How to get composite video input into a Mac?

I'm going to get a videocamera for taking movies from my microscope; either
something as cheap as

http://www.greatscopes.com/videoeyepiece.htm

Or maybe something more serious. The question is: how do I get the composite
video signal into my Mac? I have a G4 desktop model (with USB and firewire
ports), currently running OS9.2 and soon to be upgraded to OSX. What's the
easiest way to get real-time video into the computer for future editing?
Thanks in advance for any help; if possible, please cc: replies to
mlevin77.RemoveThis@comcast.net.

--

Mike Levin
mlevin77.RemoveThis@comcast.net

In article <BC88E1A1.1272A%mlevin77@comcast.net>, Michael Levin
<mlevin77 DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote:

 > I'm going to get a videocamera for taking movies from my microscope; either
 > something as cheap as
 >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.greatscopes.com/videoeyepiece.htm</font" target="_blank">http://www.greatscopes.com/videoeyepiece.htm</font</a>>
 >
 > Or maybe something more serious. The question is: how do I get the composite
 > video signal into my Mac? I have a G4 desktop model (with USB and firewire
 > ports), currently running OS9.2 and soon to be upgraded to OSX. What's the
 > easiest way to get real-time video into the computer for future editing?
 > Thanks in advance for any help; if possible, please cc: replies to
 > mlevin77 DeleteThis @comcast.net.

A DV converter box (Canopus for example) will bring in the Analog video
and deliver it as DV video, cost varies but they are in the $300 to
$500 range.

However DV video is 6 to 1 compressed and throws a way a lot of color
and detail information - which for microscopy imaging may not be
acceptable (for forensics it certainyl isn't). And except for the pro
series of DV boxes, they do not allow you to adjust brightness,
contrast, sharpness, hue or saturation in hardware, so you have to do
it afterwards in post processing.

You may want to look at some of the Miglia's Alchemy TV PCI cards for
in the $130 price range or maybe the DFG/1394 which is an external
FireWire box for converting Analog to uncompressed YUV video - but it
costs in the $475 range. Both of these products offer live image
control for adjust brightness, contrast, sharpness, hue or saturation
in realtime.

However all lower end analog cameras will suffer from interlacing, so
if your subjects move, you may want to look at what FireWire cameras
are available (Optronics for example). Thet avoid the whole analog
conversion and interlaced issue and can deliver digital video at much
larger sizes and with more control (including exposure times if your
dye flouresecence or for subject that can not stand bright light).

HTH..

Milton Aupperle
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.outcastsoft.com" target="_blank">www.outcastsoft.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->