Roland Audio, Video Modules Bring Creative Video Production to New Customers

A-6 Digital Multi Audio Station

January 28, 1999 -- ThinKware, America's largest distributor of DeskTop Media Production (DTMP) products, and North American computer/audio/music/video giant Edirol have taken a significant step into the video production arena with the introduction of Roland's new V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor and companion A-6 Digital Multi Audio Station. Notes ThinKware president Wm. Laurie Gillespie, "We're pleased to introduce these Video Canvas modules to our customers - the Video Canvas combines the best of Roland's audio technology with a tremendously well-engineered video workstation to deliver an outstanding product at a surprisingly low price."

Roland's Video Canvas gives entertainers, retailers, corporations, institutions, schools, video enthusiasts, and other users a professional quality palette of video and audio tools that can be used to create powerful, highquality video/audio productions in an extremely user-friendly environment. Video Canvas users can incorporate video images and computer-generated illustrations, text and graphs into demonstration, show, meeting, conference, and educational presentations. Users can also add titles, narration, sound effects and background music to existing video material. Both video and audio editing capabilities utilize advanced digital technology to provide state-of-the-art quality.

The V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor combines an impressive variety of video production tools into a familiar, easy-to-use format, compact footprint (15 3/4" x 12 1/4" x 4 1/8", 8 1/2 lbs.) and great ergonomic design. The V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor offers users an uncomplicated way to add titles, video effects and scene transitions to existing video, all in a single standalone unit. An outstanding array of features include high quality digital video capabilities (560 lines of horizontal resolution), four sub video sources for overlay, wipe, dissolve, etc. (two video inputs, one VGA, and one still store), full-featured screen mix function, title processor, numerous built-in video effects, scene transitions and wipe patterns, auto fading, picture in picture, and a complete collection of title creation functions. The V-5 is compatible with a variety of software packages, enabling users to easily integrate PC source material (graphics, documents, etc.) into the video production; users can also synchronize between music tempo and images via tap function and MIDI, and additional time code synchronization is available via Roland's optional SI-80S interface. With a suggested retail price of $1695.00, the Roland V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor is an outstanding value.

When combined with the V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor, the companion A-6 Digital Audio Station completes the Video Canvas package. The A-6 Digital Audio Station incorporates its functions as a hard disk recorder, mixer, sampler, and effects processor all within the digital domain. It is equipped with a 4-track stereo digital recorder; audio sources - narration, camcorder-recorded audio, background music and sound effects - can be digitally recorded and mixed, and each source can be assigned to a dedicated track. Input sounds are converted from analog to digital at 20 bits and all internal processing is done at 24 bits. The A-6 comes equipped with an audio effects processor with 99 different high-quality professional level audio effects and a built-in sound library, and can synch to images and timecode by utilizing Roland's optional SI-80S MIDI sync interface. With its wide range of editing tools and complete audio editing freedom, multi 1/0 expansion capabilities, ease of operation, and full functionality, the A-6 Digital Audio Station provides the complete audio compliment to high-quality video productions. The A-6's functionality, ease of operation, and compact footprint (15 9/16" x 13 9/16" x 3 15/16", 9 lbs.), are almost identical to the V-5 Video Mix/Title Processor, allowing users to create the ideal, costeffective audio/video package. Suggested retail price for the A-6 Digital Audio Station is $1595.00.

The combined Video Canvas package makes it possible for a broad spectrum of users from novice to professional to create cost-effective, high quality audio/video productions with tremendous ease of operation. Comments ThinKware vice president Doug Smith, "Roland's Video Canvas gives computer music and video users the final pieces in the Desk Top Media Production puzzle and facilitates a true integration of hardware and software functions. The price, versatility and efficiency of operation of Roland's V-5/A-6 combination open the market up to some huge new customer groups and put high quality video production within just about everyone's grasp."

For more information, visit Edirol at http://www.edirol.com/