Firewire input on graphics cards

G

Greg Mac

Quick query that I can't find answer to from card manufacturer's sites

I'm looking at buying a graphics card which will handle video editing from
my new Sony camcorder. This camcorder has s-video and firewire out, but I'm
told it is better (faster?) to use the firewire out from the camera.

Does the typical MyVivo card graphics/multimedia (I'm looking at a GeForce
FX 5700 card by Leadtek as an example, but lots of different speed options
in the MyVivo range) have firewire input, or is this more commonly achieved
by a separate, dedicated firewire card? And if by a separate firewire
card, then am I right in thinking that I don't really need the MyVivo
version of the graphics card?

Thanks for any help,
Greg
 
J

J. Clarke

Greg said:
Quick query that I can't find answer to from card manufacturer's sites

I'm looking at buying a graphics card which will handle video editing from
my new Sony camcorder. This camcorder has s-video and firewire out, but
I'm told it is better (faster?) to use the firewire out from the camera.

The firewire output gives you digital video, the s-video converts the
digital recording back to analog which then gets converted back to digital
in the computer with two generations of image degradation. This defeats
the purpose of having digital video in the first place.
Does the typical MyVivo card graphics/multimedia (I'm looking at a GeForce
FX 5700 card by Leadtek as an example, but lots of different speed options
in the MyVivo range) have firewire input, or is this more commonly
achieved
by a separate, dedicated firewire card? And if by a separate firewire
card, then am I right in thinking that I don't really need the MyVivo
version of the graphics card?

Generally speaking VIVO video boards are not the best way to do
regardless--while they do perform video capture the quality is generally
less than that of the dedicated boards. That said, there have been very
few video boards of any kind that have a firewire port and those ports have
generally not worked satisfactorily, which is one reason that the board
manufacturers quit including them.

Your best solution is a separate Firewire board.
 
J

J. Clarke

DaveW said:
NO common video cards have Firewire inputs.

Depends on whether you consider the ATI Radeon AIW8500DV to be "common". It
certainly was at one time. But its Firewire had problems.
 

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