Date: 14 Jan 1993 20:51:14 -0700 (MST)
From: NOHL@CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: video out from macs report for the world

From: Nohl Lyons

Here is alot of info from various sources including 
manufacturers.  I actually have much more information, but I 
thought that this alone might be overwhelming. If you need help 
making choices, let me know. 
-Nohl

(anything following a "> " is quoted from someone else. This is an 
internet tradition.)

First the word on the net; it has not yet been verified, but it 
appears to be accurate:
> -VideoMax from Workstation Technologies Inc. 
>  
> -RasterOps makes a product called the video expander.
> It costs about $400 (less ed disc) and you just
> plug your video output into it.  The box gives you
> output to a VHS recorder and will record anything that
> you would normally send to the screen.
> 
> The only problem is that it has to convert from th 60Hz
> of the Mac to the 30 Hz of the tape, so it does some strange
> things to make it work.  RasterOps will give you more info.


> Hi! Saw your message on sumex and thought I'd offer my thoughts 
> (don't have a concrete solution though). I too have a spigot on 
> my IIci and have run into the same problem, no way to go back out 
> to tape. I have however heard of a relativly inexpensive box that 
> will run, I think, black and white NTSC out of a Quadra's built 
> in video. I heard about it on sumex so you might post there to 
> see if anyone knows anything. I imagine it would be pretty high 
> quality. 
> 
> (This reminds me of a cool thing with the original Mac II's and 
> the original Apple video card -- with a 5$ cable that you could 
> build yourself, you would get NTSC output -- composite video --, 
> albeit in only 4-and8-bit color) 
> 
> The other thing I heard is that since SuperMac is coming out with 
> a full Toaster-Like system for the mac (card-based called 
> 'Digital Film' with a price tag of about $10k) they've also 
> upgraded the spigot pro (only as far as I know) with the ability 
> to go out to tape. VHS quality with a spigot is pretty hard to do 
> because they don't digitize the whole frame of video, only a 
> field (the odd or even numbered lines) and then collapse it, this 
> is why the aliasing and moiring is so bad on spigoted video (you 
> can't be the price/performance ratio of the spigot though!). 
> Plus, even if you could go out to tape at VHS quailty, you'd have 
> to have a Quadra 950, probably accelerated (is this what your 
> friend has?) to handle full screen/full motion video. 
> 
> What I'm thinking of doing is saving my money for a year or so, 
> because things are happening so quickly in the area of 
> compression. Video capture boards that support hardware 
> compression on the card (not software driver based compression 
> like the VDIG and QT 1.5's compact video) will allow full screen 
> video at 30fps on any competent Mac (probably like a IIsi on up). 
> Video spigots don't have anyplace for a daughter card on them 
> (this is how you would add hardware compression to an existing 
> board) and so I would plan on buying a new card when the next 
> generation of video capture technology gets cheap enough. Other 
> cards like the Radius and RasterOps (I think) support some kind 
> of hardware compression, but are really crippled as far as 
> capturing good video today. There's a great article (one of the 
> best I've read so far) in this month's MacWorld (I don't have it 
> handy but it's the one with the red cover). 

BTW
> Adobe Premiere is pretty essential for any out- to-tape solution. 
> It can generate EDLs (edit decision lists) and can control many 
> kinds of VTR decks, especially Sonys that have that pin-connector 
> on the back. That's Premiere 2.0. 
----

The following info is provided by MacWorld magazine and the 
associated manufacturers:

The TV Box
External NTSC device compatible with entire line of Apple's 8-bit and 
24-bit color video boards to produce the same output as the TV Board, 
without using another NuBus slot. Has exclusive GX filter to suppress 
color-bar distortion. $399. Generation X Technologies, 408/739-4570.


The TV Board
8-bit NTSC/PAL switchable NuBus video board that can be hooked up to 
cable-ready TV sets for use with desktop presentation applications. Board 
can also be hooked up to a VCR to enable taping of Mac output. $599. 
Generation X Technologies, 408/739-4570.


