macman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Chris Silverberg) (04/28/91)
[Special note: I am posting this because I am a friend of one of the developers and because I think this will be helpful to some people who otherwise might never hear about this product. I hope I don't upset too many. :-) ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ABBATE VIDEO CONUSULTANTS ANNOUNCES OnTrack/Mac Videotape Control Toolkit for HyperCard* Norfolk, MA (April 15, 1991)-- Abbate Video Consultants, the developers of VidClip, the original HyperCard toolkit for videotape control, have released OnTrack/Mac, an expanded videotape control toolkit for HyperCard. OnTrack/Mac, is a clear and inexpensive software and hardware solution for direct control of consumer level camcorders and video cassette recorders via the Macintosh. OnTrack/Mac includes the custom cable needed to connect the Macintosh serial port to the remote control connector on many VCRs, and gives users an easy way to search, log, organize, edit and play videotaped segments. Also Included is CueTrack, a Hypercard based tape logger/ assembler. The Hypercard metaphor of cards and stacks are used to organize videotape material by reels and clips. CueTrack is constructed from the OnTrack Toolkit (also included.) The design is open and permits both the handling and flexibility necessary for interactive video control. Customization is encouraged, and has been widely implemented in a number of sites, including Brown, Northeastern and Miami Universities, MIT's Media Lab and Rhode Island College. The CueTrack stack is a template for a tape log. Once logs for reels are created one defines a simple edit list where each edit is identified by the reel name and the given clip name. Once the edit list is constructed, CueTrack controls 2 VCRs and accomplishes a simple sequential assembly of the selected clips. CueTrack can also create clip playback buttons that can be pasted into other HyperCard stacks, and exports a text file version of the edit list in CMX EDL format. The OnTrack hardware consists of custom cables and adapters for the Macintosh and selected SONY units- Video8, Hi8, VHS, and S-VHS, Canon, Nikon, and Ricoh -Video8 and Hi8, and Panasonic's S-VHS VCRs. The basic OnTrack package comes equipped to control with Sony's 5 pin control-L and mini plug control S & P to Mac serial cable. OnTrack/Mac, like Hypercard 2.0, requires Macintosh system 6.0.5 or greater, running on a Mac Plus or greater. A hard disk and 2M of memory are recommended. OnTrack/Mac Videotape Control Toolkit for HyperCard and its supporting products are efficient and economical tools for professionals, independents, and enthusiasts. The retail price for OnTrack/Mac is $199 and is available now directly from Abbate Video Consultants. OnTrack/Mac is a trademark of Abbate Video Consultants. Macintosh, Mac and HyperCard are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Abbate Video Consultants 83 Main Street Norfolk,MA 02056 Phone 508.520.0199 Fax 987.0355 Contact: Mark Abbate, Philip Palombo America Online: abbate (and) palombo WELL: markpa@well.com (and) palombo@well.com CompuServe: 74040,2563 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Chris Silverberg INTERNET: macman@wpi.wpi.edu Worcester Polytechnic Institute Main Street USA 508-832-7725 (sysop) America Online: TfChris WMUG BBS 508-832-5844 (sysop)