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Disk 12 News
VIDEO-TITLER
by Daton
reviewed by S.C. Greenfield 1991
Anyone who is like me a keen home video movie maker will love
Daton's - Dave Tonk's- 'Video-Titler' program for the SAM. This
is a very neat little program written for video Camcorder owners
enabling the user to quite simply add a title sequence to his or
her home video recordings, using MODE 4 screens either done
using the FLASH art package or SAVEd as a SCREEN$ from Basic.
Unlike the Amiga and its expensive hardware/software add ons,
this program merely records the computer's signal, ie: your
sequence of graphics at the start of your video recorder's tape
prior to you transfering or dubbing (copying) your home
recording after it, thus creating your titled masterpiece.
Up to four screens on a 256K SAM, or eight on a 512K machine can
be loaded into memory at any one time ready for use.
Upon BOOTing in the 'Titler' you are presented with a six option
menu display selectable using an up/down pointer. At the top of
your menu is the status report which tells you how many screens
are residing in memory and cannot be selected as it is purely
for information purposes only, simply use your up/down cursors
to move the pointer, then select with SPACE. The six options
available are as follows...
>>1.DISPLAY MODE
2.LOAD/SAVE
3.VIEW SCREENS
4.SEQUENCE TABLE
5.TEST SEQUENCE
6.RECORD TITLE
Option 1 will toggle the display between FLICK and ROLL modes,
these are the two different displays that the program will allow
you to use, ie: in the FLICK mode, the sequence table is used
to control the screens, whereas the ROLL mode rolls all the
screens in memory into one big rolling screen to create a
running credit effect. Option 2 accesses the LOAD/SAVE sub-menu.
Option 3 views all the screens in memory by flicking through
each one in turn using the SPACE bar. Option 4 displays a
separate sequence table which allows the user to set up how he
or she wants each screen to appear and disappear, and also how
long you want the screen to stay on/off for. Option 5 will allow
you to test out your work after setting the sequence table up
first as a trial run before the actual recording which is done
with the next option 6. This option is exactly the same as
option 5, but gives you a black or rather a faded screen at the
start waiting for you to press a key to begin your sequence and
set the video to record, you also get another black screen at
the end of your sequence, which lets you know that it has ended.
** THE LOAD/SAVE SUB-MENU **
Selecting option 2 takes you to a sub-menu for saving and
loading sequence table set-ups, and screens. Once selected you
are presented with a further six options for this, and they are
as follows...
1.LOAD SCREENS
2.LOAD CODE BLOCK
3.SAVE CODE BLOCK
4.LOAD SEQUENCE DATA
5.SAVE SEQUENCE DATA
6.QUIT TO MENU
Option 1 will ask you to input how many screens you wish to load
in, then ask you to input all their filenames, after which it
will then load them all in in one go. Option 2 will load a
previously saved block of screens into memory. Option 3 will
save all the current screens in memory as one block. Option 4
will load in a previously saved sequence table data file. Option
5 will save your current sequence table as a data file. And
option 6 simply returns you back to the main menu again.
** THE SEQUENCE TABLE **
Selecting this option brings up a display or grid which
is your sequence table for creating what screen comes on in what
effect, how long it stays on for, and how it goes off. There are
four options for bringing screens on, and a further ten for
taking them off, each assigned to each screen in memory that is
shown on your table, each screen is indicated by a number in the
left hand column on the table. Here is an example of what a
display with eight screens in memory would look like...
______________________________________
[ ] BRING ON ] TAKE OFF ] OFF ] ON ]
[ 1 ] FLICK ] SCROLL U ] 4 ] 8 ]
[ 2 ] SCROLL U ] SCROLL D ] 6 ] 4 ]
[ 3 ] SCROLL D ] SCROLL L ] 2 ] 9 ]
[ 4 ] CURTAIN ] BLINDS ] 5 ] 3 ]
[ 5 ] SCROLL D ] CURTAIN ] 2 ] 7 ]
[ 6 ] FLICK ] SPLIT ] 1 ] 1 ]
[ 7 ] FLICK ] FOLD UP ] 9 ] 9 ]
[ 8 ] CURTAIN ] SHUTTER ] 0 ] 0 ]
[ 9 ] QUIT ] QUIT ] ] ]
You access each line using a pointer display with the left,
right, up and down cursor keys, selecting each screen with the
SPACE bar, this just simply toggles between the four and ten
different options plus the length of time on display for each
screen. On the disk the author has provided a complete set of
screens for loading in separately, or altogether as a code
block, in fact he's given two different code blocks, one
contains four screens, whilst the other contains eight. These
are mainly for demonstration purposes. There's even an example
of text using the giant colourclip art text that appeared in the
'Supplement' a few months ago, there are also a couple of data
files for loading into the sequence table.
** THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS **
I think the best way to describe these, is each is like a
different wipe effect, the FLICK is instantaneous, SCROLL Up,
SCROLL Down, SCROLL Left, and SCROLL Right do just that. BLINDS
is like a venetian blind effect in that the screen is divided
into horizontal lines a couple of characters wide, then folded
up each in turn to a black screen, the CURTAIN's come on
either from the top or from left and right together. SPLIT,
again the screen is divided horizontally, this time into larger
portions and split in half, each portion going left or right.
FOLD UP this too divides the screen into large portions and then
folds the portion into the centre of the screen till black, and
SHUTTER like blinds divides then shutters down the screen one
line on top of the other to a black or blank screen. It should
be noted that when in the ROLL mode, the effects selected in the
sequence table are completely ignored, and cannot be accessed
till FLICK mode is re-instated from the main menu.
** ROLL MODE **
When designing a screen or screens for this mode it
should be borne in mind that all the screens should be made up
of the same sixteen (16) colours due to the fact that the
screens are all treated as one very large screen, otherwise some
pretty ghastly colouration takes place, nothing serious just
terrible to look at. This being caused by all the screens after
the first being of those palette colours. All the screens roll
upwards to create a rolling credits effect, but for my liking
scrolls a little bit tooo ast, a slower scroll speed would be
more desirable here for this.
** TESTING **
To test your sequence of events, simply select option 5,
this will now run through your work displaying the screens as
per the sequence table enabling you to decide beforehand whether
or not everything looks ok prior to the next phase which is
recording your finished title.
** RECORDING **
At the beginning and end of each recording no matter if
you are using the ROLL or FLICK modes to display your work, a
black screen is displayed with a pause, this has two uses, the
first is to create a sort of fade-in effect, the second is
simply to give you the time to set your video recorder to record
if you have not already done so, pressing a key when ready will
then get things rolling. (No pun.)
** LIKES **
Considering that this is only a very short Basic program,
approximately 12K, it can do an awful lot of things, I liked all
the wipe features, and I thought that the sequence table was a
nice touch too. That combined with its overall ease of use makes
it seem very uncomplicated.
** DIS-LIKES **
My only real niggles were that everything has to be done
with SCREEN$ displays, by that I mean creating and saving
everything as a screen. There is no text input facility to type
text in to be used as part of the sequence, although I have been
told that this might appear on a future version. There will also
be a giant text feature in the next 'Supplement' issue 9 that
can be used to create various text screens ready for saving and
loading into the 'Titler' and Dave will be explaining this over
the next few months. The other discrepancy is the huge input
"filename" text used by an over zelous CSIZE command, and for
all its worth looks very unsightly, and is a bit of an
encumbrance at times, and has about as much use as a submarine
with indicators fitted. I thought also that the instruction
sheets were not very clear, and someone using this program for
the first time might have difficulty in understanding one or two
points.
** ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT? **
I have recently written to Daton with a few suggestions
for improving this otherwise neat program, such as one or two
more wipes, a proper FADE IN/OUT, as well as a couple of
DISSOLVE's, along with of course the text input feature
mentioned above, and Daton tells me that when he has the time,
and if anybody else with this program has any other suggestions
towards its improvement he will eventually get round to doing
just that. I think also Darren Talbot's excellent clock from
issue 8 of the 'Supplement' could also have a use here as well.
We might even see a lazy man's deluxe version one day? for use
with the new SAM mouse with a WIMP type selection, but there
again, that might be going a bit too far, and asking to much for
such a program.
