PYRO Digital Video 1394DV API-1394-CL - Best Overall Hardware Deal!
Written: Nov 29 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive DV Video Capture Solution that works!
Cons: Slightly mediocre software bundle.
The Bottom Line: Gives the same quality hardware as the higher priced Pinnacle Studio DV, Sony EZEditor, and Dazzle products at HALF their price.
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| astridpeshek's Full Review: A D S Pyro Digital Video 1394 (API-1394-PCI) Video... |
Although Pinnacle DV 8.0, Sony EZEditor, and Dazzle are products that have been around for some time - they are still hovering around the $99 to $130 pricetags ..... but essentially only give you what ADS Technologies provides to you for a mere $49.
ADS Technologies PYRO Digital Video 1394DV is one of the best overall economical DV capture kits for Home PCs which don't already have Firewire available on store shelves right now. (Note, this is *not* the "Basic" version that ADS sells).
For $49 - you get the standard IEEE Texas Instruments 1394 Firewire card (which can also be used at a 10/100 Network Interface Card - a nice bonus), a 6 foot 6 pin x 4 pin 1394 to DV editing cable (that you attach your camera to the PC with) and some basic beginners' software for video capture/editing (Ulead's Video Studio 6.0 or 5.0 and Media Studio 6.0 - both, obviously OEM special edition versions and not the full software).
The DV editing cable alone, at most electronics superstores, costs $50 and a run of the mill Firewire card about $28 ..... so getting the Firewire card and editing cable for $49 is a good deal in itself.
The difference between the this version and the basic version is the Firewire card bundled ..... the basic version is a three external port card, this version has 2 external ports and one internal (plus an internal power connector if you absolutely need to have constant power to the firewire card).
It's the same Firewire card Pinnacle and Sony give you. (Actually, Sony just repackages Pinnacle's product under its own name and gives you 2 blank 60 minute DV tapes for your camera. This is funny because Sony sells their package for $99 and Pinnacle sells the same exact thing "without the 2 blank DV tapes" under their brandname for $130. Go figure.)
Installation of the Firewire card ADS gives you is easy, following the instructions. It fits snug and proper into the PCI slot without having to force it. It was recognized by my ME, XP, and 2000 systems automatically as the Texas Instruments Firewire card it is. (Note: if your OS complains the card was installed but is not working, move it to another PCI slot and it will work. Never use the first PCI slot on a motherboard for video capture boards - it shares the same IRQs as your AGP video and will cause problems. Same advice goes for soundcards.)
The ULEAD software is pretty basic and will do for beginners. Depending on when ADS packaged the product, you might get version 5 or version 6SE. If you get 5.0, you'll need to go to ULEAD's website and get an XP patch - otherwise it works just as well as 6.0. But you'll probably want to move on to something like Pinnacle Studio 8.0 (the full version, not the stripped down, special edition Pinnacle "teases" you with in their Pinnacle StudioDV 8.0 product) or Sonic Foundry's VEGAS VIDEO 3.0 .
I was editing movies in under 15 minutes with what PYRO gave me.
If you buy it from Circuit City, it will come in a plastic hanging container and not a box as ADS normally pictures it on their website (this was specially done at the request of Circuit City).
You cannot go wrong with this for $49. I cannot understand why Pinnacle (Sony) and Dazzle have not lowered their prices because essentially you get the same things from them .... but at a substantially higher cost.
Until PCs go the way Macintosh has and builds video capture technology right into the computer and operating system, check out PYRO .... it works and it won't burn a hole in your wallet.
Requirements:
Win98 SE, Windows ME, Win2000, WinXP
Intel Celeron 4000 MHz or AMD K6-4000 MHz or better
Available PCI slot ver. 2.1
64 MB of memory
Soundcard
170 MB of Hard drive space for the software
4 GB of Hard Drive space (to store approx. 20 minutes of raw DV capture video)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
astridpeshek
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Member: Astrid Peshek
Location: Ohio - United States
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Just because I'm a nerd with boobs doesn't mean I'm easy ....
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