From: ee448txu@iitmax.iit.edu (Timothy Urquhart)
Subject: Re: Video Machine - Toaster Sales Killer?
Organization: Illinois Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 07:54:16 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.102558.6320@bsu-ucs.uucp> 01ksdavis@bsu-ucs.uucp writes:
>In article <kdarling.702859259@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu>, kdarling@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) writes:
>> 
>>  
>>    "The Video Machine can best be understood as a high-end Video Toaster.
>>  It takes standard video inputs and allows for full frame-by-frame editing.
>>    "Unlike the Toaster, which runs only on the Commodore Amiga and requires
>>  the NTSC video found in the US, the Video Machine is an add-in board
>>  for PCs and Macintoshes that also handles European PAL or SECAM inputs,
>>  allowing the editor to mix-and-match them."  
>If it's supposedly better than a Toaster, why do they still compare it to one?
>> So says Newsbytes about the COMDEX debut of Munich-based FAST Electronic's
>> "Video Machine", an addon video editing, titling and special effects board.
>> The system is based on a new Philips video controller chip.  Other quotes:
>> 
>> The Video Machine is able to cut and mix live video.  It requires no extra
>> hardware such as TBCs or editing decks.  The video output and both inputs
>> accommodate FBAS and S-Video signals.  It can mix PAL and NTSC sources.
>New Tek should have included all of this other stuff, especially PAL
>compatibility (look at all the Amigas in Europe), but didn't.
>> It includes an library of over 100 digital video effects, such as slides,
>> curtain effects, panning, scrolling, fades, splits, strobes, continuously
>> adjustable zoom and shrink, and negative and blue box effects.
>The New Tek Toaster Version 2 has about as many DVEs.
>> Video Machine runs on any Mac II with the Apple 13" color monitor and at
>> least 4 MB main memory. It also runs on IBM/AT and compatibles with 16-bit
>> slot or PS/2 systems with MCA/640KB memory under DOS 3.3+ or Windows 3.0+.
>> 
>> Availability is slated for this December at $4000, with the price predicted
>> to drop dramatically as sales take off.
>> 
>> So, has anyone here seen this system at either COMDEX or the last CEBIT?
>Sounds like Vaporware to me.  Any Mac or IBM users who regularly read and post
>to this newsgroup know anything about this?

I saw this product at Comdex, it is an interesting device. I talked with an
engineer, and picked up the literature on it...

some highlights.....

System Requirements:
                      (PC clone):    386 or greater processor
                                     4MB memory
                                     256 color VGA display 
                                     Windows 3.1

                      (Mac):         Mac II or Quadra w/NuBus slot
                                     8MB memory
                                     Color display
                                     System 7

Technical Data:
                      2 Video inputs (built in TBC for each)
                      1 Video output
                      4 channel stereo input
                      1 channel stereo output

                      2 keyers (1 per channel) chroma/luminance
                      2 DVE modules (1 per channel)
                      2 frame stores (1 per channel)
                      1 Genlock

The system as it was running was fairly impressive, the software appeared to
be an authoring system of sorts. The system was switching between a taped and
live source, while mixed audio, external + digitized sound, was playing.
Looks like a nice multimedia platform, but not necessarily a device far 
superior to the Toaster. They each have the good and bad points, it has built
in TBCs, the Toaster has 4 inputs, etc....

Upon talking with one of the engineers, I asked how all the connectors fit
on the card. Answer: They don't know yet! The card has not been built yet, but
they figure on 2 cards, one for video and one for audio.

Quoted price was approximately $4000US, available autumn 1992. But without
the hardware actually built yet I am not sure they can stick to this.

  -Tim