1. An image acquisition system for acquiring digital video data from a video sequence and storing the frames in a computer memory, the image acquisition system comprising: a buffer memory which receives and stores the digital video data; a computer memory which includes a plurality of frame buffers each operable to store digital video data corresponding to a video frame; a direct memory access (DMA) controller coupled to the buffer memory which is operable to transfer digital video data from the buffer memory to the computer memory; a frame buffer access list which stores information indicating availability of said plurality of frame buffers in said computer memory; wherein said direct memory access controller is operable to access said frame buffer access list and uses values in said frame buffer access list to transfer said digital video data from said buffer memory to available ones of said frame buffers in the computer memory, wherein said values in said frame buffer access list determine said available ones of said frame buffers; wherein said values in said frame buffer access list are manipulable to exclude one or more selected frame buffers of the plurality of frame buffers from receiving said digital video data, wherein after a first manipulation of the frame buffer access list to exclude the one or more selected frame buffers from the plurality of frame buffers, said direct memory access controller continues to transfer said digital video data from said buffer memory to remaining available ones of the plurality of frame buffers.