Question about camcorder-out HDMI to USB 3.0 capture

[luthierwnc]

Hello All;

First post so please bear with me.

I have setup a mini-studio to record podcasts for my business. It is a low-budget affair but I've done a few of them and gotten past some of the really newb issues. I'm not sure if my computer rig will show in my signature so I'll included the particulars at the bottom of the post.

I've been using a Logitech C920 webcam mounted in a DIY teleprompter for video and a short shotgun and Lav mic together through a Scarlet audio interface separately from the webcam audio. Both use USB 2.0 outputs. That all works pretty well. I've got a pair of softboxes when needed and my office has a bank of east-facing windows so light is not a problem. 9' ceilings and a carpeted floor keep ambient noise down. We are recording into vMix Basic HD and editing on a couple different programs. My assistant is the "Director" and I try to leave that to her.

I just got a Vixia HF R500 camcorder for my second camera. It is mostly for a second camera angle and partly so we can shoot stuff away from the PC. When we are at the PC, it would be nice to have that for a video input in the vMix but getting HDMI from the camcorder to the computer live is the issue. Setting it up and shooting and then taking the SD card out for editing isn't that big a deal but it would be nice to see it as a feed in real time.

I've looked at a number of capture components. Quality and reviews are all over the place. I also can't be sure I am even asking the right questions so I'm always open to a better opinion. Magewell, Startech and BlackMagic have come up. BlackMagic seems to be out of the running because they don't play nice with Dells. I blame Dell but it is what it is. Magewell seems to work best but it is on the higher end of this price point. That doesn't rule it out but, again, I'm not sure I'm even on the right track.

What I'd like is to be able to plug the HDMI on the camera out, have it go into the correct gizmo and into the PC through an unused USB 3.0 port. Then I'd like vMix to be able to input the data live and record it with a compatible format. I'm not picky. We don't really need HD but I don't want to get a component frame grabber and have that be the bottleneck in the system.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks! sh

PD: Dell Vostro 460
Windows 7 64-bit 3330 i5 chip 8 GB RAM
SSD and HDD, GPU
3 monitors: regular mode, 1 HDMI, 1 DVI, 1 USB 3 to DVI
podcast mode: 1 DVI, 1 VGA Low res for teleprompter monitor No USB 3 ports used.

[newpball]

BlackMagic seems to be out of the running because they don't play nice with Dells. I blame Dell but it is what it is. Magewell seems to work best but it is on the higher end of this price point. That doesn't rule it out but, again, I'm not sure I'm even on the right track.

BlackMagic through PCI or USB?

[luthierwnc]

I emailed them and asked. I was told that either would be suspect and that I should choose a vendor with a liberal return policy.

The issue is the Foxconn mobos Dell uses. They are a proprietary build and not compatible with a lot of things. I know firsthand that the BIOS are very limited for outboard devices. My assistant's computer, an i3 which I got at the same time I got mine, couldn't handle a generic USB 3.0 PCI-E card. The vendor, manufacturer and software developer were no help but I'd bet American money it was just the limitations of the motherboard. When I upgraded a bunch of components on that box it took an i5 Sandy Bridge chip, dual harddrives and a GPU with no problems but the small slot didn't play nice with others.

Both Magewell and Startech have said their product is compatible as long as the computer has a native USB 3.0 capability. Magewell, at twice the price, seems to be the simpler unit with no drivers. It is a plug-in dongle. Most of the devices on the market seem to be for game capture. I'm more about video production and recording rather than streaming. It usually just me sitting at my desk talking. sh

[newpball]

The issue is the Foxconn mobos Dell uses. They are a proprietary build and not compatible with a lot of things. I know firsthand that the BIOS are very limited for outboard devices.

Yes about the only good thing left with Dell are their ultrasharp monitors.
Hopefully they do not squander that one as well.

[luthierwnc]

Am I on the right track trying to go HDMI to USB 3 in?

[JVRaines]

Yeah, it's either that or stick in a capture card with an HDMI port. I have always had good luck with StarTech products. Amazon and Newegg have easy returns, though of course you have to pay the shipping.

[newpball]

Am I on the right track trying to go HDMI to USB 3 in?

Personally I prefer PCI for capturing.

[usually_quiet]

Am I on the right track trying to go HDMI to USB 3 in?

With the PCI-e issues you have described for that PC, it is worth investigating. However, if you haven't done so already, you need to make sure the USB 3.0 controller on the PC is compatible with the Startech USB3HDCAP and that the port you will use supports SuperSpeed.

Startech has the following advice for those considering the USB3HDCAP:

There are known USB controller incompatibilities between the USB3HDCAP capture card and ASMedia and Etron USB controller cards. Intel, AMD, Renesas, and Via, to name a few, are USB controllers that have been confirmed to work.

If your computer only has ASMedia or Etron USB controllers, you can add a USB 3.0 expansion card to your desktop or laptop to work around this issue.

To check which USB controller you have in Windows:

1. Press Windows Key + R.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK.
3. In Device Manager, click the arrow or plus sign next to USB Serial Bus controllers.
4. In the list of USB controllers, look for any brands such as Intel, AMD, Renesas, Via, Etron or ASMedia. In general they show up as [Brand] Enhanced Host Controllers, or even something simple like [Brand] USB 3.0 Host Controller or Root Hub.

USBTreeView can be used to run a test to see if a port is capable of connecting at SuperSpeed. Connect the USB 3.0 port to a USB 3.0 external hard drive, run USBTreeView, click on the port you are testing in the left pane, and look at the report on the right pane.

[luthierwnc]

Thanks again. I did check with Startech after I checked the USB drivers on that computer. They weren't on the no-no list. Buying these kinds of things always has some element of risk. The 1 and 2 star ratings these things have gotten are mostly because they weren't compatible and the after-purchase service personnel had no answers.

On another note, I think I fried my audio interface today so I'll get that posted in the appropriate forum, sh