AV8R, AV8RPro, AV8RPro+, and NEW AV8RPro++ User Testimonials

Here is some of the feedback received direct from users.

Unsolicited user comments, used with permission of the senders - most names edited out.

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From DH
March 30, 1999 - Stealth LayerPlayer Feedback
I just had occasion to use Megagem's Layer Player on a project, and I'm definitely impressed. Not having tons of high end linear hardware, post-production split-screen stuff has always been a pain in the butt, and I always sacrificed more time or image quality than I preferred. After one use of Layer Player, it's "Ahhh, that's the way (insert deity) intended for me to do post effects." If you're not familiar with the process, with Layer Player, you can playback two video clips simultaneously from two different Flyer drives and also have a partial effect (such as a split-screen wipe) at the same time. Lay this output to tape & then bring it back in later as a new clip, and wala! Painless post-production effects. From looking at the manual, it's clear it does a lot of other stuff as well, but if such post effects cause you to wince, then Daniel Wolf has an excellent fix available. I really appreciate it when knowledgeable programmers take the time to knock out such useful products.

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From JA
March 30, 1999 - Stealth LayerPlayer Feedback
i want to endorse these remarks because I too have been using LayerPlayer and it is great. I reccommend it to the guy who has trouble doing splits and inserts. Digitize cam1 Digitize cam2 - play 'em out in sync and live switch for far more effect than you would want to do otherwise. Redigitize the switched footage and "off to the races" w/ room to spare and no headache.

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From JP
April 8, 1999 - Stealth LayerPlayer and MegFX Feedback
Hey, I love my LayerPlayer too. And Dan, all the MegFX work fine while recording with Co-Pilot, even the ones that blanken the screen, no problem.

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From CF
June 30, 1998 - Stealth LayerPlayer feedback
Just a quick mention and thanks to Dan for this great program, and to let everyone know how good it works. I installed the program and was layering video in minutes.

If you want to layer video and key in video with animations Layer Player really is tough to beat. I no longer have to keep going to my Rab Bytes tapes to key animations. Just digitize them to your hard drive and use them to your hearts content. No more guessing with the T-bar or hoping you timed it right, Layer Player takes care of it. Thanks Dan this really is a big time saver for me and well worth the $129 bucks. Keep coming up with great stuff for the Flyer.

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From Robert Levine, College of Communication, Florida State University
December 18, 1997
Very cool feature the ability to build a project, dump to tape, clear drives, record more and then add that to what you already dumped to tape. That's a very cool feature for people who have limited drive space. It really allows you to assemble a project of any length beyond what your drive space can handle. VERY COOL!

LayerFX stuff is very nice. Manual examples are great.

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From C.E.
November 18, 1997
I must say that after playing around with layerplayer last night for several hours,(it took that long because I was having fun going through some of the toaster effects to see what they look like at various settings) I'm left again with that "Man this thing is really awesome" feeling. It really adds a new dimension to effects. I know that renderFX and the clip painting from prowave and Ozware can do similar things, but to see these real-time is really quite a feat. It really has made me see effects not so much as transitions but more like unique video elements to be added to a piece.
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This stuff is way too much fun!
thanks Dan!

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From P.G.
September 23, 1997
It's 4:33am and you have just blown my mind - you, Mr. Sly Fox, have given birth to frame freaking accurate insert editing from AV8R Pro+ to both the Sony BetacamSP BVW75 and the Panasonic Digital DVCPR0 AJ-D750. Repeatable, beautiful clean inserts wherever I want them to go from the Flyer to the decks - in insert mode with preroll defining the location again and again, flawlessly.

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From S.Y.
June 18, 1997
Success, Just finished (last Sat.) a wedding project (the 1st complete project) using your AV8RPro+ and LANC to the DSR-200 camcorder. The interface is great.
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I successfully sync'd up a DAT playback to audio clip with the same respective video clip from camcorder in the Flyer (using AV8R) and both tracked just fine ...

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From Chris McDonnell, Chrysolithos Video Productions
June 6, 1997
I love the ease and performance of the batch loading system. It kicks ass! Thank you for a fine product.
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(* about the AV8R jog controller *) It's such a cool looking piece of hardware. Just the set in and set out buttons are worth the cost, and the jog wheel has a nice hefty metal twirl to it, as opposed to the pop-out panel on the DSR-30. And speaking of the batch loading ware, I really like the way I can use both the Sony deck controls and the AV8R controls to select in and out points for loading clips, and the adjustable padding is a nice real-world feature.

and June 7, 1997
No need to fuss with slow, unreliable tape backup systems, and the batch loading feature of AV8R Pro+ makes redoing a project much easier.

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From K.E.
May 28, 1997
It works great. Recorded a 20 clip project off my time-code-capable MII deck and it was very accurate. In most cases if the Flyer Control Panel said time code was 20:05:00 my burn in window would show either 20:05:00 or 20:05:01. In a couple cases it would show 20:05:02.

