Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (
More info?)
<dinu@gemprint.com> wrote in message
news:1118867508.455856.99970@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Does anyone know of a device that would allow me to use a card made for
> desktop PCs (requires a PCI slot) on a laptop?
>
> The reason I am looking at this option is that I must use a video
> capture card capable of capturing still frames at 640x480 using VFW
> (Video For Windows). While a couple of PCMCIA video capture
> manufacturers claim that they support VFW, they don't support it at the
> resolution I need (640x480).
>
> Any help would be very much appreciated.
You can find them, if your willing to look far and wide and deep.
You'll also pay a lot for one. If memory serves, it was about $1200 for a
two slot USB to PCI. Want more slots, pay more money.
I haven't tried one myself, but I imagine you may have some compatibility
issues with certain cards.
I suggest you'd do better to find some sort of converter for your files,
which you could probably find for free, rather than fiddling around with
this wacky hardware. You could also buy or build a regular desktop that
would take up less space, be more reliable, offer more compatibility, and
prove more powerful than a laptop.
I seriously doubt they even make them anymore, as they are obsolete. The
need for something like this pretty much eliminates the laptop's best
features, such as portability and size, while adding extra hardware layers
that cost money, may fail, and take up space, not to mention require power
from the wall socket. There are few things a desktop can do that a laptop
can't, with the right equipment, do just as well, and still be highly
portable.
I just took a break from this post and found the website:
http
/www.mobl.com/expansion/
Seems the price is $1000 for a one slot full size. As far as I know, this
is the only company that makes them, and frankly, I have my doubts about
sending them any money. I took a gander at their resellers, and none of
them that I looked at (about %80 of total US resellers) listed them, and
some weren't even in the business anymore. For instance, one supposed
reseller is now a law firm.
Good luck.
Pagan
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