** CONCLUSION **
Overall then for a small chunk of Basic this program is very
good for the asking price of #4.99 on disk complete with typed
instruction sheets (two off) and the other accompanying code
block demos, and screens, just about the whole disk is taken up
so you get quite a bit for your fiver. Obviously this program
like any of the more expensive Spectrum titlers available such
as Bill Hall('s excellent 'Protitler +3' (#25) won't quite
compete, as they have more to offer, but otherwise Daton's
'Video-Titler' for the SAM using SAM's superior graphics and
ease of use will more than make up for it. As stated earlier
this program like the Spectrum 'Protitler +3' won't superimpose
text onto your recordings as a Genlock device is required for
that. For the unintiated, a Genlock merely mixes the computer's
signal with the video recorder's to enable this to take place. I
myself have been a keen video "buff" for the past five years,
and already have Bill Hall's 'Protitler +3' program, so for me
being able to at last use my SAM for titling purposes was more
than a welcome boost. All in all then a recommended buy if you
want to add a spot of professionalism to your home recordings.
The titles and their relevant effects should impress upon your
friends and relations alone, even if your home movie making
leaves a lot to be desired.
The software is available by mail order only, to 'Supplement'
members at the price given above, but non-members had better
check with the 'Supplement's newsletter distributor Brian
Mumford first, as he distributes all the 'Supplement's software,
just in case the five pounds asking price is different for them.
Contact: B D MUMFORD
57 ST SAVIOURS ROAD
WEST CROYDON
SURREY
CRO 2XE.
________________________________________________________________
FONT LIBRARY #1
-----------------
by Carol Brooksbank
---------------------
Reviewed by Rob Evans.
The first thing I did with this one was
to get a friend who doesn't now much about computing to see how
easy this font prog was to use. He didn't get very far! The
instructions were not very easy to use, and I found myself
having to help him more and more....
The Fonts themselves were only update of a Spectrum program
with no alteration at all, in fact the speccy progs were on the
disc as well, what for I don't know.
Most of the fonts are no different from the ones that are on the
supplement disc, with just a few different ones, which are not
bad as far as they go.
There is also a font designer/editor on the disc that can only
be loaded with specmaker or something like it. Surely the
program could have been rewritten in Sam BASIC?
There is a Samprint program on the disc which displays the fonts
and then lets you dump them to the printer. This works OK, but
there is no option for saving fonts to disc, unless you ESCape
from the program and save them manually, with SAVE "name"
code address,768, This also is not on!!! It would have been very
simple for this lady to have given the option of 1.print fonts
2 look at fonts and step through one at a time with the option
of saving any fonts that you wanted.
The last prog is Samwrite, which gives you a chance to print
text of various sizes to the screen, but again, if you want a
copy of the screen on disc, you have to stop the program and
SAVE it off yourself. This seems to me like idle programming on
the part of the writer.
NOT WORTH BUYING AT ALL......
.
Review of the Blue Alpha Sound Sampler
by S.Walsh Atkins
This has been a long awaited piece of hardware from Blue
Alpha. It records any sound you want and then you can play it
back through the SAM . You can make modifications to the sounds
as well.
So what do you get for your `50 ? Well you get the
interface, a microphone, a software disk and a set of
instructions . You will need the SAMbus if you want another
interface connected at the same time .
Setting up the sampler is no problem as the instructions
are very clear. After the sampler is set up you need to load up
the ( backed up ) software disk that comes with it before you
can proceed any further. Once loaded you are given a menu. The
top window of this menu contains information on how much memory
you have to record samples. It also tells you if you have any
external memory attached - being the one megabyte upgrade. The
one megabyte can allow for extremely long samples to be
recorded. Below this it lists the current filename, the speed of
the sample, the percentage of the sample to be played and the
direction in which the sample will be played back. Below this
along a horizontal bar are for other more immediate options.
These are as follows:-
Record - select this option and you can start recording
your sample into the microphone. Pressing the space bar will
stop recording the sample.
Play - this will play back to you the current sample in
memory. The sample filename is on display in the above window.
Monitor - select this and you get a new screen which has
a relatively small rectangular window in the centre. Halfway up
this black block there is a horizontal white line which distorts
when you speak into the microphone. This helps you tell if your
recorded samples are too loud so that you know if the sound of
your samples will be corrupted.
Load - this allows you to load in previously recorded
samples with the settings that you have left them with.
Once you have recorded a sample you have to give it a
filename. When you have done this you can then modify the sample
in the following ways :-
1) Change the speed of the sample
2) Edit the amount of sample to be played
3) Change the direction of which the sample is to be
played
Unfortunately thats it! You cannot do very many changes
at all. These are the only three options to actually modify the
sound of the sample. You don't have much flexibility here. You
can modify the speed using slow, normal or fast or use a number
to denote the speed ( 31 to 255 if memory serves ) which is more
accurate. To edit the sample you just type in the percentage of
sample to be played. The direction of the sample can be either
forwards or backwards.
