Computer Connection Question!!!
 

Pardon the lack of technical sophistication in explaining this dilemma, but here goes:

In the past I've used a Dazzle unit to capture video into my computer--the connector pins were, well, standard round pins. With my new computer I now have a Matrox Millenium video card, and it has a beige, square pin receptacle in the back of the computer. The Dazzle unit needs an adaptor to attach to this, much like the way I connected the monitor (which came with an adaptor). If all of this makes sense, what adaptor do I get and where do I get it? Or would it be useful to get a new and improved Dazzle-type unit for capturing?

I use Vegas 5 do that's why I posted this question here. :)

I've moved this post to a general forum and turned on your e-mail
notification so you know this has happened.

I'm definitely not sure what you are trying to do. Can you explain
to us what IT IS that you are trying to do without getting technical?

Like I want to capture the screen of another computer. For example.

Are you trying to capture from a camera? Is it DV? If so you don't
need a capture board like Dazzle but a firewire board ($20 or
something).

It sounds like you are describing either the standard VGA port
(has 15 pins in a non square form, usually blue inside the connector)
or the new digital VGA called DVI (white, 24 pins with an extra
4 pin "hole" with a plus inside it) and then you have analog
connections called composite (yellow one!) which is just a round connector
with just one hole (usually with a yellow circle around it) or
S-Video which is a small round connector with 4 pins and a plastic
rectangular shape in it)

Take a look at my links to see which connector you are talking about!

Okay, now we're getting somewhere!

The Dazzle has a black 26-pin connector in a wider shape like the standard port you showed.

The port on the new computer is a 24-pin (plus 4-pin hole) VGA digital as shown, except it's beige instead of white.

This is for capturing DV either from my camera, or from my Panasonic AG-DV2000 deck. My mobo already has a fire wire (IEEE394) port--which now do I use for capture?

Thanks a ton so far, Rob!

Your new computer (from your description) probably has DVI.
The dazzle does not ring any bells. Sounds like a custom
connector to perhaps hook up a breakout box.

Use firewire whenever you can. This lets all the devices talk
in digital to eachother and makes sure you do not loose any
quality whatsoever.

If you Panasonic deck has analog in you can probably retire
your dazzle. No need for it.

So a straightforward IEEE1394 connection is all I need to feed DV into the computer? I was lulled too long I guess by the Dazzle unit (which came as part of a media-oriented Dell system a few years ago). Thanks again!

Yes, that is all that is needed to get footage from a DV camera,
DV deck or analog to DV converter into your computer. That's
the nice thing about firewire/IEEE1394!

(throwing confetti in air) Hooray!