Do you still use the Amiga for work?

Akira · 26 July 2002, 04:09

Every month or so, I setup an installation in a popular nightclub of the BA night... I provide visuals to the place synchronized with the stuff the DJ is playing.

Anyway, last year when I worked at a studio doing this, we took a PC a couple VCRs, stuff like that. Tomorrow I'll have my first party of the year, but this time I go alone. I broke free from that fucking studio and I'm now free to do what I really want

I always thought the show could be expanded greatly if I used some of my old computers...

I'm taking the PC, for this event known as "vector-pusher". It will be providing interactive media I created with Flash MX.
I'm also taking my A1200, temporarily nicknamed "pixel-pusher". It will be providing effects, animation and stuff created with it and all tracked with Videotracker.
And if the setup was complete, I would be taking a C64, that would be nicknamed "charset-pusher". I wanted to do some charset art but I didn't find a noter program appropriated enough for the task. At least not one that let me work as fast as I needed. perhaps next time.

The setup is completed with a camera providing live video feed, two mixers (Panasonic WJ MX50 and WJ MX12), 4 Sony projectors and 4 screens. All these unluckily not mine but rented, except for the cam.

Anyway, I'm using the Amiga for my work, I think it rocks, what I do with it on Videotracker cannot be done as easily on the PC, if at all. Besides, it's got that special oldschool feel

. I also use it when I need to do pixel work. The pixel disks and drive on kiken corporation's website I created using DPIV AGA. For these events I surely could use one of those rack-mounted A1200s that Eyetech sells! But I'm piss poor

I have to take a frigging air fan to cool the Amiga during the many hours the show lasts...

Anybody else uses the Amiga for his work today? Would be nice to hear other experiences!

Nothing Beats the Real Thing©!

RetroMan · 26 July 2002, 10:37

Well, I use my Amiga for work

I´m doing some website and game translations right now and everything is done on my A2000/060

Also some gfx manipulation is done on it !

All these things (especially gfx) can be done more easily on an Amiga than on any PeCe out there, maybe a Mac can provide such great Tools/Apps but all those PeCe crap is fully overloaded with useless functions

thinlega · 26 July 2002, 20:41

I was thinking about doing some old school vj-ing like you akira...so I am on the hunt for a rack amiga as well...

But I think the best way to go(what i am thinking of doing) is getting an atari st rack kit and using that. They seem to be more popular because of its midi studio "REP" :P .......I will try to find the link.. I have seen one for only £50 :eek

Akira · 27 July 2002, 14:25

Never heard of REP, but can teh ST pull off shite as good as an AGA Amiga? I dont think so.

Just got back from VJign, the Amiga performed wonderfully! I made a bunch of Videotracker Vidules, and tripped away using the joystick. Teh PC runnning Flash was brilliant as always. I made a setup that looked like a fucking airport information screen

Youve got to see this! im sad I didnt have a camcorder to tape it...

Thanks go out to my friends LSD, vodka and Speed energy drink for the trippy support :P :P

Akira · 28 July 2002, 07:48

Here are some pics of the setup, before the party started. The Amiga was turned off because I didnt want to have it powered on for nothing (I take too much care of it :P).

Here you can see the A12K, the fan I got for keeping it cool :P, the wide screen with the 4 projectors showing some Flash anims, part of the monitor and the Panasonic WJMX50 mixer.

Akira · 28 July 2002, 07:53

And here's a closeup at the mixer, while I was trying my "airport emulator" on the screen

[edit]Bwahahaha, I just re-read the message I posted when I got back from the club... That thing about REP.... I didnt read properly, what an idiot! I can blame the alcohol and stuff though

Akira · 28 July 2002, 08:00

This guy has a rack-mounted Falcon:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/laurent.favard/eiffel_e.html

WOO, and this one works for Falcons and STs:
http://www.wizztronics.com/falcon.htm

Akira · 28 July 2002, 08:15

This is an interesting read too

http://www.harmony-central.com/Synth.../Amiga-01.html

thinlega · 28 July 2002, 12:50

HaaaaHaaaaa!!! yeah me likes the "REP" comment!!!! :laugh

The setup looks cool!!.....are the four screens the same or do you have them doing different things? How do you make the flash anims go in time to the music are they keyboard controlled or do you chop it up using the mixer?

enough questions......

When i first look at the pic I thought The fan was some kind of mad attachment.....the biggest amiga MOD in the world!!

