USB 3.0 no delay (<1ms) HDMI input device

[Hobb]

Hello,

I am looking into plugging a PS3/X360/eGPU to a laptop screen and I was wondering if someone has actually tried any USB 3.0 framegrabber HDMI input that provides live video with no lag (<1ms or something like that, low enough for playing)

I have seen Express card based HDMI inputs doing the trick pretty decently so I suppose is theoretically possible to do it through USB 3.0.

I know it is not going to be the most cost effective solution but it is a question that is constantly bugging me and is extremely difficult to find any confirmed information on anybody having actually tried to use a USB 3.0 based framegrabber for live gaming, most of the information I find is about recording gameplay.

So, has anybody actually seen this setup working in a live gaming situation?, if so, which USB device was it?

Thanks !

 

[Mushkins]

You havent seen much of anything about using it for live gaming because... why would you use that for live gaming?

If you're worried about frame latency, shoehorning HDMI-in to a laptop monitor via a usb adapter is a horrible idea. Even if the adapter added less than 1ms, you still have the horrendous low quality panel latency from the laptop screen. Your adding a middle man in when there doesn't need to be a middle man.

Just plug the device directly into a quality, low latency monitor or TV. The only reason to pass it through a USB adapter to a computer like that *would* be for recording gameplay to a video file.

 

[Hobb]

You havent seen much of anything about using it for live gaming because... why would you use that for live gaming?

If you're worried about frame latency, shoehorning HDMI-in to a laptop monitor via a usb adapter is a horrible idea. Even if the adapter added less than 1ms, you still have the horrendous low quality panel latency from the laptop screen. Your adding a middle man in when there doesn't need to be a middle man.

Just plug the device directly into a quality, low latency monitor or TV. The only reason to pass it through a USB adapter to a computer like that *would* be for recording gameplay to a video file.

I know is cheaper and more cost effective just to buy a monitor or a TV, I am interested in knowing if this is achievable from a technical point of view, even if the image quality is not perfect.

Right now I am using a HDMI (Timeleak HD82) input expresscard and the latency and picture quality is good enough to play acceptably with my PS3 in my laptop screen from my sofa whilst my gf is using the TV. Placing a monitor on top of the coffee table is not happening (I'd be killed by my gf ) and my space is really limited.

I'd like to know if this is also achievable with an USB3 device because it is really difficult to find an affordable tablet with Express card slot or thunderbolt port.

As I said, I am not trying to achieve the best solution in terms of picture quality, just a decent one.

I know is not the most normal scenario but I know a few people that would like to do something like this.

 

[smackababy]

Look into some of the capture devices people use for streaming console games. I would imagine you could get that functionality, and I know profession streamers that use laptops to broadcast.

 

[Hobb]

Look into some of the capture devices people use for streaming console games. I would imagine you could get that functionality, and I know profession streamers that use laptops to broadcast.

The problem with most capture devices used for broadcasting (based in USB 2.0) is that they introduce latency making the game unplayable.
There are a few in the market using USB 3.0 and I was wondering if perhaps those would be able to deal with the latency issue, they are pricey but if someone confirms that you can use them to play without noticeable lag it would be great.

 

[smackababy]

The problem with most capture devices used for broadcasting (based in USB 2.0) is that they introduce latency making the game unplayable.
There are a few in the market using USB 3.0 and I was wondering if perhaps those would be able to deal with the latency issue, they are pricey but if someone confirms that you can use them to play without noticeable lag it would be great.

Yeah, I am not sure so I can't confirm anything about them. I think another problem that might arise is the need for an HDCP stripper.

 

[Mushkins]

I know is cheaper and more cost effective just to buy a monitor or a TV, I am interested in knowing if this is achievable from a technical point of view, even if the image quality is not perfect.

Right now I am using a HDMI (Timeleak HD82) input expresscard and the latency and picture quality is good enough to play acceptably with my PS3 in my laptop screen from my sofa whilst my gf is using the TV. Placing a monitor on top of the coffee table is not happening (I'd be killed by my gf ) and my space is really limited.

I'd like to know if this is also achievable with an USB3 device because it is really difficult to find an affordable tablet with Express card slot or thunderbolt port.

As I said, I am not trying to achieve the best solution in terms of picture quality, just a decent one.

I know is not the most normal scenario but I know a few people that would like to do something like this.

My gut says what you want to do just isnt feasible. Those devices are meant to capture the video feed en-route to the display in order to record or broadcast it. I doubt any of the software is going to give 1:1 realtime playback, thats a huge resource burden for no practical purpose, as you dont need to be displaying the video on the laptop to stream it offsite or record it. You'd need to capture it with the adapter, use software to set up a live stream, and then simultaneously use whatever software you'd need to view that live stream all on the laptop.

To be honest, odds are unless the adapter is used as a passthrough with another HDMI on the other end actually going to a monitor, the console wont detect that its plugged in to *anything* and refuse to properly send video out.

I doubt that would even be close to playable if you jumped through every hoop to get it working. It's far easier and more cost effective to go to any big box retailer and just buy a cheapo 20" LCD TV with HDMI. If you're girlfriend is using the TV, I doubt she cares if theres a tiny TV on the coffee table no bigger than your laptop, and when you're done it's small enough you can just unplug it and put it in the closet or something.

 

[VirtualLarry]

No, PCI-based framegrabber cards introduce too much latency to be really playable; any form of USB is going to be worse.

 

[KydDynoMyte]

I am looking to do this also. I have tried Roxio Game Capture HD Pro, Hauppauge PVR2 Gaming Edition, & Elgato Game Capture HD. They all have too much lag (1-2 seconds). The H.264 compression chip takes too long processing the video. An old <$30 Hybrid HDTV USB stick that also has composite & svideo inputs does work fine. I would just like better resolution. I do see a usb 2.0 to express card adapter, don't know if that would work for me with the express card the OP mentioned worked. I need either HDMI or Component input and at least 720p would be nice. My "no good reason" for wanting to do this is if you have an Oculus Rift and you can input the video from a game console to your laptop you can full screen preview the video feed and then use software like NTHUSIM HMD to split and warp the video to make it Oculus Rift compatible. This opens up to being able to play anything from an atari 2600 to an xbox 360 or ps3 with the Rift. So far I have only done it with an xbox 360 with composite video playing Sniper Elite V2, it worked very well, but higher resolution would be nice.