ADS Tech PYRO A/V - Video Inputs/Outputs Galore!

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.adstech.com/products/API_550/intro/api550intro.asp?pid=API-550' target='_blank'>http://www.adstech.com/products/API_550/intro/api550intro.asp?pid=API-550</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The ultimate tool for capturing and converting video into professional quality DV format and just as valuable for exporting edited DV content to analog video tape recorders. Capturing DV from a Digital camcorder is fantastic, but what about all of the video content you have in other formats (8mm, beta, VHS, DVD), how do you get that content into the DV format? PYRO A/V link solves the problem by converting any analog video source into DV."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/API550w.jpg" /><br /><br />It's part of my personality that I like to have equipment for almost any scenario, no matter how obscure, so when any project comes along I'm ready to rock. The ADS Tech PYRO A/V looks like it belongs in my toolkit - it has the ability to take a variety of analog inputs and output them as a digital signal over Firewire. And, according to the email I received this morning, it does so without needing any drivers on the host computer (it must mount as a Firewire video device) and it can even work without a computer - meaning you could plug a VCR into it and output to a MiniDV tape (some cameras can do this already, but some don't have the analog to digital converters on board). It's not cheap at $199 USD, but it's not outrageously expensive either. Worth a look if you have a lot of analog footage to work with!

[sundown]

Wow that're really cool. I'm with you Jason, I like to have tools for a variety of jobs just in case something comes up. The approach of this device seems unique in that it outputs via Firewire no matter how you connect your inputs. That simplifies everything on the computer end now doesn't it?

[Jason Dunn]

That simplifies everything on the computer end now doesn't it?

It certainly does - which is why I've asked for one for review. :-D

[Crocuta]

I use the Canopus ADVC-100 (http://www.canopus.us/US/products/advc-100/pt_advc-100.asp) for this and it is an excellent product. The quality of the analog-to-DV images is excellent and the sound-sync is rock solid. (A problem with some other brands.) Of course, most of our DV cameras (unless you live in the EU) can do this for you too, but I needed a device that would convert analog PAL video to DV where I could then convert it for use in an NTSC video, so I picked this up. I'm glad I did as it's been invaluable for many uses beyond that which I first bought it for and I now use it instead of my camera for all A2D and D2A conversions. I've seen it for as low as $250 recently, so it's a tad more expensive than the Pyro one. I hope you do get one of those for review; I'd like hear how well it works. The Canopus one has been around the same price for a couple of years now... a sure sign of no real competition.