What you get to bring your camcorder video into the computer will depend on
exactly what you are trying to do with it. If all you are trying to do is
get some still shots from the camcorder into the computer then a Snappy or
the Iomega Buz should do pretty good. The thing that you have to be aware
of is that digital video or capturing analog video into your computer where
it becomes digital can cost big $$. If you want to capture longer sections
of full motion video into the computer you have to look at more than just
the card that you are using to capture the video. You also have to look at
the processor speed of the computer, the amount of memory it has, the
amount of disk space and the speed of the hard disk(s) and the capture
card. The higher level capture cards will hardware compress the video
stream you are capturing and save it the hard drive that way so that you
can get higher quality video for less space taken on the hard drive. If you
are going to look at something like the snappy I would suggest that you go
with a better video card like one of the ones from Matrox or ATI that have
either a built in TV tuner (ATI) or the addon video capture card (Matrox).
If you really want to go nuts get a full fledged capture card from
Truevision or Pinnacle Systems (Miro) - at this point you will need either
SCSI hard disks or one of those Ultra33 IDE drives and some serious
processor also.
If you are looking for really good deals on stuff like this check out
www.ebay.com in the computer section - I regurlarly see video capture
hardware in there for as much as %50 less than retail. Really good bargains
if you know what you are looking for.
You really have to think of what you want to do with it before you go out
and spend your money on a piece of equipment that will perform the way you
expect it to.
Check out www.dejanews.com and go to the rec.video.desktop newsgroup for
good recommendations on equipment also.
Jim
At 02:47 PM 4/13/99 , Eric Linnhoff wrote:
>Howdy all!!!
>
>I've recently come into a nice used 8mm camcorder and would like to set
>it up in my Neon to get some in-car autocross footage. Hey, it might
>even help me to learn something. Any ideas on an inexpensive, sturdy
>method of attachment inside the car?
>
>Also, how do I get the pictures from the camcorder into my computer?
>Special video cards or software?
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>See you on course.
>
>Eric Linnhoff in KC
>#69DS TLS #13
>'98 Neon R/T
><eric10mm@qni.com>
>
>"Yeah, we're runnin' a little bit hot tonight.
>I can barely see the road from the heat comin' off of it.
>Ah, you reach down, between my legs,
>ease the seat back.
>She's blinding, I'm flying,
>Right behind the rear-view mirror now.
>Got the feeling, power steering,
>Pistons popping, ain't no stopping now!"
>-------------------------------------------------------------
>"Panama" by Van Halen
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