gillam@aero.ARPA (April Gillam) (11/25/86)
I had requested info on how to put the computer animation on tape.
Here are the responses. I have not implemented anything yet, but hope, within the next couple months to do so. Thanks to all who responded.
From: Glenn Randers-Pehrson (TBD) <glennrp@BRL.ARPA>
I'm trying to assemble a similar capability. The workstation to VCR
link will consist of a Lenco model CCE-850 converter (converts RGB
signals to NTSC) and a BCD Video Link 232 (controls the VCR through an
RS232 port).
BCD Associates: (405)843-4574 These people are quite helpful and sell
a variety of animation software and equipment.
Lenco: (314)243-3147
This is not to be considered an endorsement of these products by
the US Government.
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From: sdcrdcf!hplabs!seismo!enea!luthcad!sow (Sven-Ove Westberg)
I colleced most of the dicussion on the net, but I'm not shure
that you find a solution in this discussion. Why ? I'm not shure
that the sun have genlock capabilitys, I tried to read the VERY
bad information on the hardware. So I'm now looking at the
Rastertec frambuffer which is a very nice framebuffer wich has
a software selectable resulution and genlock for pal or secam.
On other flaw with sun is the 8 bit planes I prefer 24 bitplanes.
As a note I can mention that we tried to record a 512x512
image (COMTAL) on a VCR but we faild because the linefrequency
on the comtal was 5-10% to high .
I would be very pleased to know what you found out.
Yours
Sven-Ove Westberg.
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I also spoke to Sylvia Ruff at JPL who is a fountain of knowledge and very
kindly told a lot about the problems and what they have used and tried
there.
She mentioned using a Lyon Lam switcher (~$4300 ??). I have not found
a phone# for them yet.
Another way she mentioned was using a single frame VCR with a frame buffer.
Then need to get NTSC & have gen lock(to sync up time code). (which I
gather the sun 160/C doesn't have)
Apparently there is broadcast quality or TV quality. For our purposes we
only are looking at TV quality -- which I assume means that we don't need
the top end VCR. Sylvia recommended the new BetaCam which is supposed to be
excellent, has a high resolution, is 3/4" & has smaller cassettes.
Recommended book: INTERACTIVE VIDEO by Eric Parsloe, Signa Technical Press.
Some of this may be relevent, tho' the impression I got from Sylvia
is that it does NOT directly address our problem.
These are the notes I took from talking to Sylvia, so I may have gotten
some of this wrong. I am new to this & have not heard of almost any of this
before. (Arrgh!)
Good luck all. When (& if) we get something working I'll post what we did.
-- April Gillam