New user needs help
8 messages in this thread
I just purchased an Amiga 2000, which I am planning on using with my 3/4"
editing system. I'm using Broadcast Titler and Super Gen.
The manuals on both of these products leave a lot unexplained. Can anyone
suggest a good book on desktop video? I made the salesman's life miserable
today with numerous calls, trying to figure out how to do something as simple
as fading to black from a video image. I tried calling InnoVision Technology
(Broadcast Titler), but their number was disconnected, and the forwarding
number was busy for 4 hours.
Tina
Tina,
Although I cannot recommend a book for you, I'd say that posting
virtually any Amiga Video question here will get you an accurate, timely,
friendly and specific answer. You just can't wear these people down.
By the way, welcome to Amiga.
Bob.
Bob,
Thanks for the advice and the welcome! I've spent most of the day working with
the Amiga, and I feel much more comfortable with it now. The graphic
capabilities on Deluxe Paint III are incredible!
Tina
Tina,
I've had Deluxe Paint since before it had a Roman numeral, and I am
amazed by DP III. You have the enthusiasm of a new user, I (on the other hand)
am at the point of being overwhelmed by the constant sofware updates.
If you want to have some serious Video fun, go get Turbo Silver (or
perhaps Sculpt/Animate 4D) and break into the world of Ray Tracing. It (they)
is (are) a good mate for DP III and can create the most marvelous tumbling Text
or Logos or You-Name-It video images and animations. I have heard it said that
Ray Traced images remind you of something you have never seen before.
Good luck and don't be modest with your creations. If it is Hot, share
it. What goes around, comes around.
Bob.
Bob,
Turbo Silver sounds interesting. I'll put it on my LONG list of things that I
have to buy for the Amiga. Just picked up Digi-View, and I'll be trying it out
as soon as I finish this.
Tina
Tina,
If you want a 'free' demo of ray tracing animation, I would be happy to
send a file over. Or you can get one yourself in either the Amiga Arts library
or the AvigaVendor library 4.
They are free if you don't include the connect time. In any event, worth
a look, for sure.
Bob.
Tina,
I hope this is accurate, timely and friendly, but it is not specific.
I am sorry you are having trouble with Broadcast Titler. There are others on
this board that use it, and can hopefully answer specific questions.
I haven't yet seen a good book on desktop video. I doubt that even a good
one will help you with Broadcast Titler, since it sounds like you are having
trouble with its operation.
My company does not publish a titler, but we do have several pro video
products that might help you. I have uploaded some "fact sheets" into DL10 of
the AmigaVendor forum which you might find interesting. We have the Amiga
controlling a VCR for automatic single-frame recording, and will soon release a
time code reader/generator box and edit decision list software.
—Mike/MicroIllusions
You're on the right track. Each "note" does have a specific frequency, if
it's played on the "instrument" of a pure sine wave. Real-world
instruments rarely have that pure 'S' shape. Instead, their waveforms are
very, very complicated. One way to think of them is the sum of a large
number of sine waves of different frequencies, frequencies that change in
amplitude and frequency over time. You might want to check the library for
books on electronic music synthesis. They often include a deeper
discussion of these issues, as well as a few charts and graphs and example
waveforms.
Another more interesting way to tackle this problem is to use an Amiga
sound sampler and sound waveform editing software. There are several
packages available at varying prices. With this, you could sample the sound
of the instruments you'd like to approximate, then examine what they look
like in the waveform editor. It might be a lot easier for you to load
sampled sounds and play them in sequence, than typing in DATA statements
for sound approximations. I know it's possible to load and play sampled
sounds from within AmigaBASIC; once upon a time I wrote a library for the
FutureSound digitizer that let you play sounds from within AmigaBASIC. It
might still be in the library here.