#Better NTSC output
9 messages in this thread
Just to jump in here with a question about your set-up …
We're just starting in the Vid Biz (at least with owning our own equipment).
I'd love to have a toaster but our income doesn't warrant that big of an item
right now.
We're planning on getting the Panasonic WJ-AVE5 mixer & need a CG to go with
it. We thought about getting the Amiga 2000 & later 'sooping it up' to house
a toaster, but alas, that's even a little too big right now.
My other thought was to get an A500 & a good CG program, then later it could
be incorporated into the toaster set-up. This would seem to be natural for
our intended uses (our jobs are all live mix-down, no post-production). In
fact having the CG 'inside' the switcher seems to be a little difficult to
work with physically (how do you CG on the fly if you have to use the same
machine to switch?).
My question is … what exactly do you have in you A500 system? What software
are you using, what memory, disk, etc.?
I'd appreciate hearing about your set-up and any suggestions you might have.
Hi Chris, I might be selling my Laird 7000Y/C c.g. real soon. I just need
to get more comfortable with the toaster. If you interested, let me know.
If i do decide to sell it, i will be looking around $1100. the c.g is in
excellent condition. if you want more info send e-mail
george
Chris,
I have some difficuly answering your questions since all your jobs are
live-mix down whereas all my jobs are shoot & post. For what you doing the
toaster is ideal but, as you say, budgetary considerations make it
unfeasable.
My original A500 setup was an Amiga 500 (big surprise) an A501 memory
expansions and a Progessive peripheral memory expansion giving me a total
of 2 megs. I did not use a hard drive but did have two disk drives. I also
had a Supergen. As far as software, I primarily used Deluxe Paint,
Pro-Video Gold, and Video Effects 3D. (I once tried broadcast titler but
got so pissed at the program I removed the disk and sent it sailing across
the room to break in several pieces).
The toaster can do character generation on the fly, if you're able to plan
ahead. You can render screens on the preview bus while your program is
going on. However, there have been times I had to hook up my 500 downstream
for use as a CG. I once had to simulate night vision: I used the TBC to
turn the incoming video greenish, the Toaster's Chroma FX to make it
grainy, and the 500 to add the obligatory "Simulated Picture" title (in
tiny characters on the bottom) and also to fade the entire image to black
(all for a 5 second shot!).
I don't recall which switcher the WJ-AVE5 is, but consider this: Dollar for
dollar it looks like a great deal, almost too good to be true considering
the cost of professional mixers. Well, I've found that it generally isn't
true. Before you buy any "pro-sumer" equipment (or any equipment), talk to
people who are using the same equipment to do exactly (more or less) what
you're looking to do. Get a demo reel from them, even if you have to pay
them. If I had done this when I started out I would have saved alot of time
and ALOT of money.
Bill.
the Panasonic WJ AVE5I beleive is about $1400 or so here in NY
Bill, saw your post on Broadcast Titler, have you looked at version 2 of
the product? I use it quite a bit and wouldn't be without it. If you are a
registered owner of the first product you can get version 2 for quite a
reasonable fee, ($50 as I recall). Incedently, I am using it in a second
Amiga downstream from Toaster, and all of my work is post as well.
Frank
Frank,
Thanks for the insight on BT 2.0, but I was so frustrated with the old
version and with whoever makes the thing that I would be hard pressed to
try ANY of their products.
Besides I much prefer Pro-Video–and I HATE MENUS! Ah yes, I remember the
good ol' days–toggling in the bootstrap code on the front panel. <sigh>
Bill.
Bill,
I can identify with your feelings, as I was one of Innovision's first
customers when they released Broadcast Titler. However, if you're basing
your observations and feelings on Version 1, you should revisit the
program. BT-2 has much better antialiasing, nicer fonts, a utility that
lets you convert Amiga fonts for use in the program, an optional (extra
cost) utility that lets you convert, resize and antialias fonts, and an
option that lets you operate in the new Super HiRes mode (true 35ns pixels)
if you have the new Denise chip. I own both BT-2 and ProVideo Post.
They're both on my hard drive. Frankly, I haven't used ProVideo Post in
months (and I use the Amiga to produce video for broadcast).
Believe me, it's worth a second look.
Pete
Pete,
Hmmm. Maybe I'll have to give BT a second look, even if somewhat
reluctantly.
Thanks for the info
Bill.
Well I've got a 500 with 9 megs in it and a Adspeed Accelerator and a 52
meg HD and get Good Results with it for doing Animation Via Imagine Yer
best bet for a Genlock is probably the Supergen from Digital Creations
which while a bit expensive($600) compared to the 500 it has a VERY Good
output which is supposedly Broadcast capable