Amiga 2000 "Video Toaster Powered"

From: Gary Dean Hildebrand <ghldbrd_at_ccp.com>
Date: Sun Apr 13 10:29:00 2003

Doc Shipley writes:

> On Sunday, April 13, 2003, at 03:22 AM, Gary Dean Hildebrand wrote:
>
>> Doc Shipley writes:
 

>>> The Video Toaster boardset is labeled v1.0, but there's a sticker that
>>> reads "Eval Board 08/90" It's cabled to a Faruodja Labs board, a "Y/C
>>> Separator Board"
>>
>> That gives you s-video output --- seperates the chroma from the luminance
>> information, like on S-VHS recorders. A bit better video quality doing
>> things this way..
>
> So if I can find docs for that board, I can get output with a standard
> S-video cable? Yes.
>
Also installed are 2 ISA cards by RGB Computers and Video.
>>
>> These are probably TBC's needed for two tape inputs for the Toaster.
>> They only got DC power from the ISA buss.
>
> Ah. I kind of thought that. It's an AT card-edge, which would be
> incredibly slow graphics. Not necessarily. Most PC gfx cards only shuffle control data, not the actual digital vidio on the ISA buss. You're not going to get good animation, but the older Targa/Vista boards did wonderful things with still graphics.
>

> OK, thanks. This means that I can attach my 1084 to the standard
> connector, without any cabling for the Video Toaster, right? Yep. Only composite video is input/output on the Toaster BNC jacks. You'll need a couple composite monitors, one with a loop-through input (two jacks) for the program output. and the other for the preview. The 1084 will only have the control panel displayed. Should be an array of wipes, and a 6 input switcher and 'fader' bar to the right of it. The interface is pretty user-friendly, if you've been around video switcher before.
>
>>> Are there docs for the original VT? Software?
>>
>> I don't have copies yet, but it is out there. You can get a CD ROM from
>> Newtek for $100 that has all the versions of the software.
>
> Oh, yeah, I saw that on their website. I can get a later-rev Video
> Toaster off eBay, with software, documentation, and cables, for much less.
>
> Speaking of revisions, does the fact that it's labeled an eval board
> mean anything? In terms of drivers and software, and in terms of value?
>

>
> I wasn't able to resolve www.aminet.org, and it was down last month too.
> Know of a working mirror? There should be, I do know of one in Germany. Can't remember the URL though.
>
>> I think GVP-M still has those SIMMs available, as they used those in
>> quite a few of their products. They ain't cheap.
>
> 'Fraid of that. I'm terribly tempted to shift some chips around. I
> know the Derringer supports a 50MHz CPU....
> My mix & match options are to run the GVP '030 with its 8MB, plus the
> 8MB on my other GVP HC+8 hardcard, or to swap the 50MHz proc onto the
> Derringer with its 16MB, giving me a total of 24MB. I'm just not all that
> thrilled with the way the Derringer sits on the board.
>
> Any opinion there?

Well you don't need that much memory for the Toaster. All video is done on
the Toaster card itself. The Toaster just translates the program control
into what is needed to manipulate the effects etc. 8 Meg would be MORE than
enough.
>
>>> Thanks. Any pointers or help would be appreciated.
>>
>> Glad to help out there. I have 15 Toaster cards here collecting dust . .
>> . . .
>
> Cables? Later revision?

I'll have to check the revision -- get back to you later today on that, when
I dig them out. One card is still in the factory static bag, never used in
a machine. I'm not sure, but one of my Toaster 2k's had a Washburn
University inventory tag on it, and I think they were surplussed out of
Washburn U in Topeka. Seems they had a whole slew of them at one point in
time, and I got extra parts and stuff, along with some Flyer cards. The
Flyer was used with the Toaster to make a true non-linear digital editing
system. That needs at least an 030 and 16 Megs RAM to play fairly well. A
complete Toaster/Flyer system still commands several thousand bucks used.
I'm thinking about building one, but I'm in need of three good sized fast
SCSI drives for video/audio file storage, enough to hold around an hour of
video.

Use BNC cables with RG59 (75 ohm) for everything, and stay away from RCA
phono style plugs. The BNC's with the twist/ears keeps things together.
After that is all hooked up then you'll have to time the system, which is
best done with a dual trace scope. Also having a good sync generator with a
blackburst output is highly suggested to feed input #1 for timing purposes.
You aren't out of the woods yet getting that thing up and running.

When the Toaster came out a lot of video novices expected a plug and play
unit, which it isn't. I think they became old technology when digital video
cams came out and all editing/effects were done in the digital domain,
instead of on the NTSC analog signal. You might contact a local TV station
or video production house to see if you can rent an engineer (like me!) for
a few hours to help get you through the tough parts.
>
> Thanks again for the information. Every Little Bit Helps. :)
Always glad to help.
gh
Received on Sun Apr 13 2003 - 10:29:00 BST