There was a good turn out of AMPS members at Denham on Sunday morning, 13th March, to attend a demonstration of the Waveframe DCS workstation. The location was Anvils super new theatre complex, in its own building , at the side of Rank Labs.
In the large Post Sync and Foley stage Alan Snelling was putting a WaveFrame through its paces and showing assembled members the ADR software package. In the main dubbing theatre, the larger of the two, Keith Sherry was demonstrating another WaveFrame with the latest software. Keith is the technical wizard at Syco Systems, UK distributor of WaveFrame.
The WaveFrame's operating system is based upon a 486 IBM compatible PC running with Windows 3.1 so some members were already familiar with this operating platform. In addition to the main computer there are some extra cards needed - an analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue converter, a timecode reader, RS232 control and several gigabytes of hard disk drive to store the digitised sounds.
Keith took us through the various updates on the latest software known as 'Look And Feel'. Once the basics were explained, there followed some examples of what could be done with digital sound editing including - Cut and Splice, Paste, Time Expand, Time Compress, Auto Dial Conforming, Drag And Drop, Fades In and Out, Level Adjustment. All these functions are output to 8 tracks on the present software but 16 and 32 tracks will soon be available. If you get bored with the display, it can be customised to your own tastes.
Also demonstrated was an ASC Virtual Recorder that digitises video and stores it on hard disk. From this computer the picture was fed through Anvil's video projector and on to the screen in the theatre. This was then locked to the WaveFrame. The result of this hook up and the joy of random access hard disk systems was instant sound and picture at any chosen location. It also allows us to scrub an area frame by frame without the problems normally associated with video tape systems.
At the end of the demo, members were free to get some hands-on experience upstairs in the cutting rooms as three machines were hooked up ready to use. Some more questions and answers followed and the meeting ended about 2 PM.
AMPS would like to thank Ken Somerville and Alan Snelling at Anvil Films for providing the theatres, Keith Sherry and Nick Williams from Syco Systems for their demo and not forgetting Mary in her kitchen for the tea and coffees.