Digital Camcorders and Firewire questions

[stevenscott]

I am looking into making my wife's computer more user friendly so she can plug our JVC GRDVF31U Digital Camcorder with Mini DV tapes, into her computer.
-----
My computer Video setup: While I have a Matrox Marvel G400 (Win98), I do not need to duplicate the capabilites I already have available on my computer, on her computer.
--------
Her Computer Video setup: Matrox Mystique G200 (Win98)
-----------
I had better make a few things clear about what the JVC Camcorder comes with that installs on the computer.
It comes with an RS232 plug in that connects to Com1 or Com2. It has propietary software called JLIP that can run the embeded software in the camera to run the Mini-DV tape, edit video and still captures, and download it into the computer.
--------

JVC Camcorder info:
http://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/english/cyber/index.html
--
JVC Community:
http://www.jvc.com/community/index.jsp

----------

Back to what I want to do with my wife's computer with the Matrox Mystique G200. I want a DV capture card. I have looked into adding a Matrox Rainbow Runner G-Series. But am readding about how a few people have already asked about these setups and what works best for them. here are some links to previous threads, some of which have great information contributed here in this forum, some of it goes for people with analog to digital captures, conversions, etc..etc...but some is very useful for us Pure Digital Purists. Some of these threads are a vcouple years old, when people were using older Camcorder technology:

------------
Matroxusers.com Digital Video and Firewire threads
-------
http://forums.murc.ws/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001093.html
------
http://forums.murc.ws/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001273.html
-----

So, in a nutshell, it looks like I might be better off going with a Canopus, or Adaptec, or Pyro. But Canopus looks like it has a very good recommendation to go with a matrox Mystique G200. But am still leaning heavily into just sticking with Matrox and adding a Rainbow Runner G-Series.

--
Here are some more links:

============

Pyro:
http://www.adstech.com/resources/pyro.html
--------
Adaptec:
http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/pro...reconnect_faqs
----------
Pinnacle Systems:
Studio 7
http://www.pinnaclesys.com/start.asp
--------
Canopus:
http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/H...itHomeSet1.htm
This site gives this link, but does not work for Canopus:
http://www.justedit.com/
--------
Camcorder info:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/
--------
A 1394 DV website:
http://www.coastweb.de/dv/
--------

------------------
------------------
Steven S. Palmer
(stevenscott.delete@bigfoot.com)
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/4001/
-----------------------------
My Photo Website (someday it will be finished):
http://members.nbci.com/skialps/
----------------
==============
Home:
Network
Hub 5-8 Port 10 Base-T(Soho brand)
------------------
USB HUB with power Indicator lights
-----------------
Computer #1

Surfboard SB2100D cable modem

HP OfficeJet Pro 1175Cse 4/1 printer/Scanner/Fax/copier
HP Photo Scanner
-------------------
Video Camcorder (digital):
JVC GR-DVF31U
================

----------------
Computer(s)
#1
Pentium PIII450
Win98
Abit BE6 MB
128MB Ram
3Com NIC
WD 30.7 Gig HD
Matrox Marvel G400 Video Card
Mitsumi 4801-TE CD-R
Panasonic 32X CDrom
SBLive Sound Card
Aspect 30/40 Speakers
@Home Cable (currently 1-way)
Boca 56K modem
Saitek X36 USB Combo Flight Controls
2COOLPC-PLUS Cooler
Shamrock 17" Monitor
===================
#2
Pentium Celeron 300a
Win98
Soyo 6BA+IV MB
128MB Ram
Maxtor 13.6 Gig HD
Matrox Mystique G200 Video Card
Shamrock 15" monitor
Toshiba SD-M1402 DVD CDRom
SBLive Sound Card
Aspect 30/40 Speakers
@Home Cable (currently 1-way)
MS Precision Pro Joystick
3Com NIC
Boca 56K modem
---------------

[This message has been edited by stevenscott (edited 11 June 2001).]

[This message has been edited by stevenscott (edited 12 June 2001).]

[Frank Marshall]

Hi Steven,

If you read between the lines on this forum, you'll quickly learn that the Pyro is the way to go. It's simple, cheap and effective. No hassles. Compare that with the headaches many users are having with analogue capture. If you're wife just wants to get on with editing video, FireWire is the way to go. From what I can gather, the Canopus cards are not OHCI compliant (please check this for yourself) which means they're video only and you won't be able to add forthcoming FireWire peripherals (such as DVD recorders), whereas with the Pyro, you can. The Canopus DV codec delivers faster and better quality renders than the Microsoft codec that the Pyro relies on. Microsoft is improving their codec though and the one that comes with Direct-X 8 is much better than before. Please do searches and check all this out for yourself. I'm still using analogue equipment and am not really qualified to give you real world advice.

Good luck.

[Phil Pugh]

Yes the CANOPUS cards are NOT OHCI compliant - they are designed exclusively for DV video 'capture'. The supplied software allows you to do seamless and batch capture - so no need to use s/w like AVI-IO to get around 2/4Gb limits.

The Raptor uses the camcorders h/w CODEC so no issues with different suppliers CODECs.

I have been a happy CANOPUS Raptor user for a long time and would heartily recommend this card. It's not cheap - but it works first time - no hassles. It also works in the same box as my MARVEL 200.

[This_Idiot]

I'd agree with Phil that Canopus has an excellent reputation. They aren't a cheap solution, but they work. As always, you need to do your homework to ensure that what they offer is what you require.

I'd also agree with Frank that ADS is a good path towards DV - I use an ADS Pyro for DV capture here, and used it for a long time alongside a G400Marvel so I had the best of both worlds.

In fact, I think my current "ideal" vidcap setup (given that I can't afford RT2000 or DV500) would be the G400Marvel and the ADS Pyro. I've found the Marvel's hardware capture works well for short clips (which is what I tend to capture), and if I want to up the quality then I can use FD's YUY2 hack and AV_IO with Picvideo to capture soft MJPEG. For DV capture, I plug the Cam straight into the Pyro, suck the footage straight into VideoStudio4 and work from there.
I'm lucky to have a choice of editing packages, so depending on what I need to do I'll pick the one that's most appropriate and that I get on with the best. So basically I'll be using VS4 for DV capture and then either VS4 or VideoWaveIII for simple arrangement. Then it'll be either Prem 5.1c or 6, or MSPro5, depending on need.

Chris
(T_I)

[Frank Marshall]

Oh yeah,

Apparently there are software issues with Pyro. For instance, if you like Adobe Premiere, you'll need version 6 as earlier versions don't work with the card. You need to look into what editing software you like and are prepared to purchase, or already own, and make sure the cards you're investigating will work with it.

[This message has been edited by Frank Marshall (edited 17 June 2001).]

[Dr Mordrid]

That "software issue" isn't just for the Pyro but for any OHCI card. OHCI support only came in with Premiere6, which I highly recommend upgrading to if you're a dedicated Premiere user.

Dr. Mordrid

[FM]

I had a lot of problems with Pyro. Sent it back to the shop and bought Maxtor card. It works very bad with JVC cards. Use www.google.com to search for Pyro forums...