Akira · 28 July 2002, 21:50

Quote:

Originally posted by thinlega
HaaaaHaaaaa!!! yeah me likes the "REP" comment!!!! :laugh

heh, lsd, what to expect?

Quote:

The setup looks cool!!.....are the four screens the same or do you have them doing different things?

Well, a last minute change left me without the WJMX12 mixer, so the four projectors showed the same images. Otherwise it would be two images, 1 and 3 from the WJMX50, and 2 and 4 from the WJMX12. It actually is one big wide screen with four projectors situated at the right distance from each other

Quote:

How do you make the flash anims go in time to the music are they keyboard controlled or do you chop it up using the mixer?

Keyboard+mouse controlled, so the interface between the sound and the computer is ME

Works pretty frigging well, and the mixer helps too, because I give effects and chop it from there... I was banging at the keyboard, the mouse, controlling the mixer and using the Amiga's joystick. A real mess! But fun

Quote:

When i first look at the pic I thought The fan was some kind of mad attachment.....the biggest amiga MOD in the world!! [/b]

Bwahahaha! yeah! it kind of looks similar to the Amiga case

I'm in normal mode now so I wont be asking if that MOD is any good, and who composed it :laugh

Shatterhand · 29 July 2002, 01:54

Excuse my ignorance, but for what you were using the joystick ?

Akira · 29 July 2002, 05:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Shatterhand
Excuse my ignorance, but for what you were using the joystick ?

Ask the ladies that were around there

No, seriously, the joystick triggered effects on Videotracker. Pushing left, right or up brought up different effects. In this case, videos I converted to anim5. Could be line/dot/filled vector routines, scrolls, copper magnifiers, stuff like that and combinations of them. When you press the button, you have another bank of effects. In total, you can have 8 banks of effects.

Videotracker is used to track effects that go synced with a MOD (to create decent demos), but it also has this great Joystick module that allows you to jam live in a VJ session.

Shatterhand · 30 July 2002, 05:38

Oh yeah... how could I be so naive ....

I didn't know a joystick could have SO MANY utilites...

Rick Dangerous · 06 June 2006, 23:38

Hi,
Is it just nostalgia this forum is based on?
Are there any users out there that still use the Amiga for professional reasons?
Me not.
But maybe 2 years ago I met a guy who is running a 'fighting-sports-studio' and he still uses the Amiga for loans, investment and other kinda-stuff.
Methinks he's cool. He has a A4000 and doesn't know much of the PC-world. He does all on this machine.

Are there any others here in this forum that use the Amiga for hard buisiness?

Cheers, Rick

keropi · 06 June 2006, 23:42

I use it for pr0n.

jk, some small tv-stations in my town still use amigas...

but when I told one of them of my ppc amiga he knew nothing about it, the best cpu he knew was the 040. lol

FromWithin · 06 June 2006, 23:49

I use it for all of my music sequencing.

Rick Dangerous · 07 June 2006, 00:43

@FromWithin

The company Freelance was founded when?
It's just in my mind... Psygnosis-yes I know.
Wasn't there a thing like 'Freelance-Graphics' somewhere back in time?

Cheers, Rick

PS: Hey, it's my 20th Amiga-Anniversary!

Mick_AKA · 07 June 2006, 02:00

Ive been involved with a few student productions where dated looking effects have been required, enter scala and C4D

I still model in C4D on the amiga but purely to see how much I can get out of it

Fred the Fop · 07 June 2006, 02:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

I use it for pr0n.

jk, some small tv-stations in my town still use amigas...

but when I told one of them of my ppc amiga he knew nothing about it, the best cpu he knew was the 040. lol

Now now are you playing Strip Poker or Teen Queen again, Kero?

FromWithin · 07 June 2006, 02:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Dangerous

@FromWithin: The company Freelance was founded when?

No specific company, but I've done freelance work ever since I was shoved out of Psygnosis.

Did this over the weekend, all sequenced with Bars&Pipes. I simply can't stand anything else for MIDI editing. Everything else is so weak in comparison.

woody57 · 07 June 2006, 03:08

Very impresive track

FromWithin

Excellant use of both spacial & time lag effects & yet you still managed to keep it clean & "live" sounding....the true mark of Professional sequencing

When you cannot tell it's been used

spoUP · 07 June 2006, 03:13

i've done some pixel work.

keropi · 07 June 2006, 07:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred the Duck

Now now are you playing Strip Poker or Teen Queen again, Kero?

yeah! how did u know??? still spying on me with your biniculars?

