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Looking for anaolog capture options
I am looking for the best means to capture Hi8, DVD, and VHS without buying a $2,000 deck. I know that the DSR-11 works great for capturing composite but I am not ready to make a purchase like this. Is there a capture card I could use with my G5 or perhaps a descent miniDV camera with analog conversion capabilities? I purchased a Dazzle external converter awhile back and have found it to be more or less useless. Any suggesions?
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1 Reply
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[ektransition] “I purchased a Dazzle external converter awhile back and have found it to be more or less useless.”
Wish you’d have asked here FIRST… the Dazzle is a FIZZLE!
Best idea is to dub to a DV camcorder (many have the capability of using their A/V “outputs” as INPUTS to record analog sources to DV tape). Check to see if YOUR camcorder can do this.
If you WANT timecode (and I virtually ALWAYS do) then dubbing to a DV tape first is a great idea and generally will work better (be more stable) than just capturing analog “direct” via an A-to-D converter.
If you want to do this dub to DV tape, and the DV camcorder or deck has analog INPUTS, you don’t NEED your Canopus DV convertor at all in this process.
OTOH, Canopus makes various highly-recommended A-to-D converters ($200-$300 entry-level).
https://www.canopus.com/products/videoconversion.php
They CAN be used to import analog sources directly to FCP’s Capture and it will have it’s own “temporary capture TC” for use in FCP… and it will work fine… for as long as it STAYS on the Hard Drive.
But, if there’s ever a need to recapture all or part of this footage again, any TC info will be totally useless as it was only a reference and not “locked” to any footage in the first place.
THIS is why there are so many who recommend dubbing first to DV (or other digital tape format) then capturing only from the new tape (and keeping the DV dub for future reference.)
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