Video Toaster
Broadcast on a budget
NewTek's revolutionary Amiga expansion that turned a home computer into professional broadcast equipment, replacing $100,000 of gear for under $5,000.
Overview
The Video Toaster was a hardware/software combination from NewTek that transformed the Amiga into professional video production equipment. Released in 1990, it replaced equipment costing $100,000 or more with a solution under $5,000, democratising broadcast production and enabling a generation of television content that wouldn’t have existed otherwise.
Fast Facts
- Manufacturer: NewTek
- Released: 1990
- Price: ~$2,400 (card + software)
- Platform: Amiga 2000/3000/4000
- Output: Broadcast-legal video
- Bundled: LightWave 3D
Capabilities
| Feature | Use |
|---|---|
| Character generator | Titles, lower thirds, graphics |
| Video switching | Cut between multiple inputs |
| Effects | Wipes, transitions, DVE |
| Chroma key | Green screen compositing |
| Frame buffer | Still image display |
| 3D graphics | LightWave included |
The Price Revolution
| Traditional | Video Toaster |
|---|---|
| Character generator: $30,000 | Included |
| Video switcher: $50,000 | Included |
| Effects unit: $20,000+ | Included |
| 3D system: $100,000+ | LightWave included |
| Total: $200,000+ | ~$5,000 with Amiga |
Technical Approach
The Toaster worked because:
- Amiga’s video timing - Genlockable by design
- Custom hardware - NewTek’s processing card
- Software integration - Unified control panel
- Broadcast output - NTSC-legal signals
- Expandability - Could add capabilities
Television Credits
Video Toaster powered:
| Production | Use |
|---|---|
| Babylon 5 | All CGI effects |
| SeaQuest DSV | Visual effects |
| Local news | Graphics nationwide |
| MTV | Music videos |
| Corporate | Training, presentations |
LightWave 3D
The bundled 3D package became legendary:
- Full 3D modelling and animation
- Ray tracing and rendering
- Professional-quality output
- Later sold as standalone product
- Still in use today
Cultural Impact
The Video Toaster:
- Created careers - Trained professional editors
- Enabled content - Shows that couldn’t afford traditional production
- Proved a point - Professional tools could be affordable
- Inspired industry - Desktop video became a category
Legacy
The Video Toaster demonstrated that the gap between consumer and professional wasn’t about capability—it was about price. By making broadcast-quality production affordable, NewTek enabled content creation at scales that shaped the television landscape of the 1990s and presaged the democratisation of video production that the internet would later complete.