Shoonay · 07 June 2006, 19:42

I use it at work - not so seriously - for games mostly, but also pixeling some "art"

Hmmm... I wonder if that counts

...

blade002 · 08 June 2006, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by FromWithin

No specific company, but I've done freelance work ever since I was shoved out of Psygnosis.

Did this over the weekend, all sequenced with Bars&Pipes. I simply can't stand anything else for MIDI editing. Everything else is so weak in comparison.

who is singing in the song ? is it you??.. great track!!!.

FromWithin · 11 June 2006, 04:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by blade002

who is singing in the song ? is it you??.. great track!!!.

Yes, that's me singing. I'm re-doing the vocals shortly though. I'd just got over a cold and I was coughing all day when I did them, so my voice was a bit nasally and fragile. They'll be much more solid when it comes out of beta (and there's a bit of lyrics and lead guitar to add).

Thanks for the compliments, gentlemen.

RetroMan · 11 June 2006, 23:25

Doing nearly all my work on Amiga

- Internet
- mp3
- office

Except Video Editing since there´s no suitable software for my needs

Ah yes, using A1200PPC 240/060 with Mediator PCI and AmigaOne G3 750GX 800Mhz.

Unknown_K · 12 June 2006, 06:18

If I put an Amiga sticker on my Athlon Xp machine does that count?

I can see somebody still using a 68K based Amiga for real work as long as they don't have to interface with others in a current office environment (basically creating content for your own use).

Paul · 12 June 2006, 12:41

Threads merged with other older thread in Retrogaming General Discussion, so it does not get lost in off topic

FromWithin · 17 June 2006, 04:45

For any interested parties, I've just finished re-doing my track, Somnolence, of which I posted a link to the beta version above. It's much, much better now.

http://fromwithin.com/files/Somnolence.mp3

blade002 · 17 June 2006, 05:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by FromWithin

Yes, that's me singing. I'm re-doing the vocals shortly though. I'd just got over a cold and I was coughing all day when I did them, so my voice was a bit nasally and fragile. They'll be much more solid when it comes out of beta (and there's a bit of lyrics and lead guitar to add).

Thanks for the compliments, gentlemen.

Shit youve got a great voice.. what are you doing!!!.. get the hell out there and make yourself known!.. youve got some talent!

My brother had about 40 grands worth of synth and sampling equipment plus about 3 electric guitars. Im looking at getting into some music myself with a synth, so i may ask you for a few tips later down the track. my brother is hard to get a hold of at times.

Actually i just read further up that you used to work for Psygnosis??.. between what years did you work there and what was some of your work??..

RetroMan · 17 June 2006, 14:27

Yay

Great song

FromWithin · 18 June 2006, 17:13

Thanks for the encouragement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blade002

get the hell out there and make yourself known!

I'm working on it.. just recording a bunch of songs that I should have recorded years ago. That one was the first.

Quote:

Im looking at getting into some music myself with a synth, so i may ask you for a few tips later down the track.

No problem. Fire away when you're ready.

Quote:

Actually i just read further up that you used to work for Psygnosis??.. between what years did you work there and what was some of your work??..

Between 1992 and 1999, but I did the music on Bill's Tomato Game in 1991, and some freelance stuff into 2000. I had my hand somewhere in almost every game we released around that time. Sound effects, music, level design, whatever. The main games I worked on were the ones that annoyingly weren't particularly successful (Theatre Of Death, Globdule, Last Action bloody Hero), apart from the original Formula1 which nobody played with the music on anyway. Do a search for me and Psygnosis, there's a fair bit of info that I've posted over the years.

commie1974 · 19 June 2006, 18:51

[quote=FromWithin]
I'm working on it.. just recording a bunch of songs that I should have recorded years ago. That one was the first.
/quote]
Great music and vocals!!! Keep on

Mangar · 06 July 2006, 01:19

That was terrific. Damn record some more. I love the retro synth sound.

