Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt at DVinfo.net

Steven Digges · April 13th, 2015, 06:18 PM

This thread could be called....Why I miss Firewire!

Why did we go backwards? I loved firewire, it worked for everything. I had entire systems built with it and it worked on every computer, camera, and my broadcast switcher. But anyway I'll move on.

I need my video signals to feed live into my lap top witch is USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2 equipped. For webcasting, hard drive capture, monitoring etc. It is a very capable lap top.

So far I am trying a Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle for the interface, with little luck. I chose the Thunderbolt model and now I am wondering if I should have chosen the USB 3.0 model. Thunderbolt on PCs is relatively new, does USB 3.0 have better software compatibility? I can get the signal in but the only software that can read it is their own BMD Media Express. The software came with drivers and plugins for other software like Premier, Aftereffects, and others but none of them work. Any suggestions? Even before I bought it I read enough reviews to know it was buggy and people were having varying levels of success with it.

What are you guys having the best luck with, USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt? What other interface devices have you tried that work? I am not a BMD fan but I thought I would give them another shot, I'm sorry I did.

As codecs and data rates change so rapidly I wonder if we will ever be lucky enough to have an almost universal connectivity platform like firewire again, I doubt it.

Your thought and solutions on for the Intensity Shuttle will be appreciated.

Steve

Shaun Roemich · April 13th, 2015, 08:15 PM

I swear by my Matrox MX02LE on Mac connected via Thunderbolt. It "eats" anything I feed it.

Jim Andrada · April 13th, 2015, 11:28 PM

Unfortunately it seems that Thunderbolt is now dead - Apple left it off the new Air and went to USB-C instead. And finding a Thunderbolt port on a PC is harder than finding the Fountain of Youth. Having 3 Macs and 5 PC's I've been conflicted about Thunderbolt from the beginning - as a technology it's pretty good. it just never really took off due to price.

I have the BM Intensity Thunderbolt version which I use on my older Air. The BM software is sort of - well, pretty bad, but at least it WILL record video OK from the shuttle.

Steven Digges · April 14th, 2015, 06:11 PM

USB-C, yet another Mac connection hailed as the next do everything for all of us. Yes I know, it was developed by the USB Implementers Forum for cross platform compatibility but I am sick of this BS. How many times have we been through this before. Mac introduces it, and by the time everyone catches up they will establish "The New Standard" AGAIN! I hate the game.

And I generally have to have Mac and PC laptops. Not by choice, for the necessity of compatibly with all my clients on the video and AV side of things. This is part of the reason why.

Thunderbolt dead already, really? Like I said in the OP, I miss firewire. For us video guys it was the best standard we ever had. I don't think we will ever get that good again. I don't see USB-C doing it anytime soon.

What a PITA.

Steve

Jim Andrada · April 14th, 2015, 06:58 PM

Having blown my Sound Devices 702 because of Firewire (well, there wasn't any fire, but there was a lot of smoke...) I can't exactly express any love for it. Miserable connector design. The protocol itself was OK, the physical implementation a disaster.

April 13th, 2015, 06:18 PM	#1
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt This thread could be called....Why I miss Firewire! Why did we go backwards? I loved firewire, it worked for everything. I had entire systems built with it and it worked on every computer, camera, and my broadcast switcher. But anyway I'll move on. I need my video signals to feed live into my lap top witch is USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2 equipped. For webcasting, hard drive capture, monitoring etc. It is a very capable lap top. So far I am trying a Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle for the interface, with little luck. I chose the Thunderbolt model and now I am wondering if I should have chosen the USB 3.0 model. Thunderbolt on PCs is relatively new, does USB 3.0 have better software compatibility? I can get the signal in but the only software that can read it is their own BMD Media Express. The software came with drivers and plugins for other software like Premier, Aftereffects, and others but none of them work. Any suggestions? Even before I bought it I read enough reviews to know it was buggy and people were having varying levels of success with it. What are you guys having the best luck with, USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt? What other interface devices have you tried that work? I am not a BMD fan but I thought I would give them another shot, I'm sorry I did. As codecs and data rates change so rapidly I wonder if we will ever be lucky enough to have an almost universal connectivity platform like firewire again, I doubt it. Your thought and solutions on for the Intensity Shuttle will be appreciated. Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

April 13th, 2015, 08:15 PM	#2
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt I swear by my Matrox MX02LE on Mac connected via Thunderbolt. It "eats" anything I feed it. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

April 13th, 2015, 11:28 PM	#3
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt Unfortunately it seems that Thunderbolt is now dead - Apple left it off the new Air and went to USB-C instead. And finding a Thunderbolt port on a PC is harder than finding the Fountain of Youth. Having 3 Macs and 5 PC's I've been conflicted about Thunderbolt from the beginning - as a technology it's pretty good. it just never really took off due to price. I have the BM Intensity Thunderbolt version which I use on my older Air. The BM software is sort of - well, pretty bad, but at least it WILL record video OK from the shuttle.

April 14th, 2015, 06:11 PM	#4
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Re: Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt USB-C, yet another Mac connection hailed as the next do everything for all of us. Yes I know, it was developed by the USB Implementers Forum for cross platform compatibility but I am sick of this BS. How many times have we been through this before. Mac introduces it, and by the time everyone catches up they will establish "The New Standard" AGAIN! I hate the game. And I generally have to have Mac and PC laptops. Not by choice, for the necessity of compatibly with all my clients on the video and AV side of things. This is part of the reason why. Thunderbolt dead already, really? Like I said in the OP, I miss firewire. For us video guys it was the best standard we ever had. I don't think we will ever get that good again. I don't see USB-C doing it anytime soon. What a PITA. Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

April 14th, 2015, 06:58 PM	#5
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: Video signal in to PC, USB 3 or Thunderbolt Having blown my Sound Devices 702 because of Firewire (well, there wasn't any fire, but there was a lot of smoke...) I can't exactly express any love for it. Miserable connector design. The protocol itself was OK, the physical implementation a disaster.