Hello,

I've seen this discussed in parts all over the forum but never got all the answers I was looking for...

I recently got my hands on a Sony BVW-70 VTR.
I work for an indie music label and all the videoclips we make are recorded using a DV camera.
Some of the tv stations here won't accept anything but beta, so we have to pay production houses in order to convert what we have.
We also have many old videoclips on beta that I'd like to dub so we don't lose them.

I was wondering what video card I should get? Is Decklink SP good enough? what about Aja Xena? The betas must be broadcast ready (TC, black, tone...).
If I use the RS-422 on the VTR does it sync with the PC?
I really don't know too much about post production, and would appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks!

If you're asking how to get your DV material from the computer into the BVW-70 and vicee versee you might look for a used Datavideo DAC 2.

It will take YUV (component Beta SP) and convert to DV firewire and the other way around. For the money it is/was the least expensive unit to accomplish this. I have two of them and they're great.

There are much more pricey units that will do the very same thing.

It will not do anything for reading time code via the RS-422, however. If you are simply making dubs for the TV stations you can generate TC from the deck during record. Bars and tone will be supplied from the PC via Premiere or whatever NLE you use.

If I have to buy any of these, I'd rather it be something that does more than just DAC.

Well, it was just a suggestion, Gil.

I didn't mean for it to sound like that :)
I really appreciate your help!

So one of these cards will do the work, and more ?

The unit is not a card. It is a standalone analog-to-digital-to-analog converter.

http://www.datavideo.us/products/dac_2_main_page.htm

Lots of companies make them but this one did component YUV for much less than any of the others and at broadcast quality to boot. No longer in production you would need to find one on Ebay.

I think this may help you out;

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/multibridge/

"Multibridge works as an independent converter and is the ideal solution for converting analog equipment such as Betacam SP decks or HDV cameras, into modern SDI digital systems"

Regards,
Jack