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From: shep@datacube.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Broadcast Digital Video Effects
Message-ID: <102300004@datacube>
Date: Thu, 2-Jul-87 10:27:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: datacube.102300004
Posted: Thu Jul  2 10:27:00 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Jul-87 15:27:35 EDT
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Nf-From: datacube.UUCP!shep    Jul  2 10:27:00 1987


>All of the big video switchers have, since about 1979, digitized video
>as part of their processing.

Wrong. "big video switchers", the most sophisticated being the multiple
M/E switchers used in post-production, have video paths that are almost
entirely analog. These switchers are frequently connected to digital
special effects machines like Ampex's ADO. ADO digitizes incoming video
and key signals, manipulates it digitally, then converts it back to
an analog singal for the switcher. Someday "all digital" studios will
be widespread. Not today.

>The Cars video "You Might Think" and the California Cooler commercials
>use extensive digital video effects and are a good example of how
>"clean" the images generated by these units are.

True. But truth is stranger than reality: I worked at Charlex where
both those reels were produced and although both spots have the sharp
"Charlex" look, their posting techinques couldn't be more different.
The Car's piece was done by rolling a half dozen quarter million dollar
tape machines in sync to produce an end result that was only second
generation. The CC commercial was done using the digital keying of
the Abekas A62 digital disk recorder. Both techniques result in
multi-layer opticals that don't suffer from degradation; the latter
currently being all the rage in post houses worldwide.

Shep Siegel
Datacube Inc.  DSP Products Group  4 Dearborn Rd. Peabody, Ma. 01960
UUCP: shep@datacube.COM
VOICE: (617) 535-6644;  FAX: (617) 535-5643;  TWX: (710) 347-0125