Any FireWire DV input can be used with SecuritySpy. No driver software is required.

Many different makes of FireWire DV converters are available, and all of them work with SecuritySpy. A good example of such a device is the ADVC-55.

Some DV converters cannot accept black and white input without an adapter. Check with the manufacturer before purchasing a DV converter device if you are planning to use black and white video. The Canopus ADVC55 does support black and white video.

Multiple FireWire DV inputs

SecuritySpy supports multiple DV inputs.

Most DV devices can share a single FireWire bus with other DV inputs, but a few are not fully compatible with this mode of operation. These devices cannot share a FireWire bus with other “incompatible” DV devices. SecuritySpy’s Video Device Setup window displays the compatiblity details of connected DV inputs, and also their speed.

The slower the speed of a FireWire device, the more bandwidth it uses on the bus. On a single FireWire bus it is possible to use two 100 Mbps devices simultaneously, four 200 Mbps devices, eight 400 Mbps devices, or a combination of speeds such as one 100 Mbps device together with four 400 Mbps devices. Most DV inputs run at 400 Mbps, whereas DV camcorders typically operate at 100 Mbps.

Your Mac’s built-in FireWire ports all share a single FireWire bus. If you have Mac Pro or a PowerMac you can add extra buses by installing FireWire PCI cards. On any Mac, you can add extra FireWire ports to an existing bus by connecting a FireWire hub.