Video Capture Query

[Rich Pell]

Just curious as to what everones using for there video capture card for PC? Ive heard a firewire solution is becoming popular? I`m using SX2 on a P4 2.4 and RME Multiface..Any sugestions? Best, Rich

[Scott Cairns]

Hi Rich, check out the ADVC 100 card by Canopus. It lets you preview via firewire out to tv. (Although not by SX yet, you need a Mac running a os-X for firewire)

In Vegas though I can preview to TV full-screen though. I can even lock Vegas Video to Cubase via MMC.

Despite the SX limitations, the ADVC is excellent for captuing digital AND audio sources.

Hans Zimmer is using an ADVC 100 if that means anything to ya. images/icons/wink.gif

Scott.

[Scott Cairns]

Hey Rich, on a PC you can\'t export SX Video out to TV at all. Even in the Cubase manual it says that the firewire component is Mac only unfortunately.

This is why I have gone to the lengths of syncing Vegas to Cubase as Vegas is the only PC oriented app that I\'m aware of that\'ll let you preview via Firewire out. (Certainly the only one that also has midi syncing facilities as well)

Even if you can\'t take full advantage of previewing to TV right now, the ADVC100 is still a very versatile card.

Hope this helps, Scott.

[Rich Pell]

Hmmm.... Thanks alot Scott. Do u know,once i`ve captured and imported into SX, weither i can send and watch on my T.V? Should I just call Hans? images/icons/wink.gif I know he used Cubase too...!! Thanks! Rich

[Rich Pell]

Scott. It really helps. Thanks so much for your knowledge/insight. So basically,once i import my VHS ,do i need a program to digitize the picture so that i can watch it on the SX video screen?(i guess I`ll need another moniter). Or does the ADV come with software that handles this? Do u know if Samptitude has a t.v out feature like Vegas? man, i cant believe what a child I am at this... images/icons/rolleyes.gif Best, Rich

[Scott Cairns]

Hi Rich, don\'t worry about the questions, if you search through the archives you\'ll see that I asked a lot of questions about capturing in the past!

Yes you will need something to digitise the video, I think XP has an inbuilt Movie Maker or something (I\'ve never used it) but some other options are Vegas or Adobe Premiere. The ADVC100 doesnt come with any software.

Some guys even have an external firwire drive and capture their video projects to that. They then stream the video striaght off the firewire drive. The irony is that with some file formats that you capture to, even though the movie becomes smaller in size, sometimes the CPU has to work harder because of the compression used in the codec. I havent tried it myself, but have heard that some people dont even bother converting the captured file, they just leave it as raw, uncompressed. Of course though, this will take up a LOT of hard drive space.

There are some cheaper cards on the market, but most of them wont let you output anything analog. Most have analog and digital in and tv out or something like that. In fact, the ADVC 100 is probably one of the cheapest cards around in terms of the features and options it has. It is handy to have analog out as you may have to output your music, locked to picture, on a video tape to show a director mid way through a project.

I\'m not sure about Samplitude\'s options as I havent used it.

Regards, Scott.

[Rich Pell]

Hey scott..The external FW drive makes alot of sence since video can bog down your HD`s and CPU. I`ll search around and see what kind of program i can use to digitize(my friend has a good one supposedly). There are a bunch of stores that sell the ADV in Toronto but Im just curious what u think i should be paying for it? Best, Rich

[Scott Cairns]

Hey Rich, price is a hard one. I think the Aussie and Canadian dollars almost match these days?

I paid about $600 AUD but have no idea what it might go for in your neck of the woods.

Scott.

[Rich Pell]

Sounds about right mate..I`ll let u know how it goes After i try to instal, Thanks so much for your help again..Rich

[B]

Originally posted by Rich Pell:
Sounds about right mate..I`ll let u know how it goes After i try to instal, Thanks so much for your help again..Rich <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">Rich,
SX Firewire out to TV only works on Mac. I use a Matrox G450 ETV with a Mainconcept codec, it\'s a cheap AGP graphic/capture card, works fine and allows output (composite or SVHS) to a TV. But you don\'t get second monitor. I got this an interim solution until Steinberg sort themselves out.
Brian

[B]

Double

[Rich Pell]

Thanks Brian, I`ll check that out as well..Rich

[Scott Cairns]

Hehehe, well Brian was kind enough to help me out when I had capture questions.

He is right actually, for the same reasons that we cant watch video via firewire to TV we wont be able to stream a movie in off a firewire drive either as the PC version of SX does not support firewire at all. (I\'ve gotta stop typing my posts after a few wines)

Forgot to mention also Rich, the ADVC100 is around the $500 mark but you\'ll also need a firewire card if your board hasnt got it. Should be under $100. Thats why I spent around $600 all up. Good thing is, firewire works just like usb, if you turn something on it is instantly recognised by windows.

Scott.

[Scott Cairns]

Actually here is a Canadian shop selling one cheap;

http://www.dvshop.ca/ (\"http://www.dvshop.ca/\")

[Rich Pell]

WOW..thanks so much Scott. I know that place,its about 10 min. from my house. I didn`t know ther were a bunch of models .i guess i should get the ADV100 as SX might one day be FW friendly. I think i have a FW port on my comp. i just have to hook it up..i think i removed it..Hope your getting good and drunck. Cheers for all your help..Peace, rich images/icons/wink.gif