Post by Cecil Chan on May 2, 2008 8:51:34 GMT 8
Basics of Video (for those beginners interested in videos)
Analogue and digital signals:
Analog Video:
Before the advent of the digital era, all videos are analog. Videos are recorded into magnetic tapes using electrical signals and these signals are in the shape of sine waves with peaks and valleys (can be viewed through an oscilloscope). The formats for these videos are VHS, 8mm, Hi8. So, when trying to transfer these analog videos to the computer, you'll need to have a mode of transfer that is analog in nature of course, and these are through the composite cable (the yellow colored cable) or the S-Video cable which has a higher quality transfer. Both of these cables are without audio and audio has to be transferred separately through the audio rca cables (the red and white colored cables). Once transferred into the computer for editing and converting into a vcd, dvd, or hd, its in digital format and thats why you need to use an analog video capture card to convert the video from analog to digital.
Digital Video:
When you record video into your digital video camcorder, what it does is record your video into your digital video camcorder in a digital format.
Digital format is binary, just made out of "0" and "1". So, if you were to view your digital signals, it would show something like this, 00100110 continuously. The transfer mode is through a "firewire" or "ilink" cable. Where in analog signals you need to "convert" the analog signals to digital signals into the computer, in digital, you are doing a data transfer which is of course much easier and you need only a firewire output and input (from the camcorder to the computer).
Analogue and digital signals:
Analog Video:
Before the advent of the digital era, all videos are analog. Videos are recorded into magnetic tapes using electrical signals and these signals are in the shape of sine waves with peaks and valleys (can be viewed through an oscilloscope). The formats for these videos are VHS, 8mm, Hi8. So, when trying to transfer these analog videos to the computer, you'll need to have a mode of transfer that is analog in nature of course, and these are through the composite cable (the yellow colored cable) or the S-Video cable which has a higher quality transfer. Both of these cables are without audio and audio has to be transferred separately through the audio rca cables (the red and white colored cables). Once transferred into the computer for editing and converting into a vcd, dvd, or hd, its in digital format and thats why you need to use an analog video capture card to convert the video from analog to digital.
Digital Video:
When you record video into your digital video camcorder, what it does is record your video into your digital video camcorder in a digital format.
Digital format is binary, just made out of "0" and "1". So, if you were to view your digital signals, it would show something like this, 00100110 continuously. The transfer mode is through a "firewire" or "ilink" cable. Where in analog signals you need to "convert" the analog signals to digital signals into the computer, in digital, you are doing a data transfer which is of course much easier and you need only a firewire output and input (from the camcorder to the computer).