Once you have have modified a sample to your liking then
you can save it to disk. You will need quite a few blank disks
as each of the sample files is very big. Also, the instructions
do not tell you which key operates the "save" function - trial
and error time.
The instructions also tell you how to load in and use
your samples in your own programs via a simple routine. This
alters slightly if you have any external memory connected up.
You are also told how to load samples from basic and alter them
by using a poke.
The first thing that struck me about the sampler is that
you have to make a great deal of noise right up to the
microphone to get anywhere near a fully audible playback. When
you do finally get it loud enough the sound quality is actually
not that bad. You an also get some very impressive results if
you connect the sampler up to a music system and sample some
music ( as can be heard at many an All Formats show ).
My main gripe is that you cannot sufficiently modify the
sample enough to make you really make you feel that you are
getting good value for money. Even the options there are quite
limiting. There is news though that Blue Alpha are making a new
software disk with more options.
I think that that is all I can really say about the sound
sampler. It has quite good sound quality but there is just not
enough there to keep you sampling for long. The sampler could be
greatly improved with a new software disk, but for now I would
only recommend this to more serious users who want to utilise
fairly basic samples in their programs.
________________________________________________________________
Review of "RJW soft's P.D. disk one"
by S. Walsh Atkins
This is the first P.D. disk from a new house called
"SRJ". It consists of mainly game and animation demos. There are
a lot of P.D. companies about so does this one have what it
takes to be successful?
Upon loading this disk you are given an index of all the
programs. There are seventeen different items which isn't bad
for a first disk. The first article is a letter from the authors
- Nathan Reynolds, Lee Tebby and Chris Jeeves.
Unfortunately the font they have used (a strange
"handwriting" type) is quite hard to read if you are using just
an ordinary television set with your SAM. The disk is by three
lads who all are keen computerists and currently working on
various software projects.
The first programs are Ramdrives for either the 256k
or 512k SAM. These programs are for more efficient use of SAM
drives.
Then there are some sound samples. These can only be used
with a 512k machine though.
There are two game demos - "The Enigma Crystal" and
"Strike Force". Although written in BASIC these demos look quite
impressive. "Enigma" is a 3-D arcade adventure and appears to be
quite an involved game. "Strike Force" is a shoot-em-up though
you only get to see the plane and weapon selection screens.
"Superfont" is an easy to use program which allows you to
set up your own screens using quite a large and colourful font -
that's really all I can say about it.
The "Scrolly message" comes next and is a very slow and
pointless scrolling message as far as I can see.
Being the first issue means that in the "Adverts" and
"Forthcoming products" section contains only their own products
in them. These are "Strike Force" (as above),"Kinetic" - a new
sliding puzzle game with a demo in the next issue and
"Wolves-Bane" - a rather stunning looking RPG which they say
will take up 6 disks!!
Then there is a cartoons section - though quite good one
of them was a poor attempt at a sick joke involving a vicious
dog. Especially in light of various events on the news
recently, I find that this was in extremely bad taste.
The screenshots they have really are quite excellent. Two
brilliant static pictures and two fantastically animated ones
being a water fall and a weird 3-D shape which has a water
running through it. These are all superbly done and must be
seen.
The animation demo wouldn't work though I deduced that it
involved a picture of Meryl Streep winking.
"The Funny Bits" is a section again written in that awful
text. It is supposed to be a funny collection of jokes. Do not
be fooled by the title.
And finally the reviews of the MasterDos,the Voice Box
from Blue Alpha and the one megabyte memory upgrade. These are
all quite concise though well written and they clearly know what
they are talking about when it comes to the technical side.
Overall I think that this is quite impressive for a first
disk as they compiled all the programs themselves. I am looking
forward to seeing their games. It is all well presented and put
together.
On the negative side I think that there could have been a
bit more depth to the programs. Some of the text was rather
difficult to read.
This is a good disk for people who are particularly
interested in the leisure side of their SAM. Look out for their
games but for people into more serious programming I would look
elsewhere.
.
