Capture cards at DVinfo.net

Richard Van Le · August 3rd, 2006, 06:45 PM

I shoot short documentaries and I'm currently using a Sony VX2100 and editing using FCP on a G5 Mac (dual 2 Ghz). In the next year I plan to move into HD/HDV (probably the new Canon XH A1).

Any recommendations for a capture card? What are the advantages to using a capture card as opposed to just hooking up a deck to my Mac via Firewire?

If this has been covered before in-depth, my apologies (and a link to the relevant thread would be appreciated). Thanks.

Mack Fisher · August 4th, 2006, 10:08 PM

Canon dosnt make a deck for their HDV footage. I really dont know what a capture card can do but I have never seen a capture card expect for kona card for SDI etc.. I would just run a deck via firewire direct into the computer

Glenn Chan · August 4th, 2006, 10:28 PM

A capture card would be to work with formats like
betaSP
digital betacam
DVCPRO HD (tape)
HDCAM
HDCAM SR
analog sources

They'll take a signal either analog composite in, analog component in, SDI in, HD-SDI in, or dual link HD-SDI in.

You probably don't need a kona/blackmagic/aurora/bluefish/etc.

2- If you need to capture the above formats at high quality (i.e. SDI quality), then you may also want to capture your DV via SDI.
This is just for workflow...
DV frame size is 720X480.
SD frame size is 720X486.
The different frame sizes can be an annoyance.

DV over SDI is 720X486.

Richard Van Le · August 5th, 2006, 02:32 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Glenn. I don't need to work with those formats. So I'll stick to using a deck via Firewire.

K. Forman · August 5th, 2006, 02:42 PM

Glen- The 6 lines difference between DV and SD, would that be the green lines that sometimes show up at the top and bottom egdes of the screen?

Glenn Chan · August 5th, 2006, 03:50 PM

don't think so... that might be a fcp bug, or the bg color is green.

the lines are typically black

August 3rd, 2006, 06:45 PM	#1
Richard Van Le New Boot Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 19	Capture cards I shoot short documentaries and I'm currently using a Sony VX2100 and editing using FCP on a G5 Mac (dual 2 Ghz). In the next year I plan to move into HD/HDV (probably the new Canon XH A1). Any recommendations for a capture card? What are the advantages to using a capture card as opposed to just hooking up a deck to my Mac via Firewire? If this has been covered before in-depth, my apologies (and a link to the relevant thread would be appreciated). Thanks.

August 5th, 2006, 02:42 PM	#5
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Glen- The 6 lines difference between DV and SD, would that be the green lines that sometimes show up at the top and bottom egdes of the screen? __________________ www.SmokeWagonLeather.us

August 4th, 2006, 10:08 PM	#2
Mack Fisher Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 158	Canon dosnt make a deck for their HDV footage. I really dont know what a capture card can do but I have never seen a capture card expect for kona card for SDI etc.. I would just run a deck via firewire direct into the computer

August 4th, 2006, 10:28 PM	#3
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	A capture card would be to work with formats like betaSP digital betacam DVCPRO HD (tape) HDCAM HDCAM SR analog sources They'll take a signal either analog composite in, analog component in, SDI in, HD-SDI in, or dual link HD-SDI in. You probably don't need a kona/blackmagic/aurora/bluefish/etc. 2- If you need to capture the above formats at high quality (i.e. SDI quality), then you may also want to capture your DV via SDI. This is just for workflow... DV frame size is 720X480. SD frame size is 720X486. The different frame sizes can be an annoyance. DV over SDI is 720X486.

August 5th, 2006, 02:32 PM	#4
Richard Van Le New Boot Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 19	Thanks for the clarification, Glenn. I don't need to work with those formats. So I'll stick to using a deck via Firewire.

August 5th, 2006, 03:50 PM	#6
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	don't think so... that might be a fcp bug, or the bg color is green. the lines are typically black