Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!ucsd!ogccse!cvedc!nosun!qiclab!baer
From: baer@qiclab.UUCP (Ken Baer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Video Production equipment
Message-ID: <3001@qiclab.UUCP>
Date: 30 Oct 89 17:15:39 GMT
References: <89291.150200R38@PSUVM.BITNET> <7660@thor.acc.stolaf.edu>
Reply-To: baer@qiclab.UUCP (Ken Baer)
Organization: Animators Anonymous, Portland, Oregon.
Lines: 59

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.