iVGA-like software

[dswartze]

I am looking for a way to take the video output of a computer and make it a video source (like a webcam) on another.

We are streaming our church services "on the cheap" using UStream. We are having great success with UStream and our congregation is loving being able to attend service while home sick or out of town.

I have a laptop with a USB webcam and a Sony DV cam connected by firewire. From the UStream flash-based broadcast app I can select from the multiple video inputs (webcam or Sony DV camera). I would like to pull in the video output of our presentation computer (using Media Shout 3.5) and make it another video source. Right now I am having to point the Sony DV camera at the screen!

NewTek's Tricaster has a feature called iVGA. It sounds like what I want to do, but I don't want to spent $1000s on a Tricaster just yet.

A software solution (like iVGA) would be preferable, but a hardware solution that would split the VGA signal sent to the projector and convert it to a USB or firewire video source would be just as acceptable.

Has anyone heard of anything like what I am looking for?

And how to you all stream "on the cheap"?

[craigmash]

The best idea I have right off hand is to use a scan converter on your presentation computer. You can then use the video output of the scan converter to go into a USB video capture device. I believe Pinnacle still makes them (Dazzle).

With those two pieces of equipment, it should cost you less than $200.