#Flyer Specs
13 messages in this thread
I'm sure they did that first – lossless uncompressed is EASIER to do than
compressed! You don't have to do anything except digitize and store the data –
the compression is more difficult since it has to be REALLY FAST ( but it does
allow the data to go slower to the drive – about 3.75 megabytes per second
instead of 10.5). I believe the true data rate for uncompressed D2 would
really be over 10 megs/sec.
Sounds right to me.
Did Newtek disclose any hooks for taking the digital output from the
program port and putting it right back into the Flyer as a digital file?
The possibilities are endless and a hell of a lot of fun to think about.
Hank
Videology, Inc – Where you get all the P.O.M.P. under all
Circumstances
I have been asking people about this option and the general answer seems to be
that it cannot be easily done as the Flyer cannot simultaneously record and
read a digital file which is what would be required. Though it sure seems like
something could be worked out. One way of simulating this effect is to take two
Flyers and feed the information into each other. Next week, I will be playing
with our Flyer and somebody's Fast Video Machine to see what type of
degradation takes place…maybe, I will blame it all on the Video machine..all
that M_Jpeg artifacting!!!
Michael
Finally got the Flyer working today and I'm amazed at the depth of
programming enhancements Newtek has added since V3.1. I even found that
you can add a directory while saving a file. The Toaster/Flyer has become
a complete operating environment!! Wonder what the next step will be.
Have you found a specific guideline as to adjusting in and out points for
clips around an effect? That is, to avoid the error messages about having
to shorten the effect, or lengthen the clip. It would seem that if the
combined lengths of the effects preceeding and following a clip are less
than the length of the clip, the sequence should run. And the clip would
run without effects for the that net time.
Do you know what might cause the loss of the tab labels (directory
pointers) settings. It seemed to erase them when I recorded a new clip.
Have you found the buttons to do clip extracts? The manual described
them, but they may be part of the CUTTING ROOM feature which is not
implemented yet.
The clip capture screen with estimated time available and the reorganize
option are tops. But what resolution is the standard (VHS SP?).
Enough for now – need my rest –
Hank
Videology, Inc – Where you get all the P.O.M.P. under all
Circumstances
Hank, DO NOT ask the Flyer/Toaster to do Toaster effects from a Flyer drive –
ALWAYS move the NewTek drawer out to some other hard drive and ALWAYS make
'effects' croutons come from OUTSIDE the Flyer drive setup. That minimizes the
'error' situations. But remember, the 'effect' does have to be loaded in and
it does take a moment so you probably can't create clips which have their 'end
points' right at the end of the clip and the 'start point' of the next clip
right at its beginning and still expect an 'effect' to have time to load and
start 'in between' two such clips unless the effect is simply the 'fade' which
is built into the Toaster hardware and doesn't need to 'load'.
>> Did Newtek disclose any hooks for taking the digital output from the
program port and putting it right back into the Flyer as a digital file? The
possibilities are endless and a hell of a lot of fun to think about. <<
In the demo I saw of it there seems to be an option button that looks like that
is what it was for but it wasn't activated, nor did the docs explain the button
(at all).
Alex J.
What screen was the button on? and where? It might be difficult to record
to and play from the same drive at the same time, but maybe if you had
three drives. One for A clip, one for B clip and one to record to.
That would let us create lossless unrestricted layering of video.
Hank
Videology, Inc – Where you get all the P.O.M.P. under all
Circumstances
for the time being, you cannot record and play simultaneously AT ALL,
regardless of the drives. and you couldn't even conceivably play from and
record to a single drive at once. for the time being, the Flyer is either
playing or recording, not both.
I'm glad you said "For the time being" since the Flyer hardware hints
at doing more things in the future. Do you know the purpose of the
two serial cables on the Flyer?
I had a customer digitize his BetaSP company promo tape to the demo
units 2GB drive. Using his VideoTek monitor, it was impossible for me
to see the difference between the original and the playback. He
noted a few things, but said there was not s/n ratio lose or picture
quality. It felt it was the best resolution he's seen on anything.
And he has seen alot.
His only negative reaction was, as a professional who has used many
time-line oriented NLE systems, that the storyboard interface isn't
as easy to work with. However, he is convinced that the comparison
tape he is creating (running the two tapes into a switcher for a
side-by-side split-screen comparison) will show almost no effects
from the digitizing process. Excellent compression system!
Since PreVue Tech now has a connector to sync the Toaster by going
directly to the board, thereby keeping the first input free, I
anticipate more third party products to enhance the Toaster/Flyer
even further. Maybe some will create a time-line interface option.
Hank
Videology, Inc – Where you get all the P.O.M.P. under all
Circumstances
Henry, The two serial ports will accept SMPTE timecode in the format
it is normally found on the RS-422 editting bus, and store it with
the clips as they are digitized. There is a Horita box that converts
VITRC/LTC to 422 formatted SMTE TC that NewTek said would be
acceptable to the Flyer. I don't know if this is implemented in .9
since Safe Harbor saw fit to give my Flyer to somenone else and
bumped me to the 1.0 production release list in spite of having my
order and deposit since June.
This is very interresting since I now have two serial ports hanging
out the back of my computer that I don't know what to do with. I
highly suspect that the SMPTE is not yet implemented since so many
things are not yet – but it would be nice to get some documentation
from NewTek about what to do with those to ports. If anyone finds
out more about this I hope they will see fit to report it here. RUSS
SPENCER / Mike Miloff
Thanks – I'll update my Flyer info.
Hank
Videology, Inc – Where you get all the P.O.M.P. under all
Circumstances
No, they did not. The 'program' output of the toaster (the Flyer's own output)
is not digital (but I think there is a way to move digital Flyer clip segments
around on the drives) and I don't believe the Flyer will presently RECORD and
PLAY simultaneously. But yes, indeed, the possibilities are quite interesting
and I am definitely exploring some interesting ones here.