R38@PSUVM.BITNET (10/19/89)
Hello, Does anyone know about video production equipment suitable for use with the Amiga, its genlocks, frame controllers,and other peripherals? On that issue, does anyone know about good Amiga frame controllers, that are good for single frame recording and for Sync/Insert/Assemble/etc? I have heard alot about the Panasonic AG1060/AGA95 combo being a good SVHS setup.. is this true? is there better? I would really appreciate if anyone who can help could EMAIL this information to me. I have started an Amiga-based video production business and need to start using my OWN equipment (instead of borowwing...) Business is GREAT.. Many commercial and industrial customers are suprised at the quality of the Amiga. It seems that a majority of those people who need computer graphics, videos, etc, don't all want their work done on heavy duty computers/equipment. It is much more cost-effective because the quality I have been working at is so acceptable. My opinions are no more than my own. So please don't get offended, irritated or boistrous about them... It's really not worth it. Marc Rifkin .... R38@PSUVM (814) 867-4837 Video Production Manager, Digital Reality Video Prod.
hopp@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Eric D. Hopp) (10/28/89)
This is a reply I sent to Marc Rifkin. I hope it will be of use to others, too. In article <89291.150200R38@PSUVM.BITNET> you write: >Does anyone know about video production equipment suitable for use >with the Amiga, its genlocks, frame controllers,and other peripherals? > >On that issue, does anyone know about good Amiga frame controllers, that >are good for single frame recording and for Sync/Insert/Assemble/etc? > >Marc Rifkin .... R38@PSUVM (814) 867-4837 >Video Production Manager, Digital Reality Video Prod. Marc, I think could answer the questions I quoted by telling you what we have been using. I'm a student at St. Olaf College, and have been helping the Art Department set up an amiga animation lab. We have a Sony VO-5850 3/4 inch VTR, and a V-LAN control network. The V-LAN is by VideoMedia. It consists of a receiver, which is connected to the VTR, and a transmitter that has an RS-232 port. V-LAN can control up to 32 video devices, and I don't think it is limited to controlling just VTRs. The transmitter talks to whatever is controlling it in short ASCII commands and responses, so you can connect it to anything, even a dumb terminal. We added a SMPTE time-code reader to the receiver so that we can do frame-accurate animation, and use one of the two audio tracks for the time-code. It has worked pretty well. The biggest problems have been with achieving frame-accuracy. (I suspect we are using very inferior, second or third generation time code.) Also, the Sony VTR has a tendency to allow the time code to bleed into the audio when playing a tape. Lastly, when doing frame by frame animation, the fastest you can go is about one every 12 seconds--this is both a V-LAN and a VO-5850 limitation. Otherwise, the system works well. Within the Amiga, we use Transport Controller to control the V-LAN. (By MicroIllusions??? They also put out Cel Animator and, I believe, Photon Paint.) It has worked well so far. Two "parasite" utilities that come with it are really handy. One implements time-lapse photography, and the other one copies one or more IFF pictures to the VTR. (But alas, not IFF anim files.) There is provision for adding home-made "parasites", so there is hope. A praise of Transport Controller is that you can record n frames at x point in the tape. A few problems include an inability to control search speed, sporadic time-code reporting, and an occaisional lock-up when using the "parasite" programs. Also, it doesn't implement an A/B roll editing system. As for getting images into and out of the Amiga, we are still working on that. The Framegrabber, by Progressive Peripherals, and VD-1, by Impulse, both look like very good digitizers. (Although support of overscan looks very limited.) For genlocks, we are using a very low-end one, Amigen. It works, but if you are at all serious, I'd recommend better. Amigen is not at all flexible--if there is video input, it will replace color zero. It also has a strange interlace-like effect on the screen. I've also heard of a V-Machine by the makers of SuperGen. It's pretty fancy, but I remember wondering how I would ever squeeze 24 bitplanes into an Amiga. There are some companies that sell complete Amiga video workstations. You might be interested in them. (RGB Creations, I believe, is one of them.) If nothing else, they compile lists of Amiga-compatible video equipment that are useful. I hope this helps you. I wish you luck! (And, if you ever get a chance, I'm intersted in hearing what sort of luck you have with the equipment you end up with. Digging through this stuff is hard by oneself.) -eric hopp St. Olaf Student hopp@stolaf.edu
baer@qiclab.UUCP (Ken Baer) (10/31/89)
In article <7660@thor.acc.stolaf.edu> hopp@thor.stolaf.edu () writes: >This is a reply I sent to Marc Rifkin. I hope it will be of use to others, >too. >In article <89291.150200R38@PSUVM.BITNET> you write: >>Does anyone know about video production equipment suitable for use >>with the Amiga, its genlocks, frame controllers,and other peripherals? >>On that issue, does anyone know about good Amiga frame controllers, that >>are good for single frame recording and for Sync/Insert/Assemble/etc? >>Marc Rifkin .... R38@PSUVM (814) 867-4837 >>Video Production Manager, Digital Reality Video Prod. > We have a Sony VO-5850 3/4 inch VTR, and a V-LAN control >network. The V-LAN is by VideoMedia. This level of equipment is beyond the price range most consumers can deal with. Another option is a JVC 810 (S-VHS) and a BCD controller which together run about $6,500. > Within the Amiga, we use Transport Controller to control the >V-LAN. One implements >time-lapse photography, and the other one copies one or more IFF >pictures to the VTR. (But alas, not IFF anim files.) There is now. We recently completed a short animated film that we single frame recorded. The thought of converting the ANIM files to single IFFs was just too terrifying. That would have been over 1000 files! So, I modified my program, Animation:Editor to work with the Transport Controller software. You now, simply build a list of ANIMs, Hash PAC files, and/or IFFs, and specify the duration of each frame. The program will load each frame (not the whole anim at once, this saves a LOT of memory) and signals the Transport Controller software to record the frame. I added this feature the day before we got studio time. We recorded all 1,102 frames in one afternoon. > For genlocks, we are using a >very low-end one, Amigen. Invest in a Magni. After speding all that money on decks and controllers, you're doing yourself a dis-service by using a low quality genlock. If you just need an encoder, the CMI-VI 500 works well, and puts out a decent signal. But, a Magni is better. > -eric hopp > St. Olaf Student > hopp@stolaf.edu When you start dealing with accurate single frame recording, the price for the appropriate equipment sky-rockets. There are now consumer decks coming out that claim single frame accuracy. But, you should be wary, because many of them use lower quality tape heads that will wear out quickely when single frame recording. BTW, I wrote a review of the Transport Controller that will be in the December issue of Computer Shopper, if you want more information about that software. -- // -Ken Baer. Programmer/Animator, Hash Enterprises. \X/ Usenet: baer@qiclab.UUCP or PLink: KEN BAER "I want to be an ..... ARCH VILLIAN!!!" -- Petey Pate.