To keep this list in a human-readable size, please add only the best tools you know. And explain why they're better than xxx.

Capture Cards

• WinTV from Hauppauge
• Osprey from ViewCast
• Videum from Winnov
• SDI Capture Card from PixelMagic
• DeckLink from Blackmagic Design
• PCTV from Pinnacle (bad registration policy, bad drivers)
• IVCxxx from VoxTechnologies
• Spectra 8 4 channels at 25fps (or 8 at 12.5) BT chipset capture card
• various cards by PixelSmart
• frame grabber by The Imaging Source
• frame grabber by ems imaging
• sdi/hd-capture boards by bluefish444
• frame grabber by IDS imaging (including 4input grabber)
• VisionRGB vga/dvi capture cards from datapath

• btwincap universal wdm-capture-driver that may be better than the one that comes with your card

Cameras

• The Imaging Source firewire cameras
• unibrain firewire cameras
• point grey firewire cameras
• eyespector firewire cameras
• Everfocus
• ems imaging usb2.0 cameras
• svs vistek gigabit-cameras
• ids imaging usb2 and ethernet cameras
• prosilica

IR-Lighting

• Infrared Lab
• ViSiTec
• Audex
• Videor Technical
• A broad variety of IR-pass and block filters in all sizes and qualities

Multi-Touch kits

• Zaagtech

Video History

• The Video History Project
• Eigenwelt der Apparate
• Video Synthesizer History

Some Theory