#Altimira Composer?
26 messages in this thread
So what, exactly, is this Composer thingee? I'm looking for a way to
do some nice titling (not 3D) and a few things I've read have
suggested this might be the product I want.
Conversely (or likewise) does anyone have an opinion on the best way
to generate text for titling in a Windows product? Adobe
Illustrator? I have Corel 4, and can do nice text, but it seems like
there should be an easier (read: more automatic) way of doing things
(drop shadows, kerning, etc.)
There is an easier way of doing it (Titling).
It's called Inscriber!
Well, that's all and good for you to say — but what about the details?
What is it? Where can I get it? Where can I find out about it?
I went back and reviewed the message base about Altimira, and it
sounded better and better — provided alpha channel, antialiased text
and even sounds like it might be Windows based (which is what I
really need — 3DS is the one DOS program I actually will make an
exception to run). Does this Inscriber thingee meet those
qualifications?
Unlike every other program you mentioned, Inscriber is actually a
Titling program. Outside of full blown dedicated hardware titlers, it
doesn't get any better on the PC. Phenomenal Antialiasing, real roll
features, etc. The program is available in a variety of flavors from
Truecolor VGA to VISTA.
The program is marketed by Image North Technologies Inc.
180 King Street South, Suite 360
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2J 1P8
I can probably dig up a number if you want one.
Maybe Greg or someone has it handy.
Paul
Paul,
>>> Inscriber
The program is marketed by Image North Technologies Inc.
180 King Street South, Suite 360
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2J 1P8
I can probably dig up a number if you want one. <<<
Paul…. The MainFrame Computer Graphics Ltd. for Inscriber
is (416) 391-4500
The Forefront Graphics people are at (416) 636-4444.
James M. Murphy
Yeah, your right, I forgot about Mainframe. Whoever I replied to
should probably call them.
Inscriber is owned by Image North Technologies, and All Trademarks and
license agreeements are with Image North, but Mainframe does
technical support and stuff. Another one of these Yost Group/Autodesk
agreement things most likely.
We actually just finished developing some really great code for those
guys to use with Inscriber. I should've remembered Mainframe.
What threw me was the fact that out of four copies of Inscriber and
around 15 manuals, Image North Inc. is shown no less than a hundred
times with their logo and trademark. The only place you'll find
Mainframe mentioned is on a postcard thing under technical support.
And it says to only call them if you have a problem that your dealer
can't resolve.
Now that I think about it, your best bet would probably be findiing
an authorized dealer on the forum. There are a number of local
dealers out here and I think that's where I first saw Inscriber.
I digress ….. If you want the ultimate PC based Titling system, buy
Inscriber… Nothing else comes close, and all of the other programs
that have been mentioned are drawing/image manipulation programs.
You'd have a hard time trying to do automated page rolls and trigger
keying from them.
Hey Paul! How's your Sanyo GVR-S950 holding up? Didn't you say you
did 80,000 frames without any dropouts? I'm just plugging in a
Matrox Illuminator Pro (top-end) this weekend…I'll let you know how
it goes…. if I get any sleep this weekend..he…he. LaTER James M.
Murphy
It wasn't me…….. It was someone on the forum who was beta testing
the thing with I believe. We're strictly BetaSP on this end.
Sorry, Paul
P.S. – I did get to see the deck in action at a local house and it had
numerous dropouts. I personally don't believe that an SVHS deck could
lay that many frames with no dropouts. The technology just isn't
there. IMHO
Paul,
>> It wasn't me…….. It was someone on the forum who was beta testing the
thing with I believe. We're strictly BetaSP on this end.
Sorry, Paul <<
Oh..Oh! I thought it was you! I told a couple of forum members that I
thought it was you….maybe you were talking to them in a thread and
your name stood out….You wouldn't happen to know who that actually
was? I really have to find out now because I've told at least two
people I thought it was you. Now I gotta straighten this
out….Credibility thing don't-Ja-Know. <BG>
James,
I'm not really sure about the originator.
I seem to remember that it was one of the companies that manufacture
controllers. Maybe one of the VLan people.
Paul
.
>>> I seem to remember that it was one of the companies that manufacture
controllers. Maybe one of the VLan people. <<<
If you or anyone else happens to remember who it was that was Beta Testing the
Sanyo GVR-S950 and reported 80,000 frames and no dropouts.
Please Let me know….in fact have them call me. (414) 435-7345.
James M. Murphy
James,
I believe the person who mentioned the Sanyo was with Videomedia, the company
who makes V-LAN and other vtr controllers.
