Choosing a Video/sound capture cards.

jonathangreen · Post by **jonathangreen** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:06 pm

Hi,

This is my first post here and am a newcomer to the world of PC Video editing. I want to edit down & convert convert all of my "old" camcorder video's to DVD. Some tapes are S-VHS and others are mini DV recorded on my Panasonic NV-DS11EG.

I used to work in corporate video and have had plenty of experience in filming and editing footage for programmes. However that WAS before it was done digitally (and you don't need to know the technicalities of equipment to be able to use it!).

The NV-DS11 has an S Video out socket and an AV out socket (DIN Type I think). I cannot find a digital video out socket - unless one of the above is it. (Like I say I am a novice at all this! ).

I am thinking of getting Videostudio 10 (or 10+) and would like to ask for advice on whether it is best for me to go for the 10 or 10+?

I also need advice on getting the best & most compatible video & sound cards for the work I want to do.

So any help or advice on this would be gratefully appreciated.

(I cannot get broadband where I live and so mega downloads are out of the question for me.)

Thanks in advance!

TDK1044 · Post by **TDK1044** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:26 pm

In my experience, ATI AIW video cards have worked extremely well with all the versions of Video Studio that I've owned. I would look at the ATI All In Wonder range of PCI and PCIe video cards. The ATI Drivers are very good and very stable with the XP operating system. As to whether you should choose VS10 or VS10 plus, this is really a case of what you're looking to do with the software. VS10 plus gives you six overlay tracks and enhanced Dolby 5.1 audio with surroundsound. Personally, having worked in TV production for many years both in the linear and non linear editing environment, I believe that the simpler you keep something the better the end result will be. If your projects are going to require multiple layers of mattes and masks then go with Video Studio 10 plus, and if you are looking to capture at broadcast quality, edit, render and burn projects that don't require a lot of graphic and audio enhancement, go with Video Studio 10. If you're not sure, get VS10 plus...it's only $30 more.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:29 pm

All the research I could do on your camera indicates clearly it is equipped with a Firewire port -- and as far as I am aware, all mini-DV cameras have one. Firewire was specifically developed as the download adjunct to DV. My research was limited by the fact that many of the Google responses were in German or Finnish (or Czech) -- all languages I do not speak. However, some of the English language articles were clear. Do you still have your camera's manual? That would at least be an indication. Given the age of your camera, it could be that the Firewire port is described otherwise, including possibly i-Link (which was the name given to it by Sony, which originally developed it).

Anyway, look for a small rectangular hole, slight less than 1/4 inch or about 6mm wide and about 1/8 inch wide (4 mm), with the bottom side curving upwards in the middle. It should have 4 small holes inside it. That is it.

Of course, you will also need a Firewire card on your computer and a Firewire cable to connect the two -- make sure you get one with the small 4 pin cable for the camera end, and normally a larger 6 pin plug for the computer card.

That at least will take care of your mini DV tapes. Not sure what will be possible with your S-VHS tapes. If you have another digital video camera with pass-through capability, you could connect a VCR to play the tapes through the camera, which in turn, if it is another DV camera, will transmit the signal via Firewire to your computer. Otherwise, you would need some sort of analogue capture card in your computer to connect the VCR to.

jonathangreen · Post by **jonathangreen** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:10 pm

Hi,

Thanks for 2 very quick replies!

Sure agree that the simpler the better (& less to go wrong)!

TDK 1040, I'll take a look at the ATI AIW video cards, although I don't have Windows XP only 2000 Pro, will this make a difference?

I have access to XP but have been told that it would have to be a new, stand-alone installation, meaning none of my current 2000 Pro stuff would be transferred. Is this right, because this is all that's stopping me from upgrading?

Ken Berry: The manual for the camera was lost on my move from UK to France unfortunately. But I had another look round the camera and I noticed a small flap that seems to be part of the casing but has D-V on stamped on it. A quick flick & YES! I do have a Firewire port.

