[stacy]

NewTek announced the release of VT[4] this morning.

They expect us to pay $995 for a software upgrade.

It's overpriced and under featured.

The version of Aura that's included is still 2.5.
It's at least 3 years old and the full app is now called Mirage.

The best thing they can say about the NLE part is,
that it's good for 'long form' pieces.

Meaning... that it's still faster than all get out,
but it has no new features worth talking about.

And they still don't support any HD format.

The advertising they released made a point of saying,
"The fastest SD editing system available."

Heck, even Ulead released an HDV plug-in.

The best things that [4] has, are one click web streaming,
and the live switching for in-house audio and large screen
presentation, (like for rock concerts) is not 5 or 6 frames
out of sync like it used ot be, but a genlock cured that in
the previous version. And, the included version of
LightWave is 8.

Thank God the sum total of my talent and creative abilities
isn't wrapped up in the one single skill of running VT,
like some Toaster owners.

Anyone want to buy my VideoToaster?

[gLitterbug]

How many toasts fit in there at once?

[balistic]

You know Dana Carvey's brother Brad invented the Video Toaster. Garth from "Wayne's World" is based on him.
_________________
brian.prince|light.comp.paint

[ceenda]

Hmn, I have alot of sympathy for Newtek, actually. They've pretty much hired a new development team, and alot of their original engineers are off working on other projects (like MODO http://www.luxology.com/modo/) now. So it takes them a while to get to grips with the previous development groups design, code architecture etc.

I still prefer to use Lightwave at work over other mainstream apps, though I'm familiar with Maya and MAX. Never needed a Video Toaster for any of it though, I guess you have to be working in TV or Film to need the rendering power.

Why is it just features, features, features, features with alot of people thesedays? I see this in everything from 3D apps to music studios. It's almost as though people buy stuff in the hopes of features being implemented _after_ the version they buy.

3 students, 1 PC, Lightwave, Photoshop... no VT... I give you Akryls (hmn... that sounded like an STD...)
http://www.akryls.com

[stacy]

gLitterbug:
If you have, say, a dual Xeon Supermicro board with an e7505
or e7525 chipset with 6 RAID-0 SATAs or 4 RAID-0 320 SCSIs...
you can do 4 or 5 slices, all uncompressed in real time with no rendering
required for any FX or transitions.

ballistic:
Yeah, I knew that about Brad.
Andrew Cross is NTs Big Giant Head now.
I see Brad's name pop up from time to time, but it seems to be more
in connection to LightWave than the Toaster.

ceenda:
It's good to be sympathetic, but their costs are getting WAY out of
control.

Just the software upgrade to [4] is $995. If you take the software
upgrade and the new card, it's a mere $3,995. For an UPGRADE!

AND... if you're starting from scratch, the original card won't be
available anymore. The days of the sub three thousand dollar
VideoToaster are gone. If you get the complete VT[4], you have
to get the new board!!!

For new users, the only hope for an affordable Toaster is to get an
original board and the software upgrade.

The new card has a built-in genlock and has much better audio connectivity.
That's important if you're doing a rock and roll concert and are switching
and mixing several audio sources and a number of cameras while
driving giant display panels.

But to most of us the $995 and the original card is all we need.

Plus, you can still ADD a genlock and mixing board to the original card.

Personally, I'd RATHER have the original VTcard and a Mackie Digital X Board
than the new card by itself. Now... if I could only afford a Mackie!

The NEW multi-thousand dollar card, is, by the way, only 32-bit, 66MHz.

I have it on VERY good engineering authority that they MIGHT be able to
squeeze compressed HD out of this new card, but, if they intend to do what
the Toaster has always been famous for... UNcompressed HD, then they
will HAVE to release yet ANOTHER even MORE expensice 64-bit board.

What I'm expecting is a cheesy work-around, where they'll pre-convert the
entire HD source to AVI, that you'll edit in real-time, then convert it back
to HD format. NOT really real-time, and a very trashy compromise.

EVERYONE, Ulead included, provides HD in some form, EXCEPT NewTek.
BIG marketing mistake !!!


NewTek is becoming a Plutocratic Snob as far as many Toaster users are concerned.

ANYBODY WANT TO BUY MY VIDEOTOASTER...CHEAP...?

