Video Capture Cards

Ross Eyerie · Sep 9, 2008

Does anybody have any tips for a newbie? I know I can use my PC as a video recorder, but a lot of the information I found uses a lot of jargon that I'm not familiar with. Basically I want to take my Bell Expressvu into my PC for video capture. I'm having a difficult time trying to understand if that will work. I'm having an even tougher time trying to figure out what device would be user friendly and modestly priced.

Master Baiter · Sep 9, 2008

If you want the semi cheap way, you can get something like the Canopus ADVC-110 breakout box that will convert analog (composite, s-video) to firewire so that you can plug that into a firewire port on your pc (if you don't have one, you can pick up a firewire card for cheap). That would run you around $300. The alternative is to pick up a cheap Sony or JVC miniDV cam that has analog to digital on-the-fly pass-thru capabilities that will do the same as the Canopus breakout box... and you'll have a camcorder too.

http://www.cdw.ca/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=1532109

If you want to capture higher definition with component, you can get something like the AJA Io LA - 10-bit Uncompressed I/O Breakout Box that would set you back around $1000.USD.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...&kw=AJIOLA&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=307759

There is HDMI capture card called the BlackMagic Design INTENSITY BUT the HDMI signal from your BELL ExpressVu box is encrypted/encoded so that you will not be able to use this card to capture pure HDMI signals. Unless someone came out with a hack. I was looking into this option for my expressvu box too.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/