Does the Videostudio not have an S-VHS input?

Can anyone recommend a suitable Firewire card that has analogue input?

Cheers everyone in advance!

TDK1044 · Post by **TDK1044** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:27 pm

Hi Jonathan,

2000 pro should be fine. The ATI AIW cards all have an S-VHS input. The other advantage of having a dedicated capture card is that there have been a few issues over the years regarding Video Studio's capture software. My experience is that it's always better to capture using a dedicated capture device with the ability to correct color, hue, saturation, brightness etc and then import your files into Video Studio. The ATI cards also have a 'video soap' cleaning filter for even crisper capture.

Others like Ken have had great success using Firewire cards. For straight DV this is great, but I'm not a fan of the pass-through scenario of connecting a VCR to play tapes through the DV camera and transmit the signal via Firewire to your computer. It's really a judgement call though.

TDK1044 · Post by **TDK1044** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:33 pm

Final thought...if you decide to go with ATI, send a pm to GuyL. He has a lot of experience with the ATI cards and he would advise you well.

jonathangreen · Post by **jonathangreen** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 4:52 pm

Thanks Terry for the advice, I've sent the PM as suggested.

I've just had a quick look and there seems to be a very wide range of cards. Is there any way to tell which is the newest (highest number?) and best for what I want?

Do you have any preference?

Thanks.

TDK1044 · Post by **TDK1044** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:40 pm

Either the AIW 2006 pci express (about $150) or the AIW X1900 pci express (about $350) depending on how many bells and whistles you want.

TDK1044 · Post by **TDK1044** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:46 pm

I think both the 2006 pci and the X1900 pci do require XP as the OS though, Jonathan. You may have to revert to the AGP series (AIW 9800) if you're going to stay with 2000 Pro.

jonathangreen · Post by **jonathangreen** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:25 am

Do the Firewire and analogue inputs have to be on separate cards, or is (are) there cards with dual configuration?

I ask this as I have been trying to research AIW cards, and they do not seem to incorporate Firewire.

jonathangreen · Post by **jonathangreen** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:11 am

Hi,

Just stumbled across

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1 ... 829,00.asp

which states the 9800 DOES have Firewire! So I've answered my own question!

Thanks anyway

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:36 am

Glad you already answered your own question!

I was about to say that there are a range of analogue capture cards which double up with Firewire. I personally happen to use a Winfast DV2000 TV/capture card which has analogue RCA and S-Video inputs, and also has Firewire. In fact, since my original motherboard, which had Firewire on it, burned out, my Winfast card is my sole Firewire input into the computer and it works just fine!!

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:39 pm

Ken Berry wrote: it could be that the Firewire port is described otherwise, including possibly i-Link (which was the name given to it by Sony, which originally developed it).

Ken,

Apple were the people who invented firewire.

They handed it over to the world as a whole and it became IEEE1394.
Sony, along with several other people decided they would implement this standard in a variety of ways, so as it wasn't a proper IEEE1394 they had to call it something else and i-link came into being. The same goes for Canon and Panasonic who have implemented there own ideas on how IEEE1394 should be used and this gave us many problems when SP2 for Windows XP came out.

Microsoft also used to use a non-conforming IEEE1394 driver system in XP, so when they came to do SP2 and used the proper IEEE1394 specs, many camcorders - those also not using conforming specs - would no longer work.

The variety of implementation is so wide that Sony have used one that is the only version that I know of which doesn't work with an Apple computer

Just some background info, hope it helps

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 1:12 pm

Sorry. Obviously my misreading of some Sony material, which claimed -- correctly, I guess, from their point of view -- that Sony had developed i-Link. Since I knew i-link as IEEE-1394, I naturally concluded that Sony had developed Firewire!

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 2:03 pm

Good old Sony

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Choosing a Video/sound capture cards.

Choosing a Video/sound capture cards.

ATI AIW cards

Follow up to my last post!