Does anyone out there have a video capture card?

[tuando]

Greetings,

Does anyone out there have a video capture card? I am wondering if your card can do the following jobs:

- I need to capture a 15 minute of video. Then export frame by frame back to my camcorder Digital 8 SONY DCR-TRV520 (in DV format) in order to analyze each tennis swing and move from my teacher.

- Be able to add title, note or comments at each frame.

- Fade in and out.

- Optional, be able to add repeated (5 minute of one tune for the entire video clip) music background.

If it can, please give me your product information. I would like to buy the same one.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Wiruz]

I Have a Matrox Marvel G400. it uses hardware compression, which means you can record in 704x576 Mjpeg with stereo cd quality sound.

Only catch... it can't do digital video... only analog

For that you need the matrox RT2000 - but that one you can't afford....

[NDC]

I use MPEGator 2, it works great.
http://www.darvision.com/products/mpegatorpro/

[ThiemeMD]

I use MGI VideoWave III, and it does everything you mentioned...
Just a note of a problem I've ran into.. Digital Video is limited to about 20 minutes of video before the 4gb file size limit of FAT32 is reached....
Instead of a video capture card, You might consider just a firewire port to add to you computer if your camcorder will support it. I've gotten much higher quality video and better color going this route, as opposed to an analog video capture card. And you can export right back out to your camera.
Ooops kinda missed the original question.... For analog recording/editing, I've used and recommended the Matrox Marvel G400-TV capture card.... I originally had an ATI All-In-Wonder card, but there were compatability issues with it and the VIA chipset on my computer.
Oh... and you'll need LOTS of disc space for digital... Starting at 20gb.....

Good luck
ThiemeMD

[tuando]

Thank you very much for all the help.

I will follow your advice and buy a firewire card either Pyro 1394 or Pyro ProDV. I think I would buy the Pyro ProDV for $350.

[ThiemeMD]

Just kinda curious.. what is the differencr between the Pyro 1394, and the Pyro ProDV? Does the ProDV include video editing software? $300 sounds pretty expensive to me.

Shop around... my SIIG firewire card came with video editing software (Ulead Video Studio, although I prefer MGI VideoWave) and it was about $100

Good Luck!
Mark

[tuando]

I really don't know the difference between Pyro 1394 & ProDV in the hardware card. However; based on what I see at ADS tech web-site, it differentiate mainly in NLE software. The ProDV has full version of ULEAD Media Studio Pro 6.0 and a whole bunch of other software while the 1394 has only video studio 4.0

Here are the feature of the 1394 and ProDV:

1394:

PYRO 1394 Host card w/ 3 1394 ports (3 external)
6 pin x 4 pin 1394 cable (6 ft. long) – for digital camcorders
CD Containing:
Video Studio 4 Basic (Win98, Win98SE or Win2000)
Photo Explorer 6.0 (Win98, Win98SE or Win2000)
Camcorder drivers (Win98, Win98SE or Win2000)
HTML Link to Apple 1394 extensions
HTML Link to Apple’s iMovie application
Hardware installation Guide

ProDV:
http://www.adstech.com/products/pyro_pro_more.html

I have used Video Studio 4.0 and find its limitation such as unable to output frame by frame to my Digital 8 camcorder (slide show or very slow motion).

Anyway, I think with the software package the ProDV is very competitive in price.

[Erap!]

you know if ur just going to do this one job might as well spring for a couple of bucks and have it edited somewhere. If you have a friend that has the hardware then give him a ring! If you're going to do it seldomly, just get the analog cards that can get you at least 640x480 30fps! If you're serious about editing, go to pinnacle systems and get a DV card.