| Author |
Message |
Kathlene
Guest
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 Posted:
Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:13 am Post subject:
adding video input |
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Hi,
Does anyone know anything about adding video
input to a computer that doesn't have it. I
notice there are a number of unused jacks at
the back for USB2, LAN, 1394 (whatever they
are)? Thanks,
Kathy
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Neil Smith [MVP Digital M
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject:
Re: adding video input |
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On Mon, 26 Dec 2005 20:13:59 -0600, "Kathlene" <no@thnks.spam> wrote:
| Quote: | Hi,
Does anyone know anything about adding video
input to a computer that doesn't have it. I
notice there are a number of unused jacks at
the back for USB2, LAN, 1394 (whatever they
are)? Thanks,
|
USB2 (and USB1) can be used by some stills cameras to transfer sets of
photos. USB1 is too slow to send video over (really), USB2 can be used
to send video data but in general isn't by any device I know of -
although possibly some stills cameras might take short video clips,
maybe that would be used to transfer them fro mthe camera's memory
card.
LAN is really for PC to PC networking, and won't help you with video
input.
IEEE1394, also known as Firewire is a high speed connection that like
USB2 can be used to send digital video (DV) data - in most cases it's
used by DV cameras - video cameras with tapes, rather than stills
cameras with memory cards inside them.
The DV camera has a light sensitive chip inside (a CCD sensor) and
some electronics to convert the light and colour levels to digital
data.
That can be recorded onto tape, then sent to the computer - and some
but no tallcan be configured as a webcam, to send the digital data
directly over the 1394 cable to the PC.
There are options you can use to convert a TV or VCR input to DV data,
and pass it over the 1394 cable - they are quite expensive though.
Look for "Scan Converter" in a google search to get an idea of prices.
Other ways to get video into the PC are to buy a TV card, and use its
aerial or composite cable input to decode then "digitise" the analog
video signal.
Since you haven't said anything about what sort of video you want to
get onto the PC, the only thing I can suggest is to post why you want
this video onto it, and what the source of the video is (camera tapes,
stills camera, TV input, DVD or video input) and maybe we can suggest
a good TV card you could buy for the inside of the PC.
Cheers - Neil |
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Kathlene
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:30 am Post subject:
Re: adding video input |
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"Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media]"
<neil@nospam.com> wrote etc.
Hi,
Thanks for explaining those ports. What I
would like to do is make video clips using
Windows Movie Maker by capturing video from
the video output jack on the camcorder.
Kathy
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Neil Smith [MVP Digital M
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject:
Re: adding video input |
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On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 18:25:01 -0600, "Kathlene" <no@thnks.spam> wrote:
| Quote: |
"Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media]"
neil@nospam.com> wrote etc.
Hi,
Thanks for explaining those ports. What I
would like to do is make video clips using
Windows Movie Maker by capturing video from
the video output jack on the camcorder.
|
OK - this is an Analog camcorder ? Or if you pull the tape out, does
it say "DV" in small letters on the tape ?
If you have a DV "digital" camera then you *want* to transfer
digitally (trust me on this !), so you'd get a Firewire cable which
goes from the camera to your 1394 connector. They're about $8, and
that's pretty much the total outlay. Put your DV camera into
'playback' mode once connected, and MovieMaker should recognise it.
If it's definitely not digital and *only* has what appears to be round
sockets on the back (maybe yellow for video + white/red for audio)
then you've got an analog camera.
In that case you'll need to get something to convert the analog to
digital, as movie maker (and other editing software) only works with
digital data. The TV2000 which has TV, FM and S-VHS (analog) inputs,
can also be used as a TV tuner (if you need that too) :
http://www.leadtek.com/multimedia/winfast_tv2000xp_deluxe_1.html
It will convert the analog video from the yellow plug to digital data,
using your computers CPU. So you will need a fast machine to do this
without the video becoming jerky.
Often better alternatives do the encoding on a plug-in device. This
can be useful for older machines (3-4 years and older) because they
only transfer data and it's simply stored to your computers disk.
Examples are :
http://tinyurl.com/cujhb or
http://tinyurl.com/73yse or
http://tinyurl.com/9snx7
They can be bought at retail stores, and as far as I'm aware Movie
Maker will recognise them as a capture device.
None of those need you to open up the computer, and plug in to your
USB2 socket. USB1 is too slow, you *must* re-check that your PC has
USB2 on the back - possibly a spec sheet or manual that came with the
PC will show that information.
HTH
Cheers - Neil |
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Kathlene
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:30 am Post subject:
Re: adding video input |
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|
Hi,
Thanks for those links, just what I figured
there might be. This is a Pentium 4 with a
hot 64 bit graphics card, so I didn't want
to throw it out. Analog video will be
obsolete in a couple of years anyway, along
with CD-Roms, floppy disks, zip disks,
modems, ISA, AGP, sound cards, etc. I'm just
waiting until they get the tower finished
that's supposed to supply us with rural
wireless Internet and phone.
K.
"Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media]"
<neil@nospam.com> wrote in message
.............
| Quote: | If you have a DV "digital" camera then you
*want* to transfer
digitally (trust me on this !), so you'd
get a Firewire cable which
goes from the camera to your 1394
connector. They're about $8, and
that's pretty much the total outlay. Put
your DV camera into
'playback' mode once connected, and
MovieMaker should recognise it.
If it's definitely not digital and *only*
has what appears to be round
sockets on the back (maybe yellow for
video + white/red for audio)
then you've got an analog camera.
In that case you'll need to get something
to convert the analog to
digital, as movie maker (and other editing
software) only works with
digital data. The TV2000 which has TV, FM
and S-VHS (analog) inputs,
can also be used as a TV tuner (if you
need that too) :
http://www.leadtek.com/multimedia/winfast_tv2000xp_deluxe_1.html
It will convert the analog video from the
yellow plug to digital data,
using your computers CPU. So you will need
a fast machine to do this
without the video becoming jerky.
Often better alternatives do the encoding
on a plug-in device. This
can be useful for older machines (3-4
years and older) because they
only transfer data and it's simply stored
to your computers disk.
Examples are :
http://tinyurl.com/cujhb or
http://tinyurl.com/73yse or
http://tinyurl.com/9snx7
They can be bought at retail stores, and
as far as I'm aware Movie
Maker will recognise them as a capture
device.
None of those need you to open up the
computer, and plug in to your
USB2 socket. USB1 is too slow, you *must*
re-check that your PC has
USB2 on the back - possibly a spec sheet
or manual that came with the
PC will show that information.
HTH
Cheers - Neil |
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