System Requirements
- A Video Source.
miniDV or Digital8 camcorders work best. They connect to your Macintosh using a FireWire port. Analog camcorders, VCRs and DVD players can use a Media Converter connected by a FireWire port. Hard drive and flash drive camcorders are also supported using Apple's iMovie 8 software. Hard drive and flash drive camcorders usually connect to your Macintosh with USB2. Camcorders are manufactered by Sony, Canon, Panasonic or JVC.
Click here to see Apple's list of camcorders supported by iMovie 11 .
- An Apple Macintosh computer.
A G4 or newer Mac is preferred. TD Video is a Macintosh Universal application that runs equally well on PowerPC or Intel based Macintosh computers. An XGA (1024 x 768) or larger display is required.
TD Video requires Mac OS X v10.4.0 or newer. You'll also need QuickTime software from Apple. QuickTime 7.x is preferred. All Macs running Mac OS X have QuickTime installed. You can download the latest version of QuickTime for free from "www.apple.com/quicktime".
- One available USB port to plug TD Video's copy protection device into.
- Lots of fast disk space.
A high school game can be captured in about 40 minutes of video. 40 minutes from a miniDV camcorder requires around 8 gigabytes of disk space to store. If you use 2 cameras, that's 16 gigabytes per game or 160 gigabytes for a season. Internal hard drives are the fastest, then FireWire 800 externals, then FireWire 400 externals. USB2 external drives are slower. A 1 terabyte FireWire 400/800 drive would be a good choice (costs around $130).
Optional Hardware
Media Converters
These devices have a FireWire port and convert composite video (VHS) and S-Video (SVHS) to digital video (DV). You can use an analog camcorder with a media converter. You probably get analog scout tapes or DVDs from your opponents that will need to be converted. Some digital camcorders will do this for you too. Media converters also convert digital video to analog in case you want to create VHS or SVHS tapes.
We recommend the Thomson Grass Valley (formerly Canopus) ADVC-110. It simply works well.
ShuttlePro and ShuttleXpress
These USB devices are produced by Contour Design. They have several programmable keys and a jog shuttle that can be configured to operate TD Video. TD Video comes with a settings file to configure a ShuttlePro or ShuttleXpress. Check them out at www.contourdesign.com.
The ShuttlePro controls TD Video using the same keystrokes that you can send from your Mac keyboard. You can put labels in the ShuttlePro's programmable keys. Its easier to train a new TD Video user when the keys are labeled with the functions they need to use. A ShuttlePro is also handy if you have a laptop that requires you to use a function key to do a page up or a page down. ShuttlePros come in silver or black. Retails for $109.95.
The ShuttleXpress has the same jog shuttle, 5 buttons and costs half as much. You can turn the disk in the center to watch video frame by frame. You can twist the black ring to watch video in forward motion with six levels of slow motion, or twist it counter clockwise to reverse the video. It comes in black or silver. Retails for $59.95.
elgato turbo.264 HD
This device from elgato accelerates the compression of H.264 video files. It requires an Intel based Mac. You can use it to speed up the export of H.264 clips. TD Video can also utilize it if you export Web games. It retails for $149.95.
