Ever since I bought my Video Toaster 4000, in July of 1993, all I have seen in print are articles about how this system is fast becoming obsolete! Well, it�s 1999 now, and 8 years later I�m still using it, along with my Video Flyer Non-Linear Editor (purchased in 1995). I am sure it would shock most videographers to learn how much money I have made on my original investment in the past eight years. Not bad for an �obsolete� platform.

We all know the �reasons� why the naysayers have leveled their big guns at this system. First and foremost, it runs on an Amiga. �Amiga? You mean the Commodore Amiga?� Yep. That�s the one. �Well�, they continue, �Isn�t that a dead computer platform?� H-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m����.. Well, if it IS, how come (#1) I�m still using it, (#2) developers are still writing code for it, and (#3) It REFUSES to die? We small band of American Amiga-owners (larger in Europe) are a pretty tough bunch to keep under thumb. We are furiously dedicated to the Amiga OS; some would compare us to religious zealots. Even my friends on the Video Toaster Mailing List (VTML) refer to each other as �Kommrades�.

Well, in my case at least, it�s partially true. I was completely computer illiterate back in �91 when I entered into the computer world. I was one of those �I�ll never figure this out� guys until I got my first glimpse at the Video Toaster 4000, and I knew that I had to at least TRY to test the waters. I was operating a video production business here in the Ozarks and based my editing and production on a �� tape format, which was the de facto standard for television broadcast at the time, with BetaCam looming on the horizon, which I knew I could not afford. I was having a tough enough time trying to make ends meet with a 20-year old Sony 5800/5600 PAC editing system and RM-440 controller. Control code track editing. Not even SMPTE. I was using a NuMark 3-input video switcher for my fades, etc. It featured a built-in TBC on one buss so I could make crossfades and wipes without losing sync. It was a very fundamental mixer and was all I could afford at the time. For Character Generation and titling I bought a used Texscan CG which was primarily intended for cable TV usage. We didn�t even know what anti-aliasing was in those days, and the bigger the font the more obvious the stairstepping artifacts on the characters. As I look back on those days now I almost want to laugh (but it wasn�t very funny THEN).

Then I saw an ad for the NewTek Video Toaster 4000 and I couldn�t believe my eyes! Here was a computer video production switcher with broadcast quality CG, a paint package for graphics, and even a 3D modeling system �thrown in� for the incredible price of only $3,995. I immediately drove 200 miles away to Memphis to see one of these things, but, although everyone in town was talking about it, NO ONE had a demo. I finally located one in Springfield, Missouri at Data Grafix and made arrangements to drive there and meet the guy who had one. His name was Rick Thomson and by pure chance he was an �original� AmigaHead who really knew this platform inside and out. I expected some kind of �Here, let me show you how this works� demo, but was taken completely by surprise as Rick sat me down and told me to play with it for a while. I was hooked in 30 minutes. The CG was absolutely fantastic and looked as good as anything I had seen on National TV. The ToasterPaint feature looked promising, but a little more difficult to learn by comparison to CG. I didn�t even �bother� with LightWave 3D, as (at the time) I couldn�t see what it could do for my business, and it just LOOKED difficult to me. My head was so full of ideas anyway, that any more would have probably blown a brain circuit. I made arrangements immediately to purchase a 4000 and it was delivered and completely set up by Rick within a few weeks of purchase.

Fast forward ahead to 1995. It took me several years to fully grasp all the potential that my system offered, but the MOST IMPORTANT discovery was my love for LightWave 3D. I spent night after night after night working in the Modeler and Layout screens� creating� animating�learning. I began doing little 5-second �Flying Logos� for local businesses and industries. I only had enough RAM to play 150 frames in real time so I would have to hard-edit to tape anything which exceeded my 5-second cutoff point. All the while I kept my nose buried in �Amazing Amiga� magazine and other publications, searching for anything that might hint of NewTek�s promised Non-Linear Editing add-on to the Toaster. Finally, Rick called me one day and invited me up to Springfield to check something out. I held my breath as I entered his store and THERE IT WAS! The brand new NewTek Video Flyer NLE! I could hardly keep my hands from shaking as I sat down at the desk. Rick had asked me to bring some favorite footage on �� tape to mess with. In just 15 minutes I was digitizing footage into the hard drives and cutting and pasting clips� adding audio music beds�� inserting transitions and fades. It was the fastest 2 hours I had ever passed! I couldn�t believe this was SO EASY!!!!! My mind reeled with the possibilities. I could FINALLY produce complete video projects myself at my own facility. A/B rolls would no longer take 15 minutes to set up and commit forever to tape. I could change anything ANYWHERE in the timeline in REAL TIME and watch as the Flyer played my changes as fast as I could move croutons around on the screen! I had died and gone to video heaven.

When I was finished playing Rick began to fill me in on the �Amiga situation�. He wanted me to know that there was �trouble� with Commodore, and he had no idea where it was going to go in the next 6 months. But as cautious as I usually am about such things (I was a big investor in the Beta format years before) I simply HAD to get this system. There was not one single company at the time that could give me the same type system for even NEAR the same price. The closest editor was AVID, and I just could not afford an Avid. Period. It was hard enough to convince the bank to give me the money to buy into a �video computer� system (whatever THAT was). To put it mildly, I was WAY ahead of my time for this such operation in these parts. But I finally convinced the bank to loan me the money, and after showing them what it could do during a demonstration (just days after the install), the bank became my first steady customer. My television commercials were as good as anything on national TV. My corporate/industrial videos got the attention of many companies in this region. Everyone was dazzled by the Toaster transitions and wipes, and by now my LightWave 3D �Flying logos� looked truly professional. I built many good accounts in those first years and 80% of them are STILL good customers. I could even produce professional looking music videos for my regular music-recording clients. The past few years have certainly been a rocky road for the Amiga. The OS and company has changed hands so many times now I feel I need a dance card. Those of you following this situation are probably a lot more informed as I am now, and those of you who want to know more can find LOTS of pertinent info on other sites and at other locations. But I want to make something perfectly clear here: Even though the situation has not completely resolved itself as far as producing new computers for Toaster/Flyer applications, I really believe that there are those much more in the know than I and they are (still) backing this platform. Companies like NewTek, and developers like OzWare, Dimension Technologies, ProWave, and others would NOT be investing their hard-earned time, effort, and experience in a �dead� platform. And, although I have finally made the plunge and have added a PC to my video production studio, it is STILL the same �old� Commodore Amiga Toaster 4000 that does ALL my video production chores. The exception would be LightWave 5.6 on the PC which runs faster (not smoother), and has enhanced features not available on the Amiga version.

For what it�s worth � Last year my Toaster card died on me. Rick came down, loaned me HIS Toaster card, and sent my card to NewTek for service. To NewTek�s credit, they had the board replaced in less than 2 weeks. How�s THAT for service on a �dead� platform? This wonderful computer shows NO signs of letting up, and other than replacing hard drives (which I have done several times in the past 3 years) it is still operating at the same performance level as it did in 1991. And now that I have a PC, I KNOW that it is less stable then the Amiga. The brand new Pentium II crashes about 8 times more than the Amiga, and is a LOT more of a pain to reboot! The PC has to run diagnostics almost EVERY time it crashes. The Amiga starts right up, every time.

And with the possible exception of Trinity�s PLAY system (which is MUCH more expensive) there STILL isn�t a system out there (EIGHT YEARS LATER) that will give you more bang for the buck than the NewTek Video Toaster/Flyer system. Take my word for it. Better yet, take my banker�s word for it �. I never have any problem getting more money these days!

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