video capture cards

[Alex]

Without Firewire, you are buying a backwards system that will NEVER catch you up to what is the current popular standard.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...but firewire hardware and technology (for now anyway) is the fulcrum point that all popular, low-cost and progressive computer editing systems revolve around.

And be careful when you buy a card, many times the actual card then needs a "break-out" box that has the actual video and audio connections you need....so if the computer supports a computer card that supports a breakout box that supports firewire, you will be OK...

But you see how quickly this has become a "did I buy the right computer for the purpose of video editing" .

-Alex

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[Matt Pacini]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mercutio:
[B]I would have to agree with Alex, ...But I believe his point is valid, figure which application you need (in this case editing) based on your requirements (i.e. realtime editing, ability to composite, etc), THEN buy the hardware to support it."

(Matt Pacini resonds): Well, since he said he had Adobe Premier, and then he bought a computer, it seemed obvious to me that he HAD figured what he wanted to do, then bought hardware to support it.
He simply thought that PC's all came with capture cards, that's all.
So, in fact, he was up to the last step in doing exactly that, so why tell him to start over?
That was my point...

Matt Pacini

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[daviddolores]

Thank you, thank you very much for suggesting cards! That's exactly what I wanted. I will look for cards by Matrox and Pinnacle.

As for my choice of computer, I think people have made faulty assumptions about it, specifically that I Had an exact and Single application in mind when buying it.

There might be a slight Mac vs. PC issue here, because if you own a Mac (correct me if I'm wrong), it's sort of ready for video, with a card included (by the way, does "Beige" have anything to do with the computing ability?).

But beyond that minor point, I certainly did plan my computer purchase around video work, even in ignorance of the lack of a card. And as much as you try to deny it, those buzzwords that are used to sell a computer are actually useful information. For instance, 256 MB RAM will simply enable you to capture frames more quickly than 128. A fast hard drive helps too. And these are both selling points for a Reason.

The fact is that computers are adaptable to many tasks, and mine in particular has features which will allow me to do lots of video work in fairly short shrift--once I have the card. I was not--as has been implied--entirely without a Plan when I bought it, and until someone asks me exactly what kind of computer I have with what specs, I should think they are drawing hasty conclusion as to its fitness for video work.

dD

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[Mercutio]

Gosh David, don't be so coy. What DO you have for a computer?

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[daviddolores]

Top secret. I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

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[daviddolores]

Oh, okay, if you must know, I have an Avid Symphony and some decks--some digital, some analog. They're sort of a smoky grey with light touches of ebony.

--david

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[daviddolores]

Quote from Alex:
if the computer supports a computer card
that supports a breakout box that supports firewire, you will be OK...

Actually Alex, I would have been grateful to you if you had simply delivered yourself of this knowledge from the outset. It is the only useful information you have offered thus yet, but I'm glad I finally got it out of you. Thank you. The only part is "if the computer supports.." Why wouldn't my computer not support such a card, given the specs I listed? Is there something retarded about a dell precision 420 that will make it reject a video card?

So far I have started checking out Pinnacle cards. Their site is phrased in salesspeak, but When i have a card installed and running I will get back to the board about it.

I didn't phrase my original question in that provocative technical way that gets y'all's panties hot, and that must be why Alex's responses were (to me) so obviously wrong at first. Next time I will make more of an effort in this area and look for results. Thanks to everyone for their responses.

--david


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[Alex]

Nonetheless, if you don't buy your computer based on the total firewire requirements you will need, you may always be trying to catch-up.

I gave no specifics originally because the only specific you provided was...."The computer came with no capture card"

...that is not much to go on....I only painted a general picture because saying you have no capture card is pretty darn vague to begin with.

-Alex





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[mattias]

> Why wouldn't my computer not support such a card, given the specs I listed?

that's the problem: you never know. you can probably make it work, but there are always issues with driver, overlay, irq's and more. prepare for the possibility that you won't see full motion video on your screen, that you can't pick any os you want, and that you have to change your ide-controller and network card or at least move them around and change their settings. that's just the way it is.

/matt

[daviddolores]

i think i can survive changing settings.

os compatability is important, so i'll make sure to check.

dD

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