Video editing - some advice please!!

[Jule]

Newtek's Video Toaster Flyer system is still a great system.  There is nothing faster for basic editing speed because much of the processing is done by the dedicated hardware.  In addition, the software is mature and stable.  The main disadvantages are that it does not accept firewire input, and that it is available in NTSC only, not PAL.  The compression used (proprietary) is good and keeps the video at D2 broadcast quality.  Of course the software includes such bonuses as lightwave (up to 5.0).  My flyer system is faster at basic editing  than my friends G4 and easier to use.  Last year I did an hour long video complete with lots of transitions and it took less than 5 minutes to "render".  Jule  

[Jule]

mips_procs seems to be down on the old Amiga systems.  I cannot comment on the Draco but I will come back on his comments about the toaster-flyer.  A fully outfitted Toaster Flyer does not come anywhere near the cost of a new VT2.  There is one such system for sale on this site right now for 2000.  Furthermore, the lightwave that you get with the VT2 is not a full version of lightwave and in my opinion is far inferior to the lightwave 5.0 you get with the toaster-flyer.  You do no need a vhs system to get the signal into the toaster flyer - I feed the composite signal from my Sony VX-2000 mini DV camcorder directly into the Flyer with no need for tbc or any other equiptment getting in the way.  The signal quality is great.  The editing is very fast.  The processor speed is irrelevant except when rendering in lighwave, in which case you can network the Amiga to your pc using screamer net and use the faster processor power of the pc; or you can just let it render overnight while you sleep.  For basic editing I do not believe there is anything faster on any platform.  I have a video for sale that I made last year on my system.  You can order it on my website at www.drjule.com if you want to check the quality.  Again, once I had all the clips arranged it took less than 5mins to "render" an hours worth of video and begin playing it back to be recorded to mini-dv.  Jule

[Jule]

I want to echo echo madgun68's statement that @mips price quotes are way too high.  Again, I refer @mips to the ad by Thomas Bisso on this web site right now (ad 127) for a fully outfitted Amiga Toaster Flyer system with hard drive space for 2 hours of video at HQ5 (basically beta SP quality) and many hours of audio.  It has everything needed including a good tbc for someone using an analog camcorder.  The $2000 covers it all.  There is no pc system, or mac system, that can do what that flyer system can do at twice that cost.  And you can find full Toaster flyer systems for less than that on ebay.  The going rate these days for full systems (Amiga 4000, Toaster board, Flyer board, some hard drives) is about $1500, and sometimes less.  The system for sale on this site has some more ammenities, but my guess is that it ultimately will go for less than what is currently being asked.  The VT2 board alone costs more than the full Flyer system, computer, video boards, and harddrives included.  Jule

[Jule]

Ok guys, one last try.  First, I am not objecting to the VT2 perse, though I wish it ran on Linux.  However, I am perturbed at mips cavilier statements about how inferior the Amiga video editing systems are, when it is seems clear to me he is not familiar with them.  The second issue is the prices discussed.  I am on the Amiga section of ebay every day and I know what complete Flyer videoediting systems go for - about $1500.  Now what about the VT2.  Newtek will sell the VT2 package sans computer or drives for a mere $2995.  I understand that some other companies might have deals that drop that down to $2500 from time to time, but a cursory search of the internet did not find any today.  But let me err on the side of Tigger and Mipps and assume 2500.  Next, there is the pc.  If you want a pc that fits Newtek's basic recommendations it seems to me it will cost about 2000.  Tigger says about half that for his computer.  Let's compromise and say 1500.  Ok, thats 4000 right there and that does not include video drives.  In order for the VT2 to really outdo the Flyer on basic editing it requires a raid 0 stripped array and a hard drive controller capable of dealing with that.  I'll let Mips and Tigger tell me how much that costs, but I am sure it is not small change.  I am guessing that $500 would barely get you in the door.  That's $4500 vs $1500, or $3000 difference.  I tell you what, you guys give me the 3k and I will get the VT2 and we can end this debate.  Or I can keep going on editing on a system that is not only effective and fast, but is a special pleasure to use because it is on my favorite computer, running my favorite operating system.  And with that, I think I will bow out.  Jule