New "Montage" Prgm.
21 messages in this thread
Did anyone attend the NAB Show ? If so, did they see the new titling software
from InnoVision, which works with the "Toaster" ?
Would very much like an opinion as what it looked like and how well it
operated.
Regards, HILARY.
The Toaster's own CG program has been greatly enhanced, particularly with
300(!) included Postscript fonts. However, from a purely aesthetic point of
view, I prefer Montage. You edit on a Ham8 screen and the fonts are perfectly
antialiased and the interface is similar to Broadcast Titler. At $495, gotta
have it! –Rick Rodriguez
When you say… re "Montage… < I prefer it >, I get the impression that you
have either seen it in action or else have had the opportunity to use it.
Correct ???
I have used the InnoVision BT since its inception. I like the way they
construct their programs, which work smoothly. The code must be good.
Although Toaster CG is not bad, I object in having to put the mouse to bed to
operate that piece of software. Too bad that NewTek could not have fudged up
something better.
I have "Montage" on order. All the best, HILARY
Hilary,
New Toaster CG info…
1. completely rewritten 🙂
2. Mouse driven
3. Text can be placed anywhere, even over other text.
4. Can use Compugraphic, Postscript Type 1 & 3 (includes 250 PS
fonts), which can be resized to 400 lines tall.
5. Kerning pair information from fonts are now used
6. Adjust color, shadow type, outline, font selection…
line by line, or by word, or by character by highlighting
item(s) with the mouse & make the changes
7. Import ToasterPaint graphics & brushes (also LightWave) to CG
8. Improved graphic separators
Montage…
1. Realtime "click and drag" font scaling (Montage Fonts),
with an effective 1 nanosecond resolution via ultra-high
level of anti-aliasing.
2. Import both 24 IFF and FrameStore formats
3. Image processing includes transluceny blending, compositing,
gradient color spreads, beveled boxes, wallpaper emposs
4. Alpha channel anti-aliasing of text to video and
translucent shadows & graphics over video
5. Supports Toaster, Chroma, Amiga Fonts
6. Automatic or user controlled character kerning
7. Click & drag title composition
8. Automatic Toaster framebuffer updates
9. Undo function
10. Completely flexable character and line overlap
11. Video safe-title area indicator
12. Calculate directly in D2 framestore format for
improved signal quality and display speed
13. Proprietary Montage software drivers improve Toaste's video output
and software selectable NTSC filter for reduced ringing & dot crawl
14. Limited time Montage offer for BT Users (direct for $379.95)
Note: Toaster CG highlights are from a fax my Amiga/Toaster dealer
sent me, Montage was from Innovision's mailer.
Montage "At the time of this mailing, Montage has not yet been released."
IMHO, Montage will be worth the scalable fonts alone (additional fonts
available), the image composition features along with the improved video
are also interesting, though I would guess we are comparing Montage to
Toaster 2.0. I still use BT to create pages for the Toaster CG.
Joe Maulucci >>> AP ENGAGED
Joe. Thanks very much for the details you sent me on both "Montage" and the
upcoming new version of "Toaster" software.
Interesting….. Wonder what will be the price of the new Toaster version?
Innovision are charging nearly $500 for their Montage, less if you have theit
BT series. Last contact I had with them said they would start shipping in May.
I have lived with Broadcast Titler since its first version. In general they
seem to produce very smooth working software. Found them quick and responsive
to any "bug" reports.
I too use BT rather than the Toaster CG. In the latter, can never comfortably
make the change from mouse to the "F" keys…. without looking things up in the
book.
All the best, HILARY.
Toaster CG now uses the mouse. My problem is that you must edit on a black &
white screen and there is noticable stairstepping on Postscript fonts. Montage
works in color and its proprietary fonts are very smooth; however, you are
limited to a small number of them. They said they plan a conversion utility
soon. –Rick Rodriguez
Thanks for the info' Rick.
From various inputs it would seem that "Montage" has an edge over the revamped
Toaster CG – despite upgrade to mouse operation.
Have Montage on order. Understand delivery is next month – May.
All the best, HILARY.
