What Am I Doing Wrong? (And Best Gaming Capture Device)

[SubjectX17]

I hope this is the right place, if not I apologizes and mods you can move this if you wish!

I've been trying to become one of those video gamers on youtube, but software and hardware devices are causing problems. I own a Windows 7 professional computer with decent qualifications for gaming and video abilities, but not the best. I don't have the finances to make or buy a super pro computer so please be honest with me. I don't want to continue down a road that will never work!

I bought a Diamond Multimedia One Touch Video Capture (VC500) device recorder. Its small with 4 cables coming out: red, yellow, white and another I don't know the name looks like a tv or vcr cable connecter. The device worked perfectly for capturing my parents old VHS and Hi8 tapes, but when I try to record my xbox gaming the quality is super crappy and even though I set it to 16:9 widscreen format it doesn't! It's more like part 16:9 and part 4:3. There is black on the sides as well as the tops of the screen. I've tried converting in every possible widescreen and 16:3 but it only enlarges the screen, not corrects the issue!

I then just recently bought a Gamecap HD Recorder, but it didn't do HD O_o?The software it came with it was even worse than the last one, there were different noises and sounds like when cables are loose, it also affected the sound of the games and the screen would flicker, go dark and turn fuzzy after only 20 minutes of playing. Regardless, it still had the same screen size and 16:3 format. Black on the sides and top and no converting made it better. Also, there was only 1 setting that had near great HD quality but in rapid movements there are horizontal lines all across the screen.

I'm checking Amazon and there are various types of gaming recording devices ranging from $50-$200+. I can save up, but I need to make sure I get the right device! Does anyone have any recommendations for the best HD device? And lastly, do computer hardware video cards make a difference? Would this help my problems? And if so can you explain why? I've downloaded HD videos and they are clear and crisp. O_o

I'm obviously a newbie to all this. I'm good with computers, only with software not hardware. I'm sorry if I'm bothering or wasting someone's time! I just want to understand what I'm doing wrong.

[jagabo]

The yellow composite cable/connector only carries standard definition video. You need to connect with component (red, green, blue RCA connectors, plus white and red RCA audio connectors) or HDMI to get HD.

[SubjectX17]

But I don't have any green or blue cables to connect from my xbox? Am I missing some cable or something? Doesn't look like I can plug anything from my xbox other than the power and regular red, yellow and white cables.

[jagabo]

You need an xbox component adapter cable.

[SubjectX17]

Oh okay. Thanks very much! I'll get one right away.

[jagabo]

Oh okay. Thanks very much! I'll get one right away.

Note that most games don't support HD:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_with_HD_support

[Bjs]

Tapes, vcd, svcd, dvds, blu ray, etc all have specific FPS

Games via consoles most use variable frame rate

The recording device (fix frame rates only) has no idea the source frame rate changes frequently ... thus the blurring, fuzzy, clipping occurs.

Even if you find a device that can record higher fps you then need to remove duplicate frames ... a lot of work for smooth clips.

If the device supports native true hd recording then generally any source on input is recorded in hd (upscaled)

[SubjectX17]

@jagabo Thanks for the list. Does this include 360 games or just original xbox?

@Bjs I know there are many complains about the frame rate with games, but I didn't know that affected the ability to capture them. And I do know some of the games I play had lower and crappy frame rates, yet I've seen them on youtube with crystal clear and crisp video quality. What are these gamers doing? And it can't be that much of a long process can it? Videos are up like instantly and in bulk with the best video/picture quality? I guess I have a lot to learn. I wish there was a better place for me to get info and talk with people who are willing to take the time... Thanks for your help though. I greatly appreciate it!

[Cauptain]

What is your console? Xbox, Xbox360 or XboxOne?

Your TV has HDMI or COMPONENT or boths?




Claudio

[jagabo]

@jagabo Thanks for the list. Does this include 360 games or just original xbox?

That list is only the original Xbox. I think pretty much all xbox 360 and xbox one games are rendered in HD.

@Bjs I know there are many complains about the frame rate with games, but I didn't know that affected the ability to capture them.

It doesn't. If the capture works properly what you see when you play your captured video can be almost exactly what you saw live on TV while playing the game. Games may not create frames at the same rate as the video refresh but the signal that comes out of the composite port (the yellow RCA connector) has exactly the same timing and properties as any other device that puts out composite video: 59.94 fields per second for NTSC, 50 fields per second for PAL. If the game cannot create frames that fast the output will just have duplicate frames.

Small black borders may be perfectly normal in a video capture. Capture devices capture more of the frame than you see on a normal TV. TV's usually hide the outer ~5 percent of the the frame. So black borders or other junk out there isn't visible on TV.

Regarding the 16:9 aspect ratio: the composite video properties are the same for 16:9 and 4:3 output. It's the TV that adjusts for the display aspect ratio. Your capture device will capture the same 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) frame size for both. You have to perform the adjustment for aspect ratio yourself by setting an aspect ratio flag in your captured file or by resizing the frame to a 16:9 or 4:3 frame size.

[usually_quiet]

@SubjectX17 If the Gamecap HD Recorder is the one in this Amazon listing, it can apparently only capture 480i (NTSC) or 576i (PAL) video even using component video connections. However, component video is a higher quality video source than composite even when capturing SD, so using XBox component cables would theoretically improve the picture quality from the Gamecap HD Recorder, even if it won't allow capturing at higher resolutions.

Given your posted computer details, you will need a capture device that hardware encodes to capture 480p and HD.

[jagabo]

Wow!. Why does that product have HD in its name? I thought he was talking about an Elgato Game Capture HD or something like it.

[Cauptain]

Wow!. Why does that product have HD in its name? I thought he was talking about an Elgato Game Capture HD or something like it.

