The BEST Way To Play & Record Xbox 360 Through Your PC?

[bluetrain]

I recenently *luckily* discovered that premium xbox 360s cannot display 1080p - as tehy don't have HDMI and only Component - So i've begun bidding on a Halo 3 Ed Xbox 360 on ebay - which i hope to get by tomorrow. It doesn't come with a HDMI cable so i'll have to pick one up - but i don't have the HD TV etc yet so i'm not worried.

Also @ EDDV - that process was not my own, i quoted it off the first page, i thought it seemed a litttle excessive and had too many conversions to be a full-HD capture set up. Audio also isn't really a priority - i have other ways of dealing with the audio - though admittedly that gets harder with HDMI.

It seems to me that the unanimous opinion is:
Get the Blackmagic intensity pro.

But what else do i need?

[Digital-Overload]

I recenently *luckily* discovered that premium xbox 360s cannot display 1080p - as tehy don't have HDMI and only Component - So i've begun bidding on a Halo 3 Ed Xbox 360 on ebay - which i hope to get by tomorrow. It doesn't come with a HDMI cable so i'll have to pick one up - but i don't have the HD TV etc yet so i'm not worried.

Also @ EDDV - that process was not my own, i quoted it off the first page, i thought it seemed a litttle excessive and had too many conversions to be a full-HD capture set up. Audio also isn't really a priority - i have other ways of dealing with the audio - though admittedly that gets harder with HDMI.

It seems to me that the unanimous opinion is:
Get the Blackmagic intensity pro.

But what else do i need?

ANy 360 MFG'd with Lot 704 or after August has HDMI.

[edDV]

I recenently *luckily* discovered that premium xbox 360s cannot display 1080p - as tehy don't have HDMI and only Component - So i've begun bidding on a Halo 3 Ed Xbox 360 on ebay - which i hope to get by tomorrow. It doesn't come with a HDMI cable so i'll have to pick one up - but i don't have the HD TV etc yet so i'm not worried.

Also @ EDDV - that process was not my own, i quoted it off the first page, i thought it seemed a litttle excessive and had too many conversions to be a full-HD capture set up. Audio also isn't really a priority - i have other ways of dealing with the audio - though admittedly that gets harder with HDMI.

It seems to me that the unanimous opinion is:
Get the Blackmagic intensity pro.

But what else do i need?

The Blackmagic Intensity Pro model also captures from analog component.
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/



Why are people talking about capturing 1080i or 1080p? The Xbox360 games are rendered as 720p max. Going any higher is a waste of computer horsepower and needs more disks in the RAID.

[bluetrain]

Thank you for that advice overlord; you just saved me a fair bit of money.
I just bought a Premium 360 with HDMI out with Halo 3.

I'm going to test it out on my mates Bravia - this coming Saturday, its not full HD but i don't have a HDMI cable as yeat anyway so it doesn't matter. His bravia has some max resolution which is bigger than 720p i think but smaller than 1080p.

13??x
14??x

I forget.

---

edDV, i thought trying to capture at 1080i/p would be too taxing on my computer and wouldn't be necessary anyway. But when Halo 3 has written on the back of the box: 480p, 720p, 1080i/1080p - does that mean it is scaled up to 1080i/p - and not rendered at either?

[edDV]

edDV, i thought trying to capture at 1080i/p would be too taxing on my computer and wouldn't be necessary anyway. But when Halo 3 has written on the back of the box: 480p, 720p, 1080i/1080p - does that mean it is scaled up to 1080i/p - and not rendered at either?

XBox360 games render at max 1280x720p. The player scales up frpom there. Scaling does not add quality.

1280x720p/29.97 is difficult enough to capture. 1280x720p/59.94 would be ideal.

[Digital-Overload]

I recenently *luckily* discovered that premium xbox 360s cannot display 1080p - as tehy don't have HDMI and only Component - So i've begun bidding on a Halo 3 Ed Xbox 360 on ebay - which i hope to get by tomorrow. It doesn't come with a HDMI cable so i'll have to pick one up - but i don't have the HD TV etc yet so i'm not worried.

Also @ EDDV - that process was not my own, i quoted it off the first page, i thought it seemed a litttle excessive and had too many conversions to be a full-HD capture set up. Audio also isn't really a priority - i have other ways of dealing with the audio - though admittedly that gets harder with HDMI.

