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  1. Someone tell me why I need to shell out the bucks for an expensive DV capture card to capture video from my Sony DV camcorder. Can't I go buy a cheap firewire card and capture via Ulead Video Studio 6 (which I already have)? What's the difference?

    Thanks
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  2. I think you have your terminology a little confused...you simply need a firewire card (also sometimes called a DV, IEEE1394 or I-link card) to capture, edit and output from your Sony DV camera...

    ...a "capture" card usually refers to an "analog" capture card which lets you capture from an RCA or S-Video source...

    ...a DV capture card might refer to a card like a Pinnacle DV-500 that has both DV (firewire) and Analog (RCA, S-Video) inputs...

    ...but a DV card and Firewire card are the same thing and that's all you need...
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  3. I mean for instance a Canopus DV Raptor Card. It to me is a DV-capture card. The only input is a firewire port. There is nothing analogue about it. This card costs about $500. Is the video I capture using cards like this worth spending 10-20X as much as a firewire card alone? Are you just paying for the video editing capabilities, or is there really a difference in the video quality itself?
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  4. I needed one for sure!

    i went out and bought one and am SO glad I did. I was using the USB port on the pc to view and capture my pics and movies... I have a sony trv140 digital8.

    I didn't realize that the images are streaming thru the usb. After I bought the capture card and the firwire. All is perfect NOW. Awesome pictures and videos...

    Hope it helps a bit... But I agree. I just shelled out $500.00 for this camera and then another $100 for the capture kit.... When are they gonna stop trapping us consumers.....

    Spankey
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  5. tjmanning-

    heres the deal...I have a $500 Pinnacle DV-500 card on 1 computer and a $17 firewire card on my other computer...I get THE EXACT SAME QUALITY video from both cards...that is because DV is a FIXED, PURELY DIGIAL format so you will get the SAME video quality from any Firewire/DV card...

    ...the quality will be the exact same from both cards...the reason for the price difference is as follows: the DV-500 gives you extra features that may make your editing easier...these extra features, however WILL NOT IMPROVE THE VIDEO QUALITY compared to the cheap-ass firewire card...with the DV-500, the card will process some effects and do transitions in Premiere in real-time...with the regular firewire card, your computer must render all filters and transitions...with the DV500, you can output to a TV monitor directly from the card without your camera hookep up...with the cheap card you must have the card plugged into your camera, and your camera plugged into your TV monitor to see your previews on a TV...

    the Canopus DV Raptor Card is more expensive because it has video output on the card in addition to firewire...meaning that you can watch your video on a TV monitor without having your camera plugged in...the Canopus DV Raptor-RT has the same video output function but also has some real-time effects...

    with the fast CPUs today, maybe you don't need these extra real-time features, espacially if you aren't using a ton of video FX and transitions...

    you can get a firewire card through www.PRICEWATCH.com these days for as little as $13...you just need to be sure that it is "OHCI compliant" which nearly all firwire cards are these days, and the video quality will be EXACTLY the same as a $500 card....you got it? good luck
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  6. Thanks Invisibler...that's exactly what I was looking for!
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  7. I have soundblaster audigy. Soundblaster audigy has firewire connection. Do I really need to buy another firewire card?
    If I use soundblaster firewire connection, will I get good result?
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