From: sowhat@gphs.vuw.ac.nz (Christian Zick)
Subject: Re: Requesting information on starting video lab
Organization: Institute of Geophysics, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 00:31:00 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <1d9bcbINNjn2@larry.cs.ubc.ca>, tessmann@cs.ubc.ca (Markus Tessmann) writes:
> tjc@beta.lanl.gov (Timothy J. Corcoran) writes:
> 
> >The staff at DOE Richland Labs are beginning to create a video center for
> >computer/scientific visualization output to video.  We are unaware for the
> >most part of all the possibilities and would like some input.  Our images
> >will be generated on a number of different platforms (i.e. SGI, Sun, HP,
> >DEC, ....) and the applictions producing images will range producing gobs
> >of different file formats (We will definitely have AVS and TecPlot output).
> 
> >Now, HEEELLPP!!!  Where is a good starting point?  What is minimally
> >required to dump these images to video tape producing something suitable
> >for viewing?  We eventually will grow, and don't want to waste money
> >buying something that can't grow with us, but our knowledge base right
> >now is very limited.  Please help educate us by sending email either
> >posted here or to me on what works, doesn't, your likes, and dislikes.
> >And thanks in advance for our trial by fire....;`)
> 
> 
> >Tim Corcoran, Boeing Computer Services Richland
> >tjc@beta.lanl.gov
> >tcorcoran@sandbox.kenn.wa.us
> 
> 
> 1) Frame Buffer - you will need some kind of image buffer that will output a
> signal that can be recorded onto video tape.  I caution against using some
> kind of scan converter to take your screen output and encode it into video as
> the results are generaly poor at best and likely, awful.  For the SGI's I
> know that there are a couple of video frame buffers available like the
> VideoFramer for the 4D's or the Genlock board for the Indigo's.  For PC's and
> Mac's, there are boards from Truevision called the TARGA+ or Vista.  Anyway,
> a video frame buffer is an essential starting point.  If possible, choose
> something that can output YC or RGB rather than (or in addition to) standard
> NTSC video.
> 
> 2) VTR - recording to video is the next fundamental part of the process. 
> There are many formats to choose from.  At the high end, you can go Betacam
> or D1, D2 but these decks are expensive, between $20K and $250K and require a
> fair bit of support peripherals.  At the low end is VHS which is cheap but
> has no quality.  I recommend that you look at either SuperVHS (SVHS) or Hi8mm
> as the formats of choice.  Equipment in this range runs between $1K and $10K
> and will give you 80%-90% of the quality of the high end equipment.  One deck
> you should consider in particular is the Sony EVO-9650 which is a Hi8mm deck
> that is single frame capable and can be controlled via RS232 serial comm.  In
> fact, this deck was designed specifically for computer graphics I believe. 
> It also has a built in frame buffer which may solve the issues mentioned
> above in 1).  I do not have one of these decks but hope to convince them here
> to buy one.  Note that if you do wish to record animation, a single frame
> capable deck is essential but is not a feature available in most lower price
> (under $2K) decks.  Be aware that most modern VCRs are accurate within 4
> frames but that is not good enough to do real animation.
> ......

Has anybody over there made any practical experience with Sony Analog Draw,
which records individual (if wanted) frames on a video disc? I know this
would require again a video recorder to be compatible with the world. It
also does not hav the frame buffer as that Sony EVO-9650 ...

Christian Zick
sowhat@gphs.vuw.ac.nz