Netbook for video capture at DVinfo.net

Ian Stark · February 28th, 2010, 12:23 PM

I use a cheap Asus netbook to drive my teleprompter software when working in the studio. When I'm on location I very rarely take the teleprompter (actually I think never is more realistic) so I was thinking of using the netbook as a direct to disk capture device, rather than lugging the laptop about (I do a fair bit of overseas shooting and could really do with minimising my baggage!)

Snag: no firewire and no expansion slot.

The obvious question, therefore, is: is there any way for me to get DV into this netbook?

I have read about firewire->usb adapters but user reviews suggest these are a total waste of time and money.

Any thoughts? Cheers.

Don Bloom · February 28th, 2010, 01:30 PM

I've used the FW adaptor on a couple of old Dells and it worked fine. I actually had the cam plugged into 1 port and the HDD plugged into another and I had no problem capturing the tapes. Maybe I got lucky but I did that for about a year off and on until I didn't need to do it anymore and it never failed me.
YMMV.

Joshua Reafsnyder · April 8th, 2010, 11:52 PM

this post intrigued me. So I looked into it for my net book. I have a lenovo that i picked up when it went disco at radioshack. Anyhow it has an expresscard expansion slot that you can get a firewire card for. So it seems like a possibility.

Sam Houchins II · August 20th, 2010, 04:27 AM

Ever get around to trying a netbook for capture?

Yalon Benhabib · September 2nd, 2010, 12:04 PM

one is the 34 type which has less i/o pins and thus narrow connector, and the other is 54 which has more i/o pins and wider connector.
most netbooks that have this expansion slot have the 34 type. the 34 type is actually a different connector for several USB ports (generally two) . most express cards are actually USB2.0 to xxxx where xxxx is whatever you need (COM/Parallel/Firewire/audio/video etc).

Willie Craig · September 22nd, 2010, 10:39 AM

I posted on a similar thread about 18 months ago entitled "My experience using a netbook as a DTE". (sorry, can't figure out how to post a link!)

I have been using the Lenovo S10e (as discussed in the old thread) - probably captured c. 300 hours direct to the netbook via HDVSplit with no great problems.

Yalon Benhabib · September 22nd, 2010, 12:01 PM

i think this lenovo probably have hardware firewire input which makes it suitable for capturing.

February 28th, 2010, 12:23 PM	#1
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Netbook for video capture I use a cheap Asus netbook to drive my teleprompter software when working in the studio. When I'm on location I very rarely take the teleprompter (actually I think never is more realistic) so I was thinking of using the netbook as a direct to disk capture device, rather than lugging the laptop about (I do a fair bit of overseas shooting and could really do with minimising my baggage!) Snag: no firewire and no expansion slot. The obvious question, therefore, is: is there any way for me to get DV into this netbook? I have read about firewire->usb adapters but user reviews suggest these are a total waste of time and money. Any thoughts? Cheers. __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk

February 28th, 2010, 01:30 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	I've used the FW adaptor on a couple of old Dells and it worked fine. I actually had the cam plugged into 1 port and the HDD plugged into another and I had no problem capturing the tapes. Maybe I got lucky but I did that for about a year off and on until I didn't need to do it anymore and it never failed me. YMMV. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

September 2nd, 2010, 12:04 PM	#5
Yalon Benhabib Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nes-Ziona Israel Posts: 26	there are two types of the express card slots one is the 34 type which has less i/o pins and thus narrow connector, and the other is 54 which has more i/o pins and wider connector. most netbooks that have this expansion slot have the 34 type. the 34 type is actually a different connector for several USB ports (generally two) . most express cards are actually USB2.0 to xxxx where xxxx is whatever you need (COM/Parallel/Firewire/audio/video etc).

September 22nd, 2010, 12:01 PM	#7
Yalon Benhabib Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nes-Ziona Israel Posts: 26	i did not check it but i think this lenovo probably have hardware firewire input which makes it suitable for capturing.

April 8th, 2010, 11:52 PM	#3
Joshua Reafsnyder Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 49	this post intrigued me. So I looked into it for my net book. I have a lenovo that i picked up when it went disco at radioshack. Anyhow it has an expresscard expansion slot that you can get a firewire card for. So it seems like a possibility.

August 20th, 2010, 04:27 AM	#4
Sam Houchins II Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 282	Ever get around to trying a netbook for capture?

September 22nd, 2010, 10:39 AM	#6
Willie Craig New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ayr, Scotland Posts: 9	I posted on a similar thread about 18 months ago entitled "My experience using a netbook as a DTE". (sorry, can't figure out how to post a link!) I have been using the Lenovo S10e (as discussed in the old thread) - probably captured c. 300 hours direct to the netbook via HDVSplit with no great problems.