Sony camcorder capture questions

[daesdaemar]

I'm fairly adept at capturing from my TV card using VirtualDub and WinDVR. Now I have a question regarding capture from a Sony miniDV camcorder. Would it be better to hook the camcorder into the S-Video socket of the TV card and use VirtualDub or WinDVR, or to use the Sony-provided ImageMixer program through the USB port?

[Jester700]

The BEST answer is buy a $25 firewire card and capture with that.

Barring that, I suspect the TV card will do better. Unless your DV outputs already encoded MPEG data, you'll be limited to quarter screen captures on USB, and probably STILL drop frames.

[AznTLC]

get firewire. USB = cheapy graphic, squares everywhere, graphic suck like h.... usb 4 pix only, i used to usb and thought my cam suck, found out i have to get firewwire.

[MachineMan]

Yep, get a firewire card that already comes with the cable. The cable by itself could cost $15.

[AznTLC]

15 bucks = cheap, i got mine from FRY's ELECTRONIC for 25 bucks (cable included).

[daesdaemar]

Wow - guess I need firewire.

[henk schuifkaas]

Definitely

[MachineMan]

I got mine at Fry's for $39. It came with; 4 port PCI card, 6ft I-link cable, and Ulead vieo Studio 6. Well worth it. No driver software needed, Win XP pro recognized and installed it.

[AznTLC]

Same here, auto detect...but i got Video Studio 4

[Will Hay]

Wasting your MiniDV money if you don't use firewire
Will

[tragatz]

I agree that the firewire is the way to go. I have a Sony MiniDV cam, and use Pinnacle software to make movies to SVCD. Very, Very easy.
Perhaps you can tell me how to record shows with WinDVR, and then burn them to VCD, so that I can play them on my DVD player! Thanks!
tom_ragatz@rac.ray.com
tragatz@cox.net

[tragatz]

check E-bay. After my son ran over my cable with his chair, I found the cable at Best Buy for about 20 bucks. I then went to E-Bay, and found a new cable for $4. Worth the wait!
Tom