000 000 0 0 000
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 00 0 0 0 000
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 000 0 0 000
As you have probably gathered by now, it is the Supplement's
first birthday this issue, but what you may not have realised is
that it is also SAMCO's first birthday this month (August). They
have been back 12 months, and to celebrate the occasion, they
are releasing a limited edition "Birthday Pack".
This, I am told, will contain such goodies as a tee shirt,
pen, software, posters and discs which Samco term "THE BEST OF..
". These will be some of the mags and PD that are available for
the Sam, and I am pleased to announce that the Supplement will
be part of this pack. Further details can be had by contacting
Samco on 0792 700300. Price is unknown at this time.
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our
membership, to wish Samco many happy returns, and continued
success in the future.
This issue (with a bit of luck), will come out on the 1st of
September at the All Formats show in Leeds. Brian and myself
will be at this show, and hope to be at the following shows in
1991:-
14 September -Birmingham
6 October -Bristol
15 December -London
I (Dave), will also be a visitor at the Birmingham Show on 10th
November, and Brian will do the same for the London show on 7th
September. We would of course like to go to all the shows, but
the Supplement's purse does not allow it.
We of course will be please to meet you at any of these shows,
and talk computers all day.
Alan Miles and Bruce Gordon will hopefully be at all of these
shows, and Alan tells me that they hope to try and do the
Alternative Micro Fair, held in Stafford in October, and also
the Computer Shopper Show held in London, in December.
By the time you read this, Prince of Persia should be available.
I've seen the first level, and it's stupendous to say the least.
I hope to have a review in the next issue.
Keep your eyes open for the September issue of Crash, as there
should be a playable demo of F15 on the cover.
On the Supplement front, as from next issue, we are starting a
pokes and cheats section for all you avid games players out
there. Team member Rob Evans will be in charge of it, and he
already has a datafile full of the things. As there is a lack of
Sam specific software at the moment, there will be a fair amount
of Spectrum pokes, which will all work with Messenger files, as
Rob will test every single poke he publishes, to make sure you
are not wasting your time typing them in.
If you have any pokes or cheats for either Sam or Spectrum
games, then contact Rob at:-
43 Darwin Rd, Beechdale Estate, Walsall WS2 7EN
The Supplement still has for sale to members, their Sam
amplifier, which just plugs straight into the lightpen port and
comes with an optional set of stereo speakers.
The price of the amp is `15.00 complete with speakers, or `12.00
if you want to use your own. These prices are inclusive of post
and packing. Please send orders to Editor's address.
While on the subjct of sending orders, anyone wishing to hire
any hardware from the club, should send to the Editor and not
Brian, as this will speed up the turnaround of the items.
For any new(ish) members out there, I am publishing the team
list again. This is part of this file and follows this section.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
********************
* T E A M L I S T *
********************
DAVE TONKS....EDITOR 37 PARKER ST,
BLOXWICH,
TEL:-0922 406239 WALSALL,
WEST MIDLANDS WS3 2LE
_____________________________________________________________
BRIAN MUMFORD..DISTRIBUTER 57 ST. SAVIOURS RD,
WEST CROYDON
TEL:-081 689 1439 SURREY CR0 2XE
_____________________________________________________________
LES PHILLIPS..SALES/WANTS THE WHITE HOUSE
ST. CATHERINES WELL,
TEL:-0258 880394 MILTON ABBAS,
BLANDFORD,
DORSET DT11 OAS
_____________________________________________________________
KEITH TURNER QUASAR SOFTWARE
17/19 DURHAM ROW,
LONDON E1 0NP
_____________________________________________________________
JOHN WASE GREENLEY'S COTTAGE
BISHAMPTON
NR. PERSHORE
WORCS. WR10 2LX
_____________________________________________________________
PETER LILLEY 76 MANNVILLE ROAD
KEIGHLEY,
TEL:-0535 667059 WEST YORSHIRE,
BD22 6AT
_____________________________________________________________
DR. ANDY WRIGHT CLUB ADDRESS
_____________________________________________________________
BOB EVANS 43 DARWIN RD.
BEECHDALE ESTATE
Pokes and Cheats for BLOXWICH
both the Sam and Spectrum WALSALL
WS2 7EN
________________________________________________________________
Henry Stanley (Stan) 19 WESTBROOK AVENUE,
Tel:-021 557 4516 ALDRIDGE
WEST MIDLANDS
Electonics expert and general WS9 0BZ
project maker.
Will try and solve any wiring problems
________________________________________________________________
.
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