ntsc monitor hookup without using a deck

Hello

Is there a way to hookup my NTSC monitor without using a deck as a passthrough ?

thanks

Yes, if you have a capture card or an Analog to Video Transcoder box. Other than that, there isn't a good way.

What is the problem about using your deck? That's what it's for!

Kevin

I don't own a deck and don't want to hook up my camera 24/7 , apple doesn't make a video cord or something that will do this ?

Hi,
Buy an inexpensive miniDV camcorder with firewire and a S-Video port. You can find one pretty inexpensive on ebay.

Good Luck,
Marten Benatar

Canopus products

A deck really is the most versatile, accurate and economical way you can round out your system. Cameras aren't built to be used as capture devices -- they fill the job but can't make it their career. And you do have to capture and output footage sooner or later; an editing system without a proper capture/output device just isn't complete. Write it off on your taxes. The amount of money I made with just two freelance gigs immediately reimbursed me for the cost of my DSR-11, about a month after I'd bought it...and those gigs would not have been possible without a deck.

Michelle,
Contrary to popular belief. Believe me, using the camcorder as a monitoring device won't hurt it, just keep the LCD closed up while you work. I've used my cheapo camcorder as a monitoring device for years, with no ill effects. While cameras aren't built for fast shuttling, they work fine as capturing and monitoring devices. The hype that it ruins your camera is highly overrated. Your cam will be fine. In fact, I've left mine on for days at a time and it never gave me a problem. Is your camera less than a few thousand dollars? Then go right ahead and use that camcorder until you can afford a deck. Or spend the $300 bucks for a basic capture card.

Cheers,

G.

Heh heh, another one of those "urban legend" arguments. I think Gunner's point is valid -- if you buy a cheapo camera to use only as a deck, then hell, by all means use it. I still wouldn't recommend using a good camera that you rely on for shooting as a capture device, though. My friend's GL-1 went schizophrenic because she was shooting and capturing/outputting with it (Sorry, Gunn -- we'll just have to put it down to differing experiences). Not to mention the fact that it never functioned well as a capture device in the first place. On Gunner's side, I had another client who had an extremely crappy Mini-DV camera as a capture device (looked like a one-chip, JVC, $300 consumer camera), and it worked fine, and was sure as hell compact to put on the desktop, being only the size of a big wallet. I really don't suppose she was shooting with it, either, so given the low price, probably worth it.

But nobody is ever going to try to say that a camera is as good a capture device as a deck -- for speed, stability, reliability, and convenience.

Camera as deck-
An old discussion. Derek was right the first time. This isn't a matter of debate. Get a deck.

Cameras will work . . . but they are not robust. They will not handle velocity errors. They may work fine with tapes they record but be totally unable to handle tapes from another camera.

Velocity compensation, drop out compensation, A/V analog/digital conversion, time-code fidelity, rewind/ff speed, macro blocking and tape tension are all better handled on even a low end deck.

You WILL chew up a $1000 camera in 2 years of editing. You will spend $300 max on engineering support for a deck in the same time.

Ian

<<<versatile, accurate and economical>>>

Maybe. It's been our experience that monitoring through a CamCorder and many decks will not give you accurate pictures because most lower end decks don't deal with black levels properly--pictures will appear too dark by about 8%.

If you know how to calibrate your monitor with the FCP bars, then yes, that works just fine.

Koz

I just moved. At my old place this worked like a charm. Now I can't get it to fly. I'm running FCP HD 4.5 on a Dual G5, I've got my external video set to DVC Pro NTSC, Im connectied to the G5 via fire wire and to the monitor via RCA. Any Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You