Capturing HD video with laptop - enough power?

[TheAntipop]

I've got a fairly modest Lenovo i5 laptop and I'm wondering if it would be suitable to use for capturing HD video via an external USB capture device. One thing I'm not sure of is whether or not the graphics card matters when capturing video, or if it's mainly the CPU and RAM. The laptop has integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, and I'm not sure if this is good enough for smooth captures. Here are the relevant system specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3210M @ 2.5GHz (Ivy Bridge)
RAM: 8 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM
Video: Intel HD Graphics 4000
Storage: 500 GB 7200 RPM SATA HD

It has USB3 ports, if that would make a difference. Is this good enough for capturing HD video?

[Cauptain]

Hauppage GE Plus. Perfect for Laptops. Its a hardware encoder.



Claudio

[TheAntipop]

Hauppage GE Plus. Perfect for Laptops. Its a hardware encoder.



Claudio

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's more than I really wanted to spend.. My max is $100. How about this one:

http://amzn.com/B005YR0M0W

[usually_quiet]

Hauppage GE Plus. Perfect for Laptops. Its a hardware encoder.



Claudio

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's more than I really wanted to spend.. My max is $100. How about this one:

http://amzn.com/B005YR0M0W

If you read the reviews, some owners find the quality of captured HD video to be disappointing.

[SHS]

Keep in mind that it has no Harddrive so that add cost
Best read the Newegg user review http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100097
Look around youtube as well

[TheAntipop]

BTW, these new external PVRs are basically standalone with their own realtime hardware encoders, making the power of my CPU/GPU largely irrelevant, right? I mean, you can basically record without the computer at all, it's just used to tweak the recording settings and dump the recorded files to?

Are there cheaper USB devices that use the computer's CPU/GPU to encode instead of doing the work on the device? It seems like I already have a computer, why pay for more processing power to do the work? Maybe I'm just not clear on how video capture works.

[TheAntipop]

Keep in mind that it has no Harddrive so that add cost
Best read the Newegg user review http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100097
Look around youtube as well

I'll be using an external HD, so that's not an issue. I'll be using it to record HD content from my cable box, so I need one with a component input. The Hauppage GE Plus has HDMI input, but it comes with a component to HDMI cable (for PS3) that I can use, right?

[SHS]

I'll be using an external HD, so that's not an issue. I'll be using it to record HD content from my cable box, so I need one with a component input. The Hauppage GE Plus has HDMI input, but it comes with a component to HDMI cable (for PS3) that I can use, right?

There is no Component to HDMI cable

HDMI Output for Live Preview or Pass-through to any Monitor like PC or TVset so long it support 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p.
HDMI Input is for Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC and any other device that doesn't output HDCP.
Component Input is for and device that has Component Output and need less to say must use with PS3 because HDMI Output is always on HDCP copy protection with everything.
S/Video Input is for and device that has Output.
Composite Input is for and device that has Output.
Stereo Analog Audio, SPDIF Optical Audio and HDMI Audio Input
IR blaster
Two HDMI Cable
One PS3 Component Cable that Plugs in to back of the PS3 it same cable you can buy at any local store for PS3 because it not included if going to your TV set.
One Component A/V Input Cable that plugs in to the back of the HD-PVR 2
One Power Supply
Software Disc

Accessories you can add to the Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus which is not included.
IR Receive/Blast/Learn cable
A/V Cable Set for S-Video, Composite Video and Stereo Audio
Hauppauge Remote Control
WinTV v7.2 with Extend

There also the HD-PVR 2 model 1512 which included the above Accessories but what not included is
A/V Cable Set for S-Video, Composite Video and Stereo Audio
PS3 Component Cable

[usually_quiet]

BTW, these new external PVRs are basically standalone with their own realtime hardware encoders, making the power of my CPU/GPU largely irrelevant, right? I mean, you can basically record without the computer at all, it's just used to tweak the recording settings and dump the recorded files to?

The standalone devices and most external HD capture devices output H.264 transport streams as output, so CPU power does not come into play for encoding. However there are CPU/GPU requirements for the device which must be met in order to play or edit your captured video.

Are there cheaper USB devices that use the computer's CPU/GPU to encode instead of doing the work on the device?

No. The only inexpensive HD capture devices that do not use hardware encoding are internal PCI-e devices. You need an external capture device that encodes using hardware because you have a laptop.

The problem is that USB 2.0 doesn't have enough bandwidth to carry the uncompressed high-definition output from an external capture device. USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt do provide the required bandwidth, but the Blackmagic Intensity external HD capture devices that have those interfaces and use software to encode are beyond your budget, plus your laptop probably does not meet their hardware requirements.

[oldfart13]

Might want to check Ebay and see if anyone is selling an HDPVR for $100. It does happen. But I'm now looking to upgrade my old one to a HDPVR 2 with HDMI capture and that still costs as much as $200. I think your budget might be a bit on the low side if you want to play this game...

The computer should be fine. I can cap 13.5 mbps (max. bit rate) with an Asus i5 with 6 GB RAM without any problems...

[TheAntipop]

I'll be using an external HD, so that's not an issue. I'll be using it to record HD content from my cable box, so I need one with a component input. The Hauppage GE Plus has HDMI input, but it comes with a component to HDMI cable (for PS3) that I can use, right?

