#Windows/PC Toaster?
5 messages in this thread
I'm interested in setting up a computer animation studio at home. Ideally
I would a Silcon Graphics machine and a 1 inch editing setup. However,
since I do pay rent and my diet consists of more than rice, I've been
looking into something along the lines of an Amiga 3000 tower or a 486 PC.
I use 386 & 486 PC's using Windows and am very happy with there performance
and userfriendliness. I also feel safe in the knowledge that not only are
there a billion manufacurers and retailers of PC clones but should my
chosen one decide to go out of business almost all of the parts from
graphics boards and memory sims to entire motherboards are pretty much
interchangable. What I have not seen on the PC is anything like the
Toaster and it's software. There are video boards and 3D animation
programs but I have seen nothing within my budget and nothing with the
price performance of what I have seen for the amiga. I was wondering If
you had any plans to release a PC version of the toaster and/or the
software and if so when and for how much. My decision on which system to
go with basically hinges on what happens in the PC Windows multimedia world
over the next 4 or 5 months and with what I've seen of your products on the
amiga I would be very pleased to consider a PC version of them.
John Bastow
The Toaster is a combination of software and a hardware inside an Amiga.
The PC version will probably connect an Amiga with the PC via a high-speed
hardware interface and some sort of user interface on the PC. (At least,
that's what the rumors going around are). Anyway you look at it, if you'd
like to get a Toaster, you'll need an Amiga.
If there are any dealers in your area that carry the Toaster, my advice is
to get to one and see the Toaster for yourself. Call Newtek at
800-765-3406 for a free demo tape. Subscribe (or get a back issue or two)
of AVID magazine (it has many Toaster articles) and Breadbox (AVID just
took it over…it's an all Toaster Newsletter/magazine). Come here and ask
a bunch of questions….we'll be happy to answer any questions you have.
The Toaster has a lot of bang for the buck….and it's FUN! <grin!>
Steve
Thanks. I've pretty much decided on getting an amiga anyway. I've seen
demo's of the toaster and have been very impressed. My only reservations
are that as I see it PC's are moving into the same multimedia and graphics
arena that up until now have been dominated by Macs and Amigas and you've
got to admit that something with the market share of the PC is bound to
bring the developers. It's already happened with a lot of graphics, desktop
publishing and MIDI software. On the other hand, I really haven't seen
much that compares price/ performance wise with the amiga for video on any
other machine and it does seem to have a large share of those users.
By the way I've been looking at the price tag for video equipment and
realizing that it is probably going to cost more that the computer system
itself. If anyone has any suggestions as to where I might get some cheap
I'd be happy to hear from you. I live in Boston but I'd be willing to go
mail order and I'd also be willing to look at used equipment. I'm
considering SVHS as this seems to have a better picture than 3/4 inch. Is
this a mistake? Tell me.
John "Limey" Bastow
John,
I agree with your points re: interchangeability of PC components and the
like. As far as powerful, affordable software in concerned, may I suggest
waiting for this summer's planned release of Imagine for the PC? Imagine is
one of the heavyweigths in Amiga 3-D, and features most everything you'd
ever want in a 3-D program. The Amiga version retails for $450, so I'd
expect the PC version to be anywhere between $350 and $700, depending if
Impulse wants to take advantage of the PC's large user base or the existing
price structure of competing software.
You can GO AMIGAVEND and ask about Imagine in the Impulse section.
Blaq!
Thanks. The video editing features of the Toaster still interest me, but
animation is my first priority and since it will be a while before I can
afford 3 editing decks maybe I'll just hope that by the time that happens I
can get a PC toaster.
Limey