How do I import "streaming" live video into a Macbook with only USB ports?

Question

How do I import "streaming" live video into a Macbook with only USB ports?

I am the Pastor's son and I am the video and tech guy for my church. Just last week we decided to purchase a Macbook (brand new, but refurbished, 2.4 GHz, 4 Gb Ram, etc.) I opened it up, and realized that it only has USB ports on it. We were looking to replace the iMac G5 1.8 Ghz that we use to record our services live through iMovie HD 6.0.3.

Our setup is pretty simple:
1. We have 3 video inputs that go into a video switcher board,
2. analog signal from that to a Canopus analog to digital converter,
3. then a firewire connection from the Canopus to the iMac.
4. iMovie then "imports" the video LIVE to an external 7200 RPM firewire hard drive.

So, I thought that maybe since the Macbook didn't have firewire we could just connect to an external hard drive that I have which has firewire and USB 2.0 ports. Nope. It just showed me a movie that I have on the hard drive as an item to import. So, in seeing that as the only "visible" item I could import I thought "maybe you can't do live video recording with iMovie".

*So I have a two part question, 1) How do I import streaming LIVE video using the new iMovie (or do I have to downgrade to iMovie HD?) 2) on a Macbook with no firewire ports (converter cable?)?*

+The only solution I have come up with is to trade out computers with my Dad. He has a Macbook Pro that he got last year that has the firewire ports we would need and is running the latest OS 10.5, but that would involve him having to swap his 320 Gb hard drive with the Macbook's and is a rather long and somewhat complicated situation we would rather avoid, if possible.+

iMac 1.8 GHz G5 OS 10.4.11, Mac OS X (10.4.11), iBook G4 OS 10.4.11, Macbook 2.4 Ghz OS 10.5

Posted on May 10, 2009 9:30 PM

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Answer 1

May 10, 2009 9:35 PM in response to pyrothebouncer

The ElGato EyeTV Hybrid should do this, but recommend you test it.

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Answer 2

May 10, 2009 9:49 PM in response to AppleMan1958

Ok, that looks like it might fix the connection problem, but what about iMovie? Will it "import" live video from a source other than the iSight?

Thanks immensely!

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Answer 3

May 10, 2009 10:08 PM in response to pyrothebouncer

No. EyeTV imports live video into the EyeTV software which comes with the EyeTV Hybrid.
This video is MPEG2. You can import the video into EyeTV in the background, or you can open a monitor window. You can watch the monitor window live, or watch it delayed, much like a DVR.

You can do rough edits on the EyeTV software, for example, cutting out commercials. Also, the EyeTV software will allow you to convert the file to h.264 in Apple TV format, ipod format, etc.

However, if you would like to edit in iMovie, you must convert the MPEG2 files into Apple Intermediate Codec or h.264 using a program like MPEG Streamclip.

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Answer 4

May 12, 2009 11:28 AM in response to pyrothebouncer

I am in the process of doing live taping I have a macbook with firewire and my mac keeps clitching during live taping , are you sending it to another hard drive source

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Answer 5

May 16, 2009 1:53 PM in response to pyrothebouncer

Ok, I read the responses, and I need the simplest solution. I am the tech guy here (my church) and I have advanced knowledge and knowhow, but I work with people that need everything to be simple. I only need it to be simple so that I can explain the process and troubleshooting to the others that work in our Audio/Visual booth.

*I plugged the EyeTV in and see the video feed coming in, but would rather be able to access this feed through iMovie if at all possible. I find it odd that the mac can't recognize the EyeTV as a video source. If there were a terminal command or something that I could modify to make this work that would be great.* If not, I guess I will have to do all the work-arounds.

Having to buy extra parts outside of our current setup is frustrating because I feel like I am starting over. It seem as though it is getting to the point of being "windows complicated", an un-mac-like characteristic.

I am also planning on recording live to an external HD, I assume I can do that by just choosing the folder on that drive to be the "archive" where EyeTV stores the video.

Apple needs to make a patch that allows access to video devices through USB. That is what was great about Firewire. You could connect to and control video devices. And your Mac would "see" video devices connected to it instead of ignoring it like windows computers do (until you find the right driver 20 or so minutes later).

I am really peeved that Apple, who preaches about simplicity and ease of use (which I have loved for the 20+ years I have used them) would remove such a vital component of ease and function. This isn't like not having a floppy drive, or switching from SCSI to USB, those were great moves.

EyeTV will be the solution for now, but hasn't answered my question, so the question will remain unanswered till I get a viable solution.

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Answer 6

May 16, 2009 2:02 PM in response to pyrothebouncer

iMovie might record live using Firewire, but I have never tried it. This is not likely to work via USB, since iMovie captures the USB feed in other than real time. It can be slower than real time or faster than real time depending on your processor, but this works for recorded video, not live video. iMovie is mainly a video editor.

There is an application called BoinxTV that I recently bought through the MacHeist bundle. It records live TV, but I am not sure if it would work with USB.

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

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Answer 7

Jul 12, 2009 11:55 AM in response to pyrothebouncer

Sorry it has taken so long to finish this question, but I got the EyeTV set and it works. It takes a little to get it to come out just right, but it works.

So the steps are now like this:
1. EyeTV is connected to video mixer via S-video (no more digital converter needed), audio comes from the soundboard mixer via L/R RCA cables to the EyeTV. EyeTV connects to USB.
2. EyeTV Software is used to record live video and stored to a 1 TB hard drive connected via USB.
3. Production consists of exporting video from EyeTV software to an iMovie Project (one option when you export).
4. Open using iMovie, edit, burn to DVD, or post on web.

I am very glad this worked, it was a little surprising that it didn't work right out of the box, but change happens, and sometimes it isn't the kind of change we expect or want. I see the new Macbook Pro 13 inch has a Firewire (800 not 400, competes with USB 2.0 though) port on it again (my sister just got one).

Thanks for all the help.

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