CompuServe Thread

#Caligari vs CAD-3D

6 messages in this thread
#46325From: Gavin DoughtieDec 30, 1986 9:10 PM
I just read an article on Caligari in Amiga World. Sounds very intriguing. I have a 520 ST which I word-process music video on, but I've been fooling with CAD-3D solid modeling software, which is on the verge of releasing a 60fps animation co-package. I'm just now starting to see the limitations of the colors available on the ST, so I'm suddenly very interested in this Amiga version. Have you seen/worked with it? Has anyone?? How much is it, etc. Much obliged. -=Gavin=-
#46361From: Mike BerroDec 31, 1986 12:04 AM
Solid modeling at 60fps? Sounds too good to be true! I'm afraid I know no more about it than you. As you know, Caligari isn't out yet, and I haven't seen more about it, other than the article you mention. However, I am going to keep a sharp lookout for both programs at CES Jan 8-12, and will post a report here. As far as the extra colors on the Amiga, it is a nice feature, as well as the higher vertical resolution mode. When you're working with animation, the extra colors can make a big difference. You say that you "word-process music video"? What exactly does that mean? —Mike
#46519From: Gavin DoughtieDec 31, 1986 10:17 PM
I am a filmmaker a year out of USC, and my last project was a low-budget music video. The 60fps I mentioned is Cybermate, which uses some sort of file-compacting scheme to do page-flipping animations at 60 fps (one frame on each scan, as per ordinary video). It's supposed to store up to a thousand frames in a megabyte. Apparently you write an animation "script" to call CAD-3D commands, saving compacted bit-maps for each frame. Sort of a "Boink!" generator for whatever one is interested in. I get this all from an ad in the latest Antic. It does 3D images with oscillating liquid-crystal shutter glasses, too. It's about $90.00. It'll probably be real cool and all, but not so useful for professional applications. Do drop a line after CES (where is that, by the way?). Much obliged. -=Gavin=-
#46545From: Mike BerroJan 1, 1987 2:21 AM
Yeah, the oscillating LC shutter would work real nice. BTW "ordinary " video is 60 fields per second, or 30 frames per second (NTSC), a field being half a frame in interlace mode (but you probably knew that). $90 would be steal, I think Caligari is way above that. I will indeed report to you after CES which is in Las Vegas Jan 8-12. —Mike
#46668From: Gavin DoughtieJan 1, 1987 7:56 PM
Thanks for the info. Go ATARI16 and read msg.#47797 if you want to read some more about Cybermate for the ST. (p.s. I don't want to get into that computer wars thing. I think Amiga's are lovely…just a bit out of my pocket). -=Gavin=(BTW that's what I meant re: video frame rates.)
#46874From: Rick RodriguezJan 2, 1987 6:50 PM
Gavin, The disadvantage to the Atari for any video application is that it isn't capable of generating interlace output. Professional equipment hates noninterlaced video. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the ST doesn't have NTSC output either, right?