firewire in, component out? at DVinfo.net

Boyd Ostroff · August 25th, 2003, 04:22 PM

I'm looking for a box that will take firewire in and send a component video signal out. I don't need a digitizer to capture analog video, I just need output.

Anyone know where to get a reasonably priced thing like this? I've seen expensive ones, but all the lower priced converters only have s-video out.

Gints Klimanis · August 25th, 2003, 05:40 PM

Boyd,

Check out this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=11784

I found these products, but I never went for them because I don't really trust their analog output. My hope for the future is a DVD recorder that will do Firewire -> component passthru without engaging the MPEG2 engine.

DAC-100 for $199 (DV <-> composite)
http://www.synchrotech.com/product-1...l#part-numbers

DAC-2 $699 (DV <-> component)
http://www.dvwarehouse.com/product_i...roducts_id/483

Boyd Ostroff · August 25th, 2003, 05:55 PM

Thanks Gints! That's the least expensive one I've seen yet. Specs are here if anyone else is interested...

Fawaz Al-Kandari · August 26th, 2003, 12:23 PM

Hi Boyd

also Canopus made a good Converter it's :
ADVC-500 firewire converter

**firewire converter-XLR audio, component, composite, S, BNC, controls for picture, etc.. the most comprehensive converter for firewire I/O for your computer, MAC OR PC

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/AD...m_advc-500.asp

Fawaz

Boyd Ostroff · August 26th, 2003, 03:29 PM

Thanks Fawaz, but that gets a bit too expensive for me, and I only need output, not a digitizer. Does look like a nice box though...

Gints, I'm like you... I wish I could just get a DVD recorder and feed the component video out. I don't have any real experience with these however. Is it true that they all only pass out MPEG2 compressed component video?

Gints Klimanis · August 26th, 2003, 03:53 PM

> Is it true that they all only pass out MPEG2 compressed component video?

Boyd,

So far, that seems to be the case. I have not yet checked out the new Sony RDR-GX7 recorder. Sony used to publish their manuals on line on the sony.com site. Now, I have to go to the store to check it out, but I'm not even sure I trust the manual.

Gints Klimanis · August 26th, 2003, 03:54 PM

None of the DV25->component video converter boxes in thsi thread list the specs of the conversion, not even video DAC speed. What's up with that?

Jeff Donald · August 26th, 2003, 04:02 PM

I'm confused here. What do you want to know about, component video, MPEG2, DVD player output?

Gints Klimanis · August 26th, 2003, 04:31 PM

I'd like to know the DAC specs for the DV25->component out converter boxes listed above to see if they're even close to the
DAC quality offered by the latest round of DVD recorders.

Jeff Donald · August 26th, 2003, 05:38 PM

The specs are listed on the link posted above. These devices convert analog composite video to FireWire (ieee1394) and FireWire to analog composite video. The higher end unit (DAC2) adds NTSC analog component video to the inputs and outputs. MPEG2 is not an option on these devices.

Boyd Ostroff · August 26th, 2003, 05:52 PM

The DAC2 does what I need, convert firewire to component. However all I need is output, not digitizing, so I have been looking for a less expensive solution.

I was thinking that a DVD recorder would have firewire in and also provide component out, so for a couple hundred bucks more I could get the capabilities of a standalone DVD recorder. But it appears that the DV25 would get converted to MPEG2 before going out as analog component in this case.

So I guess my question now is whether there's anything costing less than $700 that will take firewire IN and put analog component OUT?

And as a more rhetorical question, how come I can get a $100 DVD player with component output and a $200 TV with component input, but my $2,000+ camcorder(s) only have s-video output? Testing with a big DLP projector, the quality of s-video left a lot to be desired.

Jeff Donald · August 26th, 2003, 06:04 PM

The DAC2 does not digitize, it converts analog, in various formats, to digital (FireWire) and vice versa (unless that's what you mean by digitize). As the ad copy states, it's the least expensive on the market at this time. I doubt a DVD recorder could transcode from analog to MPEG2 to analog component in real time. Keeping the audio in sync could be a real problem. Also, the MPEG2 encoding step would cause a pretty significant loss of quality.

Gints Klimanis · August 26th, 2003, 06:08 PM

Jeff,

You scanned my posts too quickly. I was interested in DAC (Digitial-to-Analog Conversion ) specs. None of the links for any of the aforementioned products list DAC specs although the I/O options are clearly listed. Thus, there isn't even a way to compare the specifications (video DAC rate, video DAC bit resolution, etc.) of the units to those published for the new DVD recorders.

Jeff Donald · August 26th, 2003, 06:25 PM

I think what is confusing is the use of the product name (DAC) and the use of DAC to mean A to D and D to A conversion. Since these devices convert to and from FireWire, I would assume they meet all requirements for IEEE1394 and DV video. Since DV is an 8bit medium I would assume it meets that spec. The devices are also listed as being FireWire 400 compliant, thus a rate of 400bps. If your looking for better quality, look at some of the Laird devices.

Boyd Ostroff · August 26th, 2003, 06:39 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : The DAC2 does not digitize, it converts analog, in various formats, to digital -->>>

I thought that was the definition of "digitize"; converting analog to digital? Sorry if I'm mis-using the term...

