CompuServe Thread

Dear Mr. Zacchidny, I would recommend you go PC towards something like the new stand alone Video Toaster for Windows NT which will be released in late 1995 and sell for $8,000. This new Toaster will have added non-linear editing features, CD quality audio and portabilty. We have future MediaPhile PC Windows products as well which will be released but will target the low end market.

Yes.. I would recommend you stay in the PC range and if your are : 1. working with computer based multimedia… cdrom, kiosk or harddrive then go with MacroMedia Director 3.0… you get a trememdous package for video editing right from your hard disk… cut & paste. 2. video out production to tape… go with ///FAST DPR/VM. It is the best professional linear/non-linear hybrid on the market. You have the power to go tape-to-tape quality or disk-to-tape w/compression. It is the best. The only reason you see some for sale [like the posting I will copy here for you to read ] is the incompatability the owners encounter when the attempt to match existing decks with the VM and they don't work. If you build the system from the ground up.. there aren't the troubles. Read this… >>We have BVW Betacam Series VTR's (BVW 10, 15,40). These decks have not been supported by the FAST VideoMachine, however in the past two years the BVW 10 and 40 have worked with the system. I recently bought replaced our BVW 40 with a newer 40 and bought a BVW 15. I also received the DPR around this time and the new VM software. The new software necessary to run the VM with the DPR does not work with our decks now. So we have decided that a changed in the VM may be necessary. We are very happy with the DPR and the VM for most of the work we do. The quality is very good and editing with the DDPR is wonderful. However, we produce syndicated sports programming and because our programs are nationwide we need to up our on-line production capabilities ast this time. Since the VideoMachine is only a A\B Roll system with atwo bus switcher with single channel keying abilities we have looked for a system that can do a multiple layers on-line. the VM promises this in the near future with the Pinnicle Aladdin using the DPR for your additional source. However, we need this capability now. I have been a loyal and happy Video Machine user for two years. I have done syndicated shows, high end promotional videos and national spots on it. So It has been a great system for me. But our needs right now are for a more traditional on-line A\B\C roll post suite. I wish I had enough money to keep the VM Digital editor as well because it is great and I will have a hard time finding another system that does two channels with 8 audio channels at 4:1 compression with real-time effects. You won't believe the quality. Hope you are still interested. Sincerely, Michael Billingsley, Rocky Mountain Resorts Network, Inc., Avon, CO<< I would however, advice AGAINST the purchase of a Toaster… contrary to what the fellow mentioned to you in the other message… nothing against him–I don't know him–but I do know the Toaster. For the same money [eventually with all the add ons you have to buy to get it up to ///FAST capability] you get far better editing, F/X and titling than the Toaster gives.. + you get to use many more off-the-shelf software for your work. All the magazines in the business; Video, New Media, Presentations, CGW, Morph's Outpost, Multimedia Producer and Digital Video [DV] have run the tests on ALL the products and ///FAST has consistently outperformed and outproduced them all in the price field and beyond. I first owned a Matrox Pro Studio… it didn't do a bad job, but with it and my Panasonic AG-1970 decks I couldn't get any better than +-2 SECONDS error… that is TOTALLY unaccpetable!!! With Beta Decks I got +- 1.5 frames… much better, but I got the Matrox to SAVE MONEY not spend more! Now the comparison of the turn-key Matrox Pro vs. turn-key ///FAST DPR/VM is as follows: Matrox=$35,000+ ///FAST=$27,000. But I can buy the ///FAST software and boards, all for < $ 12,000, put it in a computer of my choosing–even with PCI busing– for <$22,000. That is putting in 6 Gigs storage, 4X CDROM reader/printer, 2 Panasonic AG-1970 decks, and a potload of xtra software. And to-boot, I have a system that outperforms the Matrox again… so what else can I say… go ///FAST!! nice talking to you…. stay in touch. les