TECH question RE: FIREWIRE/S-VIDEO Please help!

Ok, for all you computer people here is a brain twister question.

I want to hook up my PS2 or anyonther games system to my laptop, however here is my block wall...

My output is S-Video

My Inputs are FireWire 800
2 USB 2.0's

Now is there an adapter that will allow me to hook up my game system of choice using an S-VIDEO connection to a FireWire then hook that into my FireWire input?

basically this adapter would have a MALE FIREWIRE end and a S-VIDEO FEMALE input.

Please help out if you can or know where to exactly find one of these. Post any links or PM me the info you have found.

Heck if you know someone who could build an adapter for me that would be good too.

Thanks in advance for whatever help you provide.

Firewire is a cable for data tranfer... as far as I know this isn't possible.

I think you might be confused because, when Digital Camcorders interface with notebooks/desktops via firewire, a video is displayed. The video is purely Digital in DV format and is just DATA, firewire is a data cable, not a video cable.


So unless there was like a huge box that somehow transcoded a NTSC video signal into a DV digital stream, and there was some sort of software to effectively display it.... Even this would probably have lag and would be unplayable.

So short answer... No.

If I'm incorrect somebody please don't hesitate to correct me.

My first assumption a single Firewire to S-video cable would not be possible because one is data the other is Video.

BUT... I just did a quick search and you could in theory buy an external USB Capture Card/TV Tuner.

That would probably work, but is not exactly what you were talking about...

Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3761&item=5156112303&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

maybe if you could find a cam with composite/svideo in..

and then pipe the firewire from it into a frame grabber

or..


get some sort of 'box' that plugs into firewire and is like a tv in box thing

I'm sure one exists.

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/VideoEditing.asp?Family=24&Langue_ID=7

I know that dazzle units are supposed to be the best capture solution, but you might be able to just view the video souce from your pc instead of capturing it. Of course you would need to use their software, but you just might be able to make it work. Email them about it.

CurtWRX said:

My first assumption a single Firewire to S-video cable would not be possible because one is data the other is Video.

BUT... I just did a quick search and you could in theory buy an external USB Capture Card/TV Tuner.

That would probably work, but is not exactly what you were talking about...

Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3761&item=5156112303&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Click to expand...

Wow! That's pretty sweet! I might just have to get one of those. Over the air programing isn't very good, but man watching tv on your laptop... priceless. The only problem I see is how is it supposed to connect to usb when the coaxial connector is in the way? I guess you would need an extention usb cable (I have one).

This is all very good info, thanks.

And that TV tuner thing I saw at Best Buy, it is true it does work.

The only thing I am wondering is if that Dazzle thing works for playing a vid game live instead of capturing?

HHmmmm, maybe I'll email them.

BREACH 444 said:

This is all very good info, thanks.

And that TV tuner thing I saw at Best Buy, it is true it does work.

The only thing I am wondering is if that Dazzle thing works for playing a vid game live instead of capturing?

HHmmmm, maybe I'll email them.

Click to expand...

Yeah, if you find out that it's possible to view instead of just capturing let me know. I'll probably buy one.

I have had a few tv tuners a few years back, and you can surely view the inputs without having to record them... Just don't press the record button... the Dazzle might have a "view" mode, I haven't had one.

One thing you MIGHT need to worry about is the possibility of a slight lag in gameplay from the unit to the PC, it might make games a little off, or it could be completely perfect... The dazzle looks like a good box though... and the first one I showed you is smaller, which might be good for a laptop, but i'm not sure if it'll support S-Video... The Dazzle will.