26 July 2002, 04:09	#1
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	Do you still use the Amiga for work? Every month or so, I setup an installation in a popular nightclub of the BA night... I provide visuals to the place synchronized with the stuff the DJ is playing. Anyway, last year when I worked at a studio doing this, we took a PC a couple VCRs, stuff like that. Tomorrow I'll have my first party of the year, but this time I go alone. I broke free from that fucking studio and I'm now free to do what I really want I always thought the show could be expanded greatly if I used some of my old computers... I'm taking the PC, for this event known as "vector-pusher". It will be providing interactive media I created with Flash MX. I'm also taking my A1200, temporarily nicknamed "pixel-pusher". It will be providing effects, animation and stuff created with it and all tracked with Videotracker. And if the setup was complete, I would be taking a C64, that would be nicknamed "charset-pusher". I wanted to do some charset art but I didn't find a noter program appropriated enough for the task. At least not one that let me work as fast as I needed. perhaps next time. The setup is completed with a camera providing live video feed, two mixers (Panasonic WJ MX50 and WJ MX12), 4 Sony projectors and 4 screens. All these unluckily not mine but rented, except for the cam. Anyway, I'm using the Amiga for my work, I think it rocks, what I do with it on Videotracker cannot be done as easily on the PC, if at all. Besides, it's got that special oldschool feel . I also use it when I need to do pixel work. The pixel disks and drive on kiken corporation's website I created using DPIV AGA. For these events I surely could use one of those rack-mounted A1200s that Eyetech sells! But I'm piss poor I have to take a frigging air fan to cool the Amiga during the many hours the show lasts... Anybody else uses the Amiga for his work today? Would be nice to hear other experiences! Nothing Beats the Real Thing©!

26 July 2002, 10:37	#2
RetroMan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Germany Age: 40 Posts: 3,704	Well, I use my Amiga for work I´m doing some website and game translations right now and everything is done on my A2000/060 Also some gfx manipulation is done on it ! All these things (especially gfx) can be done more easily on an Amiga than on any PeCe out there, maybe a Mac can provide such great Tools/Apps but all those PeCe crap is fully overloaded with useless functions __________________ --~~= RetroMan =~~-- -= AmigA =- -= ForeveR =-

26 July 2002, 20:41	#3
thinlega .:Part-Time Winner:. Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: UK Age: 33 Posts: 514	I was thinking about doing some old school vj-ing like you akira...so I am on the hunt for a rack amiga as well... But I think the best way to go(what i am thinking of doing) is getting an atari st rack kit and using that. They seem to be more popular because of its midi studio "REP" :P .......I will try to find the link.. I have seen one for only £50 :eek __________________ .:THiNLEG:.

28 July 2002, 07:48	#5
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	Here are some pics of the setup, before the party started. The Amiga was turned off because I didnt want to have it powered on for nothing (I take too much care of it :P). Here you can see the A12K, the fan I got for keeping it cool :P, the wide screen with the 4 projectors showing some Flash anims, part of the monitor and the Panasonic WJMX50 mixer. Attached Thumbnails

28 July 2002, 07:53	#6
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	And here's a closeup at the mixer, while I was trying my "airport emulator" on the screen [edit]Bwahahaha, I just re-read the message I posted when I got back from the club... That thing about REP.... I didnt read properly, what an idiot! I can blame the alcohol and stuff though Attached Thumbnails

27 July 2002, 14:25	#4
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	Never heard of REP, but can teh ST pull off shite as good as an AGA Amiga? I dont think so. Just got back from VJign, the Amiga performed wonderfully! I made a bunch of Videotracker Vidules, and tripped away using the joystick. Teh PC runnning Flash was brilliant as always. I made a setup that looked like a fucking airport information screen Youve got to see this! im sad I didnt have a camcorder to tape it... Thanks go out to my friends LSD, vodka and Speed energy drink for the trippy support :P :P

28 July 2002, 08:00	#7
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	This guy has a rack-mounted Falcon: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/laurent.favard/eiffel_e.html WOO, and this one works for Falcons and STs: http://www.wizztronics.com/falcon.htm

28 July 2002, 08:15	#8
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,584	This is an interesting read too http://www.harmony-central.com/Synth.../Amiga-01.html

28 July 2002, 12:50	#9
thinlega .:Part-Time Winner:. Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: UK Age: 33 Posts: 514	HaaaaHaaaaa!!! yeah me likes the "REP" comment!!!! :laugh The setup looks cool!!.....are the four screens the same or do you have them doing different things? How do you make the flash anims go in time to the music are they keyboard controlled or do you chop it up using the mixer? enough questions...... When i first look at the pic I thought The fan was some kind of mad attachment.....the biggest amiga MOD in the world!! __________________ .:THiNLEG:.

29 July 2002, 01:54	#11
Shatterhand Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brazil Age: 30 Posts: 1,637	Excuse my ignorance, but for what you were using the joystick ?

30 July 2002, 05:38	#13
Shatterhand Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brazil Age: 30 Posts: 1,637	Oh yeah... how could I be so naive .... I didn't know a joystick could have SO MANY utilites...

