What do I need for an iMac G5 to capture analog video footage? (Sony V8)..

[NoisyCricket]

I suppose the firewire ports are only good for capturing video footage that is already in digital format?

In which case I would need a video capture card, and I'd like to know what, where, and how much?

THANKS!

[PatrickGaerlan]

You'll need to use an analog/DV converter like the Canopus ADVC-100 or the Canopus ADVC55. The difference between the two is that the ADVC-100 is bi-directional (converts analog to DV or DV to analog) while the ADVC55 only converts from analog to DV.

The ADVC-100 goes for $250-$300 and the ADVC55 goes for $200-$250. Sorry, not sure where you can get them locally, I'll have someone else answer that.

[Kenneth]

Do you have a Sony Video 8 or Hi 8? If memory serves, you can download the footage through firewire if Hi8. If video 8, then I suggest you just transfer/record the footage to your HC40 and download it from there.

[Myles]

If you have a Sony Digital Video 8 camera (with firewire port), you can use that to playback and capture your analog V8, Hi8 tapes.

[jofab]

Cricket,
You have several options:

1) You can use those stand-alone Digital-to-Analog/Analog-to-Digital (DA/AD) converter boxes like the Canopus or Sony. These provide you with the necessary input/output for RCA/composite video and Firewire.

Analog camera--->DA/AD converter--->Imac G5 Firewire port

2) If you have a digital video camera, you should check if it can do "DA/AD on the fly conversion". This means that it can also act as a converter like those stand-alone boxes. If i am not mistaken most newer digital video cameras have this feature, the old ones don't.

Analog camera-->Digital Video camera(w/on the fly conversion)---> Imac G5 Firewire port

3) Since you have mentioned that you are capturing V8 tapes, you can also use a Sony Digital 8(D8) camcorder and just put the V8 into the D8 camera nd it will do the AD/DA conversion for you during capture.

Video8 tape in Sony Digital8 camera----> Imac G5 firewire port

[NoisyCricket]

thanks for all the inputs guys.. now that you mention it, maybe my HC40 can convert analog to digital.. except one problem.. my v8 player busted.. doh!