Montgomery was in real estate and an "early adopter" heavy into video. So I ordered one right away and was the first kid in Topeka to have one." "What jumped out at me was that it had an NTSC output and a genlock circuit that allowed the computer to synchronize to an outside video signal," Jenison recalls. Colorware "did video digitizers, paint programs, graphics things," says Jenison. To a certain type of user, these departures from standard computer design made the Amiga very attractive indeed.Īt that time, Jenison was a freelance designer and programmer and one of the principals in a company called Colorware, which developed products for Tandy. It also had a genlock circuit (which allows you to lay titles and graphics on top of video) and a "video-out" jack. Inside the Amiga was a very unconventional set of chips that gave the system more graphics and animation power than anything on the market. In August 1985, Byte magazine ran a preview of a soon-to-be-released personal computer from Commodore called the Amiga. "It started with this odd computer called the Amiga," says Montgomery. Just ask the Garth Algar "nerd-alikes" who bought Toasters to make their own Wayne's World shows and are now making big bucks and "real TV." Toaster users include former butchers turned video makers, high school-age logo animators and commercial producers, former video salespeople now animating for Spielberg, and a former pro skateboarder who turned first to professional wrestling and finally to video production after he was blinded in an automobile accident. Not surprisingly, NewTek and Toaster promotional items appeared in Garth's bedroom, and Garth wore a Toaster T-shirt in several of the movie's scenes.Ĭrass commercialism? Gross product-pushing nepotism? Perhaps, but not totally. Brad was Dana's model for the character of Garth Algar, and was called in to help set-dress Garth's bedroom for Wayne's World 2. The man who built the first wire-wrapped Toaster, engineer Brad Carvey, 42, is Dana Carvey's brother. NewTek received another boost in market recognition via the movie theaters. In the four years since its release, the Toaster has created an industry and leveled the field for independent video producers while it redefined the look of network television. It lets the average guy with home video equipment make video that looks nearly as good as the pros'. The Toaster is a system of wildly inexpensive hardware and software that fits into a Commodore Amiga computer. Tim Jenison, 38, technical wizard, and Paul Montgomery, 33, the self-proclaimed "PT Barnum of NewTek" (NewTek doesn't give job titles), have been nestled away here with a team of digital video hackers making the Video Toaster. What makes this bash more than a little unusual is that it ain't in Silicon Valley, it's in Topeka, Kansas, the home of NewTek. John Dvorak is chatting with Emmanuel Goldstien and Penn Jillette while Santa's Elves sling shooters. Saturday night, there's a VIP reception in the Television Museum, followed by a 500- member guest list Christmas party in a Faux Winter Wonderland, with breakfast omelets served at 3 a.m. Friday night, dinner at a Japanese steak house and then a screening of Wayne's World 2 at a local theater. It starts Friday morning with a wakeup show - San Francisco radio personality and former Midnight Blue producer Alex Bennett, live. In fact, this party runs a whole weekend. Another Silicon Valley-style Christmas party. High-flying NewTek, whose Toaster revolutionized video production, is screaming to the next level.ĭecember 1993.
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