. (Witness shows like "Babylon 5" and "Seaquest", and products
like the DPS PAR). Other platforms are rapidly catching up, but the Amiga
still has a strong following.<<<
Actually, it's LightWave that's more the determining factor of the Amiga's
presense on shows like seaQuest and Babylon 5, not the fact that it runs
on an Amiga, hence the need for the Screamer. I'd rather see LightWave on
the Power PC or better yet an SGI. But then again, the only aspect of the
Toaster that truley intrests me is LightWave.
GT
There is 1 Reply.
Yup…you're right it is Lightwave that got the Toaster on those shows.
But it is still an Amiga product. Another example is that there are a LOT
of local stations using the Toaster just for it's switching functions, and
using other Amiga software as well.
FYI….I'm only interested in the Toaster for Lighwave as well. We're in
the minority though….most people that own Toasters don't even use
Lightwave. Their loss! 🙂
Interesting. I thought that over half of those who buy Toasters do so for
LightWave alone! I would have to say that LightWave is probably the most
compelling app on the Amiga, as I wouldn't have bought one were it not for
LightWave. If LightWave ever to became platform independent as a
standalone product, say for the PPC, I would certainly reconsider my
options concerning the Amiga. It's not that the Amiga is a bad computer
though, it isn't, but just like MACs or PCs, it is hoplessly underpowered
for serious 3D work, hence the need for products like the Screamer and 40
Toaster rendering farms.
GT
Just catching the tail end 'o this…we bought an Amiga/VToaster to take
advantage of its switching capabilities initially. Now I am nose-deep into
LightWave and agree that it is easily the most attractive feature of the
Toaster.
I fail to see what the fuss is all about re: the Amiga, though. When the
Screamer does finally hit(Newtek….when will that be, pray tell????) LightWave
will be catapulted into the realm of the efficient and accessible, something
that most high end systems have yet to accomplish.
Rob: just a babe in the 3D world
It dosen't matter how efficient or accessible LightWave becomes if the
platform it's running on can't let the software perform at it's most
efficient level. It's just not practicle to have 40 networked Amigas
generating animations for the average user- or for that matter-
profrssionals alike. I'd rather have 5 networked PPC or a couple of SGIs
rendering out scenes than have to invest in such a large amount of Amigas.
It's not so much that the machines are too expensive, but rather the
amount of RAM needed coupled with what can go wrong with such a large
number of machines that makes it impracticle to work with.
The Screamer was developed by the people at NewTek who are no longer with
the company, so it's future in my opinion is in doubt.
Also, I might add that LightWave could almost be considered high-end. It
only needs one or two more major features, and some polish here and there.
It's certainly got a lot of potential, and the shake up at NewTek I'm told
will be very good for LightWave users!
GT
In what way do you mean that the "shakeup at NewTek" will be good for
Lightwave users? You also mention that the Screamer R&D staff left the
company because of the break-up. Isn't this sort of a contradiction <g>.
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451
That's just what I've been told.
GT
No.
The Screamer R&D staff did not leave the company because of the breakup.
The Screamer R&D staff did not leave the company. A few people that had
worked on the Screamer have left.
JG
Thanks, John.
I usually just take the internal gossip factory here with a grain of salt,
something interesting to read. However, my interest in the now and future
Screamer forced me out of my shell.
BTW, just got the latest issue of LWPro. Bravo! I did a project last year
involving heavy compositing and I did it all through Lightwave (2.0). If
only I'd had this issue then…as well as the front projection map
feature…<g>. Great techniques, thoroughly explained. Each issue makes me
more secure in my decision to subscribe. You've done a great job!
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451
Thanks!
If you have any suggestions for future issues, I'm all ears (like a
ferenghi)
JG
Future in doubt (re: Screamer)….hmmm, now what is NewTek going to do with all
that R4400 code? Why am I hearing rumors of a "big announcement" from SGI (who
uses R4400s) and a "big announcement" from NewTek at NAB? Am I reading too
much into this?
-Chas
Might as well add Magni to the mix – they told me they are going to have
lots to announce/ingtroduce at NAB ;^}
wmc – via Autopilot!
"LightWave will be catapulted into the realm of the efficient…"
Does that mean Modeler will become more efficient and accessible also?
I didn't think so…
-Chris
LightWave = Layout+Modeler.
JG
I like the Modeler….'course, I'm not some professional out there
trying to please clients and make deadlines, but everything that I've
tried to do in the three years I've been working with Lightwave comes
out very nicely(and to the amazement of my network CBS affiliate
friends here….exceedingly high quality).
For folks like me, Toaster has granted an entrance into a world
unreachable before. Maybe if my livelihood or sanity depended on
Lightwave, I'd feel different, but I sure don't sense a lot of panic
from guys like John Gross. How 'bout it, John?
Not panicking.
JG
Not surprised.
Rob
That's always the problem with 3D stuff…..it's never fast enough! If
they had the money to do it, I bet you'd see 40 Toaster farms turning into
40 Screamers. 🙂
Steve
Now that wuld be quite abit of rendering power!
GT
A market study that NewTek did more than a yr. ago indicated (at that
time) that people bought toasters for the CG mostly, and that only around
10% of toaster users ever even entered lightwave. The Toaster's effects,
quality of signal and price advantage in the video market subsidized the
development of lightwave. I thought the Team that marketed the Screamer
left, not the developers…
I believe you are correct in that assumption.
GT
"But it is still an Amiga product."
Is it? Virtually all of the mainstream video/gfx/multimedia journalism I
see nowadays only mentions the "Toaster" in addition to PC and Mac, as if
it were an independant platform. Almost noone sees the Toaster as an Amiga
application, while they continue to call Matrox, SuperMac and similar
thingies PC/Mac video & multimedia. We all see and hear the phrase "…on
PC, Mac and Toaster systems…" a lot these days, _don't_ we? Ummmm,
excussseee me, but whatever happened to _Amiga_ multimedia? Seems to me
that most of these people are crusading to put real video on "normal"
computers by attributing PC/Mac successes to those platforms, and
disassociating the Amiga from its own successes.
-Chris
What you said. I do from time to time get the distinct impression that the
fact a neato-keen product like the Toaster is an Amiga board truly bothers
partisan users of PCs, Macs and whatever. Then again the "Toaster" name is
a grabber and "Amiga" isn't necessarily so easy to remember, especially
without advertising!
My brother, a PCer who used to be a marketing agent for IBM, can't stop
calling the Toaster the "ToastMaster". No matter how hard he tries, it
always comes out of his mouth that way. Maybe it's a synaps (sp?) thing.
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451
Perhaps if Commodore had tried a new concept – marketing, you may have
heard people referring to Amigas. NewTek has done very effective marketing
for their product and that is why you hear tell of Toaster systems.
JG
It is still an Amiga product, no matter what anyone says. They still have
to buy the Amiga.
It bothers me as much as anyone else that people don't hear the Amiga name
when they hear about the Toaster. However, I have to believe that people
that would dismiss the Amiga out of hand, basically because they don't
know a thing about it, and have "heard" it was a "toy" would go out and
buy a "Toaster" system. I say they can call it whatever they want, as
long as it sells systems. Commodore has to sell systems to survive.
Sooner or later, those people find out what they really bought, and get
other third party products, so it does work out. ….but like I said, it
still bothers me too.