From: dudley@cebaf4.cebaf.gov (John Dudley)
Newsgroups: comp.multimedia
Subject: Re: Buying a multimedia system
Date: 4 Sep 92 18:26:40 GMT
Reply-To: dudley@cebaf4.cebaf.gov (John Dudley)
Organization: CEBAF


Hello! 
 
  You probably won't get much talk from Amiga users here in
comp.multimedia.  Most of the Amiga multimedia enthusiasts hang out in
comp.sys.amiga.multimedia ... Anyway, I will post what I know and have
experience here.. If you wish for a followup or more personal
communication, let me know. (If you have direct Internet access, we may
be able to set up a time to TALK (using the TALK command).
 
   1. I see your concern with the smaller Amiga base of users(compared
to the Mac).  Currently, there are approximately 9 million Macintosh
users versus 3.5 million Amiga Users.  However, it is a fact that over
50% of desktop video platforms today are Amiga based.  You may have
heard of a device called the Video Toaster. It is available to Mac and
IBM users, but is Amiga based.  If you were to purchase one for a Mac or
IBM, all you are actually purchasing is an Amiga 2000 with the Video
Toaster installed in it, and you are connecting the Amiga to the Mac/IBM
through the parallel port for user control.  The Video Toaster, however,
was developed for the Amiga computer.
 
	Just in case you haven't heard of the Toaster, briefly stated, it is a
professional broadcast quality video production system that many cable
television stations, and some PBS stations use for all of their video
titling and animation.  The Toaster by itself costs about $1800, and an
Amiga 2000 is needed to install and operate it(the Amiga 2000 would
probably run you about $1800 for one with a nice sized harddrive, which
would be necessary).  Now this would be the ideal system, however, it
would probably put you out of your price range.  So let's talk about
other systems.
 
   2. The MacIntosh dealer told you wrong when he said there were more
Multimedia software available for the Macintosh than for the Amiga.  The
Amiga was designed from the ground up as a multimedia platform.  That is
why with an Amiga, you get direct NTSC video output, nice, smooth
animation, and a Multitasking operating system.

	One thing needs to be brought up about the multitasking o/s's.  True,
the Macintosh's System 7 claims to support multitasking, however, it
would be better to refer to it as Context Switching.  In order to
achieve true multitasking, you need several coprocessors that take the
work load off of the main processor.  With the Macintosh, the Motorolla
does everything... If you want to multitask, it does everything twice,
or three times, which tends to show considerable lag time.  

	The Amiga on the other hand, has proprietary custom chips designed by
Commodore.  The Motorolla basically handles the math side of the
computer(unless you have a seperate math coprocessor installed). It also
handles a few other things as well.  The main 4 custom chips in the
Amiga are called Agnus, Paula, Denise, and Gary. (I know.. corny names,
but hey, they do the job!)  The Agnus controls ALL Amiga animation. The
Paula handles the "static" graphics and palette.  The Denise handles the
Stereo Sound, and the Gary handles all I/O.  AmigaDOS (the operating
system) was built right off as a multitasking O/S, making use of the
Custom Chipset.  (Mac's O/S was not designed as a multi-tasking o/s, and
does not have the hardware to back it up. The multitasking is totally
software related).  Thus, with the Amiga, independent functions are
routed directly to the chip that handles it... freeing up unnecessary
calls to the Motorolla, and allowing it to do other tasks. 

	As far as Multimedia software goes, You already found out how much less
expensive the Amiga software is (versus the Mac and P.C.). And you can
rest assured that there are definately more Amiga Multimedia software
packages out there than their is for the Mac(and probably, the Mac and
PC combined).  Scenery Animator is a package designed for home use...
one of the many.  Besides that, there are several authoring systems such
as AmigaVision(comes with the machine), CanDo, AMOS, Foundation, The
Director II, Ultracard, etc.  For graphics, you have Deluxe Paint IV,
DigiPaint, Art Department Professional, etc.  For rendering, you have
Imagine, Turbo Silver, Sculpt 4-D, Real 3D, and Caligari.  For
animation: Disney Animation Studio, Deluxe Paint IV, Director.  

	As for hardware, you have the professionally used Video Toaster(and
many others).  You also have various 24bit graphics boards, Video
Digitizers(color), Scanners, Audio Digitizers, etc.

   3.  The MacIntosh probably would need something even faster than a
Motorolla 68040 to get up to speed with the Amiga... after all, the Mac
lacks the custom chips. It's as though we have a microprocessor
dedicated only for animation, another for sound, another for graphics,
and another for I/O.  The Mac and PC lack this.
 
   4. Unlike the Mac or PC, the Amiga uses standard NTSC video output,
and meets broadcast quality specifications. No need to worry about a converter.

   5. I suggest you call 1-800-66-AMIGA (or 661-AMIGA in canada) and
have Commodore send you all the informaton they can about the Amiga and
Multimedia.  Also call a company called NewTek, and get their free video
cassette on the Video Toaster (very very impressive).  If you can, try
and rent or watch the video from AmigaWorld magazine (I forget the name
of it) that has 3 volumes of nothing but animations done on an Amiga.
Oh, and check out comp.sys.amiga.graphics, comp.sys.amiga.multimedia,
and comp.sys.amiga.audio.
 
   6. As far as a few of your other questions go, YES, the Amiga can
play Soundtracker files (no need for audio boards either).  As a matter
of fact, Soundtracker files originate from Amigas.  And remember this:
With an Amiga, for only about $300, you can FULLY EMULATE a Macintosh.
For about $500, you can fully emulate a 386SX. For free, you can emulate
a regular IBM PC (with a shareware software program.. The other
emulators are hardware).  Oh, and the Mac emulators available have at
times been clocked to run faster than a regular Macintosh.
 
   7. Lastly, I do warn you that on September 11th-13th there is a World
of Commodore show in Pasadena California.  There, Commodore is expected
to release their latest machines, AmigaDOS 3.0, and something called the
AA chipset, which is an enhanced Amiga custom chip set that will
eventually be the new standard for Amiga's (24bit graphics, CD quality
sound, etc.)  Even if you are not interested in the new Amiga stuff (the
older machines will be compatible with it), wait until after the show to
purchase your Amiga.  After the show, prices will probably drop for the
older machines.
 
   Check out your local BBS's and see if you can find an Amiga Users
Group to go to... There, they will be happy to demo off the only machine
in the world a person could possibly get attatched to!
 
   Anything else, just let me know!
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // John Dudley        dudley@cebaf4.cebaf.gov
 \X/  AMIGA: The creative computer for the creative mind.