Do I Need Motherboard That Supports Firewire For Video Imput

[hackmole]

I may be upgrading sometime soon and I'd like to know if I need to worry about a motherboard that supports firewire as I would like to import video into my computer at some point.

 

[Ciber]

that's up to you. you can capture from your video cards video inputs if it has any or get a add in firewire card for like 20 bucks.

i personally have inputs on my video card, but still purchased a pci firewire card for 25 bucks from newegg.

 

[AnAndAustin]

Yup, Firewire isn't needed to capture Video, although it is handy for digital camcorders etc. Firewire is essentially an alternative to USB but offers near USB2 speeds. In any case, as said you can add these ports via a PCI card or even find them on ALL (IIRC) Audigy soundcards. I wouldn't limit my mobo choices by having to have Firewire on the mobo.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I'd get the mobo you want and if it has FW great, if not just buy a PCI card in the future if you need/want FW. And in real world applications FW is still faster than USB 2 'cause it has less overhead. Actually, I wouldn't get a FW mobo 'caues FW 2 is most likely gonna be out before Xmas. I'd just wait and get a FW 2 PCI card.


Lethal

 

[Peter]

If you want to capture a legacy, analog video signal, then you need a TV card or a graphics card with video-in feature.

FireWire is used for input of a digital data stream from a digital video camera.

Either is easily and cheaply added using a PCI card ... although both are better placed on a higher speed bus. So chipset integrated FireWire as seen on the latest SiS offerings, and TV-in on the AGP graphics card, are to be preferred.

regards, Peter