PIV-2001 Editor
20 messages in this thread
Does anyone have any experience with the Pride PIV-2001 edit
controller? I have received limited information in the mail, but
would like to know if anyone is currently using one. I am currently
using a Sony BVE-900 editor (the oldest version) with 3/4 SP and
Betacam SP decks, but cannot go over 128 edits or save EDL's. I want
to get a new editor when I upgrade to a 4000 (4000T if available) by
the end of the year. I already have the VT4000 in my 2000. I have
also considered the AmiLink VT, but I like the look of PIV-2001
screen (and the price) much better. Thanks for any suggestions or
comments.
David,
Consider the Editizer from TAO. It runs under Windows on a PC,
controls all aspects of the editing functions of the Toaster, saves
EDL's, etc. Sells for about $2K…
Can the Editizer run on a 486SX, or does in need the DX? (And you
thought I just bought if for my wife!)
Nate,
The Editizer will run on any PC that will run Windows 3.x….. The best news
about the Editizer is that we early purchasers have suffered through the
debugging process, and it's pretty darn close to great now, and really has zero
established competition at its price point.
Jerry –
Can you put on your "salesman hat" for a moment and tell me what makes
the Editizer better than a dedicated edit controller?
Tom
Tom,
Normally, putting on my 'salesman hat' is an easy task, having done it
so much in the past. In the case of the Editizer, it's a little
tougher, given my mixed feelings. I recommend it because it has
turned into an excellent value, when compared to other controllers.
My recommendation is not wholehearted, though, because of all the
problems I've had getting support from TAO. I won't lie; it was a
nightmare for many months, and the bad taste is not completely gone.
_However_, a lot of debugging has been done, and I'll try to give you
the advantages of the current product without remembering bad past
experiences.
Some advantages over a dedicated controller:
Full control over every aspect of the Toaster that you need to control during
an edit, and the ability to memorize all of those things within the EDL.
Upgrades are much easier; pop in a diskette and away you go.
Price is generally lower than comparably powerful dedicated controllers.
Wide range of machine support.
The ability to trigger playback of WAV and MIDI files at any point during the
edit.
Other than an external box that can be stowed out of sight, everything is
within a PC, giving you 2 tools with which to work in the same amount of desk
space.
7 GPI trigger outputs.
My strongest advice, should you decide to go with the Editizer, is to make
absolutely certain that it supports your decks RIGHT NOW. Pay no attention to
their claims about supporting a deck 'next week', 'next month', etc.
Jerry
Jerry,
I called my dealer abou the PIV and he said that RGB (Amilink) had caught them
with some of their code and now they are "Toast". Any truth to this that you
know of?
Matt
Matt,
All I know about the Amilink-PIV rumors are the postings concerning the rumors
here on CIS…
jERRY
Jerry –
Thanks for the information on Editizer. Just a couple of quick questions:
>>Full control over every aspect of the Toaster that you need to control during
an edit, and the ability to memorize all of those things within the EDL.<<
Is it correct to conclude from this statement that the Toaster can actually be
commanded by the Editizer software through some sort of link? IOW, could you
say to the Editizer "go to this point on roll A and this point on roll B, then
use the Toaster to dissolve from A to B and put up these titles"?
>>Price is generally lower than comparably powerful dedicated controllers.<<
Hmm. How much (in real-world dollars, i.e. with all needed add-ons<g>) does
the Editizer cost to set up? I've been looking at low end controllers like the
Panasonic AV-A96, etc in the few-hundred-dollar range.
Thanks again,
Tom
Tom,
Yes, the Editizer links to the Toaster by means of a serial cable that runs
from the Editizer's external box to the serial port on your Amiga. You can pop
up a window on the Editizer control screen that's looks pretty much like the
Toaster's switcher screen, and either operate the Toaster in real time, or you
can specify any Toaster transition, framestore numbers to load, CG pages, clip
settings for the luminance keyer, etc., within the EDL settings for each edit,
and Editizer will automatically execute the edits using the Toaster actions
you've specified. You can also memorize all those settings with your EDL,
should you wish to repeat the edit later on.
The Editizer runs around $2K, plus the cables for your particular decks, which
generally will run around $100 for 3 cables. The only other thing you need, of
course, is a PC running Windows 3.x to run the Editizer from.