06 June 2006, 23:38	#14
Rick Dangerous Registered Playmate Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: OZ Age: 43 Posts: 137	Who is using the Amiga for serious work? Hi, Is it just nostalgia this forum is based on? Are there any users out there that still use the Amiga for professional reasons? Me not. But maybe 2 years ago I met a guy who is running a 'fighting-sports-studio' and he still uses the Amiga for loans, investment and other kinda-stuff. Methinks he's cool. He has a A4000 and doesn't know much of the PC-world. He does all on this machine. Are there any others here in this forum that use the Amiga for hard buisiness? Cheers, Rick

06 June 2006, 23:42	#15
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,041	I use it for pr0n. jk, some small tv-stations in my town still use amigas... but when I told one of them of my ppc amiga he knew nothing about it, the best cpu he knew was the 040. lol __________________ *A1200D mfilos ed.* : ACA 1231/42 , Indivision MK2 , IDEfix Express , Subway , PicoPSU 120w custom 3.9 ROM/OS**

06 June 2006, 23:49	#16
FromWithin Music lord Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Liverpool, UK Age: 39 Posts: 580	I use it for all of my music sequencing. __________________ MikeC - fromwithin.com

07 June 2006, 00:43	#17
Rick Dangerous Registered Playmate Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: OZ Age: 43 Posts: 137	@FromWithin The company Freelance was founded when? It's just in my mind... Psygnosis-yes I know. Wasn't there a thing like 'Freelance-Graphics' somewhere back in time? Cheers, Rick PS: Hey, it's my 20th Amiga-Anniversary!

07 June 2006, 02:00	#18
Mick_AKA crusader of light Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stone, Staffordshire. Posts: 1,086	Ive been involved with a few student productions where dated looking effects have been required, enter scala and C4D I still model in C4D on the amiga but purely to see how much I can get out of it

07 June 2006, 03:08	#21
woody57 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Manchester Age: 90 Posts: 801	Very impresive track FromWithin Excellant use of both spacial & time lag effects & yet you still managed to keep it clean & "live" sounding....the true mark of Professional sequencing When you cannot tell it's been used

07 June 2006, 03:13	#22
spoUP Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: sweden Age: 35 Posts: 238	i've done some pixel work.

07 June 2006, 19:42	#24
Shoonay Global Caturator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Porando Posts: 5,844	I use it at work - not so seriously - for games mostly, but also pixeling some "art" Hmmm... I wonder if that counts ... __________________ "I used to be an Amiga user, then I took an arrow in the knee."

11 June 2006, 23:25	#27
RetroMan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Germany Age: 40 Posts: 3,704	Doing nearly all my work on Amiga - Internet - mp3 - office Except Video Editing since there´s no suitable software for my needs Ah yes, using A1200PPC 240/060 with Mediator PCI and AmigaOne G3 750GX 800Mhz. __________________ --~~= RetroMan =~~-- -= AmigA =- -= ForeveR =-

12 June 2006, 06:18	#28
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 44 Posts: 1,367	If I put an Amiga sticker on my Athlon Xp machine does that count? I can see somebody still using a 68K based Amiga for real work as long as they don't have to interface with others in a current office environment (basically creating content for your own use).

12 June 2006, 12:41	#29
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	Threads merged with other older thread in Retrogaming General Discussion, so it does not get lost in off topic __________________ The Green Amiga Alien Guides http://guide.abime.net/

17 June 2006, 04:45	#30
FromWithin Music lord Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Liverpool, UK Age: 39 Posts: 580	For any interested parties, I've just finished re-doing my track, Somnolence, of which I posted a link to the beta version above. It's much, much better now. http://fromwithin.com/files/Somnolence.mp3 __________________ MikeC - fromwithin.com

17 June 2006, 14:27	#32
RetroMan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Germany Age: 40 Posts: 3,704	Yay Great song __________________ --~~= RetroMan =~~-- -= AmigA =- -= ForeveR =-

19 June 2006, 18:51	#34
commie1974 Ami Worshipper Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Piraeus-Greece Age: 39 Posts: 174	[quote=FromWithin] I'm working on it.. just recording a bunch of songs that I should have recorded years ago. That one was the first. /quote] Great music and vocals!!! Keep on

06 July 2006, 01:19	#35
Mangar Got the fever back Join Date: May 2001 Location: Toronto / Canada Age: 41 Posts: 281	That was terrific. Damn record some more. I love the retro synth sound.

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