Alright, I got my computer...

3.06 GHz1 Intel® Pentium® 4 with Hyper-Threading Technology
250 GB 7200 RPM HD
1 GB DDR-SDRAM
NVIDIA® GeForce4 MX 440
DVD-RW/DVD-R
CD-RW/CD-R
18" TFT LCD Monitor

Now...I want to capture some footage from a pd150 via firewire connection. Thats all good. Now, I wanna capture video from a VCR via S-Video or composite connection. My computer doesnt have A/V or S-Video connections, so I have come to the conclusion, that I need some kind of capture card that has an s-video port and/or composite A/V ports, enabling me to capture from an older camera, or from any playback device with A/V output.

I currently have Premiere 6.5. I figured, if i'm going to get a capture card, I might as well get one that supports real-time editing, and output.

What do I really need? I looked up cards that were compatible with premiere 6.5, and got a whole list. I went to the Canopus website, and came across the CANOPUS ACEDVio witch comes with Vegas 4.0. It supports most types of connections and lists for $499. Is this a good solution for capturing compatibility!?

Any help would be awesome. Thanks in advance.

Canopus hardware comes highly recommended around here. The product you mention will do analog to digital and digital to analog conversions. If you want real time DV editing capability, step up to the DVStorm.

John,

Before you lay down the folding stuff besure to check that your hardware, motherboard, graphics card and audio card are compatable with whatever capture card you choose. If their are incompatibilites you will be up for both time and money headaches.

<<<-- Originally posted by Robert Knecht Schmidt : Canopus hardware comes highly recommended around here. The product you mention will do analog to digital and digital to analog conversions. If you want real time DV editing capability, step up to the DVStorm. -->>>

Except for the DV Raptor RT. It is the dictionary definition of POS!

Interesting you should say that, Nigel.

What is your specific objection(s) to the product?

While I've not had the RT version, my experiences with the original Raptor were very good.

My specific objection to the product is that it gave poor quality playback and output in Premiere (watery noise) as well as sticking in the timeline (Premiere timeline plays, but monitor screen stays blank or shows still picture).

My system complies with the Can'o'puss HCL.

Can'o'puss tried to blame the graphics card (I started with a swanky Parhelia). I replaced that with a G550 (generally considered to be a very reliable performer) and finally with a Ti4600. All to no avail.

In the end, I took out the RRT and replaced it with an Adaptec FireConnect costing one tenth the price, and it just works. OK, so I lose out on the RRT colour correction tools, which were very nice, but at least my system works and is solid.

I keep meaning to sell the Craptor&reg;RT on ebay.

Someone else I know had two RRTs, one worked, one did. But all the news I heard on the original Raptor was good tho'

Out of curiosity, did you ever try RaptorEditRT?

Matrox RT-X100.

IMHO...your best bet is to stay with a simple and cheap firewire card...like the ADS Pyro. If you want to add analog connections, get yourself analog to DV convertor box like the PYRO A/V link.
http://www.adstech.com/products/API_550/intro/api550intro.asp?pid=API-550

If you're just starting in the NLE technology, avoid Premiere...it will be nothing but heartache. Go for the VEGAS 4...so much easier to learn, much more capable than Premiere, and it never hangs up.

DV STorm is a fine piece of card and would be amazing for your system (i own a 3ghz HT too and a storm). but look on the canopus side first if your mainboard and it's chip is supported with the canopus cards.
and by the way... when this is your only pc and it isn't for cutting only (it is a legend that a pc should be a cutting only pc - it really doesn't make a difference if there is anything else for your inet, games ect on it) replace your grafic card... a brand new P4 will be happy if it has at least a Ti4200 on his side ;-)

Matrox RTX 100 extreme come highly recommended by me.

Check www.matrox.com/video. They don't sale it without Premiere, although if you phone up and ask i'm sure they might have the board and drivers around somewhere to sale?

Check for compatabilty with your hardware as well.

All the best,

Ed

Thanks for all the replies everyone. This helps alot! It seems my best solution would be the PYRO A/V Link.

Let me get this straight...

My system HAS firewire capibilities. Could I connect the PYRO A/V Link to my system via firewire, and capture from A/V sources? If so, then, I think thats what I need...

Since your system has firewire built-in, you don't need anything except a wire to connect between your computer and camera and the software necessary to capture and edit.

I think he needs to connect to a VHS, Ed. Can't do that thru 1394 without an interface with s-video or composite inputs.

I don't know if this has been suggested already, I didn't take the time to read all of the above posts, yet. The Canopus ADVC-100 is outstanding for brining analog in to the computer via firewire, and then back out again. It was the best $300 I ever invested in. No more messing around with drivers and such. Dropped frames. I don't think so!

Of course if you want to bust out for bigger bucks, I have been really impressed with Canopus products.

If you go to the canopus site, and rread through the forums, you will notice that there are more people there sharing "how to" instead of debugging problems. Then go to other manufacturers sites and make a comparison.

Many cameras also allow pass-thru of the signal. In my case, I use my deck to pass thru the signal. Personally, I would prefer capturing through the firewire port using some sort of pass-thru device (camera, deck, convertor...)

<<<-- Originally posted by Bill Ravens : I think he needs to connect to a VHS, Ed. Can't do that thru 1394 without an interface with s-video or composite inputs. -->>>


Exactly. I think ill opt for something like the Pyro AV Link or the Canopus ADVC-100.

Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it!

If you are going to spend $300 on an analog to DV converter, just go buy a used Canopus M1. That is the basic editing card that has analog and digital inputs and outputs. You can register the card and download their latest software free.

Expect to pay about $250 for the card without Premiere.

Much better quality and more reliable solution than the other products mentioned with the exception of the Storm which is RT.

Canopus has the best codecs and RexEdit is very fast.

Later, if you wish, you can purchase a used RT card to make it a RT system.

Just look at the Canopus web site to make certain your hardware will handle the card with no problems.

hmm...thats a good thought also Mike. I was thinking about just getting a capture card with the A/V inputs, but wasnt sure if that was what I needed. I will take a look at the cards also, but if Im going to get a card, it might as well be RT also! lol...hmm...Maybe I should just look into making one investment by going with the Storm.

hmm.....

Well, if you want the best for DV, the Storm is hard to beat.

Let me suggest that you download the demo (I think it is still available) on StormEdit and see if you like the software.

Storm will work with Edius, the new Canopus editing software, StormEdit, their long-time editing sofware, and Premiere. One of those should make you smile.

StormEdit is a fast, take-no-prisoners, high-quality editing software designed to let you move video through the computer at high speed. It does not have a lot of whistles and bells. However, I've been making a living with RexEdit (its equivalent) for several years with no problems.

Edius is brand new and although it works well for me, has caused people with marginal computers, problems that they did not experience with StormEdit.

Premiere is a program I do not use. Many people don't like it because of instability problems. Others think it works just fine.

As long as your hardware supports the Canopus products, and most do, you can forget about problems with the editing system, a claim that a lot of people cannot make.

Ed nailed this one. Why waste the extra money- connect your vcr composite outs to the inputs on your PD150 and capture that way. That, IS, of course if the PD150 supports video pass-thru-....anyone?

Yes it supports pass-through very nicely.