Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!oberon!nunki.usc.edu!castor.usc.edu!rjung
From: rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert Jung)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Computer to VCR?
Message-ID: <832@nunki.usc.edu>
Date: 1 May 88 19:23:30 GMT
References: <880501030428.625908@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA>
Sender: news@nunki.usc.edu
Reply-To: rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert Jung)
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 43
Keywords: Genlock, Atari, Antic

In article <880501030428.625908@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA> Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA writes:
>I am wondering if it is possible to hook up your computer to a VCR or
>camcorder and superimpose graphics or text with a picture you are taking
>without videodigitizing the picture.  I know there are character
>generaters out there, for camcorders, but is it possible to hook up the
>Atari as one of those?
>
>This is something I've been waiting for it to come out, and now I see
>Electronic Arts has done it on the Amiga.  I think the colloquial term
>is genlock.  If anyone knows how long until it comes out on the Atari or
>how much it costs, please tell me, I am very interested.

  Yes, this is called genlock. The idea is to take your ST's signal,
synchronize it with your VCR/TV's signal, and blend the two together. Genlock
is a fundamental part of the Amiga, and that's where all the "desktop
video" hype comes from.

  As for getting it NOW, I don't think there is such a beast avaliable.
However, there are rumors that Antic (you know them guys, Spectrum 512,
CAD 3D, all that terrific Atari stuff) is coming out with a genlock
system for the ST.

  This is not just wishful thinking: I've seen a promotional videotape from
Antic for Atari's display at the West Germany Hannover faire, and one of the
segments on the tape was "Genlock on the Atari ST". Whether or not Antic will
market such a device (probably a hardware box), or whether someone else will,
is another question.


						--R.J.
						B-)


P.S. I don't find my ST to be a "horrible" machine (Heck, it's the best one
I've seen and afford!), but I do wish Atari management would get their act
together (and maybe they have -- Anyone heard about Atari Computers, the
newly-formed subsidiary?)
______________________________________________________________________________
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