Amiga Video Toaster in FPGA just like minimeg

[QuikSanz]

It's almost a decade later so I'm asking again, can it be done?

Ya know with 1080p as a minimum it could come in very handy.

[psxphill]

Is there enough documentstIn about what is in the original chips to figure out how to clone them?

You probably don't need to. You could probably reverse engineer the card by running the software under winuae, knocking up some code and testing it by feeding avi's in.

The fpga doesn't have to emulate every chip in exactly the same way as the original toaster. The minimig doesn't even do that for the amiga custom chips.

The video input couple for an fpga video toaster could be HDMI.

[Trev]

I think the reasons would be "fun" and "challenge."

What became of your Open Video Toaster effort?

[Pyromania]

@ Pyromania

What would be the point? Who still uses NTSC with (ex-)standard aspect ratio when most people carry all-digital high-definition widescreen cameras in their pockets?

The point is that great software that's available from 3rd party developers that's Video Toaster only that could be enjoyed by Amiga users. It's no longer about NTSC. Not to mention the awesome software package that came with the Video Toaster/Flyer itself. From a preservation standpoint and an opportunity to get a bunch of additional software running in a Amiga Virtual Machine that's interesting to study and use. You are right NTSC timing does not matter anymore and that would not be the point.

[Pyromania]

@Trev

Open Video Toaster is still available for Amiga fans to play with and enjoy. The code can be studied/updated by anyone with a "high tech brain", quote from the Revolution video.

http://www.discreetfx.com/openvideotoaster.html

[JimS]

I've always thought it would be cool if just enough Toaster emulation could be added to UAE to bring up the switcher control panel... then run Lightwave. I suppose it makes more sense to just run the stand alone version...

[tonyvdb]

In my opinion, the Toaster/Flyer was one of the best creations made for the Amiga. I know that much of the processing was done on the Toaster card but the Amiga did give it a long life.
My system still runs flawlessly after all these years but truthfully I hardly ever use it any more other than to show people what the Amiga was capable of.

I still use a Newtek product called Speed Edit for my current HD video editing on a PC but it is not a live switcher so that part for me is lost.

[psxphill]

I still use a Newtek product called Speed Edit for my current HD video editing on a PC but it is not a live switcher so that part for me is lost.

For most people, live editing was only really beneficial when it was impractical to do offline editing.

I used to be a cameraman on a 4 camera setup and that was usually edited live, but all the cameras also ran tapes in case a mistake ruined the edit.

You do run the risk of perfectionism creeping in with offline editing.

If you are broadcasting live then obviously you need live switching. The Roland V-4EX looks quite nice, though it can't process 1080p.

[B00tDisk]

Most people I knew with a video toaster back in the day simply called it the Lightwave Dongle and only used it as long as they had to before NT decoupled the software from the hardware, and then switched to commodity PCs when NT branched out to other platforms...

[psxphill]

and only used it as long as they had to before NT decoupled the software from the hardware,

Or at least until Lightrave came out surely.

[Heiroglyph]

In my opinion, the Toaster/Flyer was one of the best creations made for the Amiga. I know that much of the processing was done on the Toaster card but the Amiga did give it a long life.
My system still runs flawlessly after all these years but truthfully I hardly ever use it any more other than to show people what the Amiga was capable of.

I still use a Newtek product called Speed Edit for my current HD video editing on a PC but it is not a live switcher so that part for me is lost.

If you are looking for live switching, we still sell a huge number of TriCasters. It's a decedent of the Video Toaster.

It's similar to the complete Amiga/Toaster systems that we sold back in the day, a turnkey system as opposed to a card and software.

[B00tDisk]

Or at least until Lightrave came out surely.

Well by then this group of 4-5 people I knew with toasters already had them, so Lightrave, while cool, wasn't really of any use.  Plus NT did their standalone version of LW which effectively killed Lightrave.

[tonyvdb]

If you are looking for live switching, we still sell a huge number of TriCasters. It's a decedent of the Video Toaster.

It's similar to the complete Amiga/Toaster systems that we sold back in the day, a turnkey system as opposed to a card and software.

sent you a PM

[Pyromania]

If you are looking for live switching, we still sell a huge number of TriCasters. It's a decedent of the Video Toaster.

It's similar to the complete Amiga/Toaster systems that we sold back in the day, a turnkey system as opposed to a card and software.

I can vouch for NewTek's line of TriCasters. They are awesome and give the customer an excellent turn-key video workstation. One of the best live switchers money can buy.

[Pyromania]

If anyone has a Amiga Video Toaster up an running the developer of the open source Amiga Virtual Machine needs some assistance. He's looking for "sys:tools/showconfig debug" output from a running Amiga Video Toaster.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=1100595&postcount=66

[Andre.Siegel]

The point is that great software that's available from 3rd party developers that's Video Toaster only that could be enjoyed by Amiga users. It's no longer about NTSC. Not to mention the awesome software package that came with the Video Toaster/Flyer itself. From a preservation standpoint and an opportunity to get a bunch of additional software running in a Amiga Virtual Machine that's interesting to study and use. You are right NTSC timing does not matter anymore and that would not be the point.

Still, what is the point of using an FPGA for this?

If preservation is your goal, adding the required functionality to highly portable emulation software is surely the better move.