Yesterday on the Cassie Tips ListServ, one of the list members posted that the original Casablanca Classic affectionately known as 'The Cassie' was based on the original Amiga computer).
Jorg Sprave CEO of MacroSystem AG posted the following account of the company's beginnings:
The Amiga was always used for early digital video applications, but in the early days it was not possible to store motion video inside of the Amiga. People used it for overlaying analog video with digital images and animations, for titling and so on. That wasn't possible with PCs and Macs at that time, as only the Amiga had video compatible outputs (composite and, later on, Y/C). PCs used VGA and an even more limited standard called "TTL" (black and white graphics).
Lots of video related products were available in the big days of the Amiga. Genlocks (devices that synchronized/overlayed external video sources with computer graphics), the famous Video Toaster (a switcher with overlay, basically four genlocks on a card), the DCTV (graphics enhancer box) and so on.
MacroSystem also had some successful products, namely an audio card (the "Toccata") and a video digitizer card (still images only, the "VLab").
Then, when Motion JPEG compression came along, we introduced the VLab Motion card. For the first time ever, people could record life video and audio inexpensively to the harddrive of an Amiga! We offered it with an editing system called "MovieShop", a complex piece of software that features a full blown timeline, time code, EDLs, the whole deal. Much like some of the "pro" software systems (Avid, Adobe and so on) still work.
Then, Commodore went down, back in 94. A disaster for us, as we had lost our vehicle when we finally had a strong product.
We looked at alternatives, naturally, but found none. PCs and Macs, not enough throughput. Silicon Graphics workstations were way too expensive. So we decided to make our own Amiga clone, the DraCo. We licensed the AmigaOS from the various new owners of the almost defunct Amiga Inc. (it changed hands quickly and often).
The DraCo worked well, but after a year or two, we realized it was too complex for our kind of user. We did not have the Hollywood type cutters that spent three years in college to learn editing. We had the hard working wedding/event video guys (and gals) that needed fast output, and had no time to learn complex user interfaces.
So we threw the computer parts of the interface over board and re-packaged the DraCo into the first Casablanca. The storyboard replaced the timeline, which made it so much easier to edit. No clap down menus, and a clean work flow. People loved it. We were very successful.
Problem was that the AmigaOS (and therefore also the CasablancaOS) required a CPU type that was a dead end, the Motorola 680xx. We employed the last and fastest type they had, the 68060, clocked at 25 MHz. But Motorola had decided to discontinue that line. So there was no choice, we had to look for a new platform.
We found it with the VXWorks OS, and Intel x86 compatible CPUs. Using special hardware codecs (made by CCube), we had the gen 2 machines. Those were suffering from "childhood diseases" at first. Lots of customers were angry with us, as they immediately expected the same stability we had achieved with the very mature, but discontinued gen 1 line. But that wasn't the case, as always when a new system comes out. The gen 2 machines gotten very mature stable and powerful over time, though.
Then, HD came along. Another platform change was called for. So, we brought out BogartSE, based on Linux. Same initial problems, same maturing over time. History always repeats itself.
That is the true story, short version!
Jörg
I have posted an account of Macrosystem history of it's more recent years, copied from the company's less accesible english language website. You can view this in the free resource area on my website here: Macrosystem AG - Company History (1991-2005)
Comments