Conference 7.286::atarist

    
    Hi,
    
    	If you wish to "grab" video images froma video source, camera,
    TV or video recorder, then ART DIRECTOR is not you main requirement.
    What you need first is a video digitizer peripheral. There are several
    on the market for the ST. BE CAREFUL when you look at the market.
    Some will work in real time and can GRAB frames on the fly, i.e.
    can do a conversion in 1/25 sec (for 50 HZ) European systems. Other
    systems can only convert "still" images from a stationary camera
    or video recorder running on freeze frame. Naturally the real time
    grabbers are more expensive than the still variety. The classic
    is the SAM grabber but this is several hundred pounds. At the latest
    Atari show I saw a new real time one, I cant remember the details but
    I think it was 99 pounds. I have a leaflet at home, I will look it 
    out and mail it to you, if you send me your mailstop. All the video
    grabbers come with software to capture and store the images. What
    you want then is an art program that can take the image file created
    by the digitizer and munge it about. NOTE There are NO digitizers
    that work in true colours. What you normally get is a med or low
    res picture in grey scale than you have to colour yourself. Again
    most digitizers have utilities to convert the digitised image into
    the popopular formats. Neo, Degas, and some of the newer art programs
                                               
    Regards
    
    Pat K.

    You might want to give Thom Graziano a call at Compu-Club on Oaks
    Road in Framingham (508) 879-5232.  Last time I was in there 10/8/88
    he had two or three Art Directors in stock.
    Another try would be Kevin at Computer Cache in Quincy (617) 472-1503.
    He also runs a user group out of his place on the third Friday of
    each month.  I think he said the next one would cover a bit of
    animation on the ST.  He also carries Computer Eyes which will let
    you digitize a picture from any video source (video camera, VCR,
    CD player).  If it's the color version it will save files in the
    closest colors it can and let you freeze the palettef for the next
    image, all of which can be saved in Neochrome or DEGAS format.
    
    Have fun.

	Are there any ST programs that can do graphics for transfer/record on a 
VCR?  How about titling?  If so, price?

	Dan

    
    Hi, Dan,
    
    I think that you will need either or both of two piecs of hardware,
    these are 1) a signal conditioner to make the Atari video signal look
    like a VCR input signal (makes the quality of the VCR image better, and
    2) a GENLOCK device. This is a pice of hardware that allows "mixing" of
    VCR or other video source data with the output of graphics from the ST
    which can then be recorded on a VCR or output to any video device.
    
    I understand that hidden in the STE is some form of inbuilt Genlock,
    does anybody know anything about it?
    
    cheers
    
    

    
    You have the chance to synchronize the Atari to another video-source,
    because the shifter has an external sync input. How this could be
    of use for some sort of genlock device I don't know.
    
    Bernd
    

    Alternatively, if you have a modulator, display your graphics on
    screen, e.g. in neochrome or similar, and feed the modulator output to
    your video tuner!. If your tele can take it, your video ought too?.
    
    Richard