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OHCI: USB On Steroids!
OHCI, or "Open Host Controller Interface" uses the IEEE-1394 spec. However, it also uses more than just the basic specs that the majority of the video cards use. OHCI allows for hard drives, CDR's, scanners, audio and video devices, digital still cameras, mixers, and so much more to be controlled. Think of it as USB on serious steroids. (400 mbps and faster!)

Proprietary Cards
Many spaces refer to OHCI as 1394. Since your Matrox RT2000, Pinnacle 500, or your Canopus Raptor is a 1394 card, you are ready to rush right out and buy a 1394 hard drive to connect to it, right? Wrong! Those kinds of 1394 cards are for proprietary use only. They cannot be used for anything except video capture. These manufacturers have written proprietary codecs that work with their cards, not controller interface software. More importantly, common sense and the engineers we've chatted with tell us that the layering for OHCI will interfere with traditional DV operation of these proprietary (and excellent) cards.

As a video editor amongst other things, all systems in our studio that have Canopus, Matrox, or Pinnacle cards also have OHCI cards living right next to them. OHCI cards are relatively inexpensive.

Considerations Before Buying
Before rushing out to do your due diligence on OHCI cards, know this:

• The only difference between the quality of one OHCI card from another, is the quality of the workmanship and number of connectors. Some have 2, some have 3, and some have 4. But not one card can capture video or audio "better" than another card. I have my own opinions as to which cards might be made better with higher quality parts and QC, but that's for a side line e-mail, if you care enough to ask.
• If you have to install any software to make an OHCI card work in your Windows ME, 98SE or Win2K system, it's not a true OHCI card. And it probably will give you loads of grief in the short run. Don't buy it.
• Try to find a card with TI chips. There are other good cards out there that don't use TI chips, but we've experienced a lot of problems with some of those we've tested that are not TI chips.
• Make certain the card comes with a cable. Cables can be as much as 50.00 for a 6 foot length. Heck you can usually buy a card and a cable for 50.00-75.00.
• Be clear that you have a free PCI slot, and try to install it on a higher level IRQ such as 9,10, or 11.

That about sums up the extreme basics of OHCI and 1394 cards. The primary advantage of OHCI cards over a proprietary card is cost, accessibility, and the ability to control a host of other hardware devices. The primary advantage of proprietary cards over OHCI cards is multiple, simultaneous video streams, and sometimes better machine control.

Douglas Spotted Eagle

Visit with Douglas Spotted Eagle in the Sonic Foundry Sound Forge, Vegas, Vegas Video and ACID forums on the WWUG; also in the Adobe Premiere and Digital Pro Sound forums. Or visit his Web site at spottedeagle.com.

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