thomas@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Thomas Summerall) (12/01/89)
Several friends and I are starting a video production company and would like to be able to generate our own broadcast quality titles and also combine, if possible, animated graphics with video. I am hoping that we can find a PC to fulfill our needs because we don't have the money for a Chiron, and don't wan to rent suites. We have to decided to go with S-VHS because of obvious quality/price reasons. Now we just need scan converting/genlocking systems that use SVHS. I have looked at both the Mac and the Amiga, and the number of products available for the Amiga is too great to ignore. Now I have several questions. Can the Amiga produce broadcast quality titles? In other words, minimal flickering or bleeding. What is the best software to use for this. Who makes the best SVHS genlock? I realize that the A2000 is designed for video in many ways, but the graphics seem less crisp than those on a Mac II. This mainly seems due to the very noticeable gaps between horiz- ontal scan lines. Is this a function of the monitor? The video circuitry? Perhaps this allows greater NTSC Compatibility? I would appreciate any info, particularly from those who have set up their own production sites and can steer me away from the low-quality stuff. Thanks, and I hope to be posting as an Amiga owner soon... Thomas Summerall thomas@eleazar.dartmouth.edu
Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com (12/02/89)
> Can the Amiga produce broadcast quality titles? Yes, with the right equipment. The low and midrange genlocks won't do it. Look also at framegrabbers. You only need a genlock if you actually intend to combine video and computer signals in the same image. The Magni is made by a video company and is worth consideration, as is the Niriki. Don't expect to pay under $1200 for a good genlock. But consider also that they will hook directly into the Amiga without yai (yet another interface). You will probably also need to consider getting a time-code generator. Can't remember if the Magni and/or Niriki generate all the timing information necessary. TV New Zealand is using the Amiga, as is Danish TV, Dutch TV and a lot of US Cable Companies. > In other words, minimal flickering or bleeding. What is the best software to > use for this. Who makes the best SVHS genlock? I realize that the A2000 is > designed for video in many ways, but the graphics seem less crisp than those > on a Mac II. The 'crispness' of the graphics is very much a function of the monitor and dependent also on whether the signal is interlace or noninterlace. Get yourself a flicker-fixer ($495) and your Amiga picture will be rock solid in beautiful color, but remember that video wants an interlace signal (your eyes just don't like it much). Yes, it allows greate NTSC compatibility, that's why it is cheaper to 'video-ize' an Amiga and why so many professionals are selecting it (and University Visual Communications and Broadcast departments). Reds are traditionally problem colors in video. Remember that video legal colors are of lower intensity than those which can be displayed on the monitor. Keep your intensities to a maximum of 12 (a la DPaint's Value slider). There is an abundance of useful animation and titling software for the Amiga and more coming out all the time. Have you looked at AV Video Magazine? It has at least one and sometimes two articles on the Amiga each issue (Montage Publishing, Torrance, CA). \_ )\_ _/ `/)\_ __ // __ _____________________________________________ `\\)\_ / '~// /// Julie Petersen (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com `\\//\\/|'//' /// Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com) (\/Yyyy/' __ /// /Yyyy/' \\\ /// "Peace in our time." --Harv Laser //\\ LadyHawke \\/// ______________________________________________ ///\\\