It seems to me that the unanimous opinion is:
Get the Blackmagic intensity pro.

But what else do i need?

The Blackmagic Intensity Pro model also captures from analog component.
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/



Why are people talking about capturing 1080i or 1080p? The Xbox360 games are rendered as 720p max. Going any higher is a waste of computer horsepower and needs more disks in the RAID.

a few games run 1080p

[edDV]

Which ones? They must not need to run fast.

[starwarrior29]

Found a short list of 1080p Xbox 360 games here: http://www.makeyougohmm.com/xbox360-1080p-games/

[Mysteriouskk]

Capturing at 1080p is a waste, unless you want the best quality for other things beside streaming videos on the internet.

If you wanted to capture 480p, the Intensity can't do it.

There is also a new device called the Monster X from SKnet. Looks promising as well.

[Digital-Overload]

Which ones? They must not need to run fast.

NHL 2K8 Runs Fluidly at 1080p

The Intensity only does, 1080i, 720p, and SD (480i), you can however crop and resize and P-Scan using software to get 360p (640x360)

Real time 1080HD and 720HD to standard definiton during video playback.
Real time standard definition to 1080HD and 720HD during video capture.

[bluetrain]

So let me get this straight.
i buy an xbox 360 with HDMI out,
i get a HDMI cable
i buy an intensity pro
then i plug my HDMI cable in both the 360 and the Intensity and i can simply just start recording 720p that easily?

[edDV]

So let me get this straight.
i buy an xbox 360 with HDMI out,
i get a HDMI cable
i buy an intensity pro
then i plug my HDMI cable in both the 360 and the Intensity and i can simply just start recording 720p that easily?

No, read above.

The Intensity Pro provides an uncompressed bit rate that will probably choke your capture drive. You either need to set up a RAID or use a realtime compressor such as the MJPEG real time codec that Black Magic provides. This will require a fast CPU (Tragon is using a Quad Core) to moderate bit rates to a single drive.

This all falls into the advanced-intermediate level of computer skills to pull off unless you increase safety margin with RAID and/or CPU power.

As more people report in we will have a better idea where the lower limits fall for # disks in the RAID or minimal CPU power. All this makes a huge difference as you move up the scale from 1280x720p/29.97 to 1280x720p/59.94 to 1920x1080. Personally I see little benefit for capturing above 1280x720p.

[Digital-Overload]

I'd Reccemend Dual Cores, Running At least 2.0 GHz Each and TWO SATA-II Drive in RAID-0 Just for capture (dont use it as mass storage)

[Digital-Overload]

still debating on wether i want to try just jury rigging a RCA Splitter onthe end of the YPrPb Cable (1 to TV and 1 to Intensity)

New PC Paid for and ordered, Raid-0 Drives Ordered.... 2 weeks Intensity Pro will be ordered.

[Digital-Overload]

this is also Coming out soon for Older 360's:

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802814

[Digital-Overload]

Well I GOt my Intesity Pro, But i cant get my 360 To Work with it, Latests Drivers and stuff is a blank screen, (using YPrPb Cables),

Default drivers = NO Video Signal Screen

[Digital-Overload]

update:

im currently PLAYING 360 Via the Intensity Pro Card, No Lag,

I've Done screen grabs already for a few games. but im still working on the best way to do video. Cheers!

[edDV]

For the Intensity Pro, if the video card overlay is able to handle the uncompressed high definition video, delay should be about a frame. That is a separate path from the encoder. Each video card may behave differently. This needs testing case by case.

[Digital-Overload]

For the Intensity Pro, if the video card overlay is able to handle the uncompressed high definition video, delay should be about a frame. That is a separate path from the encoder. Each video card may behave differently. This needs testing case by case.

Virtual Dub 1.7.7 recording to a Blank SATAII Drive, using MJPEG. no lag. well. like a frame or 2

[edDV]

For the Intensity Pro, if the video card overlay is able to handle the uncompressed high definition video, delay should be about a frame. That is a separate path from the encoder. Each video card may behave differently. This needs testing case by case.

Virtual Dub 1.7.7 recording to a Blank SATAII Drive, using MJPEG. no lag. well. like a frame or 2

How do you know the delay to the SATA drive? Aren't you watching the uncompressed stream at the display card (PCIe to PCIe) or are you playing the MJPEG off the drive as you record? I would expect much more delay for the latter.

