Any need for a DV capture card?

[merkin]

Hi,

I'm about to buy a Sony DV camcorder, and as I understand it all I need to transfer the video from the camcorder to my PC is a firewire port. I was planning to just buy a standard PCI firewire card which cost peanuts! However, I've recently found out that you can buy 'DV Capture' cards that can cost in the region of £200+, and I'm worried that if I just buy a standard PCI firewire card, then I might be missing out on something if I don't get one these 'DV Caputre' cards. Can anybody explain what the benefits are of buying a dedicated DV Capture card? I already have excellent DV video editing software so that is not a problem. As far as the actual hardware goes, is there any difference between a standard PCI Firwire card and a dedicated DV capture card?

Your help would be much appreciated!

Merkin

[sdmoore]

The standard PCI firewire card is all you need for transferring DV footage between a camcorder and a PC. The DV capture card you mention most likely is able to convert analogue footage to DV - that's why it's more expensive. With this feature you can convert your old VHS tapes to DV. However, most Sony camcorders (especially the newer ones) can do this anyway - it's called analogue pass-through (although it may be listed as 'analogue in' in the camcorder brochure).

[merkin]

The standard PCI firewire card is all you need for transferring DV footage between a camcorder and a PC. The DV capture card you mention most likely is able to convert analogue footage to DV - that's why it's more expensive. With this feature you can convert your old VHS tapes to DV. However, most Sony camcorders (especially the newer ones) can do this anyway - it's called analogue pass-through (although it may be listed as 'analogue in' in the camcorder brochure).

That's great thanks for your help! This is the camcorder I'm looking at:

Sony DCRTRV25E

If I get that and a standard PCI Firewire port, will I be all kitted out for both DV and analog video editing / capturing? I thinkthis camera has an analog input for the pass-through?

[sdmoore]

Yes

[yg1968]

I imagine the "E" in TRV25E stands for Europe in which case the "video in" and "DV in" must be enabled with a widget or certain codes.

See this thread:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=390285&highlight=widget#390285

[sdmoore]

yg1968

This is sometimes true but for the camcorder in question (TRV25E) this is not necessary as, if you check Sony's UK website, DV-in is enabled as standard

[yg1968]

Yes, it seems that you are right:

http://195.2.39.25/dime/www/XX/en/homepage/products/camcorders/digitalvideo/DCR-TRV25/index.html