[Jimmyjimjim]

I worked for Play, Inc. (the company formed by half the Newtek staff, post Newtek split). Let me tell you, those people were freaks. There was a really wierd cultish atmosphere about the place. I swear I was waiting for them to pass around the grape kool-aid the day they let off 60% of the staff.

One of the things I used to hear frequently from the staff that harkened back to Newtek was "being from the Amiga market is like being from the future". Couldn't be more true. The original Toaster was lightyears ahead of it's time.

The new Toaster sucks, tho. For about the same money you could get a Mac, FCP, AE, and Photoshop and do about the same, and with more reliability.

BTW, I should clear up the "freak" comment. Paul Montgomery, one of the Presidents was the among the nicest people I ever knew. The second day I worked there he knew me by name and commented on how much he liked my work. Standup.

[stacy]

Very interesting post Jimbo.

First hand accounts are always
revealing and fascinating.

Do you know how many of the
original Toaster people who made
it to Play, are now. currently at Serious Magic?

[Jimmyjimjim]

Umm, hehe, yeah, I know how many people from Play now work (or worked) at Serious Magic. (quite a few).

[stacy]

That's nice.

What I asked was... how many of the original Toaster people
made it through Play and are now at Serious Magic.

I've had ULTRA and VS2 for awhile and
when I ask around on the user forum
regarding ex-NewTek employees at
Serious Magic, no one will fess up.

But, on the other hand, from other sources,
like you, the implication seems to
be there are many ex-NewTek people
at Serious Magic. Which is it?

[balistic]

Maybe
you
shouldn't
hit
enter
so
often.

It
makes
y o u r
postslook
like
beat
poe
try.
_________________
brian.prince|light.comp.paint

[Jimmyjimjim]

::edited stuff I shouldn't have said::

I 'll leave it this way-

Most of the former(there are a few) NewTek people are very proud (with good reason) of what they did at NewTek, but I don't think they're going to turn the way back machine that far back.

[stacy]

You're a graphic artist, or at least
an artist. You should know that it's
better typesetting to set columns of
text that have 6 to 10 words in a line.

It's a simple column of copy that is
left justified, ragged right.

I had no idea that anyone in their right
mind could possibly find it that disturbing.

Booga - booga !


-----------------

Thanks, JimmyJimJim
That makes sense.

[Gort]

[stacy]

Hahahaha...that was a good one!


Not that is matters to you, but we're
surrounded by plenty of 'society' types
in high concentration.
Up here's where they come to get away
from the sheeple.

When they're not in their "cabin" (it has
four bedrooms, I'd call it a house) I play
occasional guard, by driving by and checking
the doors and locks for a chief production
engineer for NBCs midwest market.

A lot of people I know and have worked for
don't like to be talked about, but I know
Stella Stevens doesn't miind, she shows up
in town all the time. Nobody gives it a second
thought. Except the damned tourists
in the summer.

There are TV and movie actors, directors and
athletes and politicians and script writers all
over in little mountain places or some complete
working ranches up here.

We have plenty of Churches, Bistos, Coffee Shops,
Pubs and a large Community Play House. (That
Stella also frequents.)

I bump into more interesting people up here in a
week, than I ever did in Denver, or Los Angeles,
or Scottsdale, or even Austin.

So, all in all, THANKS but no thanks...
I'll stick with quality not quantity.

[Gort]

LOL - Some might argue that those in the entertainment industry aren't exactly good role models for a refined society.

[stacy]

Thanks for the judgment.

All I can tell you for sure is that none of
them has ever done me any dirt.

And I've NEVER heard one of them build themselves
up by running someone else down.

I only used ONE name because I know she
wouldn't mind. I've heard her discuss acting
and creative writing at a university level, and I
know she's nobody's fool and is FAR from ignorant.
When she's not playing a role, and is just being
herself and teaching a class, I'd say she's
and extremely good role model.

If I wanted to drop names, I'd tell you who
I've been on hunting trips with in my uncle's
outfitting business.

I used at least one name because if I hadn't,
no doubt someone probably would have said,
"Oh, yeah sure... you can't even name anybody.
just name one person, chump..."

And I'm still sticking with quality, not quantity.

[Giant Hamster]

I've got legs.

[Impaler]

Hey, where'd my legs go?
_________________
QED, sort of.

[balistic]

I just have these stupid lobed fins.
_________________
brian.prince|light.comp.paint

[Bandados]

I find this very disturbing stacy.