Martin,
>>> I believe the person who mentioned the Sanyo was with Videomedia, the
company who makes V-LAN and other vtr controllers. <<<
You wouldn't happen to have a phone number or Compuserve ID?
Murph'
Bill Stickney with Videomedia (V-LAN) left some messages about the Sanyo, but
they weren't favorable. I think a fellow named Suresh Kavan (something like
that) bought one and likes it. And there was another company that was testing
it and gave it good marks (probably who you were quoting) but I can't remember
who.
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
John,
>>> I think a fellow named Suresh Kavan
(something like that) bought one and likes it. And there was another
company that was testing it and gave it good marks (probably who you were
quoting) but I can't remember who. <<<
Thanks for the Suresh Kavan name…you wouldn't happen to have his Compserve ID
would you?
Also I'm looking for anyone who has a longer track record (than mine) with this
machine so we can compre notes and testimonials good and bad. No product is
perfect I'm considering this as the medium machine in this field. I think that
serious animators are going to have to start with this level of equipment to
build their businesses UP to the BetaSP and LVR3000 level. Plus this allows
for very good "animation checks" prior to sending out any Exabyte/ASDG tapes to
a "Post" house.
James M. Murphy.
John,
>>> Bill Stickney with Videomedia (V-LAN) left some messages about the Sanyo,
but they weren't favorable <<<
I was thinking about this and I would like to talk to him also…makes me
wonder what he didn't like.
So far I'm very happy with the unit.
James M. Murphy
Paul,
>> It wasn't me…….. It was someone on the forum who was beta testing the
thing with I believe. We're strictly BetaSP on this end.
Sorry, Paul <<
Oh..Oh! I thought it was you! I told a couple of forum members that I thought
it was you….maybe you were talking to them in a thread and your name stood
out….You wouldn't happen to know who that actually was?
I really have to find out now because I've told at least two people I thought
it was you. Now I gotta straighten this out….Credibility thing
don't-Ja-Know. <BG>
James M. Murphy
Inscriber is a durn fine character generation and titling
program. Besides text creation (with drop shadows, borders, glows,
gradients, etc.), it handles logos and .TGA images for use in sprite
animation and transition effects (various wipes, fades, text scroll &
crawl). It runs under DOS, however, although their PostScript font
converter uses Windows. This is a great product for real-time
presentations, either on computer or recorded to video. And yes, if
you're around the Los Angeles area, we sell it. The developer is
Image North Technologies, distributed through Mainframe Computer
Graphics (both in Canada). Mainframe handles the dealer channel, and
refers folks to us or others depending on geographic area.
Kevin,
Thanks for popping in there! I new that someone along your lines would know all
of the low down on how to order it.
We have all of the versions, we use it, we love it, we develop for it, but
…… we don't sell it!
Thanks Again, Paul
.
> It <Inscriber> runs under DOS, however, although their PostScript font
converter >uses Windows
Then that eliminates it for me — I need a Windows based program since Fast
Video requires that (any Windows program can "print" to the Fast Video
driver). Besides — I am just not going to mess with any DOS program other
than 3DS — the DOS world is dead (and, no, I do NOT want to start up anything
in this thread about that).
But no one's said whether Altimira is Windows or not. I guess I'll just have
to call one of the numbers someone has posted to find out. If it isn't, I
guess
I'll have to use Visual Basic to automate my Corel for the drop shadows and
other goodies… Sigh.
Mike,
The purpose of Inscriber is to playback in real-time for direct
recording to a VTR. It does so on a frame buffer (such as a Targa+ or
ATVista), so it's easy to preview or do final output. Your solution seems more
appropriate to more convenient frame-by-frame work.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
I saw Altimira Composer in this month's Computer Artist. It is
Windows.
Mike:
>> But no one's said whether Altimira is Windows or not.
Yes, it is Windows.
Greg Pyros
Altimira is a windows based ap. It also runs fine under Windows
NT.
Altamira Composer is a new image-composition/processing program. It
juggles multiple bitmaps–each of which include an alpha channel–and
the quality of the images is excellent. It works nicely with 3ds,
because you can render an image from 3ds with alpha, and then load it
into Composer with its alpha. Thus, you can have a bitmap of a
tranparent wine glass, for example, that you can just move over any
other bitmaps, and see the other bitmaps through it.
There a bunch of image processing tools, plus alpha-manipulating
tools. To find out more about it, call 415-332-5801.
– Jack