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From A.S.
April 1997
You're right however...You spoke,you presented, and you delivered. And to date, I haven't found a bug in it...endorsing not only your AV8RPro, but the fact that you've been ever immediatly available for support.

and May 1997
One program thatI just got the latest update of is AV8RPro with the timeline and source control digitizing features. This thing is so shiny that it deserves a page of it's own. I have both versions, the LANC control for the Sony VX1000 which I can report, works flawlessly. I also got the adaptor for the 422 and plan on using it on my VO 9600 SVHS decks, my VO 9850 3/4SP deck, and UV 1800 beta SP deck as well.

And on May 27, 1997, A.S. added the following
I was a great advocate of the batch capture method, as you say, whenever possible. As of last week I've become an ardent advocator of Dan Wolf's "AV8R-Pro+ ", using the Lanc and 422 protocol adapters he offers with the system.

In a word, this is a "no strain - no pain", "no muss - no fuss" way of digitizing. The system accurately and seamlessly records your clips with the pre-determined amount of padding, (selectable,from 1 to 5 seconds). It is truly amazing on how much information a hard drive will hold when digitizing using this system.

No, Dan doesn't pay me. Short of swinging from the trees and shouting "Ain't this Great", I will recommend it whenever possible. The first thing I did however, after my first session with the unit, was call him up and congratulate him on the product. In a word, it's very "shiny".

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From D.N.
April 1997
with the VX1000, all the deck functions work fine.
First test of the SONY 9850 Hi8 deck. Ta Daaaa......... It works!!! You sly dog, you knew it would, didn't you.
KUHL man...AV8RPlus gets awesomer and awesomer.

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From C.E.
May 1997
The log file is really neat and will be a big help when redigitizing. The flyer still project thingy is elegantly simple. Thanks for all the effort...

Thanks for the help, it's a really neat program, and I've already impressed several of my friends with its capabilities. ;)

Logging is actually really cool, cuz now I can log a tape for a project that may not be actually digitized right away. Before there was no real way to separate the two processes on the Flyer. I've got a project for myself that I don't have enough free time right away to do the whole thing, but now I can at least go through it and prepare the edits for later. Cool.

I also just received AV8RPro+. And have been using it with a SonyVX1000. It does work flawlessly. The new batch digitizing features of AV8RPro+ got me to sit down and use the program for an afternoon ... One thing I've been able to do is log a tape using AV8R, save the resulting Flyer project for digitizing at a later time. I've got a personal project that includes 8 hrs of tape that I've been logging now inbetween paying jobs.

A good, solid, fast program. Kudos to Dan!

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From K.P.
May 1997
Just a quick note to let you know that I only played around with AV8R for a few minutes and all I can say is WOW this program is responsive just like how it should be! Looks to be very intuitive. I'm impressed! Keep up the good work!

I'm glad to say that your product actually works better than I thought it would and for that I thank you for producing a really usable timeline for the flyer. Now if I could just get my hands on that hardware controller :)

HI everyone I finally got the AV8R time line program from MegageM althou I also ordered the hardware controller, they were out of stock, and Daniel Wolf said they would be in next week. In the mean time he has sent me the software and I thought I would share my impressions of the software portion with you now.

The first thing I have to say about this software is it's very responsive! what I mean is there is no time lag for it when it comunicates with the Flyer. Daniel Wolf has provided a new icon for the Start Toaster, so when the Toaster starts up you will see in the program menu the AV8R program. Place some clips in the storyboard interface then select the AV8R program from the popup menu, it immediaty starts the program and analyzes your project and displays all your video audio CG transitions etc. in the timeline.

Right away you can see how all your clips relate to each other, what's really cool is I can click on a video or audio clip in the time line and it immediatly jumps me to that clip and displays the video on my NTSC monitor, where ever I click on that clip in the time line it will take me to that part of the clip then I can job back and forth to get just the right in point. there's no panels to open or close the jog shuttle controls are very responsive even in reverse!.

One area that's a real big improvement is syncing audio to video, here's how easy it is to do this on the Flyer now. Just play the video clip to the spot you want your sound effect to start and hit the pause button, play the audio clip you want to sync up and pause it at the percise moment you want it to start, then hit the s key that's it! AV8R automatically moves the audio clip to the precise moment you set on your video clip then it redraws the timeline to reflect the changes you just made.

I have been using it for about an hour now it's really easy to use and very intuative. So far I'm very impressed with it.

I bought AV8R solely on all the good feedback I had heard about it on this list and I can honestly say it works and works well.

I feel if Newtek wants to incorporate a timeline interface with the Flyer that they should use AV8R because they don't have to reinvent the wheel this product works now, why waste resources on doing it over or patching up Radar when AV8R already does it.

Hi Daniel
I just received the hardware controller about 15 minutes ago, had to go and hook it up just to try it out. Holy Cow is this thing cool! it feels just like I was jogging on a tape machine I'm impressed.