[Mysteriouskk]

What MJPEG setting are you using 0-20?

[Digital-Overload]

im using the blackmagic codec in virtualdub, dunno where to adjust the codec settings, i've normally done it in Virtual Dub but it wont let me, but it looks fine to me:

i've done a sample (dunno why it saved it in 24/fps, maybe i missed a WMV setting somewhere when i exported from premiere pro. the source AVI is 60 Frames/sec), I got some conflicting MJPEG codecs I need to Uninstall too.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=335469BE205935EE

[Digital-Overload]

A Lap Around Road America In a S-994 VIS Integra.
Testing my encoding process, *though i need to settle my CPU temps still,
Idle at 38-40^C, 40 Minutes of Full load is 52-53^C.

Anyway, TCS: Off, STM: Off, ABS: On (I think), Gears: Manual
Damage: Simulation
Control : Microsoft Force Feedback Steering Wheel

Video Specs:
Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Image Profile @ 6.5 Mbit/Sec
1280x720 @ 60 Frames/sec, 16:9 Aspect Ratio.

Audio Specs:
Windows Media Audio 10 Professional @ 192 kbps,
96 kHz, 2 channel 24 bit 2-pass CBR

Download Link * MegaUpload.com (I dont have any opther place to upload so)
Download Link

[Mysteriouskk]

What are your video sizes uncompressed?

Looks good btw...

and what is your setup?

[Digital-Overload]

for 2 minutes its about a 2gb file.

right now,

I got my 360 to my PC using the Component Cables, then the Optical SPDIF to my PC through the SoundBlaster Live X-fi Fatality Breakout box.

Xbox 360 Runs 720p and DD2.0.

I Open Virtual Dub, Setup the file name and 60Frames/sec and 96KHz Audio ( I Supposed 30/Frames A Sec and 48 KHz Audio MAY work)

Im Running a AthlonX2 6000+ (3.0GHz x2), 2GB Corsair XMS2 Ram, Seagate 500 GB SATA-II, MSI K9N SLI PLatinum (nVidia 750 MCP), and a Geforce 8800 GTS 640MB,

Funny is the other PCs i have cant play the WMV at 60 frames /sec, So im looking for a way to record at 30 Frames/sec

[zookeeper525]

would a dazzle work for a hdtv. if all i want 2 do is make it a avi, dazzle lets u do it right 2 avi, so i could get like a s-video wire from a dvd player plug it into the tv plug the usb from the dazzle into my comp and it would read the signal right ? it worked on my old tv but it wasnt hdtv

[edDV]

Yes but it wouldn't be high def.

[Digital-Overload]

streaming 60 Frames/sec 720P Video from Xbox 360, I might Encode Another Quick Video to 30 Frame/sec to test, but this one was done a week or so ago.

FM2 at 60Fr/Sec
http://useruploads.mythica.org/cgi-bin/watch.cgi?f=FM2_SClass_VIS_Integra_Road_America...mv&sid=3120749

CoD4 At 30 Fr/Sec (Might Increase Bitrate to 8Mbit for Video on Single Pass)
http://useruploads.mythica.org/view/CoD4_30FramesPerSecondTest.wmv.html

[phworf]

I know this is a pretty simple post in the grand scheme of this thread,
but i want to buy a Intensity Pro simply to play 360 through HDMI on my PC monitor, very rarely if ever for capture.
My monitor (samsung 305T 2560x1600) can't support anything but it's native resoulution unless it's scaled through a graphics card so i figure this is the only way i'll play 1080HD on my screen.
So my concern is will there be significant delay between the display on the the screen (through 360HDMI-Intensity-Screen) and what i'm actually playing.

I've read through every post, one stating when recording there is significant delay and another saying there would be roughly 1 frame (depending on specs and not specifiying if thats when recording or not)

Can anyone tell me how much delay to expect playing through intensity at different HD resoulutions without recording?
(assuming my computer if upto spec which it will be)

btw. i mention intensity pro because i will occasionaly capture analog HD from other sources.

Thanks to anyone who can give men an idea.

[Peerless Thought]

Well I am looking at getting the Intensity PRO for recording my Shows off of my MOTOROLA DCH3416. I sold my 360 but may look into getting another one when the price drops on them in the future. But one of my best friends is a pro Halo player and would love to get this for video capture from the game. I have a quick question though. Will the Intensity also record the audio from the HDMI cable or do you need to record separately?