[MikeD]

Is it just a card that allows you to hook up your computer to a special DV/HD/SD deck? Like how macs come with firewire that hook up to most digital camcorders? Is there any other advantage of these cards?

[Steve SpotOn]

I believe the Digital Vodoo card is like the Pinnacle Cinewave card and is used for very high quality video capture and playback. It works with high quality video sources such as Digi Beta used in broadcast TV. It usually comes with a breakout box allowing connection of video through SDI connection (for digi Beta) or YUV connection for Beta SP or other analogue inputs.

If you only use DV as your source then the Digital Vodoo is not worth looking at as firewire will import your DV with no loss of quality.

Note that DV is a compressed format and when people talk about uncompressed they usually mean Digi Beta, Beta SP and those formats that are xxxx expensive.... to edit and keep the quality from these formats you need an uncompressed edit suite such as Final Cut Pro with a capture board like the Digital Vodoo or Pinnacle Cinewave. You'll also need a few other expensive box's such as fast hard drive storage etc..

Hope that helps.

[MikeD]

Actually it does help a lot.. I'm starting to work for my dad's video business (does broadcast quality) but gonna use macs since I'm familiar with them (he's on the windows 2K boxes). I'm building my system now for work. So far, I have the new comp, acd HD, and about half the software I need. I'm looking at these cards and faster HD's/SCSI for RAID (Probably to start internal with 1 or 2 drives first though).

[Steve SpotOn]

Try this article for a good overview of building an uncompressed system
http://www.lafcpug.org/feature_capture_card.html