Desktop video

Desktop video refers to a phenomenon lasting from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s when the graphics capabilities of personal computers such as the Amiga, Macintosh II, and specially-upgraded IBM PC compatibles had advanced to the point where individuals and local broadcasters could use them for analog non-linear editing and vision mixing in video production.

[2] Full-screen, full-motion video's vast storage requirements meant that the promise of digital encoding would not be realized on desktop computers for at least another decade.

[citation needed] There were multiple models of genlock cards available to synchronize the content; the Newtek Video Toaster was commonly used in Amiga[3] and PC systems, while Mac systems had the SuperMac Video Spigot and Radius VideoVision cards.

Along with the advent of public-access cable channels, desktop video meant that television advertising became affordable for local businesses such as retailers, restaurants, real estate agents, contractors and auto dealers.

[6] As with the phrase desktop publishing, use of the term died out as the technologies to which it referred become the norm for any kind of video production.