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From P.G.
April 1997
The deck is controlled fine by AV8R! It sees the TC and does the pad. It digitizes the footage and shuts down. Hey- every last single cotton pickin' button functions perfectly! You're a genius.[or at least you play one in real life!]

Very cool power has once again been delivered by Dan the Man! Thanks for the juice!

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From K.E.
January 1997
AV8R finally shipped with features Dan Wolf didn't have time to implement before VTU. Its utility is amazing. You basically can click anywhere on a clip in a timeline, see or hear that point on the monitor, press "x" to grab the program time and then click on ANYTHING ELSE and have that next clip lock to that point.

Basically, now you can sync ANY point in any Flyer Crouton (except effects) to ANY point in any other Flyer crouton in an instant. If you overlap video, or leave blank spots, the Flyer takes care of this for you when you play the project. Finally, no more tedious work arounds to set points inside clips to sync with points inside other clips. The Flyer now has its fully interactive timeline. It's lightning quick and a fitting partner to the Flyer storyboard interface. KE

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From A.H.
Dan,
Am using A4000, Flyer, four 4Gig Quantums.

I really appreciate AV8R. Use it all of the time. I have cable loops as Flyer projects that change from week to week and must be 100% accurate. Your system gives me the visual verification I require prior to committing to air and answers the questions that I need answered. Are the audio tracks functional, are the cg overlays and crawls consistently in the proper location and many more....

Anyway, the program is great and the above uses are a bonus above and beyond it's everyday editing use.

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From B.R.
Thanks for a wonderful product! Don't know if you remember talking to my wife (she got me AV8R for Christmas), but I may be interested in getting the hardware controller at some point - can I upgrade my software only version - she forgot to ask...? How much?

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From D.F.
I am very happy with AV8R 1.01, and have sent in my disk to get the 1.03 update. Looking forward to the sync to any point routine.

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From F.E.
Well from the looks of it you'll probablly get another order after the first (Only allowed to do "emergency" spending right now ... I had to have it ... 8-).

P.S. although I haven't had near enough time to play with it the "hardware" is great, has NT seen this thing?

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From D.F.
Just brought up AV8R once, waiting to use it with the controller, but it looks neat.

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From P.K.
chord? chord, you say? you do yourself and av8r a misjustice....it's more like a symphony...wait, better make that a band: the "pro" should be the symphony (gotta leave space for superlatives). oh, glad that my reg card didn't get lost in the u.s.-of-a. snail-mail system.

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From P.G.
AV8R rocks. Sure do enjoy using it.

d. wolf entered the frame and lo and behold...
Then he came back into the forest of lost panel openers and invented the coolest thing for the Flyer you could ask for - the AV8R timeline with software controls of Flyer playback, jog, shuttle and in/out point, AND a hardware controller in addition that works in tandem to the conjunction of the function. You hit a button, without opening a panel, and the clip blows your mind! I cannot believe what a wild man this wolf guy is. And no, he did not give me 5 owl treats to say this. I fall out of the tree everytime my beak pokes the play button. Call Santa Wolf and tell him you've been good, and would love to get naughty with your Flyer!

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From J.S.
Thanks for your help. It is "as advertised." It is pretty intuitive and fast. Not to mention colorful. Also nice literate job of writing the manual.

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From T.U.
I'd like to chime in here with a few comments:

I have been using AV8R about 90% of the time when using the Flyer. A few comments had been made previously about the true need of such a program once you get used to the Flyer interface. I have to say that I used to agree and wasn't sure what the benefit would be. I also had decided not to buy any more major packages for the Amiga while waiting for the PC Flyer. Well, THINGS HAVE CHANGED!

When doing simple, straightforward projects such as a project with no overlapping audio, minimal effects, video clips that are distinct from each other, the Flyer interface is all you need. I have been working on a 90 minute video lately with many CG pages (haven't gone back to count them), overlapping music, anims inserted between video clips, etc. The benefit of a visual timeline was very clear. Problems stand out. AV8R allows you to zoom in or out depending on how much of the project you want to see at one time. In complicated projects, this benefit can't be denied. I can visually scan down the line, looking at the name of the item and see where in and out points are. I can see where overlaps are not right.

The benefits begin to pile up when you have to adjust the in and outpoints of clips. You can do it right from the screen. Jog forward (even with the software only version) until you find the exact point you want, then click "set inpoint". Voila! All done. You then get to see where other audio such as music goes relative to your new inpoint by looking at the visual timeline.

I am looking to buy the hardware controller after the first of the year (maybe my first tax deduction of 1997!) as the ability to just move and click from one controller would be great!

So, why did I decide to go ahead and spend more money on my Amiga? Because alternatives to using the Flyer on the Amiga appear to have evaporated for the next 6-12 months. The Amiga based Flyer is producing projects for us that should be making us a good income well into 1998. AV8R helps us get them done faster and out the door!! As the LW plugin thread reinforced, if it makes you money (read "less time, more money") it's worth it, and AV8R is definitely that! You won't regret it!

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OK, folks - that's what the users are saying...
so order AV8RPro or AV8RPro+ today!

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