Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

la muffa

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 14, 2010
2
0
Hi,

I need to capture two video streams from two DV camcoders connected to a Mac Pro via firewire. It's for a live streaming over internet, switching between two video sources.

If I turn on both of the cameras I can still see only one DV-VCR signal on OS X. I think this is due to the firewire controller in the Mac Pro, which can handle only one video stream at time.

So, could I find a solution buy an extra firewire adapter card?
I found something like this:
4 Port PCI Express 1394a FireWire Adapter Card - 3 External 1 Internal
http://www.startech.com/item/PEX13943-3-1-Internal-Port-PCI-Express-FireWire-Card.aspx

Assuming that the adapter card is compatible with the Mac Pro, it should allow me to handle two distinct DV streams... am I right?
Has anyone tried that?

thank you in advance!
 
I think you are approaching this 'mixing' at the wrong location. Your switching and mixing should occur before the DV/FW input to make it work if you are dead-set on using FW as your input. I don't believe the Mac...even with an additional FW card is designed for this type of switching.

I'm sure there are other types of boxes/applications/solutions that will more easily allow you to switch between 2 or 4 or 16 or more video sources than attempting this at the FW-input level.
 
Hi,

I need to capture two video streams from two DV camcoders connected to a Mac Pro via firewire. It's for a live streaming over internet, switching between two video sources.

I don't think you can use the Mac as a "firewire mixer" in quite this way. How seamless does your switching need to be? I mean, I think you could switch from one to another (just assuming here, I've never actually tried it), just not quickly. Maybe a few seconds in between.
 
I need a smooth switch between the two streams, I tried CamTwist to do this.
CamTwist lets you apply transitions, effects etc. but I can only mix between FW and other streams (like usb webcams and video files).

So If I could get another DV-over-FW stream the problem is gone. If it's reasonable.

Obviously there are HW solutions before firewire that can mix sources and even add transitions, but I think they cost some money...
 
Your best bet is to get a hardware mixer. They're expensive, but far better suited to the task at hand.

You could also look at BoinxTV, it looks like it should do the trick. I have a copy (got it in a MacHeist bundle, no way I paid the $500 for it) but it runs so slow on my PBG4 that I haven't been able to explore its features at all.
 
no way around it

Hardware mixer is the way to go, and it's not going to be cheap.

I know of no software that does what you are looking for.
Maybe use someone's MB or MBP and capture through that and feed it to the MP?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.