PC (FireWire) to component/svideo/composite

Hello.

I've been trying to get a definitive answer to my problem for several days now. I hope someone in this community will be able to help.

In a nutshell, what I'd like to do is take a .avi from my PC, transfer it out through FireWire to <something> that would then break the signal out to component, svideo, and composite output.

I think I've found products that will do just this, such as, the DAC-2 (http://www.datavideo-tek.com/datavideo2/nav&bkg_elements/productpage/dvformatconverters/dvformatrecorders.htm).

However, the missing part of the equation is, what software would I use to initiate the output of the .avi through the firewire to the DAC-2?

I believe that, typically, people use Premier's (or similar editing software's) export capabilities to render edited video out through FireWire to a storage device, which I guess would work. However, I really don't need this rendering pass, I simply need to get the .avi out through the FIreWire...

ANY HELP or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I've really been searching like crazy and not coming up with much.

TIA

[Bill Ravens]

why do you need to go out thru firewire to a convertor? The ATi RADEON 8500Dv series of video cards will output in analog for ANY source avi file, whether it's DV or analog....as will any hi-end, hardware based NLE.

REALLY? Very interesting.

I was under the impression that such cards only did full PC screen "screen-capture" to analog out.

You're telling me I could use the 8500dv to output ONLY the .avi itself to analog?

There is a software interface included with the 8500dv to do this?

I will literally smack myself several times if this proves to be the solution I've been looking for all this time. :)

[Bill Ravens]

Visit www.ati.com to get more info. Check out the Radeon 8500DV series. It will output, S-video, composite, and component RGB(with an additional adapter). Depending on the configuration you choose, you will get full screen video or simple screen capture.

All you need for recording the output is an analog VCR.

I'm there now reading their .pdf manuals.

However I'm still not seeing any information that leads me to believe I can output just the contents of an .avi as opposed to the PC's full desktop.

I'm sorry if I'm hammering this to death, but are you saying that you know this can be done with this card?

I need to keep this at broadcast quality which is why I was thinking the FireWire route to begin with.

[Bill Ravens]

I have the RADEON video card in question, altho', I will admit to never outputting analog, except to my NTSC monitor. With the dual monitor configuration, I can set up my computer monitor to display everything but the video I want to output and my NTSC monitor to display ONLY the video output. One would need, only, to replace the monitor with the video recorder to record the composite or s-video signal. The exact technique requires that the ATi Player be put on the second monitor screen in full screen mode. If you've got an NTSC monitor available, it's necessary to view your analog output as you setup and record.

So, in short, yes, this card will do it.

[Kai Leibrandt]

If you want to convert analog material to DV or DV to analog, Dazzle have a nice little box that will do just this. It has firewire on the side connecting to the PC, and firewire as well as analog (I believe s-video and composite) inputs on the other side.
It's called Hollywood DV Bridge and apparently works really well, the integrated hardware DV codec is pretty good I hear.
More info at http://www.dazzle.com/products/hw_bridge.html

Hope this helps,

Kai.

Well I hope I've explained my problem thoroughly. I have no problem getting DV *in* through FireWire - but that isn't what I need to do. I need to get it *out*.

Through searching - I believe Macintosh computers do this with the help of an Adobe Premier plug-in. Does anyone know if the same is true for PCs? Where does one get this plug-in?

Are there any other ways to get DV *out* of the PC using FireWire?

TIA

[Kai Leibrandt]

The Hollywood DV bridge works in any combination of it's analog and digital (DV) inputs and outputs. It will digitize analog material from an external source just as happily as playing DV material from your PC onto the analog output. It is a completely self-sufficient hardware codec (i.e. it goes both ways, encoding as well as decoding). Sorry I wasnt clearer the first time around...


Kai.

Thanks for all the replies.

I am considering a Dazzle, although I've read lots of horror stories so far on the newsgroups. :)

Guess my only real solution is to try and see....

Thanks again.