8 Capture Considerations: What to Look for in a Digitizer or Capture Card for Video (page 3)
Where to Buy
The Internet mega-stores will probably have the best prices on the Net, but if you are just starting out and are concerned that you don't know precisely what you need, we'd recommend you find a company that specializes in video products. Give them a call, tell them what you already have and tell them what you want to do. The time and trouble you save will be more than worth any extra money you spend. And, more often than not, the video-centric stores we've seen have better sale prices than the big boys anyhow.
Heart of the Turnkey
Capture cards are the heart of any video-editing computer, so when you are shopping for an editing machine, you should start by considering what capture card you want. After you decide on the card you can then find a video vendor that can integrate the card into a full system. Some cards are very specialized (e.g. NewTek T[3]) and may require certified hardware, so a turnkey vendor may sometimes be the only way to guarantee compatibility.
