TITLE

SubTitler - Demo Release v2.02

AUTHOR

Ott M. Aaloe
P.O. Box 410
EE0090 Tallinn
Estonia

email: ott@lbi.ee
WWW: http://www.lbi.ee/home/ott/subtitler
Phone: +372 50 15845

DESCRIPTION

SubTitler is a program for displaying subtitles. What makes SubTitler different from others is that it can read SMPTE Time Code directly from the Amiga's serial port in real time without any additional hardware. Just connect your Amiga to a VTR (presuming you have a VTR equipped with an RS-232c interface) and start recording Time Code to every page you need to show later. Once recorded, you can start SubTitler in 'Player' mode in which it waits for the VTR to be in 'PLAY' state and starts showing subtitles according to the current Time Code in a way they were recorded earlier. The benefits of that is that you don't need to have two master tapes - (one original and one with titles) instead, you have just one original. Record the Time Code once, and after that, you can make as many subtitled copies as you want. That way you can sustain the quality to your end product as one pre-recording session is skipped. Most importantly, you can run SubTitler in real time; 'on the air' so to speak (i.e. master tape running, your Amiga reading the Time Code in real time, while overlaying the subtitles and outputting directly to the air. In other words, Amiga, genlock and SubTitler software can be used instead of the expensive subtitling machine. Of course you can also use SubTitler completely ignoring it's Time Code support and just use it by adding subtitles by hand (having 2 VTRs - one for playback and one for recording).

To make all above mentioned work you'll need, like mentioned above, a VTR equipped with RS-232c interface (the same one used on computers). In case you don't have time code supporting VTR then there's built in time code simulator which helps record and playback without external time code but of course the synchronization won't be that easy in that case.

Features:

* External RS-232c SMPTE EBU Time Code support (25 FPS).
* Basic subtitling effects like italic text, centering, lineup (titles appear on upper are of frame).
* The ability to have IFF ILBM picture for background or create slide shows (AGA supported).
* Built in VTR commands for editing: Tape Pre-Roll, Fast Forward, Play, Stop, Rewind and Pause.
* Built in text editor.
* The ability to import files directly from PC (MS-DOS ASCII character remapping).
* Supports most non standard ASCII characters (could add more if there is demand).
* Unlimited number of pages (limited only by available memory)
* Pre-antialiased fonts included for Super Hires (one font in two sizes sizes (one in demo), 8 colors) and Normal Hires (two fonts (one in demo), two sizes (one in demo), 4 and 8 colors). Additional fonts under development.

Limitations to demo release:

* Max 20 pages can be edited/loaded.
* Saving is disabled.
* During Displayer mode only simulated timecode is used.

SubTitler has been tested and it IS working perfectly with Sony UVW 1200 Betacam Player and Panasonic AG-5700 S-VHS Recorder. If you're using different brand VTR then I can't guarantee that SubTitler will work properly. Included protocols are designed for Sony and Panasonic VTRs, but if you provide me with the exact RS-232c protocol your VTR is using then I could try to add it to SubTitler.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

SubTitler has been tested on PAL Amiga 1200, Amiga 1200+030/50MHz and Amiga 4000/040 but it should work with any PAL Amiga equipped with AmigaDOS 2.0 or greater and at least 1-2M free memory. HDD is not required but recommended as saving and loading from/to disks is very slow. ReqTools.library has to be present in libs:

AVAILABILITY

Demo available via FTP from Aminet sites:
ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/gfx/show/SubTitler.lha (204951 bytes)

And also from the SubTitler homepage at:
http://www.lbi.ee/home/ott/subtitler

The full version is available directly from the author (Ott M. Aaloe). Contact me by sending me an e-mail (or snailmail) containing info on your comapany and/or yourself and your requirements/suggestions.

PRICE

The price depends on way you would want to use SubTitler. Note, that there is no category for plain home use as the SubTitler was written for commercial purposes in the first place so I thought it is better to keep it that way.

There are two price categories:

* CAT 1:
Usage: for adding titles by having 2 VTRs, one for playback and one for recording. Limitation: External (RS-232) Time Code support is removed.
Price: US$ 225.-

* CAT 2:
Usage: Like CAT 1 plus external RS-232 Time Code can be used which makes it possible to use SubTitler in real time 'on the air'. Useful for TV companies. Comes with two licenses - permission to run SubTitler on two computers (Player and Recorder).
Limitation: None.
Price: US$ 375.-

Price includes shipping. Both versions come with printed manual and free technical support (e-mail or phone).

DISTRIBUTABILITY

Demo version of SubTitler is freely distributable. SubTitler is Copyright (c) Ott M. Aaloe 1997 SubTitler full package is commercial, copyrighted material and is NOT freely-distributable.