Cheap DV > Analog > DV converter

[MovieStuff]

Some of you may already know about this product. It's a stand-alone unit that will convert analog to firewire or firewire to analog. Pretty cool. For those that have analog camcorders and want to get a cheap firewire capture board, this sounds like the ticket. Should work with the WorkPrinter, as far as I can tell. No reason it shouldn't. It also appears to come with some sort of basic video editing software, but I know nothing about it.

See:
http://www.computervideogear.com/daz...-dv-bridge.htm

Roger

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Roger Evans
MovieStuff
http://www.afterimagephoto.tv/moviestuff.html

[Nigel]

Dazzle is SHIT. It is very very very consumer. You are better off buyinng the Sony Converterif you want something cheap. The Sony sell for I think 399 dollars from B&H or Adorama.

This is far cheaper than ReelTime or another professional system.

Both Premier and FCP both recognize the Sony as well so you can use a software that can generate an EDL that can be converted for an On-Line.

Good Luck

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[Nigel]

The Sony is the DVMC-DA2.

The newest ReelTime I think is still the ReelTime Nitro. You may want to look into that too.

Good Luck

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[crimsonson]

Canopus also just began selling thier own A/DV converter. It has locked audio unlike Sony's converter. I agree with Nigel stay away form Dazzle.
www.justedit.com


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[MovieStuff]

Wow! I didn't realize the quality of Dazzle was so bad. Have you guys tried it? What specifically are the problems with it if all you want to do is convert analog to firewire? Is the quality of the picture bad or does it just lack certain features that you would other wise like to see? I just can not imagine someone putting out a product like this that would not do a clean conversion since it is such a simple thing to do.

As far as Real Time goes, the Nitro package isn't a converter. It's a real time 3-D effects board that works with the Pennacle Real Time Nonlinear capture and effects board. I know because the Real Time board is what I use with Premier. Works great.

Anyway, I'm curious about the image quality issues with Dazzle, if either one of you can tell me more about it.

Thanks guys!

Roger

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Roger Evans
MovieStuff
http://www.afterimagephoto.tv/moviestuff.html

[crimsonson]

it gives DV a bad name

dropped frames, artifacting and worst of all UNSTABLE.

The Sony and Canopus ( http://www.justedit.com/products/advc100.php3 ) products are the best bet. If you need component I/O:
http://www.videoguys.com/datavid.htm#dac2


Its a consireably more $$$.




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[MovieStuff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by crimsonson:

dropped frames, artifacting and worst of all UNSTABLE.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ah. Well that's what I would call bad. Funny that the Canopus web site doesn't mention those problems when comparing their convertor to the Dazzle. I would think they'd capitalize on the problems of their competitor rather than present a laborious table of "yes" and "no" comparisons. I'm not saying I don't believe you since you obviously have tried out the unit. But if I were Canopus, I'd just say,"Our convertor works and doesn't drop frames like the Dazzle unit does." That, alone, would be enough to discourage potential buyers from using Dazzle.

Too bad. I was hoping it would be a good convertor to use with the WorkPrinter.

Well, the Canopus isn't too expensive, though you could buy a Canon ZR20 miniDV camcorder for the same money and use it as a codec for conversion. Then you'd have a handy video camera, to boot!

Thanks for the info.

Roger

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Roger Evans
MovieStuff
http://www.afterimagephoto.tv/moviestuff.html

[digvid]

Haven't tried the Dazzle device but have read poor reviews. I have tried the Sony passthrough device and found it to work extremely well. Also, I know that you can buy some of the less expensive Digital8 camcorders and use them as a passthrough, since a digital signal is usually present on the firewire output whenever there is an analog signal on the analog inputs.

- digvid

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[MovieStuff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by digvid:
Also, I know that you can buy some of the less expensive Digital8 camcorders and use them as a passthrough
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, that is what I was referring to above about using a miniDV cam with analog inputs as a codec. I've done that and it seems to work very well. I guess the trick for manufacturers is to keep the price of a convertor down below the price of a miniDV camcorder, which might be hard to do since the miniDVcams have a higher demand, thereby reducing the overall costs.

Kind of like buying a 30 minute VHS tape which costs more than a 120 minute VHS tape. The convertor may be a simpler mechanism than the miniDV cam but the sheer number of miniDV cams that are bought and sold brings down the price to a level even with the less demanded covertors.

Roger

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Roger Evans
MovieStuff
http://www.afterimagephoto.tv/moviestuff.html

[Nigel]

The Sony is the closest thing I have used to a "consumer" grade interface. I found it be simple to use. But, I did find its lack of connections to be its only real fault.

I do like the ReelTime interface. I had a setup by them that was a true Pro interface with everything from XLR to Stereo Mini. It was great. But you are looking at 5000 for it. Good Luck

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