Opinions on Videotoaster 3?
 

Just returned from a trade show and took a look at a number of different NLE systems. I was interested in the Avid Express system but I was steered towards VT3 by the tech guy. I'm new at the editing scene and really want to buy only once!! Any thoughts on VT3?

depends on your needs...

Hello,

i have a Video Toaster 2, and with the advent of version 3.. the Toaster will be hard to beat..the things lacking for me were good DV integration and batch capture also an avi wrapper.. but no more, as they have been addressed.. The Toaster editor is the easiest most intuitive i have ever used..It has both a full featured storyboard and timeline.. (you can even see both at the same time) also Aura paint (great) Lightwave 3d(well entrenched in industry).. The toolset is reall difficult to beat.

I have also extensevly used Speed Razor, and more recently Vegas (which I also think is a great portable editing software)(especially on a laptop)

The down side of a Video Toaster system is that it requires a pretty powerful system ..a scsi controller and array is suggested, but not necessary.. But with the powerful system the toaster can do true realtime, in both professional analog and digital formats..
You can add a switcher and have a complete switcher to do complex productions with multile cameras..

the bottom line is this is a full professional piece of equipment, feature rich and very flexible to produce pro results quickly..

Mike

If I ever need to build a small studio, this would be the tool for me. But I would have to buy the control surface and the I/O expansion chassis.

For DV editing, it is overkill IMHO. There are systems that can be built for reliable DV editing that cost no more than just the VT product without the expansion sets.

I like the product, it is just too expensive for DV and does nothing more than what I can get out of my DVRexRT/Edius system.

Hello,

i agree that if all you are ever going to do is DV editing then it is probably overkill.. But if you are ever need to move up to more professional type work then it is some thing which it is useful..for example if a you did some work for Television and they wanted a tape in Betacam format.. You can output your video directly to the Betacam Deck using Component output.. Or if someone wanted something in Digital Betacam, the Toaster has additional SDI option which gives you input and output in this high end Digital Format...

You are correct, if a person only wishes to work in DV then a firewire card and some software may be the ticket.. The Toaster is a much more serius tool.. Please do not discount the paint package that comes with it, and Lightwave also can add so so much to any production..

mike