On Wednesday 16 January 2002 11:34, Phil Mendelsohn wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 14, 2002 at 09:12:56PM -0600, Rodd Ahrenstorff wrote:
> > I work as a Broadcast Engineer at the O&O Fox-29 in Minneapolis.
> > Video editing software on Mac/Windows is literally years ahead in
> > development compared to Linux. I'm not trying to bash Linux here,
> > but I would simply ask why? Video editing on the desktop could have
> > been a "killer app" for Linux, but it completely missed the boat.
>
> As a Broadcast Engineer, unless you're really green, you should be
> aware that this is comparing apples to oranges. Digital video editing
> started back in the late 70's and early 80's (notably with LucasFilm's
> SoundDroid and VideoDroid projects, under Andy Moorer who spun off to
> become Sonic Solutions when Lucas backed out.) Linux didn't even
> exist then.
>
> It wasn't until '94 or '95 that digital video even began to encroach
> on broadcast and professional editing suites -- led by Avid, mostly.
> Even the million dollar editors weren't as functional as a 2"
> online-editing room.
>
<snip>
At the risk of lighting some sort of fire I'll offer these comments. ;-)
Video editing might have been a killer app for Linux. Unfortunatly its not a
very successfull killer app, its had its chance. Anyone else remember the
Amiga and the VideoToaster? It was used for the in game effects for one of
the Super Bowls ('88 or '89 I think). PC Magazine even pitched the
VideoToaster as a PC peripheral. (Of course you had to buy an Amiga 2000 to
use it.)
Conclusion: If the HW/SW available is any good studios will use it if it cost
less. TV production companies and news organizations were using VideoToasters
as "prototype tools" before putting the stuff through the 6-digit Grass
Valley machines and their equivilants. The parallel rendering engines that
have been developed for FX production may find a way into other related
areas.
--
Jack Ungerleider
jack at jacku.com