Capture Card

Up to now I have been working with DV footage so I haven't had a real need for a capture card. But I'm getting more and more jobs updating speaker's demo reels and the source material often lives on Beta, DVD and VHS. I'd ready to invest in a capture card and am wondering if the Black Magic Intensity Pro would be a good choice. It's in my price range yet is capable of capturing HD and SD. Any thoughts?

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

What's your price range? In this day of more & more peeps migrating to mobile suites, I would recommend the Aja I/O HD (captures / lays off everything):

[www.aja.com]

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

That one is nice but way out of my price range. Isn't there anything out there in the $250-$350 price range. That's why I was asking about the Intensity Pro that retails for $349.

I'm working on mostly low budget demos right now. I've been transferring the source DVDs, VHS, and Betas to mini DV then loading. I'd like to skip the transferring step and just be able to load directly from the source. Any other suggestions for more affordable capture cards or thoughts on the Intensity Pro?

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

All you need is a Decklink Card. Decklink Pro will do ya fine

[www.blackmagic-design.com]

Intensity requires HDMI which no Beta decks I know of have.

Michael Horton
-------------------

Thanks, that's more in my price range. If I'm not working with Digital Beta, but just Beta SP, DVD and VHS could I get by with the just the basic Decklink for $295?

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

Sorry...you mentioned being able to capture HD.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Yeah. As long as HD is not in your future, then a SD card is fine. You sort of future proof yourself with a Decklink Pro.

Michael Horton
-------------------

You're right, I did. But now looking at the price and since I haven't yet worked with HD I'm reconsidering. So my question is now: What is the bare minimum I could get by with right now if all I need is to caputure DVD, Beta SP and VHS -- all SD.

I remember hearing somewhere that I could hook up my DVD and VHS deck to my camera and load into the Mac Pro via Firewire out of the camera. I know this would cause wear and tear on the camera but would this be a reasonable option until I could afford to get a higher end capture card, or would I be better off getting a lower end capture card now and upgrading later when I start working with HD?

At any rate, I would like to keep the cost closer to $300 right now.

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

Decklink Card

$295.00 Nothing cheaper out there.

Michael Horton
-------------------

I checked out the Deck Link site and I think the original Deck Link will be all I need for a while since I'm a ways off from working in HD. Thanks Joey and Mike for helping me make the decision.

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

You can import right from DVD, VHS or even the SP deck via your camera if it has E to E, or electronic to electronic option. The DSR-11 and 25 decks, for example, allow this. After some discussion here we think, but are not positive, that any camera that allows you to record back on to it does have this ability. Small domestic cameras that don't allow you to record back don't have it.

All you need is to connect the output of your DVD or VHS that you would normally send to the TV to the input at the back of the DSR. Check the menus for EE or E to E and make sure it is set to ON. Then set the input seclect on the front of the deck to 'video' (or s-video, if using that). Finally, in FCP, set the capture type to non-controllable device. Then hit play on the DVD, then capture now in FCP.

The SP can be connected with the use of converter cables - XLR to RCA cables. This will give you unbalanced audio, which over here means about 4db difference in the sound levels. Nothing to panic about unless you need total accuracy during recording. If you do, you can buy an external box to balance the audio. Also, if you're coming in via a mixer, you can correct it there.

Connect and record in the same way.

AJA claims that the Kona Cards line helps fastening work with HD low cost codecs, (besides the capture & outing ability)

has any one experienced that with the IO HD so far ?

---------------------------------
A Day late & a Dollar-short Productions

I don't know about the IO HD but the Kona III doesn't seem to have much performance impact on FCP.