Capturing Video on Game Systems

[Canas Renvall]

Okay, so I've had a few awesome runs on games I play lately and I need to know how to get video capture devices. So far, all I've found is the Dazzle Platinum thing that only runs up to S-Video, but I remember Dot saying something involving HDMI. I assume that creates higher quality capture, so... technical people of THIA, I believe Steve Burnside said it best.

"HELP MEEEEEEEE!!!!"
"Canas Renvall is suffering."

Edit: If there is HDMI-capable capture, would I still need Dazzle or whatever with S-Video to capture video from stuff like the Wii and older generations? Seeing as how you can't plug an HDMI cable into anything but a PS3/360. Assume that money is no object.

Edit Edit: I forgot, this little doohickey came with the HDMI cable for the 360... I assume those two inputs are for sound, but... again, I dunno. What does it do? D:

[Carnivol]

The "doohickey" is indeed for sound (if you choose not to go with audio via HDMI).
White/Red = Left/Right output, while the last hole there is the optical out (for digital audio)



As for video capturing. Doing hi-quality captures (in HD) is an expensive affair (especially if you want to have 1:1 frames of everything that passes through it). Not only does it require expensive HDMI capable capturing equipment, but you also need HDDs (space and speed) along with a solid syste in general that can handle the capturing process.

The cheapest solution you can get that can do HD captures (usually limited to 720p via component) is through the use of a PVR of some sort. You can probably find some PVR that can transfer data to a computer "somehow" for about $150-or-so. A couple of friends of mine use PVRs for their various 720p recordings of game matches in various games (Street Fighter IV, Blazblue, Tales of Vesperia, various XBLA/PSN titles, etc...)
The picture isn't the "best", but in motion it'll probably look as good as any other 720p encode you've downloaded from the web that is encoded with high quality settings (but not lossless).

[Borman]

Dot and I both have the Intensity Pro. Does Component and non-HDCP HDMI, 480i, 720p, 1080i. Can be found for 200$ish, give or take.'

Edit: Heres a quick shot, pretty heavily compressed but thats okay

[Canas Renvall]

Well, I guess I misspoke. I didn't need the best quality, I just wanted to know if there was another, better option. Now, this guy showed me the cheaper way with the Dazzle S-Video transfer... Suppose money is an option (XD; )... Would S-Video get me fairly good quality at least?

Edit: Intensity Pro can get me that for $200? Dang, I have to find me one of those. Thanks both of you!

Also, my other question... does the Intensity Pro work for composite cables/S-Video for older systems too, or is it just HDMI?
(Oh, and what's non-HDCP mean? I feel so clueless with this stuff. )

[Borman]

Basically the PS3 doesnt work, 360 should. Composite works, Svideo needs a 15$ adapter
Edit : For HDMI that is, PS3 works for component of course

[Canas Renvall]

Hey, for $215, if I can get all that I'm golden. Thanks a lot for the info!

[Borman]

Just make sure you have plenty of HDD space (Motion JPEG doesnt require a raid or anything), and a pci-e slot (1x is fine)

[Canas Renvall]

...You lost me at pci-e. XD; Looking at all this... I'm guessing this wouldn't work for a laptop? >_>; If not, I guess I'll just go with the Dazzle Platinum Pro or whatever that thing was called.

[Borman]

It would be expensive to get to work on a laptop, sorry

[Canas Renvall]

Eh, no big deal. S-Video should be fine. I'll probably upgrade to Intensity Pro when I save up enough money to get a sweet gaming computer. Might as well start out small and easy. Thanks again.

[JcFFx]

I recently bought a Hauppauge HD-PVR.

It doesn't do HDMI. Only component/composite/Svideo. Goes up to 1080i.

But you could use a laptop with it (granted it might need to be a decent quality laptop, I dunno). Basically you connect in between your TV and your console, and then you connect it to your laptop/computer VIA USB and record the footage onto there.

I chose it over getting an Intensity for my desktop because I can't keep a large TV in my room, and I prefer playing my games on a large TV
Though it does mean having to bring my laptop up and downstairs all the time =/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvqHjL7nNA8

Just in case you wanna see how it looks. (watch in HD)

Cost me about 260 bucks Canadian.

[Dot50Cal]

You will need a raid array 0 array as well So be sure to set that up before you capture.

[Canas Renvall]

I wiki'd what that was and... wow. That looks... extremely complicated. >_>; But I will learn it before I capture. Thanks for all the info!

[Borman]

I wiki'd what that was and... wow. That looks... extremely complicated. >_>; But I will learn it before I capture. Thanks for all the info!

Thats only necessary for uncompressed HD, dont worry about it for SVideo

[The_15th]

Is RAID faster than 1 Raptor? From people who've tried both.