Video Toaster 4 input sync?

[leirbag28]

Hello all.  I have a Video Toaster 4000 and 2000. I am somewhat new to the Toaster. My question is "How do you get the other 3 Video inputs to sync? I don't use TBC' since I dont need them because I use Live cameras and I dont use Tape. Is it supposed to automatically sync? I am only able to get the first Video input to work..........all the others are screwed up.

What am I doing wrong?  is my Toaster Damaged?

Another question is: How do I make more than 4 croutons or how do i add my own croutons?  I want to make like 20 ChromaFX croutons (buttons)

[SyrTran]

The Toaster does not have internal sync.  If you want to use more than 1 input, you need to sync them externally.  In this case, TBCs are a must, whether you use live video or tape.

[jeffimix]

or a Black Burst stable signal generator...

[leirbag28]

@SyrTran

Ok, Are you sure about this? because I think the manual says otherwise.


@jeffimix

where or how can I use a blackburst stable signal?  can a genlock do it?  what if I use my SuperGenSX?

[rawveeda]

All your live cameras have to accept external sync or genlock in.  If you are using consumer camcorders you will need to TBC them just for timing.
I am also pretty sure a supergen will not function properly with a toaster installed.  (at least that has been my experience)
I hope that helps.

[leirbag28]

Oh Boy if thats true, that would mean I need 4 TBC cards.........One for every input!
Thats Ridiculous!!! can't believe NewTek would allow that...............that totally must have increased the Toaster setup price bigtime!

They could have added this onboard!  there are some genlocks which allow multiple inputs and dont require TBC's.

ah this really sucks.............I do happen to have about 3 TBC's but really dont have time to install em.

[SyrTran]

Just got back to this thread.

You have to remember that the original Toaster (2000) was being designed nearly 15 years ago, and the 4000 about 9-10 years ago.  In 1990 a TBC was about the size of a small VCR.  Even my TBC-IV, which was designed in the mid-90s is a full-sized card (and very densely populated, too).  It would have been very difficult for Newtek to include the same functionality on the Toaster itself.

If all you are using is 'live' cameras, then you'd only need 3 TBCs for 4 cameras. The 1st cam would feed both the 1st TBC's sync input (genlock in on my TBC-IV) and Toaster input 1.  The second cam would go to the 1st TBC's regular input.  The output of the 1st TBC would go to the 2nd TBC's sync and Toaster input 2, and so on, and so forth.

Cam1 - TBC1 sync in - Toaster 1
Cam2 - TBC1 video in
TBC1 out - TBC2 sync in - Toaster 2
Cam3 - TBC2 video in
TBC2 out - TBC3 sync in - Toaster 3
Cam4 - TBC3 video in
TBC3 out - Toaster 4