nkissebe@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Nick Kisseberth) (01/22/91)
Here's my problem. I need to capture a live (NTSC) video image and move
the digitized image into a Windows window. I'm not too picky about how I
do it, the image can either be displayed live in a Windows window or be
displayed on a seperate monitor. I just need to be able to take a snapshot
of the live video and put it in a window. Currently I have a Renaissance
IIe video controller (TMS34010) which I would like to keep using, but it
isn't strictly required. My first thought was that I knew of several video
capture boards that combined with a VGA card to display the live image on
a VGA display. Unfortunately Windows (or the Renaissance driver) disables
the inactive display rather than allowing a full-screen display on the
VGA card and a Windows display on the high-res display controlled by the
Renaissance board. So I guess that leaves me with two choices:
1. A video digitizer (256 greyscale, 640x480 square pixels) with just
an NTSC input and output which I can access from Windows to copy
the frame buffer into a Window. Preferably costing less than $800
2. A combined video board and digitizer with Windows driver to allow
live video as well as normal output. Preferably a 1024x768 display
with a 640x480 live window. Also preferred if it was run by a
graphics coprocessor and allowed a VGA card to be coresident.
Cost no more than $2200
For one I just need to be sure I can access the device without needing a
special library (which I may not be able to use in a Windows App).
A brief description of what I want to do with this:
1. Writing a Windows program for a 1024x768 20" display which will display
a full sized live video window on the right hand side of the display.
On the left will be a grid and a half sized video window. A frame
will be captured and put in the half sized window and a grid position
will be marked occupied. The user then selects another frame and places
it in some grid. The idea being to build one large image composed of
the individual frames (which are gotten from a camera on a microscope).
In another program the frames are pasted together exactly and data is
collected from the image (this is what I wanted the graphics controller
for).
or 2. Same as 1, but the live video image is displayed on a seperate
monitor rather than as a live image within Windows.
If anybody has any suggestions on appropriate hardware for the image capturing
I would be VERY appreciative. I am using a 33Mhz 80386 with 10Mb RAM and a
210Mb hard disk for development, a 20 or 25Mhz '386 will probably be used
as the actual target.
Respond by E-mail as I rarely get a chance to read news (hope I got this
in the right group). This is really important so any ideas would be
very welcome. So much for my first news posting (after years of reading).
Nick Kisseberth
Research Programmer - Network Manager
Neuronal Pattern Analysis Group
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
E-Mail: nkissebe@synapse.npa.uiuc.edu