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Question about Apple Mini-DVI to Video Adapter

nickyj182

nickyj182

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 12, 2002
180
0
Morehead, KY
Hi,

I'm getting ready to buy a new iMac, thank god. Anyways, with the Apple Mini-DVI to Video Adapter is it possible to play whats on your TV on your mac? Like could I play old VHS tapes on my TV, but somehow take that footage and copy it into iMove to make DVD upgrades? Anythings better than buying a bridge. Let me know!
 
Not directly through the DVI-Video adapter. The DVI port is output only. You would need to somehow convert the footage to digital format (DVD recorder perhaps, but it has to playable on a Firewire device), and then output that via Firewire into iMovie or iDVD.
 
Well, you first need to digitize the video. There are several ways to do this:


1. VCRs with Firewire ports do exist, though I've never actually seen one. If you can find one, you should be able to just connect it to your Mac and import the footage.

2. You can get an analog-to-DV converter. (I know it's an old article, but it gives you the idea.) You can connect your VCR to the converter to your Firewire port and import the footage.

3. You can get a hard disk recorder that will allow you to record the VHS tape, and then use Firewire to transfer it to your Mac.


I'm sure there are other ways to do it...hopefully someone with more experience than I will come along and give you some input. That's all I've got. :D
 
Yep, that will work. I've always been thought Elgato's products looked interesting and have heard great things, but I can't use it for its intended purpose since I have digital cable. But even aside from watching/recording TV on your computer, this is a great way to get your tapes onto your Mac.
 
WildCowboy, have a look over at the Elgato site: http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyetvmain2&countrytogo=36&signal=all

Choose the options and you'll be able to find a digital product for you. They have products for digital cable, aerial and satellite, analogue cable, aerial and satellite and HDTV of all of them too. The only bummer for me is that the satellite we have here in the UK (Sky TV) uses a proprietry compression algorithm so that's pretty much the only standard that Elgato don't have a product for!!
Bear in mind that only their analogue devices will be able to record from a standard VHS machine.
 
Unfortunately, dual tuners is a must for me so that I can watch one thing while recording another. And the only way to do that with my digital cable system is to use their own crappy DVR. (I'm on my fourth box in the last year and a half, and this one doesn't work right either.) We used to have TiVo and really liked it, but had to dump that once we got digital cable.

I'm seriously thinking about going back to analog cable.
 
Yeah, you're going to need an analog to digital converter for those old VHS tapes. If you want to watch TV too then it's best to go with Elgato. ;)
 
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