More Amigas At Disney

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                           More Amigas At Disney
  Dr. Peter Kittel                              peterk7@combo.ganesha.com
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In AR410, you report about Amigas used at Disney's.  Below you'll find a
report of mine about the same issue, though I saw it only indirectly via
TV, but with some heartwarming comments from Disney people.  When you see
that my posting is already FIVE years old (this is 5 centuries in computer
business :-), this does say a lot about the robustness of those old
A2000's.  In the text you find some more enlightening details for this very
issue.  And in the text, they say it was even already 4 or 5 years old in
the days of the interview!

Please note also that this use of Amigas is listed since years in the
"Amiga uses" Web page (perhaps this is some outdated URL, but there should
be a link from the "Amiga" Web pages):
http://www5.ios.com/~area52/uses.html

Thanks again and keep up the good work,
Peter

Quote: Old posting

>From: peterk@cbmger.UUCP (Peter Kittel GERMANY)
>Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
>Subject: Amiga at Disney (Was: Re: Memory Protection)
>Date: 16 Jul 91 07:01:59 GMT
>Reply-To: peterk@cbmger.UUCP (Peter Kittel GERMANY)
>Organization: Commodore Bueromaschinen GmbH, West Germany
In article <1991Jul15.123140.11645@Sugar.NeoSoft.com>
peter@Sugar.NeoSoft.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>In article <5397@orbit.cts.com> chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Erik
Funkenbusch) writes:
>
>> the most common bug by far is a null pointer reference.
>> while this can be fatal in some situations, it may not be in others, and the
>> program running might be crucial.
>
>You don't work in the process control industry, am I right?

You should ask the people at Disney Studios: "We have shows here that
run 40 times a day since 2 years and are controlled by Amiga computers.
NOT ONE SINGLE show was abandoned due to a computer error. 20,000 shows
without a crash justify Disney's choice and this computer concept."

(This is re-translated from a translation into German.)

This was in a computer show in German TV (BR-III, Computer-Treff,
13.7.91, 17.05). They reported about all the computer controlling
at Disney in Florida, at Disney/MGM-Studios, at Epcot and in Disney
World (or is it DisneyLand?). Here some more scenes from that show:

Indiana Jones show
Moderator: "Which costly computer system is used here to control all
   those sound effects?"
Disney speaker: "Normal Amigas. We chose them for their multitasking
   capability. That was 4 or 5 years ago. At that time it was the
   only computer with which you could do this. In the meantime there
   were many computers announced that are able to do the same, but
   they are still much more expensive. We could today place a $10,000
   computer here that can do the same, but it makes no sense, for the
   Amigas are working wonderfully. ... We only have problems with the
   environment, humidity and dust. (Action scene shown with fire and
   smoke, Amiga directly besides this, then they show heavy rain in
   Florida.) Real mud gets onto the computer boards. But the computers
   do stand this, you just have to open them every few months, clean
   them and perhaps change boards, then they work reliably."
Moderator: "This is the most important in the film studios where
   George Lucas was among to define the concept: The same procedure
   has to run without problems, dozens of times a day, year for year."

Disney studios, 3D MuppetVision
Moderator: "Also this show would be unthinkable without computer:
   3D characters (Mickey Mouse) on the movie screen interact with
   live actors (Kermit) on the stage. Light, sound and Special Effects
   are controlled and synchronized by an Amiga. (Follows the above
   mentioned 20,000 show statement.)"

Disney World, fireworks in the evening
Moderator: "You may have a nice fireworks, as it lights the sky
   every evening. And guess who stands behind that colorful magic?"
Disney Speaker: "During this fireworks we control all 3 parts of the
   show with the Amiga:
   1. Sound. The computer takes the input signal, music from a digital
      audio tape. Special software processes it in the computer to
      prepare it for different hardware configurations outside, levels
      are adjusted, and the result is fed to 4 or 5 separated loudspeaker
      towers that are distributed in the park. ... Only with the computer
      we can divide the main signal from tape into the correct sub-signals
      and synchroneously send it to the right places.
   2. We also control the pyrotechnics that is established on the roofs.
      We have 6 locations from where we start fireworks. ... During this
      we absolutely need perfect timing, as the fireworks is very tightly
      choreographed with the music of the show, and we want to provide
      the same result every evening. A precise result can only be
      achieved with the Amiga control computer.
   3. The 3rd system controlled by the computer is the light. It consists
      of six 5 kW spots that are controlled individually in their
      precise intensity."

So far excerpts from this TV show. Please apologize my English, I only
hope I didn't lose an important fact or misunderstood one.
It was amazing. They very often not only talked about "computer". No,
they explicitly said "Amiga computer" again and again.
We must address that TV station to get a good tape from it :-).
It's heartwarming.

>--
>Best regards, Dr. Peter Kittel  // E-Mail to  \\  Only my personal opinions...
>Commodore Frankfurt, Germany  \X/ {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!cbmger!peterk

(end of quote)

Uh, do you see that old email address of mine in '91? SIGH!

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