Re: [AG-TECH] more on multi-input capture.

[Derek Piper <dcpiper@indiana.edu>]

	Hi,

	Having installed a Spectra8 after using a WinTV 150PVR, I can tell you 
it's *very easy* to get going. Yes, each input installs a driver 
individually (4 goes round the 'found new hardware' wizard - yawn, but 
once it's done it's done). After that it just works like 4 individual 
capture cards. As mentioned before, the inherent problem with VIC not 
being able to differentiate between the sources and 'colliding' over 
what input to use still remains, but that's Windows thing and happens 
any time there is more than one capture device. You just have to select 
the 'other' source(s), whatever they may be, when the window prompts you 
and all sources will come up nicely.
	Spectra8 cards, being 4 BT878 chips, would work nicely under Linux and 
not suffer from that problem (they'd just be /dev/video0, /dev/video1 
etc.), although I have not personally tested it.

	Derek

Fred Dech wrote:
> this has been covered in various ways at various times.  but i've got
> a new question on this subject.
>
> we had a problem with the last Winnov Videum card we spec'd for another
> institution because before they purchased the card the Videum been upgraded
> to WDM drivers.  while the VFW drivers would make it work right for AG, this
> other institution needed to use the software that came with the capture card.
>
> i've noticed quite a few posts by people successfully using the Spectra8
> 4 input card.  so i've now come to the point of replacing that Winnov
> Videum with something that will cover all the needs of our collaborators;
> proprietary capture software and AG.
>
> i'm looking at a web page with Spectra8 specifications.  i'm very, very
> surprised to see, "... each frame grabber channel has it's own WDM driver,
> allowing you to capture from 4 individual video channels."
> now i'm really confused.  is the WDM driver relatively recent for the
> Spectra8?  it must be... or how have people made it work well with AG...
>
> any insights would be greatly appreciated.
>
> --fred
--
Derek Piper - dcpiper@indiana.edu - (812) 856 0111
IRI 323, School of Informatics
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana