Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    
    A company called Future Video has an edit controllers that seems to 
    meet your needs. They sell an Amiga version of their software that
    controls the edit controller through the serial port.
    
    	I have used one and started writing my own software to control
    it. My software is just starting to work.
    
    	The edit controller is in the $750 range. I think the software
    cost about $400.
    
    		Steve P.
    

    
    I have just purchased the Future Video Pro/Plus.  I paid $585.00 for it
    from ComputAbility.  The software is called EDL 1000, it can't do a
    transition setup, but does provide a trigger for the VT event a frame
    and a half after the DUB has started.  I haven't purchased it yet, it
    sells for $249.00 at ComputAbility.  
    
    What I would like to do is write a ARexx program that sets up my
    transitions and when the EDL software triggers the event, trigger
    a flag in the ARexx program to set up for the next transition. 
    
    ~Ray
    

    RUMOR RUMOR RUMOR!!!!
    
    I have a friend (I know that is surprising to some of you) who does
    video for a living.  Uses Toaster and Amiga, etc.  He uses RGBs
    software.  His complaints are that it is a little buggy and that the
    folks DO NOT TEST THEIR CODE!  Makes that $8,000 seem even steeper!
    
    Clark

    I wonder why you need an external box to control your VCRs.  Just a
    simple interface to level convert the LANC signals or a small infrared
    emitter to start/stop the recording deck would be enough.
    
    The last issue of Videomaker has a small blurb on a product for the MAC
    called "On track MAC"  For $200 you get a small interface and the
    software to control Sony or Panasonic VCRs.
    
    I am sure this product was developped because the MAC is recognized 
    as the prime Video editing platform {:-)}  Now if we could just get the
    same for our machine.
    
    Jean
    

    re: .4
    
    In general, the low-cost controllers/VCRs don't do frame-accurate
    positioning.  You need good positioning to do nice-looking transitions,
    and you need positioning to plus-or-minus 0 frames to do computer-
    generated animations, unless your computer can produce animations in
    real time.
        John Sauter

    
    re .4
    
    	The MAC product you talk about has been available for the Amiga
    for over 2 years. I don't suggest anyone buy one or use it. As stated
    in .5 it takes a lot more than a remote to edit video. The edit
    connection to a AG1960 supplies position information to the controller,
    reports local VCR control to the controller, and still only gets 
    +/- 2 frames.
    	A good hardware interface and software in an Amiga should be able
    to match a edit controller but not a computer controlled remote.
    
    		Steve P.
    

    I called Gold Disk today and I was told they were coming out with
    something called VIDEO DIRECTOR which does (according to their help
    line) turn the Amiga into an edit controller complete with LANC
    interface.  The price is targetted at around $200.
    
    They also have a product called SHOWMAKER which "can" be used as an
    edit controller but it "talks" to the serial port.  ShowMaker is able
    to control RS232 devices like the PC-VCR and the Panasonic pro lines. 
    They told me SONY came out with a PC-->VCR interface called a "VBOX"
    but I am still trying to find out information about the device.
    
    Jean
    

I just got the Video Director by Gold Disk and am reasonably impressed
with it.  It turns my Amiga into an video edit controller and tape
librarian.  With a genlock, it also allows automatic title/graphic
overlays which no other stand-alone edit controller can do.  It comes
with a serial cable with a LANC jack (subminiature) at the other end
that plugs into my Sony camcorder where it says 'Remote'.  It also
comes with a cable that plugs into the second joystick port which
controls my record VCR via the infared remote.   From the control
screen I can control my Sony camcorder to play, FF, REW, Slomo, Freeze
frame, frame advance/reverse etc.  I find the beginnings of any
scene I want to use, click on the Beginning button, find the end, click
on the Ending button, give the scene a name and save it to the library
(or add it to the decision list and save it).  

After all the scenes have been defined you can create an edit decision
list in the order you want them assembled onto the destination tape and
click assemble.  The rest is magic as it controls the camcorder to find
all the appropriate scenes, puts the VCR in record pause mode, then
unpauses at just the right moment to record the segment just as you
defined it.  Any graphics as titles or whatever you have defined are
brought up at the proper times to be displayed over the video using
your genlock.  If you have a Supergen, it will automatically fade the
graphics in and out for you otherwise they just pop in and out.

Adjusting pre-roll times to fit your own VCR you can get within
2-3 frames of the actual point you defined in recording each scene.  

For source decks, it supports LANC camcorders and VCRs (SONY and
Canon mostly), Sony's V-Box, Selectra's AG1960RS and the add-on
to the 1960 for serial port control.

For record decks, it relies on infared remote control to record
and pause the deck.  If you do a lot of assembling one section, then
maybe adding an animation in the middle, then assembling the next
section, you have to do a little manual positioning at the start of
each segment, but other than that, its quite automatic and painless.  

Video Director also has a completely manual mode where it tells
you where to position the tape for the next segment then does a
countdown telling you when to unpause the camcorder/vcr.  In that mode,
its mostly a tape librarian.

I have the old Supergen and it doesn't work with it, it claims support
for the 2000S, but I thought the libraries were the same so I expected
it to work.  I suspect that my Supergen libraries may be out of date. 
When I do a VERSION command on them, they aren't even recognized as
libraries.  Digital Creations is closed until Jan 6th and Gold Disk
support lines are always busy.  

I paid $169 for the package through Creative Computers.  After
completing a family Christmas party video, I don't know how I ever did
my editing manually.  The package works very well for what I need.  

Terry
                                                      

    I also bought a copy of Video Director in early december.  My source
    VCR is not a camcorder but a Sony SLV-757 (VHS).  The supplied cable
    did not work because the 757's LANC connector is a miniature DIN plus
    the fact that the supplied interface is CAMERA powered.  I traced out
    the circuit and powered it from the Amiga's serial port power on pin 9
    (+12 volts) and made a mini phone plug "gender bender" to mate it to a
    Sony VK-810 LANC cable.
    
    I also have a Supergen (NOT 2000S) and it is controlled quite well, the
    graphics can be faded in and out with software control.  My
    copinit.library is 1948 bytes long and the supergen.library is 2892
    bytes long (can't version those).
    
    I am also quite impressed with the product, especially at the price it
    sells for!
    
    Jean
    

    re -.1 
    
    Well, those file sizes for the supergen libraries match mine.  The
    problem must lie somewhere else.  I guess I'll start digging again
    unless by some mirable I can get something other than a busy signal at
    Gold Disk.  Thanks Jean for your input.
    
    Terry,
    

    I just remembered that Supergen's software control was not too
    compatible with my screen blanker (Qmouse).  Try removing all
    "non-needed" tasks.
    
    Jean
    
    

    > I just remembered that Supergen's software control was not too
    > compatible with my screen blanker (Qmouse).  Try removing all
    > "non-needed" tasks.
    
    Now that you mention it, I seem to vaguely remember some conflict
    between Qmouse (which I also use) and the Supergen Hotkeys program a
    while back.  I wish I didn't have to go through the same learning curve
    more than once.  (Some say I'm getting old, but I just say my memory's
    getting full and I autopurge a lot of files).  Thanks for the help
    Jean, I'll try removing Qmouse tonight when I get home.
    
    Terry,
    

    Qmouse was indeed the culprit keeping the Supergen software from
    working correctly.  Everything's great now.  I never could get through
    to Gold Disk support (always busy) so it's great to have this notes
    file.  Thanks for your help Jean.