Radius VideoVision

24-Bit Interface Card with Video In and Video Out Capability for the 
Macintosh Quadra and II (NuBus) Series

Radius' VideoVision combines breakthrough hardware and software technology 
to enable mass distribution of powerful multimedia communications. 
Consisting of a sophisticated video interface card, an external breakout 
box for external video and audio connections, and comprehensive software 
controls, VideoVision enables users to integrate audio, graphics and video 
capabilities on the Macintosh. VideoVision offers immediate compatibility 
with all applications that support QuickTime, Apple's multimedia extension 
to its operating system software, allowing the capture of digital video 
infor- mation as QuickTime movies or still images. In addition, 
VideoVision supports both S-Video and composite video and multiple timings 
and resolutions, providing compatibility with a wide range of Radius, 
Apple, and other third-party computer displays and video formats.  

High Quality 24-bit Video Output

VideoVision is the first low-cost integrated Macintosh desktop product 
that enables high quality output directly from a Macintosh to videotape. 
This "print to video" capability allows for convenient and cost-effective 
distribution of a variety of presentations, from the simple slide 
presentation which incorporates QuickTime movies to the sophisticated 
multimedia presentation. The high quality of the video output is due to a 
unique filtering process which allows flicker-free 24-bit (16.7 million 
color) motion video graphics to be output from computer to videotape. 
Current alternative technologies for video output show intense flickering. 

Worldwide Video Standards Support

VideoVision supports worldwide video standards for both input and output 
as well as the ability to convert from one format to another. NTSC, PAL, 
and SECAM video standards are supported for video input and NTSC and PAL 
for video output. Both NTSC 3.58, used in the U.S., and NTSC 4.43, used in 
Japan, are supported. With video input, VideoVision automatically 
recognizes which standard to use and converts the data accordingly.

Real Time Video Window Resizing

VideoVision allows real-time resizing of a video window to any size the 
viewer desires, without significant loss of resolution. Several products 
now on the market allow video (TV, VCR, laserdisc) information to be input 
to the computer and viewed in a window on the computer display. However, 
many of these products either do not allow the window to be resized, or if 
they do, they lose significant resolution as the window is reduced. 

H-Bus Architecture For More Power and Future Expansion

Video manipulation requires the transmission of large amounts of 
information between various processor cards. VideoVision's H-Bus 
architecture allows transmission of data at transfer rates of 60 
Mbytes/second, overcoming the bandwidth limitations of the NuBus 
architecture. Information between boards can be transmitted much more 
quickly over the H-Bus. In addition, VideoVision will support adjoining 
NuBus communications and add-ons such as additional hardware 
compression/decompression, special effects, titling, chromakey, or other 
special purpose boards. 

--------
The following are tips from a video out consultant in Hawaii. 
This is their specialty, and they gave out this information 
freely. 

