gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
Any digital video recording experts out there? I'm trying to help a friend (and fellow pilot FWIW) with a video recording issue. He wants to be able to switch between a camera and the output of a computer video card on the fly with the result being recorded digitally on another computer. There's a single audio source (output of a semi-pro sound mixer) that needs to be recorded at the same time regardless of the video source. Ideally the solution would incorporate as much of his existing equipment as possible. Also it doesn't really need to be truly portable, it will be used at a fixed location inside a building with readily available AC power.
The current setup has a Cannon mini-DV camcorder being used as a camera feeding into a Sony Vaio "all in one" computer via Firewire. Sony's video editor program (I forget the title). The other computer has a video card that supports dual monitors. The existing monitor is connected with DVI and there's a separate (unused) XVGA output plus a SVideo jack. I've confirmed that I can get the XVGA and SVid outputs to mirror what's on the main monitor (which is what he want's to record).
The most obvious configuration would be something to convert XVGA to Firewire and some other device that would allow switching between the two firewire video sources. No fancy dissolves or fades is needed, just the ability to pop back and forth at the push of a button. One issue with that concept is that the video recording SW being used actually controls the camera via Firewire and as is typical if not required for a FW connection, the computer actually makes a two way link with the camera which won't tolerate switching cameras on the fly. A more common arrangement would be two Firewire cameras connected to the recording computer via a three port FW hub along with software on the computer that recognizes both cameras and provides the means to switch what's recorded on the fly. Of course one of the "cameras" would actually be an analog video to Firewire converter (I'm not sure one of those exists for SVid or XVGA input).
Another option I've considered is using a Video to USB converter and setting up the recording software to allow both that and the Firewire camera for input. He does have a copy of Adobe Premier Essentials (or something like that) which seems to allow a connection to a Firewire and a USB video source but I don't think it can switch between the two on the fly while recording.
I realize that both could be recorded separately and combined in post acquisition editing but that's not what's desired. The budget could probably be in the $1000-2000 range although less would definitely be preferable.
Suggestions?
The current setup has a Cannon mini-DV camcorder being used as a camera feeding into a Sony Vaio "all in one" computer via Firewire. Sony's video editor program (I forget the title). The other computer has a video card that supports dual monitors. The existing monitor is connected with DVI and there's a separate (unused) XVGA output plus a SVideo jack. I've confirmed that I can get the XVGA and SVid outputs to mirror what's on the main monitor (which is what he want's to record).
The most obvious configuration would be something to convert XVGA to Firewire and some other device that would allow switching between the two firewire video sources. No fancy dissolves or fades is needed, just the ability to pop back and forth at the push of a button. One issue with that concept is that the video recording SW being used actually controls the camera via Firewire and as is typical if not required for a FW connection, the computer actually makes a two way link with the camera which won't tolerate switching cameras on the fly. A more common arrangement would be two Firewire cameras connected to the recording computer via a three port FW hub along with software on the computer that recognizes both cameras and provides the means to switch what's recorded on the fly. Of course one of the "cameras" would actually be an analog video to Firewire converter (I'm not sure one of those exists for SVid or XVGA input).
Another option I've considered is using a Video to USB converter and setting up the recording software to allow both that and the Firewire camera for input. He does have a copy of Adobe Premier Essentials (or something like that) which seems to allow a connection to a Firewire and a USB video source but I don't think it can switch between the two on the fly while recording.
I realize that both could be recorded separately and combined in post acquisition editing but that's not what's desired. The budget could probably be in the $1000-2000 range although less would definitely be preferable.
Suggestions?
