Hog Heaven: QuickTime Video through FireWire

[Erica Sadun]

I just discovered the most amazing QuickTime secret
and I had to share because

(1) It's very cool; and
(2) I'm not writing a book that can use this trick
     right now (although I'll probably throw it in as
     a sidebar in iMovie 3 Solutions if I can find
     enough inches during galley reviews); and
(3) I'm dying to see if anyone else thinks it is as
     cool as I do.

That having been said, pop over to developer.apple.com
and get yourself a free online membership.

Then visit
<http://developer.apple.com/samplecode/Sample_Code/QuickTime/Capturing/SimpleVideoOut.htm> 
(or http://tinyurl.com/9jo8)
and download the sample material. You don't need a compiler.
Apple included a compiled version of SimpleVideoOut X.

Connect your fave firewire output device to your Mac
(I'm using a Director's Cut, but any Sony, Canopus
or DV camera with video pass through will do) and
from that to your fave TV. (You can use a plain DV
camera, but you have to record to tape and then output
to TV. Two steps. Too hard for Extremely Lazy People(TM).)

Launch SimpleVideoOut X. Set your output component to
FireWire and Apple FireWire NTSC (USA folk) or Apple
FireWire PAL (most Euro/Aussie folk).

If the file open dialog doesn't automatically appear,
choose File > Open.

Navigate to a movie that QuickTime can read. Any movie.
An MP4 from a friend's wedding. A DIVX from the Prelinger Archives.
The reference movie automatically created by iMovie 3
in your project folder. Whatever. Select it and open it.

Find the little downward arrow on the bottom-right of the
window, just to the left of the resize handle. Click it.

Choose Video Output Echo Port Off.

Your video should now appear on your TV screen.

Play your movie. Watch your movie. If you want, record
your movie.

Whatever.

-- Erica
p.s. If you try it, let me know how it works for you.