[G4] Capture cards Re: [G4] New system...

[James Asherman]

On Friday, November 7, 2003, at 07:14  PM, diane wrote:

>>>> What *is* a good video capture card these days?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Diane
>>>>
>>>
>>> Cineware,
>>> Jim
>>>
>>
>> Maybe that's Cinewave.
>
>
> So I can get a $50 PCI PC-based card, or a $500 Mac one? Sweet! Sign 
> me up!
>
> Seriously, with all the capture cards out there it seems as though 
> Apple missed the boat on this. Is that really all that's available 
> besides the also-expensive Dazzle product?
>
> Anyone use the Belkin USB VideoBus II? We don't have a firewire 
> camcorder .
>
>
> Diane
>
>

$500 ? That must be their display card! If you really want to go nuts 
yes you can get some
  card that will do any format even HD whatever. But it'll cost you and 
it will become obsolete.  have already been down that path with the 
Video Toaster and Flyer (and a lovely  path it was) I switched to Mac 
specifically to get away from dedicated cards once (with the advent of 
thhe Quicksilver) I judged that the technology of the vanilla mac had  
caught up to the DV revolution an the DVD revolution.. (After 
installing a firewire and iMovie in a 7600 I was hooked ).
I do this for a living too..
For my analog inputs (when needed) I use a Sony media converter #2. I 
like it.
It didn't cost much  and  does what I need .
My DV deck is a Sony TRV9 ($1000 camcorder)which kicks ass every day 
years at a time and Apple says it isn't listed but FCP4 controls it 
fully.
Dazzle is not expensive. It's cheap. Its also unreliable. There are 
quite a few more "blackboxes in what? the 200-400$ range that do great 
things.
Then you get into the firewire world and you will realize that Apple 
didn't "miss the boat" they rocked it.
When this computer becomes obsolete (last month by most accounts)  I 
won't have to feel bad about having spent $4000(approx. $8-12000 on the 
whole Toaster rig) on a capture card with a fake SVHS connector on it 
and take a bath like I diid last time. I can just put it in another 
room and use it for other stuff.
Jim