[kaboom]

Any recommendations?
I tried the Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge and it wasn't quite good enough.
What I'm trying to do is put all my VHS tapes on DVD with my new 867 G4.
I've heard that the Formac card is good but it is just a 'tad' expensive.
No USB please. Anything else is good though, PCI, Firewire etc...
Thanx in advance.

[mauimac]

Hi, I'm sorry I can't answer this one for you...I'm actually looking into the same issue myself right now and have the same machine as you do (867/G4)..but perhaps I can expand on the question...

Some more questions...
OK.. Dazzle Hollywood has Firewire vs others w/ USB..what else does AND does analog input & output? I'd like to export finished products back to videotape as wellas compile a bunch of DVDs...

For the USB ones...
Any thoughts on the Belkin VideoBus II for Mac? I understand it does input & output..but it's cheap..is it good?

How about the MyVideo by Eskap? I hear it doesn't do audio input or output though.

What about the ADS USB Instant Video?

These are the only ones I'm aware of at the momentand I had high hopes for the Dazzle Hollywood...what didn't you like about that?

It would be great to hear from people who have used these different setups!
Mahalo for your help!!

[buchrob]

Your disappointment with the Dazzle may be misplaced. It's a very competent machine, capable of taking whatever you throw at it. And it will go back and forth both ways between DV and analog.

BUT.... GIGO. If you are trying to capture your own VHS material, not too many of those tapes will exceed 200-300 lines resolution to begin with if they were recorded on standard VHS or 8mm tape, so please don't expect DVD-like quality. You should also "preview" your edited tapes on a TV set or video monitor because the mac screen's representation is just not good enough (one of the compromises necessary to actually make DV move on the mac).

You're right to avoid USB. Just not fast enough. Or resolution will be scaled down to maintain the frame rate.

[ph@lmi.net]

definitely, you want the sony DVMC-DA2. i've had mine for over a year, and it is simple to use and out o' sight!

it uses a firewire connection, and includes rca audio in/out (at 32 or 48 khz), as well as composite and s-video in/out (DV). it was three hundred some then...much cheaper than a targa board.

the only drawback is that final cut pro and imovie cannot directly control it. but i do not know any firewire2analog converter that can be controlled...

i find the DVMC-DA2 quite usable. simply hit play and then capture now... or hit record and then <home><spacebar>...a few seconds of 'slugging' will make it seamless enough. of course, the log and capture ability for my DV camera is more convenient, but i'm just glad to get the data from analog tape, and willing to capture all and edit out on disk. IYKWIM.

p.s. the unit retains macrovision copy protection (even lights an LED when encountered), but a quick QT export will remove that.

(--edit -seems OW 405 has some dictionary issues, so i added more content also)

[ 08-28-2001: Message edited by: ph@lmi.net ]