FCP and PCI capture cards

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<steede>

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Wondering if anyone can give me a quick primer on integrating a BetacamSP deck into a Final Cut Pro system. The system is FCP2 running on a Mac 9.2 What are the best PCI capture cards? What are the costs? Are there any other issues I need to be aware of? Thanks for any and all help.

-steede
 

bottom_feeder

Well-known member
The options for FCP PCI cards for 9.2 are pretty awesome. Price ranges from about $200 for a Targa 2000 Pro to $10,000+ for a Kona systems card.
There are lots of shoices in between, go for the one that gives you the most real time effects.
Your big roadblock for that system is going to be getting hard drives that will write and read fast enough to handle the high data rates involved.
Probably need a SCSI RAID array to handle that.
 
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<steede>

Guest
Thanks Bottom Feeder,

I'm looking at the Kona and Digital Voodoo cards. I'm probably gonna hold out, upgrade to OS-X and FCP4, then get the card. But this helps, just wanted to see if I was heading in the right direction. One thing working in my favor is I already have the SCSI raid. Thanks again.

later,
steede
 
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imported_blank

Guest
Boy Oh boy, seems today everybody and their mothers are scooping up capture cards for BetacamSP = Lots of choices out there.

Check out the DeckLink SP Component Capture Card (new product)
http://www.decklink.com/productsdecksp.asp
This card can be had for under $1,000 with Final Cut Pro component native rendering supported. Fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.2 or later. Universal free software codec for Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, and Windows. There is nothing else to buy, no break out box, no hidden accessories.
It captures in whopping True Uncompressed 10 bit or to save disk space it will capture in Uncompressed 8 bit.

Full analog YUV component video inputs and outputs with stereo balanced XLR analog audio inputs and outputs for direct connection to broadcast betacam tape decks. Sony compatible RS-422 serial deck control port for deck control.

Along with outputting your work out via component (for betacam) this card will also output your captured work in 10 bit or 8 bit via SDI video - perfect for outputting your project to D1, digi-beta, IMX, SX or DVCpro-50. It also has a built in DV Bridge for DV25.

Stay away from anything that doesn't offer component I/O. As component is the native betacam format.

Stay away from anything that doesn't capture or output in 4:2:2 or anything with prosumer codecs.
 
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<steede>

Guest
Thanks Ivan. Sounds like exactly what I need at a very agreeable price. I'll look into it some more.

cheers,
steede
 
I

imported_blank

Guest
Steede,

As the DeckLink SP capture card is a new product, I haven't seen it in action yet. But this card is specifically designed for working with BETACAM :D decks.

The DeckLink SP capture card received the 2003 STAR (Superior Technology Award Recipient) Award given by the editorial staff of TV Technology magazine at the NAB 2003 convention. I am sure they tested the hell out of it.
http://www.creativepro.com/story/news/19398.html

Seems like a steal for 1K, not too long ago a card like this would of cost $20K. Keep in mind, because this capture card is designed for analog BETACAM :D , it doesn't have SDI inputs but as I mentioned, it does have SDI outputs for mastering into formats like digi-beta :D .
 
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