[tlug] Questions about specifications for some cutting edge video recording via laptop

[Dave Gutteridge <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

    I'm considering working on a video project in the next year where 
I'd like to do some fairly cutting edge production methods. Right now 
I'm just in the purely speculative phase, and I have some initial 
questions I thought some people on this list might be able to answer, or 
at least give me some starting points for further research.

    Would it be possible for a Linux based laptop to receive and record 
three NTSC video feeds all at once? What kind of specs would a laptop 
like that need?
    I realize that's probably a tall order for any laptop, Linux based 
or otherwise, but still, I wonder about the feasibility. And I would 
prefer to go with Linux and be as open source as possible for this project.

    Most digital cameras have fire wire support. I know with my own 
desktop installation of CentOS that firewire is possible, but is fairly 
cutting edge. Would it be feasible to have three firewire ports coming 
out of the laptop to control three different cameras?

    Lastly, what is the likelihood of finding some kind of programmer 
who could build custom controls to handle a camera controlling laptop? 
By likelihood, I'm not referring to whether or not programmers exist for 
this sort of thing, but whether or not it's realistic to expect the 
resources for programmers to work with exist. For example, if someone 
said that all the necessary drivers for cameras were completely 
proprietary, and so even the best programmer would not be able to 
construct a program to control a camera no matter what, then that would 
be the kind of answer I'm trying to find out.

    These are very wide questions, very pie-in-the-sky, but if someone 
can help me get a handle on maybe what the better questions are, or 
where to really look for info on this, I would be very appreciative.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to 
hearing from you.

Dave