Animation Toolworks LunchBox Sync Summary

Summary- The LunchBox DV is a frame grabber capable of recording individual frames or full motion video, and playing them back, full screen, at a user selectable 24 or 30 frames per second. It can also display frames sequentially. The LunchBox DV also records sound and plays it back with the video. It also can do audio "scrubbing" as you step through frames sequentially. The LunchBox DV accepts input from analog video or DV cameras and can transfer animation to and from a computer as DV over firewire.
The hallmarks of the LunchBox DV are how easy it is to use, and its instantaneous feedback.
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Comparing the LunchBox DV and the LunchBox Sync- The LunchBox DV has several improvements over the LunchBox Sync, while retaining the LunchBox family's unsurpassed simplicity, speed and reliability:

Improved image quality.
The LunchBox DV has twice the resolution as the LunchBox Sync.

DV Camera support.
The LunchBox DV can accept input from DV (Digital Video) cameras. With the improved resolution, the LunchBox DV has stunning output.
So if DV quality is good enough for your production, the LunchBox can be used for your final output. The LunchBox is not just for test anymore!
Of course, you can still use your analog video camera if you prefer.

Firewire support.
Need to output your animation to a computer for post-production, or to create a DVD? No problem. The LunchBox DV can output DV to your firewire-enabled computer.
Even if you used an analog video camera, the LunchBox DV can still output DV to your computer.
And since the LunchBox DV looks like a DV camcorder to your computer, you can get DV back into the LunchBox from your computer.

Improved audio fidelity.
With the LunchBox DV's improved audio fidelity, music, sound effects and dialog are all much improved. CD quality audio, in fact, is standard on the LunchBox DV

22 Reels of 9,999 images.
22 Reels are now standard in the LunchBox. Per Reel, that's at least 5 ½ minutes of animation at 30 fps, or nearly 14 minutes shot on 2s at 24fps.

Still just as easy.
There's lots of improvements, but the LunchBox DV is still just as easy to use. It still doesn't get in your way, it still allows you to focus upon your character instead of the tool.
If you know how to use the LunchBox Sync, using the LunchBox DV is virtually identical.

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Uses- If DV image quality is good enough for your production, than the LunchBox DV can be used for your final output: television commercials, television series, short films, festival entries, public service announcements, etc. The LunchBox DV can also be used for web animation, pilots, previews, animatics, demo reels, pencil test, stop motion reference test, class assignments and motion studies.
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Video Features- Video can be captured a frame at a time, or at 30 frames per second. You can playback frames at 24 or 30 fps, or you can step through frames singly either forwards or backwards. Either stored images or the live video feed can be viewed. In addition, you can rapidly toggle between the live video feed and a stored image, allowing you to compare what you are about to commit to with what you already have. Playback of frames can be controlled either by ending at the frame you are currently working on, or by user controlled subloops.
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Audio Features- Audio can be captured alone, or in combination with video. The latter is useful when capturing reference footage. Audio is played back along with the video. When you step through frames singly, you hear the audio associated with the displayed image. Stepping through quickly lets you pinpoint your audio with respect to your video, or audio scrubbing. Audio can be synchronized to the video by moving the audio relative to the video. You do not have to deal with audio waveforms to do any of this.
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Editing Features- Frames can be replaced, frames can be deleted, and frames can be inserted. In addition, playback of frames can be altered so that they are played back on 1s, 2s, etc. This makes perfecting timing much more convenient, and saves storage space for more animation.
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Capacity- There are 22 Reels, or user work areas, each of which has over 5 minutes of video capacity, and twice as much on 2s. Audio capacity per Reel is 30 minutes.
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Configuration- The LunchBox Sync needs to be connected to a video source, and a video display device. The source, or input, can be a video camera, camcorder, or video tape recorder. The camera can be analog video or DV. The display device is usually a video monitor. You can optionally output your animation onto a standard VHS or SVHS video tape recorder, or to a computer as a DV stream over firewire. You can optionally connect an audio source for audio capture, and audio speakers for listening to audio.
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Connections- There is a 6-pin firewire connection for DV input or output, a pair each of BNC connectors and S-Video connectors for video input and video output. Audio connectors for input and output are stereo, through 1/8" (3.1mm) mini-phono plug. There is also a serial port connector.
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