graphics & video capture cards

[Vic 970]

I have been playing with my digi camera/webcam & recording, and have now aquired an analog camcorder, so I would like to aquire/transfer some analog to digi, without spending a lot. I have been thinking to update my (8mb) graphics card for a while now, and there seems to be some reasonable priced 32 & 64 mb cards for sale. also I have seen an osprey 100 capture card.

is there anything I need to know ?

my current camera plugs into usb port & I use iPhotoPlus & MGI videowave s/w.

[Vic 970]

Is there any point in getting a graphics card with 'tv out' if I install a capture card ?

any advice helps.

[david eaton]

Hi Vic.

I use an ATI rage video card with video ports and it works well for what I want. Not certain about TV out, as my card doesn't have one. As my card is getting a bit long in the tooth now, I don't know the capabilities of current capture cards.

Videowave is a nice bit of software for editing etc, and the card will probably have its own capture program as part of the driver disk.

David

[Vic 970]

Hi david,

I know little about these things except for what I've read recently.

I assume that 'tv out' allows play on the tv screen rather than the pc monitor, so if the capture card has vid in & vid out, which can be transferred to vcr, then it can be monitored on tv through the vcr. therefore the tv out on the graphics card would be surplus.

or am Imissing something ?

[mjc]

If you have a card that just has a TV out then yes, all you can do is play it back to a TV or VCR, but some cards also have a TV in, in which case you wouldn't need a separate capture card. The capture card will use your existing video card and add the TV in/out features.

[david eaton]

Vic, I think you are right about the tv out connection. All I have used mine for so far is capturing video for use on websites; re recording onto tape is something I haven't done as yet. As you say if you have a tv connected to the vcr, then whatever you record will show up on screen.

Funny thing, I can capture video OK, but getting the sound to work has so far escaped me! :confused: It just will not record the soundtrack, although it plays through the speakers. Wierd :(

David

[Vic 970]

mjc,

Thanks, I think I'm on the right lines now.

david,

I think there is an option in videowave to save an audio file 'indepedant, yet linked with video' I'd have to explore it some more, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it.