video capture cards

[daviddolores]

I am chagrined to discover that my expensive new computer shipped without any sort of video capture card.

Now I am thrust into the capture card market, without knowing much about them. From a topic on this board I learned that s-video is good quality. Can anyone recommend a card of this type? I don't even know if they are bank-breakers or not.

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[Alex]

Your doing it backwards.

Find the Non-Linear System you value the most, and then work your way toward the ideal computer for that Non-Linear System.

I'd return the computer and start over.

-Alex

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[This message has been edited by Alex (edited September 08, 2001).]

[daviddolores]

hi alex

well i cannot return the computer (did i say *new*? i meant *recently purchased* ), but it was touted as an excellent one for video work.
as for a "non-linear system," i don't even know what that is. i have nothing but a computer and a cracked premiere 6.0.

maybe i'll just have rafik telecine the film to DVD, since I have a drive.

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[Matt Pacini]

I'm going to have to disagree with Alex.

Since you obviously didn't think you were getting a $25,000 Avid system when you bought your computer, it's clear that you're trying to edit video using a home PC, not a dedicated non-linear system.

Therefore, keep your computer, and look for non-linear software and a capture card (as opposed to "system").

The two most used ones at this point, are Adobe Premier, and Final Cut Pro.
I edited my movie on Premier, so it's good enough for what you're doing, I would guess.
And as far as I know, no personal computers come with capture cards, with the exception of one of the new Mac's that are set up with one, and Final Cut pro. But that's not really an advantage over just throwing a capture card in your computer.

So, I'm guessing you got a PC?

All you need to do now is get a capture card, since you already have Premier (well.... you should really buy it, eh? Ahoy, matiiiieeessss!).
There are many, many of them out there, so you need to figure out how much you can spend, and what you need to do with it.
It sounds like you're saying S-VHS is good enough for you, so just make sure the one you get has S-VHS in's & out's.
Pinnacle makes good cards.
I've got an Iomega Buzz, which is really cheap and low end, but much to my surprise, has really good quality input & output, and the file sizes it makes are incredibly small. It was about $200 when I got it, but you could probably get one for really cheap now.
Maybe everyone who reads this post should list the card they are use (and Mac or PC) and how much they paid, and that would help you on your way.
But for Gods sake, don't get rid of your computer.
Alex, what are you doing your non-linear editing on, if not a computer with capture card, & editing software like Premier?
Do you have an Avid?
Do you really think this guys is going to go out and get an Avid?
I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just confused, because it seems like a weird thing to tell him to do, take his computer back and start going to stores asking for a "non-linear editing system", then finding out that all that is, is what he had, plus a capture card & Premier!!?? (scratching my head...)

Matt Pacini


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[mattias]

i have an imac with built in fire wire and final cut pro. i paid $1400 for the computer, $200 for a used copy of fcp and $700 for a cheap dv camera that i use as an editing deck. total: $2300 for a professional video editing system that i have made around $10,000 with by editing for clients. sweet.

/matt

[Nigel]

I agree with Alex full on.

Look at what you want to do and then build your system to meet that need. If you are a true editor you would have done this to start.

There are plenty of options--you can get a MAC and Final Cut Pro along with a decent DVCam deck an just use the FireWire and you are up an flying for less than 5000 dollars--and you have one hell of an Off-Line machine.

Or, you can say I want to give the editors of the world a run for their money so I am going to get AVID Symphony along with a wall full of different decks both Digital and Analog and spend a million dollars. The choice is yours.

Remember you don't need a "capture card" in order to get video in to your computer.

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[Alex]

My original post probably shocked you.

It's a wake up call more so for others than yourself.

Different People who I respect a lot were telling me a few years back to never buy a computer based on harddrive capacity, gigs, or ram...

Instead focus on the EXACT application you primarily need your computer to do.

Once you commit to an operating platform / software that meets your needs, then find which computer best matches the operating platform / software you will be using.

The odds that you can reverse the procedure and have the same level of success are not as good....definitely not impossible, but not as good as doing it in reverse to the way you are doing it.

Let me point out that you are not alone! Practically all computer purchases made by consumers are done the way you did it.

Most people who buy computers first buy the computer, then try to figure out how to "load it up" with what is needed to do the required task.

And the reason everyone buys this way is because of BUZZWORDS! Those cool phrases that
allow the computer salesperson to say...It's got 9 gigs with 256 ram and a cache of ......

Nothing relevant to any one application.

Here is an analogy. Would you buy a car SOLELY based on miles per gallon sight unseen or not test driven?

Well, buying a computer should be like buying a car, just don't kick it.

-Alex






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[daviddolores]

I did not buy my computer according to a sales pitch or buzzwords. I'm not quite that much of a simpleton, simpleton though I am. I bought the computer mostly based on an article that compared different systems for their ability to handle batch edits and other video tasks.

That's why I was so surprised to find that my computer is captureless. I don't mind, but I would like to hear from some more people about their cards, and about others like mattias who kind of opened my eyes to the possibility of using a DV Cam.

As much as I would have liked to customize my system to video editing, first of all I don't have lots of cash for fancy stuff, and secondly I'm just not that much of a vid-pro who necessarily plans on making bucks with it, although mattias's business sounds really great, and I highly respect him for doing that kind of work.

No, I bought this computer for a simple reason: to do various graphics work, including editing my s8 films.

dD

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[Alex]

I never called you a simpleton.

I said that the vast majority of people who buy computers are bombarded with buzzwords by the computer salespeople.

-Alex



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[Matt Pacini]

I said the things I did, because I thought it was pretty obvious, that a guy that assumes that all computers come "video editing ready" to some extent, is a beginner, or at least, obviously not going for a full blown professional setup.
And I was correct.
Alex apparently didn't get that, and I felt it a little harsh to tell someone to get rid of thier system, when in fact, it seemed clear, that all the guy needs at this point is a capture card.


Also, there is no inherent difference in computers that are "video editing ready" and those that are not, other than how fast it is, and what hardware and/or software they may or may not bundle with the machine.
USB, Firewire, and everything else you need, can be added with expansion cards.

Since Alex had no idea WHAT this guys machine's capabilities were, it just seemed a silly bit of excuse telling him to start over, when in fact, he may have bought a killer, blazingly fast PC that may be even better suited for his needs, than if he gets a packaged system.

Short story, get a capture card & start editing. I'll be glad to give you pointers any time you want.

Matt Pacini

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