There is no Component to HDMI cable
...
One Component A/V Input Cable that plugs in to the back of the HD-PVR 2

The pic of the back of the unit on Amazon only shows an HDMI input, no component. That's why I was wondering if there was some sort of component to HDMI adapter included, but you're saying no?

[TheAntipop]

BTW, these new external PVRs are basically standalone with their own realtime hardware encoders, making the power of my CPU/GPU largely irrelevant, right? I mean, you can basically record without the computer at all, it's just used to tweak the recording settings and dump the recorded files to?

The standalone devices and most external HD capture devices output H.264 transport streams as output, so CPU power does not come into play for encoding. However there are CPU/GPU requirements for the device which must be met in order to play or edit your captured video.

Are there cheaper USB devices that use the computer's CPU/GPU to encode instead of doing the work on the device?

No. The only inexpensive HD capture devices that do not use hardware encoding are internal PCI-e devices. You need an external capture device that encodes using hardware because you have a laptop.

The problem is that USB 2.0 doesn't have enough bandwidth to carry the uncompressed high-definition output from an external capture device. USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt do provide the required bandwidth, but the Blackmagic Intensity external HD capture devices that have those interfaces and use software to encode are beyond your budget, plus your laptop probably does not meet their hardware requirements.

Thanks for the info, now I understand. So an HD PVR is what I need.

[SHS]

See the label A/V in Port that what this for

[TheAntipop]

See the Plugs label A/V in that what this for

OK, that's what I meant by component to HDMI cable. Thanks.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for the info, now I understand. So an HD PVR is what I need.

It is not your only choice. The Elgato Game Capture HD is another good HD capture device that supports using a higher bitrate for capture than the HD-PVR 2 and costs only a little more. However, it only records stereo audio, not 5.1 audio like the HD-PVR 2 and the Elgato Game Capture HD doesn't work with Windows PVR software for capturing TV shows from a set-top box.

[SHS]

Keep in mind that Hauppauge is only device that can record Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio (AC3)

List of Hardware Compression with Component input and or with HDMI
"USB 2.0 Interface"
AVerTV USB HD DVR (C874)
AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable (C875)
AVerMedia Game Capture HD (C281)
AVerMedia HD EzRecorder Plus (C283)
Diamond 1080 Game Console Video Capture (GC1000)
elgato Game Capture HD (10025010)
Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 (1512)
Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus (1504)
Hauppauge HD-PVR (1212)

"PCIe Interface"
AVerMedia Live Gamer HD (C985)
AVerMedia Game Broadcaster HD (C127)
Hauppauge Colossus (1414)

"Express 34/54 Slot Interface"
AVerMedia AVerTV Express HD DVR (C927) I can't fig out if this is a Hardware or Software Compression it saying Realtime H.264 Recording.

Software Compression with Component input and or with HDMI
"USB 2.0 Interface"
Diamond HD Game Capture (GC500)
KWorld Gaming Maker (GM220)

"USB 3.0 Interface"
Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle (BINTSSHU) USB3

"Thunderbolt Interface"
Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle (BINTSSHU/THBOLT)

"PCIe Interface"
AVerMedia AVerTV HD DVR (C027)
Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro (BINTSPRO)
Blackmagic design DeckLink Mini Recorder (BDLKMINREC)

This id not counting the min other like Matrox, Grass Valley and so on.

[Cauptain]

Hi SHS,

Can you separate by input (USB, PCI and PCI-e)??



Claudio

[SHS]

How that?

[Cauptain]

How that?

Perfect!!




Claudio

[usually_quiet]

Keep in mind that Hauppauge is only device that can record Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio (AC3)

List of Hardware Compression with Component input and or with HDMI
"USB 2.0 Interface"
AVerTV USB HD DVR (C874)
AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable (C875)
AVerMedia Game Capture HD (C281)
AVerMedia HD EzRecorder Plus (C283)
Diamond 1080 Game Console Video Capture (GC1000)
elgato Game Capture HD (10025010)
Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 (1512)
Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus (1504)
Hauppauge HD-PVR (1212)

"PCIe Interface"
AVerMedia Live Gamer HD (C985)
AVerMedia Game Broadcaster HD (C127)
Hauppauge Colossus (1414)

"Express 34/54 Slot Interface"
AVerMedia AVerTV Express HD DVR (C927) I can't fig out if this is a Hardware or Software Compression it saying Realtime H.264 Recording.

Software Compression with Component input and or with HDMI
"USB 2.0 Interface"
Diamond HD Game Capture (GC500)
KWorld Gaming Maker (GM220)

"USB 3.0 Interface"
Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle (BINTSSHU) USB3

"Thunderbolt Interface"
Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle (BINTSSHU/THBOLT)

"PCIe Interface"
AVerMedia AVerTV HD DVR (C027)
Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro (BINTSPRO)
Blackmagic design DeckLink Mini Recorder (BDLKMINREC)

This id not counting the min other like Matrox, Grass Valley and so on.

It is important to point out that the Diamond HD Game Capture (GC500) and KWorld Gaming Maker (GM220) capture from component video input, but otherwise are not really in the same class as the other capture devices in the list because they capture in standard definition.