Titlers, Switchers, Paintboxes, Paint Apps and Old Broadcast Equipment

[Swift Griggs]

On Tue, 3 May 2016, Dale H. Cook wrote:
> >I also seem to remember that the Toaster had something that came along 
> >later called the "Toaster Flyer" card that would allow you to digitize 
> >video and work with it digitally, but I never used one
> Our Toaster had a Flyer.

Was I right? Did that thing actually digitize video? Once you had it could 
you use it as a source for A/B rolls and the like that the regular 
Toaster functions covered?

I didn't realize the Avid stuff was as popular and well-used as you guys 
are saying. Back in the day, I was under the impression that Avid 
equipment was just for hobbyists, but it seems not. Sounds like it was 
well used in professional broadcast apps, also.

What about titlers? I'm under the impression that, until the mid-90's or 
so, titlers were totally dedicated bits of hardware. Then came a lot of 
packages for the PC and Amiga to do it in software and overlay it with a 
genlock. I also remember that switchers and time base correctors were 
needed for video back in the day. I understand the concept of a switcher 
(easy) but a TBC? Was that because you had to have video timings exactly 
matching before you could successfully show bits from both at the same 
time (ie.. in an A/B roll) or was it for a completely different purpose ?

-Swift