Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Sullivan
From: Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Video Toaster Info-real and current
Message-ID: <28725@cup.portal.com>
Date: 8 Apr 90 20:15:05 GMT
References: <7668@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 86

>2) It requires a timecode-base VCR or camera. ( I think that is the right word)
>

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a timecode-base VCR?  Does it need a Genlock
input?  With all that the Toaster reportedly includes, I would be surprised
if they didn't include an infinite window time base corrector.  (Isn't that
what a frame buffer does, and doesn't the Toaster have TWO of them?)  Anyway,
I've never heard of a VHS recorder that has Genlock inputs.  On input they 
generally just synch up to the signal source (so that no buffering is required.)
On output they generally just output a time base synthesized from the recorded
information, synchronized to the playback speed (which can vary somewhat from
the standard).  Does this mean that the Toaster can't frame buffer ANY video
tape inputs from VHS?  

Please feel free to correct any blatant misunderstandings in the above.

>3) It includes a character generator, frame buffer, and REALLY impressive 
>digital effects capabilities.  384 effects are included, and they intend to 
>provide an editor so you can roll your own.
>

The number has varied somewhat, (256 effects was the last that I'd heard),
but what do they consider separate effects?  Is a wipe left different from 
a wipe right?  Or is direction just a parameter of the generic wipe effect?
Is a fast wipe a different effect than a slow wipe?  I'd really like to know
how they classify "384" separate effects.


>4) There are four video inputs and two outputs. The Amiga screen will be used
>entirely for the control panel. Also note that the New-tek people had to write
>their own operating system, so the Toaster will NEVER EVER be done for the Mac
>or PC. (They were very insistant on this point.)

I don't understand why it would be bad to have this technology available on
the Mac, or the PC.  I certainly don't understand why that desire necessitates
a new operating system.  I haven't heard anyone chomping at the bit to get 
AmigaDOS ported to any other domain, and considering the hardware that would
have to be added to other machines to support it (not the DOS so much as the
programs that run under it) I don't think it ever will be ported.  (Paint me
blue and throw me into the ocean if I'm wrong.)  I *WILL* be unhappy if the 
NEWTEKDOS in any way limits my ability to use AmigaDOS at the same time, or
to multitask, or read standard format floppies, or FFS harddrives, or use any
hardware I might have connected to my machine (VoRecOne, Modem, Bridgeboard,
who knows what else...).  
>
>have any real tech info on this. Oh yeah, the cost is $1600 and it will require
>a 2000 or 2500 with about 3 Meg.
>
How much is the paint program, what is the resolution of the output, does it
handle overscan, does it handle sliding windows (ie: could intuition be 
ported to this hardware) How is the memory interface with the CPU achieved?
Can the card DMA memory from the Amiga bus?  What is the depth of each pixel?
IF the depth is less than 24 bits then how many color registers are there, 
and how many registers are there per selectable set?  How much memory is on
the board?  How much memory can it be expanded to?  How many still buffers 
can the original card support?  Is there any support for 'thin
' displays (ones with fewer bit planes; e.g: 8)  The latter would help 
considerably when trying to improve the frame transfer rate.  Is the toaster
capable of outputting RGB signals? Will it support higher scan rates than
NTSC?  Does it have split luminance and chroma outputs?  

If anyone can help with the answers, I'd love to know.  At first glance the 
BlackBelt kludge sounds like a better deal for what *I* want to do.  According
to the specs, the maximum frame transfer rate to the Toaster is 1/5 second. 
Assuming that their values are optimistic even with an efficient CPU, that
makes for a really lousy animation.  Also from their literature, I have 
difficulty understanding exactly what the Toaster *is*.  At least with the 
BB I'd know what I'm getting, how to program it, and how to take full 
advantage of its capabilities.  

I sincerely hope that they release technical documentation on every aspect
of the device soon after it is publically sold.  We don't need another TI99/4a
in which only the manufacturer is allowed to sell software for the device.


                           -Sullivan Segall
_________________________________________________________________
 
/V\  Sullivan  was the first to learn how to jump  without moving.
 '   Is it not proper that the student should surpass the teacher?
To Quote the immortal Socrates: "I drank what?" -Sullivan
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