Montage looked great (after they got a working version)… But it is
pretty much history, all of the features they have and more are in the new
Toaster CG and both are do at the same time.
Forrest
Forrest, I must disagree that Montage is "history." From what I saw, Montage
is far more interactive than the Toaster's CG and the quality of antialiasing
is far better. –Rick Rodriguez
I will certainly admit that Montage is a very nice looking product. But
even if it is a bit more interactive, and the antialiasing is better, $500
is a bit much to be stuck with there limited scalable font support of 8 or
so fonts, when Toaster CG will have over 250. If Montage came out last
year at this time I would be jumping for joy, but I beleave it is a bit
too late.
Forrest
Hilary,
They were only showing the Framestore portion of it. Basically it is a
fast, full screen version of a paint program with titling features. What
it hase tht Toaster 4000 doesn't is gradient fill and tranparency as part
of the font color selections. Some NewTek people came by and watched the
Demo and applauded when it was over, so they seemed somewhat impressed. I
wasa too,but not enough to layout $450. Most of my reservations are on
the key page handling and interface to AmiLink. if, however, yoou do
mostly Framestore pages, Montage could save you alot of time and give a
single interface to create graphics that in the Toaster would require
heavy ToasterPaint usage.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Wayne, i have montage on order and waiting, hopfully soon i will be able to
take it myself for a spin. However, since you saw it working, how is it's
performance over live video? would appreciate to hear anything you have.
thanks, george
George,
They didn't show it over live Video while I was there. In fact the key
page part of it was not in the demo version as I recall. The demo mostly
consited of the nice mouse and menu control of Framestore page type
production with point and click gradient fills and tranparency mapping for
titles, working right on top of a graphic (instead of the 3 to 2 monitor
kludge that VT requires). They and RGB mentioned getting together on the
key page/Amilink interface from Montage, but I don't expect to see that
soon. In fact, it sounde as if key page handling was causing a little
consternation at innovision…
wmc – via Autopilot!
Wayne, as I remember the flyier, over live video supposed to be part of it.
Hell, it would not make sense to have a c.g. for stills only. I called them
today to confirm that they got my check. They told me it should be shipping in
2-3 weeks. It's the 2-3 weeks that worries me. 2-3 weeks means that they don't
have it in their little paws yet. we'l see what happens. george
George,
I talked to wone of the main programmers for Montage and she was very
knowledgeable and together. I have no doubt that you'll get the product
and be pleased with it. Its just that at the time I talked to her, t hey
were still wrestling with the key page handling. They were commited to
doing it, but it obviously was the styel of page started last and has the
most problem from the point of view of edit controllers. THey are
developing withhout NewTek help so they do not know how to integrate
pagges into the CGbook. Framestore pages are easiest from this point of
view as you can just treat them as a framestroe outside the cg. Key pages
aren't that simple…
wmc – via Autopilot!
Thanks Wayne. I hope they get this figured out. I'm sure they will, but it
might take more time then they are claiming to ship now. Hope it will happen.
thanks, george
I think the Toaster 4000 and PostScript CG compatibility caught them
off-guard too. So there may be a perios of strateegising and re-writing
that may delay the release a little more. Just a hunch, no hard fact
basis.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Hope it does not take them too long. You know how it is when a new toy is on
order? I WANT IT NOW!. Oh well, nothing we can do. george
Hi Wayne. Thanks for your input. Most of what I read/heard has been fairly
positive about "Montage".
Incidently….. did you see any demo's of our famous "Y/C PLUS" at NAB? I
sent a note to InnoVision suggresting that perhaps they could get together with
Heilman and demo. both the Y/C Plus and Montage at the same time.
Have Montage still on order. Last promise was delivery in May. Hope so.
Keep on WHYSEEING! Hilary.
Smith was there with the Y/C plus and it was also being show in the I. Den
booth (I think it was…). Anyway, they claim to be still compatible with
the 4000 toaster.
Innovision said you don't need the Y/C plus when runnin the Toaster in
conjunction with Montage as Montage does some processing that actually
enhances the Toaster output signal, or so they claim. Whatever… it did
look nice.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Thanks for info' Wayne
HILARY