RCA to DV / Firewire cable.

[Caius]

What to expect from an RCA to DV/Firewire cable? Does it exists? Does it make much difference?

[jagabo]

There's no such thing as an RCA to Firewire cable. There are RCA (composite video) to Firewire converters. Do they make a difference? In what context?

[Caius]

There's no such thing as an RCA to Firewire cable. There are RCA (composite video) to Firewire converters. Do they make a difference? In what context?

To use in VHS decks which doesn't have that dv/ilink/firewire output option.

[ConsumerDV]

Don't you have a DV or Digital8 camcorder that has composite input and can convert analog to DV? It is the same thing. In fact, I would prefer a camcorder to a no-name converter.

[pchan]

If you have a DV camcorder, then this is the solution i.e. composite video passthrough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVMsAQAsBiM

If not then you need to get a RCA to USB video converter e.g. Elgato Video Capture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USuVnUi67-Q

[Caius]

Don't you have a DV or Digital8 camcorder that has composite input and can convert analog to DV? It is the same thing. In fact, I would prefer a camcorder to a no-name converter.

[Attachment 65136 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 65137 - Click to enlarge]


I only have this Mini DV and this analog Hi8.
I think this MiniDV only has outputs and not inputs.

[ConsumerDV]

Ah, my bad.

[Cornucopia]

If you have to have such a device, some of the most famous is the ADVC family of devices from Grass Valley (formerly sold by Canopus). 50, 100, 110, 300. They have been discussed ad nauseum on these forums over the years. They are VERY reliable, though they do have a few quirks, depending on the model.

However, I am pretty sure it has also been pointed out to you on more than one occasion that, if you are starting from an analog source, the optimal way to digitize your material isn't one of those devices, but rather a capture card/box which gives you options to capture with a lossless codec.


Scott

[Eric-jan]

If you don't want to go for a ADVC (new they are/where expensive) or passtrough camera, i've tested some scalers now with mixed results, aspect ratio and SD or HD resolutions are a problem,
but these are cheap scalers, and you need a HDMI recorder, or a HDMI to USB dongle, you need to present the correct aspect ratio, and correct Standard Definition into the HDMI input, the analog video signal will be already digitized at the output of the scaler, to be used by de HDMI recorder or HDMI USB dongle, it's an easy way to capture/convert, but all depents on the quality of hardware used, so i guess quality depends on how much you spend on it, the cheap scalers/converters are mostly meant for "the gamers" retro game consoles, to connect to LCD tv/monitor screens these signals have some more stability then the signals from analog vcr's, there's more choice in scaler's and HDMI dongle's these days, HDMI recorders also, it's how much money you want to spent, in such a case, or you just don't like to do it this way, otherwise you have to spend money on old TBC equpment, and learn to work with some special video tool software, and have the energy for that, in my case, i look always for the easy way out, and figuring out how much money to spent, for the quality i want.
A lot depends also on the equipment you already own, and then getting what's available, with also your budget, and energy you want put into it. you need to explore that for yourself….

[energizerfellow]

If you're dealing with CVBS composite (aka 3D comb filter needed) and not just YC S-video sources (e.g. S-VHS / Hi8 / ED Beta decks), you might as well end-game it with an Osprey analog capture card, e.g. Osprey 210e, and call it good. They're arguably the best out there for things like chroma bandwidth and general pro-level driver features with pretty solid line holding on rougher tapes.

If you need the strongest line holding out there, get one of Magewell's Pro Capture AIO / Pro Capture HDMI PCIe cards or USB Capture AIO. You'll give up the 3D comb filter and some chroma bandwidth on encoded video, but get strong, stable line holding with plenty of timing correction and very stable drivers.

[ConsumerDV]

If you're dealing with CVBS composite (aka 3D comb filter needed) and not just YC S-video sources (e.g. S-VHS / Hi8 / ED Beta decks), you might as well end-game it with an Osprey analog capture card, e.g. Osprey 210e, and call it good. They're arguably the best out there for things like chroma bandwidth and general pro-level driver features with pretty solid line holding on rougher tapes.

$320 at B&H. Thankfully, it comes with a breakout cable. If you lose the cable, this would be another $85. It uses the same Conexant chip as the AverMedia 310B. Someone very prominent on this board does not like Conexant, even though the reasons are unknown to me.

Is it much better than the AverMedia? The 310B is about $100 in American online stores, I got mine for half the price directly from China. Does the Osprey card have better drivers? Better A/V sync? Does it let through Macrovision-protected content? Does it have less jitter than with the AverMedia? I suppose it has the same TBC-like effect because the chip is the same. Seems pricey for a single-chip solution from 2008.

[Caius]

If you don't want to go for a ADVC (new they are/where expensive) or passtrough camera, i've tested some scalers now with mixed results, aspect ratio and SD or HD resolutions are a problem,
but these are cheap scalers, and you need a HDMI recorder, or a HDMI to USB dongle, you need to present the correct aspect ratio, and correct Standard Definition into the HDMI input, the analog video signal will be already digitized at the output of the scaler, to be used by de HDMI recorder or HDMI USB dongle, it's an easy way to capture/convert, but all depents on the quality of hardware used, so i guess quality depends on how much you spend on it, the cheap scalers/converters are mostly meant for "the gamers" retro game consoles, to connect to LCD tv/monitor screens these signals have some more stability then the signals from analog vcr's, there's more choice in scaler's and HDMI dongle's these days, HDMI recorders also, it's how much money you want to spent, in such a case, or you just don't like to do it this way, otherwise you have to spend money on old TBC equpment, and learn to work with some special video tool software, and have the energy for that, in my case, i look always for the easy way out, and figuring out how much money to spent, for the quality i want.
A lot depends also on the equipment you already own, and then getting what's available, with also your budget, and energy you want put into it. you need to explore that for yourself….

I have this one. I think all I need now is a capture card that is compatible with it, as neither my DVD recorders or my pinnacle 700 pci do not support its i.link output.

[Attachment 65164 - Click to enlarge]

[energizerfellow]

It uses the same Conexant chip as the AverMedia 310B.

You have to remember that Conexant chipsets like the CX23888 are, in many ways, a software-defined radio, which is why you'll see them used for things like the Domesday Duplicator.

While cards like the Hauppauge ImpactVCB-e, Avermedia CE310B, and Osprey 210e may be ostensibly based on the same hardware, it's definitely a "you get what you pay for" situation when it comes to things like PCB design/build, plus related software and drivers. Hauppauge can't even be bothered to implement a 3D comb filter, yet Osprey's user guide is a 100+ page PDF, which should be a hint.

[dellsam34]

Osprey cards are like the counterparts of FPGA SDI boxes made by S&W, Ensemble Designs and Aja, A whole computer is inside the box, Line & frame TBC's, comb filter, 3D NR ...etc.