Features Features Download the application source code from http://discreetfx.com/ openvideotoaster.html OpenThe World’s Video first Open-Source Toaster Video Editing System The Video Toaster is still one of the most influential, and coolest named, products, but is little known in the UK. Bill Panagouleas briefs us on its history and his efforts to resume development.

October 1990, Flashback and got very jealous. Many The Flyer was a fantastic take away Newtek’s market. His products were announced and upgrade to the Video Toaster solution? Release the source promoted but the truth is that but the death of Commodore code to the product for talented NewTek shocks the world of production by there is a whole graveyard of made many customers Amiga coders to see and releasing Video Toaster 1.0 for video effects cards from that question its value. Many of the update. Open source the Amiga. The Video Toaster era on the Mac and PC that original buyers never got to was starting to take off in the evolved from a simple premise: tried to fight against the Amiga experience the Flyer and that mainstream and Netscape had provide all the tools necessary Video Toaster and died a is sad because it completes just released the source to to create broadcast-quality horrible death. Video Blender, the Video Toaster and makes it Netscape Navigator. I television in a single, Video Spigot, Video Blaster, a well rounded tapeless editing remember that article well since accessible device. Not Etc. These other video system. Software upgrades I wrote it, I was Amazing still have no idea what a interesting codebases on the surprisingly, the established solutions failed because they continued and the Video Computing’s last “Bandito” Switcher is or the workflow Amiga platform. did not offer all the power and Toaster got to version 4.3 in before they unfortunately benefit of Real-time Effects. broadcast video industry It is my hope that now that the feature-set of the Video Toaster 1997, but the death of ceased publication. Also I have seen nothing that is greeted the Video Toaster with code is available talented and were just me-too rush jobs. Commodore slowly hurt as easy to learn as the Video , skepticism, at best. Despite Amiga programmers will make Most of them did not use the New eks sales of the Video 2001: NewTek ships Video Toaster Flyer. You can learn to these marketing challenges, T it work with the new PCI Video Amiga which was perfect for The video inputs and outputs on the backplane of a Toaster 4000 and the Flyer. To use most of it in about twenty the Video Toaster caught on Toaster 2, the next- Toaster (VT[3]). The VT[3] card video at the time, so that was Video Toaster 4000. compound the problem it minutes. Compare that to the with an enormous range of could be a extra device for a their fatal flaw. became illegal for QuikPak to generation PCI card frustration and long learning people who shared a desire to know the real figures for sure. NewTek introduced its next Video Toaster 4000 & Flyer “make TV”. It literally replaced TV Stations, Cable Networks tradition-breaking product, the manufacture the Video Toaster [2] includes all curves you have if you bought Customers just bought the inside of your Mediator PCI hundreds of thousands of and Amiga videographers Amiga Video Toaster Flyer, in around 1997, someone please the equipment needed to create a DV Video Camera and want Video Toaster since it worked based or 4000T dollars worth of equipment for bought the Video Toaster in April 1994. The Flyer was explain that one to me!!! I’m and distribute television in a to edit on Windows or Mac. and gave them a CG computer system running $5,000, and put sophisticated droves and many new configured as an add-on board sure NewTek loved the Amiga live, real-time environment (Character Generator) , Paint Amiga OS 4.0 or maybe parts tools into the hands of companies were created, for the Video Toaster in an but it is quite understandable to that’s just fun to use. So many Feb 2004: Open Video package, 3D animation of the code could even be used “average” people – from high anyone that could afford to buy Amiga computer. It provided save themselves they had to professional video tools are Toaster goes live program (Lightwave 3D), Real- on an AmigaOne with the PCI school students to professional a new car could be in the video quality nonlinear editing make Lightwave 3D and the integrated into this powerhouse time Effects, Genlocking, and Toaster installed. event videographers. production business. Video capabilities Video Toaster for other – and the industry was once This is why I started Open Chroma Keying all in one and was Toaster software upgrades . NewTek weathered operating systems. They still fix again stunned by the price - Video Toaster. I don’t want the Why would anyone do this? system. For customers that did affordable So began the paradigm shift continued every year and the the failing fortunes of the Video Toaster cards and Flyer way under $5,000! All the Amiga Video Toaster Flyer to The Amiga is the ultimate Hot not like the “A” word (Amiga) that launched an entire Toaster card itself received a Amiga computer and its cards to this day for free software that comes with Video be forgotten, many still use it Rod of computers, users and industry and was first called NewTek re-branded Amiga slight upgrade in 1993 to take manufacturer, Commodore though, they will even give you Toaster [2] requires Windows today for all of their editing developers have been turbo 2000 machines with the Video the “Desktop Video advantage of the new AGA Business Machines, which Tech Support and help with 2000/XP though. This is a very needs. Even though I have the charging them for years so why Toaster logo and sold them Revolution”. The Video Toaster Amiga 4000 computer. went out of business. The DigiView; god bless them. nice solution for Widows users latest PC Video Toaster, VT[3], not? Last month’s launch of (They also did this with the received coverage in all major company had chosen the and I am shocked that more I still use and love my Amiga Open Video Toaster was a Amiga 4000). Many powerful 3rd party magazines including Popular Amiga platform because, have not bought it. Todays video 4000T Video Toaster Flyer great success. Visitors to the 1994: Tapeless Editing added products came out for the Flyer Science, Rolling Stone and unlike any other personal software landscape has system. Using the VT[3] and site downloaded over 57 Things went very well for to the Video Toaster like RenderFX and Audio Black Flyer together make for one Playboy. I'm sure other computer, the Amiga’s video changed dramatically, what Gigabytes of source code! NewTek and I have heard they Box from ProWave software developers on completing it as a all in one display most closely matched once was a niche market with super powerful editing system. When you consider that the sold around 100,000 Video (Programmed by Bill Evans) and the PC noticed that of a television. the cost of ownership starting at Tim Jenison was kind enough code to the Amiga Video Toaster cards, though I don’t Video Editing system and some very nice tools from $5000, is now a more to listen to the Amiga Toaster Flyer is only about Aussie (OzWare) that made mainstream market with community and allow Paul Lara 30MB that is a lot of unique editing easier and faster for products available for $50 or to give the source-code out, downloads. As we suspected Flyer owners. even free (MS Movie Maker 2, developers Bill Evans and there has been a very high free only if you own Windows Aaron “Aarexx” Ruscetta did a demand for this code ever 1998: Amazing Computing XP). The sad fact about this nice job cleaning up the code since its release. Just like it Article comes out about new affordable reality is that so it is ready for Amiga took time for the Netscape source-code to be updated; releasing the Video Toaster features and power have been programmer consumption. sacrificed in place of price. And They used much of their own look how powerful and feature Flyer Source-Code customers do not know this, personal time to organize this rich Mozilla is today! I have they think when they load their gift to the community, so high hopes for the Video The Bandito (Amazing free copy of Adobe Premiere deserve a special thank you. Toaster Flyer source-code, Computing’s rumor columnist) the horrible and unintuitive Everyone should also send may it continue to live on and writes an Article that says the interface is what video editing is New ek a special thanks for on just as the Amiga OS has. Video Toaster Flyer software is T all about. allowing Amiga owners to Who knows what the future no longer being updated and finally have one of the more might hold. other companies are trying to Mac OS X’s Final Cut Pro Like much software of its time, the Video Toaster’s suite of applications used a custom interface. owners have it a little better but 16 TOTAL AMIGA Winter 2004 17