In essence, the Editizer is almost identical to AmiLink CI, except that it runs
from a PC, and costs about half as much, if memory serves me correctly on the
price of AmiLink CI.
Jerry
Tom,
One more thing about the Editizer: it will also directly control DPS Personal
TBC's in the same manner it controls the Toaster; i.e. it offers real time
control, plus the ability to memorize and recall proc amp settings, strobe
settings, etc., and change them automatically during edits… I just got 2 DPS
Personal TBC IV's in today; got 'em installed and TBCing, but my PC is already
running 3 active serial ports, and I'm having trouble getting the 4th one up
and running to control the TBC's.
I hate IRQ's, DMA's, IOU's, and COD's…
Jerry
Jerry,
I'm thinking of making the move to DPS TBC IV's also with my TAO Editizer. How
do they compare to the K.Sync quality wise?
Thanks, Jim
Jim,
There is NO comparison between the quality of the KS and the TBC IV's, I'm
thrilled to report. It'll really be tremendous when I get my serial port
conflicts worked out so that I can _control_ 'em; thus far I've just booted up
and am running the source signals through them in their default configuration.
VERY clean and nice…
Jerry
Jerry,
I saw you message about serial ports, IRQ's, etc. If you're interested, I just
got some literature from a company called Stargate Technologies. They make a
nice Multi-I/O card and box that gives you four serial ports and three parallel
ports for your PC – each with an individual IRQ, if you like. Best of all, it
does 16-bit IRQ's, so you can use weird ones like 14. It was designed for PC
print servers, but it might benefit your application as well.
E-mail me for the phone# – its at work.
Jonathan
Jerry –
So the Editizer will run both the Toaster (effectively replacing the direct
Toaster controls, it sounds like) and the edit decks? Sounds like a great
gadget!
As far as a PC running Windows, that's no problem, I have 4… <g>
Thanks for all the info!
Tom
Tom,
You're welcome! In essence, here's how I use the Editizer:
To control both source decks and the edit deck.
To load Toaster framestores and/or execute Toaster transitions.
To trigger playback of WAV and MIDI files from the PC's sound card on a frame
accurate basis.
I also have the optional software, ToastAnimator that acts as a SFC for
rendering LightWave animations to tape.
Please remember, though, that TAO does have tech support problems, and you need
to be absolutely certain that it supports your decks right now.
Jerry
Call PIV and ask for the demo disk. It gives a reasonable idea of what
hte software does and how well it will give you control over the Toaster,
decks and mixers.
Tell you what – you buy my AmiLink from me, then I'll by PIV-2001 and tell
you how it is -deal? ;^}
wmc – via Autopilot!
I've called Beth at Pride and a demo disk is on the way . . . Thanks
for the info. Also, thanks for the generous offer on the AmiLink,
but I'm afraid I'll have to pass.
I just got an offer from AmiLink. For a mere $495 they will actually let
me call them up during the next year and request technical support.
Unfortunately, it also includes quarterly updates that actually (if thei
past year was an indication) take functionality out of the program. In
fact they've been so bad, I've had to revert to the original version of
the programn I got over a year ago.
Oh, BTW, for an additional $395, they'll even give me a version with two
more buttons on it so I can access all the Toaster 3.0 effects banks!
What a bunch of Rip-offs.
Anyway, if you get the PIV editor, let me know how you like it.
wmc – via Autopilot!
You might want to wait on getting the PIV Editor.
My understanding is that there is a legal case going on about both the
origins of the editor, and the setup of the company. They have been acused
of stealing the Source Code to Amilink to make there editor (RGB has said
that they have already done a search and seizure of the programing
computer and found the words AmiLink in the code).
Also aparntly the company is a subsidirary of Pride International, A
Non-Profit corporation with the purpose of educating prisoners.
This information came to me via a News Release from RGB (makers of
Amilink) and from Pride (the makers of PIV).
Pride says there is not a problem, and nothing will happen, on the other
hand RGB is gloating that Pride will be out of bussiness within 3-4
weeks.
I personally have been holding off on the Pride to see how things blow
over, the system looks good, but there are still features that need to be
added/fixed, and if there not around that wont happen.
Forrest