Frame grabber cards are electronic gadgets that can be linked to computers, usually to capture either video or still images. The first gadgets of this kind had sufficient memory to capture one still image, or a single video frame. The devices available today though, have far more memory which enables them to capture still frames and video footage. Generally speaking, a frame grabber card is used to record images and video viewed through computers, and this material can be used subsequently for various different purposes.

Medical professionals might use a frame grabber card for remote guidance and telenursing. In circumstances where a specialist at a different location has to be contacted, frame grabbers record the video or image from the relevant medical apparatus, so this can be digitally transmitted to the distant specialist.

Frame grabbers can also isolate single images from video footage, so these images can be used for research or manipulation. For instance, a news report can be converted to digital format, then streamed on a PC using this gadget, enabling someone to capture an image from the report and embellish it.

There are various security applications for frame grabbers too. For instance, if a possible security breach is identified, frame grabbers can record one image, or several images, before transmitting these over a network where security officers can view them. This can save valuable seconds in a life or death situation.

Amateur astrophotographers and astronomers use frame grabbers, while using ‘low light’ analog cameras for real time image display and online video streaming of celestial phenomena. These gadgets are vital to link the cameras used for this purpose to the PCs that process or store the images. Day-night cameras are common in this arena.

In addition, there are several software applications that are suitable for use as frame grabbers, although these might have restrictions that do not apply to hardware. Similar to video cards, frame grabbing gadgets normally have internal memory, which permits users to record video far more efficiently than they would be able to on a PC otherwise. Software based frame grabbers are restricted by a computer’s hardware, so PCs with modest quantities of video memory might be unable to use these programs effectively. Also, hardware frame grabbers can store data internally, enabling users to record images on the gadgets themselves. This means that it is easier to transfer the data over to different machines.