Subject: NAB...
From: "Steven Tekell" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 22:03:40 -0700

Just returned from Vegas.

Well I guess LW 5.0 is olds news now.
If Newtek hadn't shown 5.0 at NAB they would have been left in 
the dust by 3DSMAX and SI. 
MAX had an impressive showing - nothing I didn't already know 
though.  Those of you who thought MAX would simply be a empty shell 
for plugins were dead wrong - its really powerful!

Softimage had a good show as well.  They released SI3.5NT/SGI with 
Mental Ray - one of the best render engines with some new 
shaders for better volumetric lighting, smoke and hair.

Softimage also demoed Digital Studio - their part of the 
Play/Softimage/Sierra Design Trinity project.  I was really 
impressed with Trinity, but it won't be out until late this 
year.  It's a real time, uncompressed D1, nonlinear editer.  
Digital Studio (SI software for it) was pretty damn cool.  All 
the nonlinear tools you would expect, plus a vector-paint 
program built in, plus multitrack sound with professional 
effects and controls,....  You can animate (keyframe)
everything including vector paint strokes, sound levels (just 
slide the volume up or down while it plays and it creates keys), 
and even composite layer order.
    Plays part is the Trinity box itself which is sort of like a 
super cool toaster.  Sierra design developed the hardware for 
real time D1.  I think Trinity starts around $10k and goes up to 
$40k.  Comes with variety of tools including software (SI's DS is sep) 
and a Virtual Studio.

Other NAB comments..
  WinNT is looking good, it had noticeable momentum of software 
and hardware support.  With the exception of LW, I don't 
remember any significant developments for Apple.
   There were alot of virtual studios (you know a blue screen 
stage with 3D CGI set) with varying degrees of tracking 
available.
   Way too many non-linear editers for me to comprehend.  I 
heard I guy saying he saying he was going to buy one, but after 
NAB he was only more bewildered at the numerous options.

  NewTek announced (again) a windows version of Toaster, but 
wouldn't be out until Q1 of 97 which will probably be too late, 
considering the Trinity and all the other options.  It sort of 
seems like a wast of R&D$s to me.  I would rather see all that 
go into making LW competitive with MAX and SI.  Maybe I wrong,
I did over hear some people after a Toaster demo who wanted one 
for windows, but didn't even know what an Amiga was.

gotta go sleep,

steve