#ENTRY LEVEL VIDEO SYSTEM
5 messages in this thread
It seems as though I asked a question that may not have been appropriate for
this forum. I certainly didn't want to start an argument.
Since I am new to the video scene, I was trying to explore all options. I had
heard from the start that for fx and animation the Toaster was the thing to go
with. I have seen video and live demos of the Toaster and was very impressed.
It soon became obvious that the Toaster didn't edit. So I was faced with the
reality that I was going to have to spend (my company was going to have to
spend) money on editing equipment as well if I was going to go with the
Toaster. And since we have many PCs in our office it would be easier for me to
buy products that are PC compatible.
Since leaving my original message I have been investigating a product call
Cineworks by D/Vision. It is a PC based NLE system that also has a 3D package
built in. This system has limitations, but it may be something I have to live
with.
It does seem to me that the Toaster is the ultimate in fx and animation and the
Amiga technology should'nt die. I just don't know if my company will invest in
that much equipment.
Thanks for all your comments
Mike
Editing (Linear) systems like the TAO editizer that run on a PC can
control Toasters, Decks, etc. for a full editing solution. The
Amiga/Toaster combo is the Switcher peripheral on this setup. If the TBCs
are PC compatible, then the only Amiga specific investment is the Computer
and Toaster. Even Drives can be shared. This means ~4-6K tied up 'til an
effective replacement is available. NLE is IMHO not really there yet, and
the pioneers still get the arrows in their backs on that frontier. You may
well be uncertain of the future of Amiga stuff, but the present is pretty
good. You can be sure that the current PC/Mac NLE solutions will be
superceded very rapidly, particularly at this point, where the field is
exploding, and hardware is just beginning to keep up with real video (60
fields /sec .. the Mac people just heard of fields at this NAB, they
claimed 30 fps was broadcast last year ;-o ). If you have to get going
now, buy a Toaster system as flexible as possible (a used one even?). If
you can wait, wait as long as possible.
From what I've read, Cineworks output has a particular "look" to it. I for one,
don't accept that as viable. If time is not of the essence, hang on a few more
months to see what's going to happen with NewTek's Video Flyer (non-linear for
the Toaster). Regards, Gary
Don't worry 'bout the argument.. Jerry has always been vocal. I hope that
Cineworks works just fine for you.. Good Luck..
-Tom-
Michael,
please don't leave this conversation with the impression that one should steer
away from Amiga Forums. This is a touchy time for us all, with the future of
our platform in the balance. This brings justified recoil from business-minded
users like Jerry Saperstein, and understandable insecurity from enthusiastic
supporters like Thomas Harmon. Don't feel guilty about starting a spirited
thread — we get'em all the time. I personally feel that someone with a desktop
video-related question who isn't asking on an Amiga Forum is doing themselves a
disservice. In my mind, the best strategy when it comes to Big, Basic Questions
like "which computer should I buy to…?" is to ask on several machine-specific
Forums, along with some industry-related Forums. This way, you'll get opinions
from all sides — typically, people vaunting their machines while trashing
other platform. You can collect that information and put it to good use, such
as double-checking everything said about other platforms in their specific
Forum. To me, that's where a central information clearinghouse like CompuServe
really pays off.
My two cents' worth? Ohh, a bit of both sides. I'm primarily going to buy
upgrades which can follow me if I have to switch to another platform, such as
my Bernoulli 150M transportable SCSI drive; apart from that, I'm staying put
for now. My Amiga serves me very well with the suite of software I've built up
over the years. But if I were a business user, faced with deciding whether to
_enter_ the Amiga world rather than _build_ on it, I'd be as reticent as Jerry.
Unless, of course, the desktop video world is as polarized as others say (i.e.
Toaster's still the only viable product), and I have trouble believing that.
Blaq!