s-video TO USB? Unusual connectivity problem.

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maestrogn

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We just purchased a GE Logiq E portable ultrasound machine to use in our research. We have to connect it to our Lenovo X220 for presentation work.

The problem: the only video out on the ultrasound machine is VGA. The only in-port on the Lenovo is USB. We have to run the ultrasound VGA signal through our A/D converter that has VGA, S-Video and RCA out.

So, there is not way to connect the A/D converter to the Lenovo. All of the adapters I find are either USB TO S-Video or and A/D converters just like the one we have.

How can I connect the A/D output to run into the Lenovo via USB? I'll wire up an adapter if I can find out what pins equal what.

Any suggestions?

maestrogn
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Nov 23, 2004
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Simply put, You NEED a chip to do the conversion USB only uses 2 pins for data and 2 for power.

You are looking for a VGA capture card, but you may have a hard time finding one outside of a specialty store.

S-video capture cards(USB) are rather cheap and s-video converts easy to composite, but the quality is not that great.

EDIT, this is the first thing google gives me, but I have NEVER used it.

http://www.vgacapture.com/
 
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bichkin

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May 15, 2013
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This might be what you're looking for:
VC500 or SVID2USB2NS


 
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maestrogn

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Nukemaster:

Thanks for the quick reply. Pardon my lack of knowledge in this. Earlier in our research, we used a GE Logiq 7 that had an S-Video out port. We sent that into our A/D converter and the out end of that was a USB male end.

I assumed that it could also digitize a VGA signal and send it through the USB into the Lenovo laptop. At that point, we used Debut software (or Premiere) to capture and record the signal.

I forgot to mention that our A/D converter also has VGA out ... but I think the VGA port on the laptop is out only. Thus, I can get the VGA signal to the A/D converter (as long as my assumption is correct) and the problem occurs after the digitized signal leaves that converter box ... it only has S-Video, RCA, VGA out. I'm only trying to get the digitized signal into the laptop.

Thanks,

Garyth
 
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maestrogn

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Bichkin: Thanks for answering. The item you referenced is also an A/D converter -- we already have that .... the problem is getting the output from that into the laptop. A more complete description can be found in my response to nukemaster. Thanks -- let me know if you have any other ideas.

mGN
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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You would have to check the manual on the ultrasound to see if that could or could not be done.

Maybe what you want to do is convert the VGA signal to S-video and then use your current A/D. You have to watch out because they sell MANY cables that just do not work with 90% of the hardware on the market. You would need a device that can pump out S-vid/composite over VGA.

Something like this. It has another advantage of allowing new computers to run on old tv's and projectors :)
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX24212

This assumes you still have the old S-vid -> USB analog to digital converter(capture device).

I have a ATI TV Wonder 650 USB(hardware mpeg2) A/D and after extensive(maybe that is an over statement) heat sinking(yes the damn thing overheated and diamond was useless for support, they just stopped even replying after i told them the drivers are up to date.) it works fairly well(used to crash often now only does once every few months.).

650 board
 
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maestrogn

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Status: We have ordered a passive VGA to S-video adapter. We will connect that from the ultrasound VGA-out to our A/D converter-in, and connect that to the USB of the laptop and that should do the trick.

Re: Ethernet -- there is a way through a program called Digital Jacket. I don't believe that it can be used for a live hookup, but it will be great for transfer of cines (movies) recorded at high frame rates (>30 fps).

I'll report on the success or lack thereof.
 
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maestrogn

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Well, the passive connector arrived and we got it to work. The way it works is that we connected the passive VGA connector to the VGA out on the ultrasound machine. Then, we took that S-video cable (also worked with the composite) feed from that passive connector and fed it to an A/D converter that, as luck would have it, is a straight feed-through for the S-video IO (no A/D conversion). That got us the physical connection that we could then port to our S-video input on our USB A/D converter, which was plugged into the laptop. Until we figured that out, there was just no physical way to connect the VGA-out to the USB-in A/D converter. I was on the verge of beginning to solder a connection! So, we now have the VGA signal up on the laptop and can run it, along with a sound analysis program to live-demo our research at a workshop this weekend.

Thanks for all of your help.

mGN
 
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