# Video Input for Laptop?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 22, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361 "2002-05-22T19:58:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361/1 "2002-05-22T19:58:01Z")

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Hi,

I’ve just bought a new laptop and I’m wondering is there any way I can upload video data to it? Pcmcia cards, usb?

Any thoughts?

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**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361/2 "2002-05-22T20:29:54Z")

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What do you mean by “upload video data to it”?

Do you mean capturing streaming video? Or transferring data from another computer? Or using the laptop’s monitor as a display device for another computer?

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**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361/3 "2002-05-23T05:56:06Z")

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What laptop is it?

If it’s a recent-model Macintosh (iBook or Powerbook), for instance, you can simply plug in a digital camcorder or analog-to-digital converter into the Firewire port.

If it has USB ports, you can probably get a USB video-capture doodad for about $99, though the resolution and quality of those tend to be rather poor (at least when compared to full-screen DV).

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361/4 "2002-05-23T12:39:57Z")

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Would [something like this](http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doc/458528.html) fit the bill?

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**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-input-for-laptop/110361/5 "2002-05-23T17:37:28Z")

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That **Anthracite** may very well be what I’m looking for.

Thanks,