Video capturing a PS2/Xbox

[shud]

Someone told me that since this is a hardware decoder that if I attempt to play a game while recording that my button presses won't show up onscreen until after a slight delay.

Is there any truth to this and is there anything I can do to fix it?

 

[Matthias99]

Yes and maybe.

With a software encoding card, you can generally turn off the encoding steps (and any extra filtering the card's software does), and just watch the raw feed. With most hardware encoding cards (like the Hauppauge PVR line), your video card can't access the video frames until they've gone through the encoder chip. While this only takes a fraction of a second, it's enough to make playing any sort of twitch game (like a fighting game) nearly impossible, or at least very annoying. Something like an RPG would not be a problem.

One solution (without getting another card) would be to split the video/audio feed, so it runs to both a TV (which you would use to play) and the capture card (which you would use to record).

 

[shud]

Originally posted by: Matthias99
Yes and maybe.

With a software encoding card, you can generally turn off the encoding steps (and any extra filtering the card's software does), and just watch the raw feed. With most hardware encoding cards (like the Hauppauge PVR line), your video card can't access the video frames until they've gone through the encoder chip. While this only takes a fraction of a second, it's enough to make playing any sort of twitch game (like a fighting game) nearly impossible, or at least very annoying. Something like an RPG would not be a problem.

One solution (without getting another card) would be to split the video/audio feed, so it runs to both a TV (which you would use to play) and the capture card (which you would use to record).

Well I would be playing football games, so yeah it would be annoying. I want the mpeg2 hardware encoding for TV stuff, but this video splitting idea doesn't sound bad.

How would I do it? This would actually be PREFERRED to moving my PS2 over near my computer.

 

[Matthias99]

How would I do it? This would actually be PREFERRED to moving my PS2 over near my computer.

Do what? Splitting the signals?

Get some 2:1 RCA splitters from Radio shack, and long enough extension cables to reach your computer (if needed). You don't need anything fancy. Using really long cables (>10 foot) will likely degrade the signal a bit, but as SDTV is so crappy anyway, I doubt you would notice much in the end results (especially if you are ehavily compressing to DIVX/WMV or the like).

 

[AndrewZorn]

is this a good capture card? i need to buy one soon, <$75 would be nice. must have composite/svideo input.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: AndrewZorn
is this a good capture card? i need to buy one soon, <$75 would be nice. must have composite/svideo input.

Is what a good capture card?

If you're looking for a good hardware encoding card for cheap, it's hard not to recommend the Hauppage PVR150/150MCE (the only difference is that the "MCE" version doesn't include the remote and doesn't come with any recording software).

 

[shud]

Yeah, I got the PVR250. I think they're all pretty good.

Matthias: I need a splitter for s-video. Radioshack doesn't appear to have any. Any ideas for one of these other than eBay?

 

[shud]

Ok, how about another option. Is there any way to use software recording? I know a guy who uses an ATI 9600 AIW and doesn't have a problem with any sort of delay. I'm running a rig with a 3200+ and 2gb of ram. I don't think that performance would be a problem.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: shud
Ok, how about another option. Is there any way to use software recording? I know a guy who uses an ATI 9600 AIW and doesn't have a problem with any sort of delay. I'm running a rig with a 3200+ and 2gb of ram. I don't think that performance would be a problem.

It's hardly a problem, but you would need to acquire a software encoding card. I assumed you would rather spend $20 on some splitters than go buy a $50+ capture card.

Also, for some bizarre reason, Radio Shack does not seem to carry this cable (they have *other* y-splitter cables, but not for S-Video... weird.)

Try this. Most of those results are the right thing. You might also try a more specific audio-video place (e.g. Tweeter), if you're looking for a B&M place to buy one.

 

[Weatherton]

So is there any single-card solution for recording while playing a game (hopefully for compressing while recording as well)?

 

[Weatherton]

*bump*