August 25th, 2003, 04:22 PM	#1
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	firewire in, component out? I'm looking for a box that will take firewire in and send a component video signal out. I don't need a digitizer to capture analog video, I just need output. Anyone know where to get a reasonably priced thing like this? I've seen expensive ones, but all the lower priced converters only have s-video out.

August 26th, 2003, 12:23 PM	#4
Fawaz Al-Kandari New Boot Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kuwait Posts: 16	Hi Boyd also Canopus made a good Converter it's : ADVC-500 firewire converter **firewire converter-XLR audio, component, composite, S, BNC, controls for picture, etc.. the most comprehensive converter for firewire I/O for your computer, MAC OR PC http://www.canopus.us/US/products/AD...m_advc-500.asp Fawaz __________________ Another Break in the Wall !!

August 26th, 2003, 04:02 PM	#8
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I'm confused here. What do you want to know about, component video, MPEG2, DVD player output? __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 26th, 2003, 05:38 PM	#10
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	The specs are listed on the link posted above. These devices convert analog composite video to FireWire (ieee1394) and FireWire to analog composite video. The higher end unit (DAC2) adds NTSC analog component video to the inputs and outputs. MPEG2 is not an option on these devices. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 26th, 2003, 06:04 PM	#12
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	The DAC2 does not digitize, it converts analog, in various formats, to digital (FireWire) and vice versa (unless that's what you mean by digitize). As the ad copy states, it's the least expensive on the market at this time. I doubt a DVD recorder could transcode from analog to MPEG2 to analog component in real time. Keeping the audio in sync could be a real problem. Also, the MPEG2 encoding step would cause a pretty significant loss of quality. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 25th, 2003, 05:40 PM	#2
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Boyd, Check out this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=11784 I found these products, but I never went for them because I don't really trust their analog output. My hope for the future is a DVD recorder that will do Firewire -> component passthru without engaging the MPEG2 engine. DAC-100 for $199 (DV <-> composite) http://www.synchrotech.com/product-1...l#part-numbers DAC-2 $699 (DV <-> component) http://www.dvwarehouse.com/product_i...roducts_id/483

August 25th, 2003, 05:55 PM	#3
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Thanks Gints! That's the least expensive one I've seen yet. Specs are here if anyone else is interested...

August 26th, 2003, 03:29 PM	#5
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Thanks Fawaz, but that gets a bit too expensive for me, and I only need output, not a digitizer. Does look like a nice box though... Gints, I'm like you... I wish I could just get a DVD recorder and feed the component video out. I don't have any real experience with these however. Is it true that they all only pass out MPEG2 compressed component video?

August 26th, 2003, 03:53 PM	#6
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	> Is it true that they all only pass out MPEG2 compressed component video? Boyd, So far, that seems to be the case. I have not yet checked out the new Sony RDR-GX7 recorder. Sony used to publish their manuals on line on the sony.com site. Now, I have to go to the store to check it out, but I'm not even sure I trust the manual.

August 26th, 2003, 03:54 PM	#7
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	None of the DV25->component video converter boxes in thsi thread list the specs of the conversion, not even video DAC speed. What's up with that?

August 26th, 2003, 04:31 PM	#9
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	I'd like to know the DAC specs for the DV25->component out converter boxes listed above to see if they're even close to the DAC quality offered by the latest round of DVD recorders.

August 26th, 2003, 05:52 PM	#11
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	The DAC2 does what I need, convert firewire to component. However all I need is output, not digitizing, so I have been looking for a less expensive solution. I was thinking that a DVD recorder would have firewire in and also provide component out, so for a couple hundred bucks more I could get the capabilities of a standalone DVD recorder. But it appears that the DV25 would get converted to MPEG2 before going out as analog component in this case. So I guess my question now is whether there's anything costing less than $700 that will take firewire IN and put analog component OUT? And as a more rhetorical question, how come I can get a $100 DVD player with component output and a $200 TV with component input, but my $2,000+ camcorder(s) only have s-video output? Testing with a big DLP projector, the quality of s-video left a lot to be desired.

August 26th, 2003, 06:08 PM	#13
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Jeff, You scanned my posts too quickly. I was interested in DAC (Digitial-to-Analog Conversion ) specs. None of the links for any of the aforementioned products list DAC specs although the I/O options are clearly listed. Thus, there isn't even a way to compare the specifications (video DAC rate, video DAC bit resolution, etc.) of the units to those published for the new DVD recorders.

August 26th, 2003, 06:25 PM	#14
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I think what is confusing is the use of the product name (DAC) and the use of DAC to mean A to D and D to A conversion. Since these devices convert to and from FireWire, I would assume they meet all requirements for IEEE1394 and DV video. Since DV is an 8bit medium I would assume it meets that spec. The devices are also listed as being FireWire 400 compliant, thus a rate of 400bps. If your looking for better quality, look at some of the Laird devices. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 26th, 2003, 06:39 PM	#15
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : The DAC2 does not digitize, it converts analog, in various formats, to digital -->>> I thought that was the definition of "digitize"; converting analog to digital? Sorry if I'm mis-using the term...