#OpalVision
20 messages in this thread
Centaur Development and Opal Technology are about to release the demo units of
the Video Processor and Roaster Chip. The units will be in the stores in the
next 30-days! It's true. Software is on CD-ROM with lots of stuff. Amiga World
has an order form on the back. A special version of MONTAGE 24 for CG/Graphics,
awesome switcher effects, etc. etc. With an OpalVision Main Board going for
about $375 and the VP for what $699-799, it will be interesting to see what
happens. Could be a very cost effective DTV entry system. (The headline said;
"Commodore Closes—OpalVision Ships!") Anyboad have any thoughts?
TP
Patrick,
Did you get the VP for the previously advertised price?
I refer to the msrp of $995 minus rebate coupon $300 =$695. I ask this
because the ad on back of Oct AW states the VP module msrp =$1295.
Hope everyone who bought Opal boards 2-3 years ago and anxiously waited
for the VP will get a price break in exchange for wait'n sooo looongg.
Can you shed any light on this subject?
CJ —-)on AP
Chris,
Anyone with a coupon got a mailing from Centaur about a month ago. I
already sent in my order with the $695.00 and free shipping.
———————————————-Don- via Amiga 3000
Hi, May I ask…Did they indicate a ship date? Do you plan on going on to the
full video suite? What do people think/feel about having to wait so long?
Thanks!
TP
Tom,
All products seem to take too long to be released. We seem to forget the
flaming that Newtek got for delaying the release of the Video Toaster so long.
Then look at how it took off & how much it is being used for productive work.
Why don't you take a walk over to SoftLogic's forum where they are now being
flamed for releasing Pagestream 3 TOO EARLY!!! If you can do better, GO DO IT!!
———————————————-Don- via Amiga 3000
Hi,
I'm only on once in awhile and so I don't really remember what we we're talking
about. Sorry if I said something to offend ya! Can you elaborate? Believe me
noooo one knows better than I about having to delay product releases. It's hard
because, as you may know (in s'ware or whatever> you're caught between a rock
and a hard place. On the one had you have marketing and sales goals and on the
other you have production and Mfg. That's pretty funny—its to late—its to
early ya can't win 😉 The user wants it perfect and he wants it yesterday. I
think New Tek, OpalVision, InnoVision and others have done what it takes to
make sure the end user gets a great value. I wouldn't trade either my Toaster
or OV for anything else. Each has its great points.
The Video Processor will allow main board owners awesome abilities at a great
price. BTW we ARE doing it to the tune of thousands of users around the world
and 60-70 hours a week! Take care and feel free to Email me anytime.
All The Best,
Tom Patrick
Tom,
Oh…you were just asking people what they thought of the long delay the
release of the processor. I think I started railing in response mostly because
SoftLogic is now taking the heat for releasing Pagestream 3.0 too soon. Yet at
the same time everyone is crying the blues at the time it's taken Centaur to
release the Video Processor.
———————————————-Don- via Amiga 3000
Hi,
Ya can't win ;)! Now I remeber. What I was getting at was trying to gauge how
many Main Board owners are considering doin the VP. The VP will really be worth
the wait, the more I work with it the more cool it becomes!! I looked for the
flame in their forum area but could not find. Unbeeeelivable, perhaps folks
wish they would have waited till they needed the money?
All The Best,
Tom Patrick
>> Now I remeber. What I was getting at was trying to gauge how many Main
>>Board owners are considering doin the VP.
I'm a main board user waiting for my VP.
Jim R. Ollick
Using AP from Bergenfield, NJ
Tom and anyone else who knows about the Opal Vision Card,
Having been intrigued by the ads but not knowing too much about the OPAL VISION
card (and since you seem to know quite a bit), I wonder if you could speculate
on a question or two in the context of my current configuration.
I own two Amigas 4000, one with a warp engine and 32mb ram, and the other with
a Toaster and a soon to be Flyer. One of my anticipated frustrations is not
being able to do scalable windows/various related effects in the Toaster/FLyer
scenario without either incurring huge rendering times by running video
transitions/effects through Lightwave or buying a very expensive effects
switcher like Pinnacle.
In case it is relevant to the software aspects of Opal Vision and the questions
below, we also have Hollywood, Montage, Composite Studio, Scala/Info 500 and
Brilliance and the regular stuff. (I see adding a couple of IBMS and a low cost
IBM digitizing card to some kind of network once LW comes out on IBM). There
also ia 3 ccd HI-8 camera used for input and output to videotape.
So the big question is whether or not it would be useful to put the Opal Card
on the non-flyer machine, and run video through that machine, and then on to
the Flyer on the assumption that I may be able to get some non-pixellized
scalable windows and other effects you can't get on a Toaster (or with the
other software) at a reasonable price.
And, more generally, are there any other benefits from an Opal system for the
configuration I described. And if the answer is yes, do you know how much
things cost.
I would appreciate any response you or others might make to this.
Thanks in advance.
Michael.
