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As a result, it is able to transfer video (with almost zero loss in quality) from your camcorder to the computer. A Firewire cable runs from your camcorder DV output port to your computer's DV input port. Let's see what factors need to be
consider when purchasing a good Firewire card. OHCI and Manufacturer Drivers Some Firewire cards are OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface) compatible. This simply means that you can plug and play the card in the Windows or Mac environment. OHCI Firewire cards depend on the native software drivers that are included in Windows or Mac operating systems. They tend to be cheaper and are a good choice for the average home user. Other cards incorporate manufacturer drivers,
which means that the manufacturer (e.g. Pinnacle) wrote their own specific
software drivers for usage with the Firewire card. These cards tend to be
pricier but they allow sophisticated features like real-time effects. Real-Time Effects If you're into video editing, you'll know that
rendering a video can take a long, long time. Rendering is the process of
compiling all the screen effects, transitions, titles and video layers in an
edited video so that a finalized version can be produced. If you get a
higher-end Firewire card, then many transitions and effects can be processed by
the card itself, speeding up the rendering process. Of course, the more
real-time effects you need, the more expensive the card. Bundled Software Many Firewire cards come bundled with video
editing software. These are great products as they help you save you from
purchasing a separate video editing package. However, be wary of those Firewire
cards that come with a 'lite' or scaled-down version of the video editing
package. I'd recommend those that come with the full fledged version of the
video editing software - such as Pinnacle Studio 9 AV/DV Recommended Firewire Cards Let's now take a look at some of the Firewire
cards I personally recommend which are available in the market today. Buslink 3 Port PCI Firewire
Card
Conclusion To choose a good Firewire card, you should always consider the above factors: OHCI-compliance, availability of real-time effects and bundled software. My feel is that for home users, just get a simple card like the Buslink 3 Port PCI Firewire Card, or a software bundle like Pinnacle Studio 9 AV/DV. In future, when you become more experienced, you can always upgrade to higher end cards.
Roxio VideoWave Professional Related ArticlesYou may also wish to read the following related articles:
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