Dazzle (video recorder)
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics, Video capture hardware |
| Founded | December 1997 |
| Founder | Paul Jain |
| Headquarters | Silicon Valley , United States |
| Products | External video capture units for analog composite devices |
| Parent | Alludo (previously Corel) |
The Dazzle lineup consists of external video capture units designed to allow users to record footage from analog composite devices such as DVD players and VCRs through a USB connection (initially via parallel port). The majority of these units also support capturing analog stereo audio signals.
Setup
Connections between source devices and the Dazzle hardware are typically made using RCA composite or S-video cables. To enable simultaneous recording while watching live TV, composite splitters can be employed—this method is especially favored for capturing gameplay from video game consoles.
History
The Dazzle series was first launched in December 1997 by L.A. Vision, Inc., a Silicon Valley-based startup established by Paul Jain, who had prior experience with graphics card firms such as Paradise Systems and Media Vision. The original models utilized an MPEG-1 encoder/decoder chip supplied by C-Cube Microsystems. These devices connected to PCs through the parallel port and supported video resolutions up to 352×240 pixels at 30 frames per second. Soon after release, L.A. Vision rebranded as Dazzle Multimedia and introduced an internal PCI card version named Snazzi. In 1999, SCM Microsystems acquired a controlling interest in Dazzle Multimedia.
The first Dazzle devices compatible with USB were the Digital Video Creator (DVC) 50 and 80 models, which debuted in March 2001. The DVC 80 captured both video and audio via RCA and S-video inputs, whereas the DVC 50 was limited to video capture only. Despite USB 1.1 bandwidth constraints resulting in lower resolution compared to FireWire alternatives, these models consistently maintained a smooth 30 fps recording rate.
In October 2003, manufacturing and marketing rights for Dazzle hardware were transferred from SCM Microsystems to Pinnacle Systems. Pinnacle itself was acquired by Avid Technology in 2005, after which the Dazzle brand was promoted under both Avid and Pinnacle labels. By the late 2000s, Avid upgraded the product line to USB 2.0 connectivity, allowing native capture at NTSC resolution.
In 2012, Alludo (previously known as Corel) purchased Pinnacle from Avid. As of April 2022, Alludo continues to offer products under the Dazzle brand name.
Hardware overview
The following table outlines various Dazzle hardware models along with their principal business-related specifications.
Most devices retained consistent branding and packaging styles throughout their lifecycle, with the exception of the DVC 100, which appeared in several versions and packaging designs. Presently, the only model still available is the Dazzle DVD Recorder HD, which incorporates revised internal components differing from the DVC 100 but continues to support uncompressed video output.
| Name | Version | Device colour | Package names (colour) | Release date | USB | Video codec | Audio codec | Connectors | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DVC | grey | Dazzle Digital Video Creator (green/gold) | |||||||
| Fusion | 32bit | ||||||||
| DVC 80 | black | Dazzle Digital Video Creator 80 (white) | 1.0 | RCA/S-Video in | 32bit | ||||
| DVC 85 | RCA/S-Video in | 32bit | |||||||
| DVC 90 | bright blue | Dazzle Digital Video Creator 90 (white),
Dazzle MovieCompressor 2006 (white) |
2.0 | RCA/S-Video in | 32bit | ||||
| DVC 100 | 100 | red (yellow star), white (silver star), black | Dazzle DVD Recorder (red/green),
Dazzle Video Creator Platinum HD (blue-silver), Dazzle DVD Recorder HD (red) |
2.0 | uncompressed | uncompressed | RCA/S-Video in | 32/64bit | |
| DVC 101 / 103 / 107 | 100 | various colours including black with silver star | Dazzle DVD Recorder / Video Creator Plus (silver) | 2.0 | uncompressed | uncompressed | RCA/S-Video in | 32/64bit | |
| Dazzle Video Capture USB v1.0 | 100 | matte black | Dazzle DVD Recorder HD (red) | 2016 | 2.0 | uncompressed | uncompressed | RCA/S-Video in | 64bit (drivers vary) |
| DVC 120 | black | Dazzle Digital Video Creator 120 (white) |
RCA/S-Video in |
32bit | |||||
| DVC 130 | blue | Dazzle Video Creator (blue) | 2.0 | MPEG1/2 | MP2 audio | RCA/S-Video in | 32bit | ||
| 150b |black |Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 (white) |2002 |2.0 |MPEG1/2 |MP2 audio |RCA/S-Video in and out |32bit | | |||||||||
| DVC 170 |
silver (silver star) Dazzle Video Creator Platinum (blue) 2006 2.0 MPEG1/2/4 MP2? RCA/S-Video in 32bit | ||||||||
| DCS 200 | black
Dazzle DVD Creation Station 200 |
1.1 |
RCA/S-Video in and out 32bit |