Tom,
The OpalVision board & OpalPaint etc. are some of the best products ever
purchased for my Amiga 3000. I'm not a professional videographer or anything
but have done some amazing things with this setup and no other 24 Bit boards.
One reason I bought the board was the discount coupon promotion for the VP so
when I received the mailing I promptly sent in my order. I don't mind waiting
for quality and that is what I got with the original board & software.
———————————————-Don- via Amiga 3000
Hi Chris,
I'm not sure about the price I think it is $995 and will be going up to $1295
soon. There was some sort of mailout to reg. users for something like $695 this
summer. We were just testing MONTAGE 24 a special version of which is bundeled
with the Videp Processor. Haven't seen the Oct. AW yet. The Beta/Demo units of
the VP are about to ship and it will be interesting to see what folks think.
IMhO the DVE's and the DVE editor are top notch and of course the titler is
great too!
All The Best,
TP-InnoVision
Yes we got a beta system on september 22. Containing One CD, one floppy, one
"dubbel"card with a fan and
a long cabel mounted on the cards end, a breakout box with to bnc and to yc
connectors (in and out),
two connectors 23p/15p+23/23 and a nice looking manual.
It works very good and i think it beats the toaster on effects, but have some
of the same "digital noise" problems.
Had one problem installing it, the CG Montage disk had errors, (why isnt it on
the CD?)
But what shall i actually do with a one channel effect box. it definetly needs
to inputs. PIP do no function either..
Grabbing is good, effect editing has some chrases, chromakey, draw your own
ramps/curves!! Pal composite ooutput
looks good and my UVW1800 accepts it on input, but not as ref. (non std.) (with
non tbc adjusted signals from
terrestial as input). Also miss som automation/editng/cliplist functions, but
rumors tellsme that RGB with its Amilink
solves that problem.
BUT THIS LOOKS VERY PROMISING, WHEN THE VIDEO SUITE ARRIVES!wow!
>Yes we got a beta system on september 22. Containing One CD, one floppy, one
>"dubbel"card with a fan and >a long cabel mounted on the cards end, a breakout
box with to bnc and to yc >connectors (in and out), >two connectors
23p/15p+23/23 and a nice looking manual. >It works very good and i think it
beats the toaster on effects, but have some >of the same "digital noise"
problems. >Had one problem installing it, the CG Montage disk had errors, (why
isnt it on >the CD?) >But what shall i actually do with a one channel effect
box. it definetly needs >to inputs. PIP do no function either.. >Grabbing is
good, effect editing has some chrases, chromakey, draw your own >ramps/curves!!
Pal composite ooutput >looks good and my UVW1800 accepts it on input, but not
as ref. (non std.) (with >non tbc adjusted signals from >terrestial as input).
Also miss som automation/editng/cliplist functions, but >rumors tellsme that
RGB with its Amilink >solves that problem. >BUT THIS LOOKS VERY PROMISING, WHEN
THE VIDEO SUITE ARRIVES!wow!
Hello Geir,
Could you please call Centaur and report in detail any problems you're
having, or e-mail a more detailed description to me. I'm especially
interested in the PIP problems and also the FXEditor crashes.
Martin Boyd, Opal Technology.
Martin, could you please post the latest version of OpalPaint when they
come out? This will same us toll charges. Better yet, why not get your own
forum and library area here on CIS.
Waiting for my Video Processor,
Jim R. Ollick
Using AP from Bergenfield, NJ
Hello James,
I'll see what I can do about getting all the latest software on here. The
latest version of OpalPaint is 2.3b, however I have added some stuff lately
(direct interface to ImageFX like the ADPro one, and some more stuff to support
the Video Processor), so there will probably be a 2.4 soon.
I'm not sure about starting a forum, I'd have to convince some Centaur
staff members to come on and take care of it. I think everyone would agree
that I should continue to spend my time coding rather than getting bogged
down with tech support. I'll see what I can do..
Martin Boyd, Opal Technology.
Thanks for your reply. It's good to know that there is someone here to ask
question of. Keep up the coding and see if I can be one of the lucky ones
to get one of first batch of Video Processors.
Jim R. Ollick
Using AP from Bergenfield, NJ
Martin,
Glad to see you on here.
Some time back, I received an offer to enter an advance order for the new
board. I faxed back a letter to you, indicating that due to the long delays
and what I perceived as several broken promises by Centaur, I would need a
little more information prior to making a purchasing decision. I requested
specs, feature lists, etc.
No one ever replied.
Did you get the letter? Should I resend it?
Pete
Hello Pete,
Centaur has been overwhelmed with faxes lately, and there's only 1 or 2
people that can handle that stuff. I can definitetly understand you
wanting more information, if there's a dealer nearby that has one I'd
suggest that you go down and see it for yourself. If not, try faxing
Centaur again.
Martin Boyd, Opal Technology.
Martin,
>> if there's a dealer nearby that has one I'd suggest that you go down
>> and see it for yourself.
I would if there was, but there isn't.
I'll try sending the fax again, when I have a moment.
Pete