Apple solution instead of Windows based "Live Production environment"

zozo
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Hey all,



At my job my boss sent around an email asking what we think of a NewTek Videotoaster solution.



Quote:

The Video Toaster?



NewTek is making history again, this time with a Windows 2000/XP-based product called Video Toaster® [2], the world's first live production environment on your desktop.



http://www.newtek.com/products/video...ers-price.html



I'd really want to get (suggest) an Apple solution... but we dont have a HUGE budget. We have one mac in the office (the one I'm using) the rest are Windows and Linux stations. The engineers are generally open to the idea of using a MacOS X and have been floating around my unit with interest.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    gizzmonicgizzmonic Posts: 511member
    What exactly are you trying to do?



    Could you be more specific?



    I'm a video editor with about 5 years experience and I've worked crew on live TV shows and special events lots of times, maybe I can give you some advice
  • Reply 2 of 7
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    Im in Satellite business. Our department deals with MPEG 4 streams, MPEG 2 (DVB), and everything in between.



    We would want to be able to take in live feeds that are transmitted in MPEG 4, re-encode to MPEG 2, do video editing, etc... all live.



    My boss is convinced that this is the ultimate tool to be able to do this, and only costs approx 5000eur (5200usd).



    I wouldnt even know if an Apple solution would be 'compatible' with all the various formats and stuff.



    Still, basically, he wants the ability to encode, edit, etc on the fly.



    Imagine getting a live feed in MPEG4 from a portable solution, being able to edit the MPEG4, re-encode in the meantime to MPEG2 to another satellite feed, broadcasting.



    Also, prob is we currently use (but not restricted to) MPEG4 encoded with Windows Media 7 codec. I know there has been talk to go to standard ISO compliant MPG4 (ie, quicktime type of MPEG4).



    Thanks for any tips of hardware, software that can be up to the challenge
  • Reply 3 of 7
    bluesignsbluesigns Posts: 315member
    the only thing tha comes to mind on the mac is ChannelStorm's LiveChannel:



    http://www.channelstorm.com/





    i don't think that it handles WMV files but don't quote me on that.





    i haven't had a chance to get into it yet but i will.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Wasn't Video Toaster the last great gasp of Amiga?
  • Reply 5 of 7
    gizzmonicgizzmonic Posts: 511member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ZO

    Im in Satellite business. Our department deals with MPEG 4 streams, MPEG 2 (DVB), and everything in between.



    We would want to be able to take in live feeds that are transmitted in MPEG 4, re-encode to MPEG 2, do video editing, etc... all live.



    My boss is convinced that this is the ultimate tool to be able to do this, and only costs approx 5000eur (5200usd).



    I wouldnt even know if an Apple solution would be 'compatible' with all the various formats and stuff.



    Still, basically, he wants the ability to encode, edit, etc on the fly.



    Imagine getting a live feed in MPEG4 from a portable solution, being able to edit the MPEG4, re-encode in the meantime to MPEG2 to another satellite feed, broadcasting.



    Also, prob is we currently use (but not restricted to) MPEG4 encoded with Windows Media 7 codec. I know there has been talk to go to standard ISO compliant MPG4 (ie, quicktime type of MPEG4).



    Thanks for any tips of hardware, software that can be up to the challenge




    Wow. I wouldn't begin to know where to start here. Although I would highly suggest going with the standard MPEG4 codec, to deal with transcoding headaches. I almost want to suggest that you use a hardware-based solution for converting from MPEG4 to MPEG2...what type of editing to you plan on doing? Just snipping off the color bars or something more complex?



    Transcoding sounds like a discrete problem in its own right...I would have to know more about your workflow and your current setup to give you any decent advice. Anyway, good luck!
  • Reply 6 of 7
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    well seems like the guysNewTek either know how to do business or are desperate.. or my boss is a damn good haggler. They are going to give us a unit for free!!



    ah hell...



    thanks for all the suggestions nonetheless. I'll see what we do wit hit and ask later what Mac solution could do that too.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    gizzmonicgizzmonic Posts: 511member
    Your boss got a NewTek setup for free? Good for him!



    I have a friend who edits using their NT-based Video Toaster stuff...he tried showing it off to me but he had a lot of problems with it. The program itself crashed a couple of times, but he's a computer doofus so it might be his fault.



    Anyway, I used an old NewTek Amiga-based video toaster and that was a damn good machine. Let us know how you fare with the NewTek box.
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