[AG-TECH] 4 x S-video capture?

[Fred Dech]

Hi Derek.

The Winnov Videum Quattro (i'm pretty sure it's on the AG hardware page)
can be set up to take 4 svideo inputs via two breakout boxes.  We picked one
up a few months ago.  I'm not sure that I'd endorse it, though.  First, it's
not cheap (~1400$).  Ours is configured with WinXP DirectShow drivers.  I
gave up trying to get it running with the older VFW drivers (no boarder
around your vic video).  It just wouldn't map the devices correctly in windows
allowing AG access to only 2 out of the four input streams.
I was expecting squid connectors.  The 2 breakout boxes are ok, I guess, if
you are running from a rack.  I find them to be two sensitive components that
I need to pay attention to so as not to have them slip off and fall from
wherever they are placed....  miniDIN (svideo) to Y C BNC adapters not
included by Winnov so you'll need to seek out and buy those separately.
With h.261, I find no perceptible improvement in image quality with svideo
as opposed to composite video capture.  Lighting trumps component video.
This system is mobile and I'm running into what I believe are durability
issues with the card.  I've been dealing with Winnov support on and off and
will probably attempt to return this card for a replacement.  Today, for
instance, captured from this Quattro is monochrome only.  Not ideal, but
better than the black streams I was getting earlier during testing.

--fred

On Mon, Mar 26, 2007 at 11:47AM, Derek Piper said:
> 
> 	Hi,
> 
> 	I was wondering if anyone here knows of any card that can has 4 
> 	S-video ports for capturing from 4 S-video sources at once with one card? 
> The ones I've used (and liked) have been composite via BNC connections. The 
> S-video is something I'm wondering about.
> 
> 	Thanks,
> 
> 	Derek
> 
> -- 
> Derek Piper - dcpiper at indiana.edu - (812) 856 0111
> IRI 323, School of Informatics
> Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana