I'm looking for a Capture Card to record AV, Standard Definition

[Greenapple968]

I'm looking for a Capture Card so I can record myself playing videogames. I currently use a camera but this isn't the most appreciated method, hence why I'm wanting to upgrade to a Capture Card.
I'll provide you with the details I believe are necessary:

I play my videogames on consoles and not on the PC
I play in Standard Definition and on an AV Source (FAV)
I own the PS1, PS2, PS3, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Wii.
The games I wish to record are on the PS1, PS2, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Wii.
I can record on all of those consoles or I could get away with just recording on the PS2, PS3 and Nintendo Wii; the games I wish to record can be played on those consoles. (Whatever is best from a Capture Card's prospective)
My Laptop has Windows 7
I have a standard TV; it is capable of producing HD but doesn't naturally.
I have all the necessities such as RCA Cables and Splitters

I had a bad experience where I tried recording on the PS1 and PS3 with a Dazzle Video Creator Platinum HD/Dazzle DVC100 but the video audio was terribly out of sync. Thankfully, I managed to refund the product.
Since then, I have been recommended a Dazzle DVD Recorder/DVC100 but apparently this is very similar and I'll likely encounter the same syncing problems?
I'm so utterly confused; I just don't know what to do in regards to searching for an appropriate Capture card.

Any thoughts on what Capture Card might be ideal for me? Any thoughts on the Dazzle?

[usually_quiet]

Dazzle capture devices and the software that comes with them are not well liked at VideoHelp. Have you tried the Dazzle with other software? AmarecTV is popular. https://kb.speeddemosarchive.com/Amarectv_configuration

I don't know of any ideal capture devices, but these are at least decent ones if you can't make the Dazzle work as you want. Plenty of third party video capture programs work with these.
Hauppauge USB-Live 2 http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-610-USB-Live-Digitizer-Capture/dp/B0036VO2BI
EZCAP.TV 116 USB 2.0 http://www.amazon.com/EZCAP-TV-Converter-Camcorders-Satellite-Supports/dp/B003YGJLWU

[nharikrishna]

Hi usually_quiet, does the EZCAP do hardware encoding to MPEG-2? Does it work with PAL?

[manono]

Hi usually_quiet, does the EZCAP do hardware encoding to MPEG-2? Does it work with PAL?

I'm not unusually_quiet, but the link says it comes with ArcSoft 3.5 software. I have the same software included with my own USB 2.0 capture device (a different one) and, yes, it can encode to MPEG-2 video. It works to capture from PAL sources (I capture PAL VHS tapes myself) and I believe all such devices can capture both NTSC and PAL. However, if you really care about quality you won't use the included software but capture uncompressed through Virtual Dub or some other program. Up to you, of course.

[usually_quiet]

To add to manono's post. There is one member here with a Hauppauge USB Live 2, who has used it to capture a PAL60 signal as well as the standard PAL variants. The EzCAP.TV product is supposed to be able to do the same. If it is of any use to you there is a UK store at http://www.ezcap.tv/

[nharikrishna]

Ok thanks manono and usually_quiet. My first question was related to hardware encoding to MPEG-2. Can they do it? Just for casual SD captures of TV, so I won't bother doing uncompressed capture for them.

For videos that are of prime importance to me, I have ATI 600 USB to capture uncompressed. However, the 600 cannot do PAL MPEG-2. It only does NTSC for MPEG-2 (in addition to huffyuv for both PAL and NTSC).

Currently I capture SD material from satellite box with Canopus ADVC 110, cut commercials and then encode to MPEG-2 for archival/later viewing. But intermediate file sizes are too huge (due to DV), so wondering if there is a good hardware mpeg-2 capturing device, that could make my life easier just for SD material.

[manono]

Hardware encoding? By the EZCap? No, it's a capturing device only and doesn't have an encoder chip inside (I don't think). Maybe unusually_quiet can confirm or deny. The encoding is done by the software using your computer as the capping takes place.

However, the 600 cannot do PAL MPEG-2.

Then I guess I was wrong about all of them capping both PAL and NTSC. Thanks for the correction.

[ezcapper]

If $75 is within your budget, this device is very popular http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elgato-Game-Capture-HD-/231353791756?pt=US_Video_Capture_TV_Tu...item35ddc2b50c
It hardware encodes to mp4 I think but could be wrong.
Edit: It's sold

[usually_quiet]

Ok thanks manono and usually_quiet. My first question was related to hardware encoding to MPEG-2. Can they do it? Just for casual SD captures of TV, so I won't bother doing uncompressed capture for them.

For videos that are of prime importance to me, I have ATI 600 USB to capture uncompressed. However, the 600 cannot do PAL MPEG-2. It only does NTSC for MPEG-2 (in addition to huffyuv for both PAL and NTSC).

Currently I capture SD material from satellite box with Canopus ADVC 110, cut commercials and then encode to MPEG-2 for archival/later viewing. But intermediate file sizes are too huge (due to DV), so wondering if there is a good hardware mpeg-2 capturing device, that could make my life easier just for SD material.

I was tired and missed the fact that you were not the OP. Neither device does hardware encoding. If you want something that hardware encodes to MPEG-2, you probably need a TV tuner card with analog capture capability to get hardware MPEG-2 encoding at this point. Hauppauge still sells some, but Avermedia doesn't appear to be doing that anymore. I don't know about Terratec and the others that make tuners for DVB-T countries.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hauppauge-WinTV-HVR-2200-Analogue-Hardware-Encoders/dp/B0029VTP2C
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_hvr2205mckit.html
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_hvr1900.html

BTW since all the TV Wonder 600 series products use software encoding for analog, if you used different capture software with it you might be able to capture PAL video as MPEG 2. Magix Video Easy HD might work or Arcsoft Showbiz

[nharikrishna]

Thanks usually_quiet for the information.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks usually_quiet for the information.

I recommended the wrong software by mistake. Magix Movie Edit is the product I tried with my TV Wonder 600 USB. I can't test PAL recording using the Magix software, although it should do PAL given that Magix is based in Germany.

[nharikrishna]

Ok thanks. Will try that.