Analog S-Video to M1 Max

I'm trying to resurrect my analog capture capability on my new M1 Max laptop. Must have the ability to retain Y/C separation in captures from s-video sources.

Seems like s-video has been removed from the product line, while older products like the Intensity (not PCI-E) aren't supported by the drivers on M1.

The path that I can see still working is to get an Analog-to- SDI MiniConverter (still supports Y/C) and add an SDI-to-Thunderbolt MiniConverter and the Apple Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter.

Is there anything more direct that doesn't require a PCI-E interface? It has to get from S-Video to Thunderbolt 3 on M1 somehow.

TIA!

using computers to capture analog video will sooner or later give problems, converters and using HDMI/SDI recorders is a better option, but even BMD standalone converters need firmware updates, where software may be not compatible, to do that, the only way would be Analog to SDI, and using Video Assist (Monitor/recorder) as SDI to HDMI passthrough/capture, this way no computer is needed.

I'm not up to date on the Mac software side of things but...
the Ultra Studio Recorder 3G is SDI to TB3 saving you a cable.

BH sells an S to YC cable which I think (I'm not sure though) would go right into the BM UltraStudio HD mini which connects via TB3. I'd be curious if this works.

Jared

That's what i'm trying to say, i have still TB2 here, on my MBP, sofar the best solution which i use is the Analog to SDI converter (Mini Converter) and the Video Assist (monitor/recorder) this setup records to ProRes,
The Video Assist has also a loop out to HDMI to use, connecting to say… Hyperdeck Shuttle HD, which also encodes to h.264 in different quality levels, so no computer needed for capture, a steady video signal is still needed ofcourse.

Connecting the Miniconverter (Analog to SDI) to my BMD UltraStudio Mini Recorder gave a stange diagonal interferrence pattern.

The thing with computers is they constant upgrade, for better performance, the operating system needs new updates to keep up with this new harware, the drivers need updates too to keep up, old (capture) devices that are out of production have no new drivers available, and out of that, it's hard to find out which all of those "last versions" will work together, this is going on in a very fast pace.
If you have working setup, you should not upgrade that setup. if that's a Window$ setup you should not even connect that setup to the Internet anymore.. With MAC you still can, it's much more stable and secure.

If you have working setup, you should not upgrade that setup. if that's a Window$ setup you should not even connect that setup to the Internet anymore.. With MAC you still can, it's much more stable and secure.

Just be aware that the opposite is sometimes true as well. For example, if you have an UltraStudio Mini Recorder and upgrade to an M1/M2 Mac, the UltraStudio is no longer compatible (must have the newer 3G version) while it still works perfectly well on Windows.

What i meant, was ,that the MAC OS is safe to connect to the internet, always check the BMD website for compatible issues, Upgrading a firmware can make it not working on older setups, i found out the hard way, a firmware update, crashed, and made a SDI to HDMI converter to a brick, and this was a 3G model,
An older model would have worked out of the box, with my setup, is my guess…
In such a case it's best to start a ticket at BMD support, for expert advise.

btw Using the Analog to SDI Mini converter, with the (old) Ultra Studio Recorder (TB2) gave a strange diagonal noise pattern… if you already have a Video Assist, you can use that as SDI to HDMI converter, and recorder, works fine, no firmware updates needed, SD resolution can only be in interlaced mode.

An Intensity Shuttle (TB2) is the only one that can handle Progressive mode at it's component video input
Thunderbolt version adapters might not always work, Apple branded adapters give best chance to work
The easy way is to capture video on an old Mac(book) setup,(that works for you) and do the post on any new Mac setup, or use USB device on a Windows machine. I hope you have some options to choose from...

using computers to capture analog video will sooner or later give problems, converters and using HDMI/SDI recorders is a better option, but even BMD standalone converters need firmware updates, where software may be not compatible, to do that, the only way would be Analog to SDI, and using Video Assist (Monitor/recorder) as SDI to HDMI passthrough/capture, this way no computer is needed.

Been capturing using computers since the 1990's.

Setting aside that part, the solution described above worked well. The Analog to SDI converter performed well (with the caveat that the comb filter on the composite input is perfunctory), and I had the Video Assist already for my X-T4. NTSC stuff doesn't require fast cards, so I could go big on capacity without much cost.

My S-VHS deck serves well enough to separate the chroma and luma for the composite stuff that I have.