> Consumer Quality
> 
> Consumer quality video output can be achieved by using a low cost 
> converter box (cost: approximately $300 - $700), available from 
> many manufacturers, or directly from the composite or S-Video 
> output of a video card. In almost all cases, a QuickTime movie, 
> slide show, or MacroMind Director movie can be recorded in real 
> time to VHS, S-VHS, or Hi8 tape. The output quality of the 
> converter boxes or video cards is sufficient for titling home 
> videos and other projects --- for personal use. 
> 
> Industrial Quality
> 
> Industrial quality video output is achieved with a low cost scan 
> converter, such as the Mediator from VideoLogic, the 9101 from 
> Chromatek, etc. (cost: approximately $1,500 - $4,000). Some 
> converters are able to switch between underscan and overscan, 
> have flicker elimination and other features. These converters 
> produce a medium quality signal most appropriate for industrial 
> productions. A primary draw back of these units is that, in most 
> cases, they can not be synchronized or timed with the other video 
> gear. The composite or S-Video output of TrueVisionÕs NuVista 
> cards can be considered industrial quality. The signal is analog 
> encoded, but the encoder (which is built onto the card), has no 
> flicker elimination, comb or notch filters, nor image enhancing 
> circuitry. The composite and S-Video outputs of the NuVista cards 
> do NOT produce a broadcast quality signal. 
> 
> Broadcast Quality
> 
> A broadcast quality signal can be achieved in two ways. One is to 
> take the RGB output of a NuVista, Intelligent Resources Video 
> Explorer, or similar card and feed it through an encoder. The 
> driver of the video card should be set to interlaced. Encoders 
> convert the analog RGB signal digitally into a composite, 
> S-Video, and, in some cases, a component video signal. Most 
> encoders have image enhancing circuitry and filters built in, but 
> they lack flicker elimination and the ability to resize the 
> output video. Therefore, graphics and animations must be produced 
> carefully to conform to the necessary screen dimensions. Encoders 
> are priced between $2,000 and $10,000 and it is fair to say, you 
> get what you pay for. Several companies, including Faroudja, 
> manufacture encoders which output excellent broadcast quality 
> signals. 
> 
> The other method is to use a scan down converter, a device which 
> will accept interlaced and non-interlaced RGB signals from a 
> video card. Most scan down converters have built-in image 
> filtering techniques, enhancing circuitry, flicker elimination, 
> and the ability to switch from underscan to overscan. Some high 
> end models allow the user to resize and position the image 
> anywhere on the video screen, or zoom into a graphic and enlarge 
> a section of it to full video screen. Scan down converters can 
> produce the finest video picture in composite, S-Video, or 
> component output. Again, you get what you pay for, and prices 
> range from $10,000 to $25,000. 
> 
> Recording computer graphics or animations for broadcast purposes 
> rarely involves a real-time output of the signal, except when 
> recording a still image or title. 
> 
> Animation files played back in real-time on the computer, such as 
> QuickTime movies and accelerated Director files, run at different 
> speeds, depending on the computer they are played on. Animations 
> must be output on a frame-by-frame basis. This assures that 30 
> frames of animation are recorded to video every second. 
> 
> Frame controller programs control video tape and laser disc 
> recorders for frame-by-frame recording through a serial 
> connection between the computer and the video unit. Industrial 
> and broadcast video tape recorders and laser disc recorders can 
> be accurately controlled through their serial port, a feature 
> consumer equipment does not have. The video tape is first 
> blackened and striped with time code. The frame-by-frame 
> controlling program is then able to access any single frame on 
> the tape. 


tips:

> Because video is an interlaced signal, you should avoid single 
> pixel horizontal lines in your graphics and animations. These 
> produce flickering in a NTSC environment. A flicker elimination 
> filter will reduce the flickering, but a small degradation in 
> image sharpness occurs. Use horizontal lines that are 2, 4, 6, 
> etc. pixels wide (i.e., avoid odd numbered line widths). 

> Be careful with gradient fills. Video resolution is far below the 
> quality of your computer picture and gradient fills may result in 
> a stair step effect. This can be avoided by applying a little 
> noise to the image (for example, by using the noise filter in 
> Photoshop). 

> Caution must be taken when choosing your colors. As many 
> engineers will tell you, NTSC also stands for ÔNever The Same 
> Color.' The video signal strongly enhances colors, and they 
> appear quite different on a TV than they do on your computer 
> screen. As a general rule, colors with saturation or brightness 
> exceeding 75% should not be used. To avoid bleeding, stay away 
> from fully saturated colors, especially reds, as much as 
> possible. Avoid two high contrast colors next to each other, 
> bleeding may occur. Oasis from Time Arts is one of the only 
> programs which allows you to paint with video legal colors. This 
> program permits you to open existing files and make them video 
> legal. The NTSC legal filter from Photoshop (thank you John 
> Knoll) can be accessed in many programs and will convert your 
> files to NTSC legal colors. Anti-aliasing helps a great deal; use 
> a program like Smoothie or JAG to anti-alias your files. 
> RayDream, with our consulting help, added a check box in the 
> ÔSave AsÕ dialogue for NTSC legal colors in JAG. By checking this 
> box, you can anti-alias a single file, a folder of files, or a 
> PICS file, making them NTSC legal at the same time. 

> The best way to assure your graphics and animations are action, 
> title, and color safe, is to constantly check them on an 
> inexpensive TV (donÕt use an expensive monitor - other people 
> will watch your graphics on regular TVs). If you own a NuVista 
> card, connect the composite output to a TV and regularly check 
> your files on it. You will instantly see the difference in 
> colors. A red on your computer screen may look dull and faded, 
> but will appear bright and lively on the TV. If your video card 
> cannot output a composite video signal, invest in a cheap 
> converter box. This will allow you to see the image you are 
> working on displayed on a connected TV at the same time. 

Ê