Video Capture Card Survey

[Arkitec]

Good Afternoon all!!!!

 

I am an architect and I do alot of 3d animations, and some video presentations. Currently we are running a MiroDC50 capture card and breakout box. We have continually had problems with this device.

 

Do any of you have recommendations as to other capture cards? Currently I am on a windows2000, 1.9 ghz, 1 gig of ddram with 2 80 gig 7200rpm drives.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

BTW: We really only export animations for playback on the computer and/or tape.

 

Thank you,

 

Arkitec

[nisus]

Hi Arkitec,

 

When outputing to video, we don't rely on any cards, but instead pop into a professional tv-studio, because they are much better equiped.

The price of the studio is much cheaper than having to buy the hard-& software and the quality is much better.

So my advice: don't do it in-house, unless you do it very frequently

 

rgds

 

nisus

[dwright]

I suggest to hire a studio or get hardware based video cards (not DV based) such as DPS Reality, Velocity, VelocityQ.

 

you can check them out at www.dps.com. These cards deal with non-compressed or compressed frames (or both) and have a true native mpeg2 base hardware engine for direct and realtime encoding of mpeg files for DVD's.

 

They run from US$2500 and up. The base system, a Reality, will do most of the job, other models have more editing capabilities and realtime FX. At Artmaze we have a VelocityQ and a regular Velocity and they work fine. You can also move into Targa cards, they are ok.

 

hope this helps