"RCA" A/V cable to 400/800 Firewire??

[ChazLM]

Is this cable out there? I have a sony analog video camera, and i want to know if its possible to download the video onto a new 17" powerbook through the 400 or 800 firewire so i can use some of those cool iLife programs to edit it. I know i should buy a digital video camera, but my sony works good still (and i just spent all my money on the powerbook.) Thanks for any comments....

 

[jackieonasses]

Is this cable out there? I have a sony analog video camera, and i want to know if its possible to download the video onto a new 17" powerbook through the 400 or 800 firewire so i can use some of those cool iLife programs to edit it. I know i should buy a digital video camera, but my sony works good still (and i just spent all my money on the powerbook.) Thanks for any comments....

I am almost positive that can't be done. You need a Capture box, that streams into firewire, it is late and i can't think of any off the top off my head, but you plug a Analog signal, and it processes it into mpeg-2... then streams to your mac.


good luck!

kyle

 

[Peterkro]

Yes they do exist but they are capture boxes about $150.

 

[jackieonasses]

Yes they do exist but they are capture boxes about $150.

Condsidering that, just invest wisely in a new camera... You can go cheap, or you can go higher if you want... Just remember that it has to be mini-DV...

kyle

 

[spacepower7]

external box

Well, since you have a Powerbook, you can't use a PCI card.

You need a MiniDV camera or an external box.
There are 2 mains types of coverter boxes:
1. Convert to DV
2. Convert to mpeg1, mpeg2, mpeg4

Formac and others convert to DV
ElGato, Plextor and ATI covert to mpeg 1, mpeg2, (sometimes mpeg4)

I haven't experimented with the new versions of the iApps, but the old ones didn't play nice with mpeg video. There were conversion steps that needed to be taken. The iApps used to be specialized for DV and jpegs. But now are things are changing since iMovie now accepts mpeg4 and HDV(consumer high definition video, which is based on mpeg2.) Also iPhoto 5 now accepts mpeg4.

It also depends on your analog video format. DV has much less compression than the mpeg formats. If you are going to do alot of editing then I would use DV. If you just want to convert a vhs tape (or TV) to DVD, I would get a mpeg converter. All the mpeg converters mentioned come with EyeTV which lets you edit mpeg video, and it can also be used like a Tivo.


Good Luck

 

[simie]

Try any of these

Hauppauge My Video USB supports ntsc and pal and secam
Video inputs — S-video and Composite video
Video outputs — S-video and Composite video

specs found here http://www.eskapelabs.com/myvideo.html

or

iREZ PCMCIA Capsure Card as Svideo and composite video

Uk mac supplier provides these details about the products

http://www.ghc.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Video_Capture_Conversion_240.html

 

[ZildjianKX]

I use this on a daily basis:

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/ADVC55/pt_advc55.asp

 

[ChazLM]

Thanks for all your help

I wasn't getting alot of help at the mac store. They were more interested in selling me a new digital video camera.

So it looks like the Formac Studio TVR or the ADVC55 are my choices to choose from.

Thanks again....

Chaz

 

[Arcady]

I use the Canopus ADVC-50 and have always had good results with it. The 55 should be similar in quality.