Because passtrough is HD. You set 1080i on console/device and record max 480p/576p




Claudio

[SubjectX17]

Okay everyone, I purchased a special Xbox cable and got a new capture device. It's by Diamond and specifically made for a PS and Xbox gaming console. It runs slow on my computer, which is very annoying, but I'll live with it. I finally have HD quality, however I still can not get it to capture in 16:9 widescreen format, even when I choose it! I've tried using different conversion methods, but nothing will get the screen right, it still has black on the left and right sides. What am I doing wrong? Is it my computer? Do I need a special capture card to fix this problem? Is it the device (I doubt it since the last 2 devices had the same problem). I've tinkered with every setting possible, no changes?!?

I'm really sorry everyone. I know I'm a newbie and most people don't like to deal with such, but I would greatly appreciate any help you can offer! I've been trying to get a youtube gamer channel going for the last year and I still keep running into problems.

Last question to bother you with: for gamers, are the video files usually very large, like several GB's for like a 20-30 video? With just a minute I had 50MB.

[jagabo]

What is the resolution of your captured file? Post a full MediaInfo (text view) report.

Files size depends on whether the video is compressed or not, what codecs are used, and how much compression you asked for. An hour of standard definition video can be anywhere from about 2 GB to 75 GB.

[usually_quiet]

Okay everyone, I purchased a special Xbox cable and got a new capture device. It's by Diamond and specifically made for a PS and Xbox gaming console. It runs slow on my computer, which is very annoying, but I'll live with it. I finally have HD quality, however I still can not get it to capture in 16:9 widescreen format, even when I choose it! I've tried using different conversion methods, but nothing will get the screen right, it still has black on the left and right sides. What am I doing wrong? Is it my computer? Do I need a special capture card to fix this problem? Is it the device (I doubt it since the last 2 devices had the same problem). I've tinkered with every setting possible, no changes?!?

I'm really sorry everyone. I know I'm a newbie and most people don't like to deal with such, but I would greatly appreciate any help you can offer! I've been trying to get a youtube gamer channel going for the last year and I still keep running into problems.

Last question to bother you with: for gamers, are the video files usually very large, like several GB's for like a 20-30 video? With just a minute I had 50MB.

I assume you mean you bought a DIAMOND USB 2.0 GC500 HD or DIAMOND USB 2.0 GC1000 HD? Sorry to disappoint you, but you made the same mistake that you made with the previous capture device. These are not high definition capture devices, despite the HD in the name. They can't even supply 480p, according to the specs.

You really need to learn to read and correctly interpret the specs for capture devices, instead of assuming that anything with HD in the name actually records in high definition. The descriptions "720x480 @ 30fps" and "720x576 @ 25fps" refer to standard definition resolutions in most cases. Also, they have USB 2.0 interfaces and use software for encodong. Devices that compress using software can only provide uncompressed video to the PC. USB 20.0 can't provide uncompressed video at higher than standard definition.

[SubjectX17]

@usually_quiet I didn't just pick any device! This was recommended to me and I was told it would suite my needs! And by the way, the device does record in HD! The last device I had was no where near, I finally have a high quality clear image. But what I can't get is widescreen!

@jagabo - I checked the specs and it tells me the video is 4:3, despite me setting it as 16:9! I checked and nothing has changed. I preview the video as in 16:9 widescreen, but after capture it shows only as 4:3. I honestly don't know what the problem is. I'm getting great HD quality picture and sound, the cables helped with that. This is really frustrating and I'm about ready to give up. I've been struggling with this for so long. I just don't know enough, don't have the right computer and hardware, nor the funds to afford... Thanks for your help anyway...

[usually_quiet]

@usually_quiet I didn't just pick any device! This was recommended to me and I was told it would suite my needs!

The Diamond USB 2.0 GC500 HD and Diamond USB 2.0 GC1000 HD don't make high definition recordings. If you were told that either of them can record in high definition you were badly advised or deliberately deceived. The GC1000 accepts 720p and 1080i input but downscales it to 480i.

And by the way, the device does record in HD! The last device I had was no where near, I finally have a high quality clear image. But what I can't get is widescreen!

The recordings may look better than what your previous device could produce, but 720x480 interlaced video isn't high definition. If you had a device that provded 480p, that isn't high definition either. 480p is enhanced definition. High definition is 1920x1080 or 1280x720 resolution.

Download MediaInfoXP and open one of your captures with it. The reported resolution should be 720x480.

[SubjectX17]

Okay, never mind. Sorry I bothered you. I thought 720x480 was HD. I'm obviously too stupid and pathetic to figure it out or understand. I don't know 90% of the terms or symbols or numbers or whatever means what. All I hear is its simple, easy, plug and play, record and upload with no delays, problems, issues or frustrations. All these adds are lies or I'm retarded. I give up on this shit. I've wasted too much of my time and money, and I don't have the energy or physical stamina for this. I should have figured out that when I was born with a shitty life I wasn't going to achieve or be able to get what I want and thought I was good at. I have no money, no resources and apparently any brains. Just blend into the ******* background until I die...

Sorry to trouble you all. I'm stupid and know nothing...

[jagabo]

High definition includes 1280x720 and 1920x1080. You want something like a Hauppauge HD PVR 2 series or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-Gaming-Definition-Capture-Device/dp/B008ZT8QKO/
http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-1512-Definition-Personal-Technology/dp/B00BA4ILX8/

Editing HD can be difficult too. You need the right software and some experience.

[usually_quiet]

Okay, never mind. Sorry I bothered you. I thought 720x480 was HD. I'm obviously too stupid and pathetic to figure it out or understand. I don't know 90% of the terms or symbols or numbers or whatever means what. All I hear is its simple, easy, plug and play, record and upload with no delays, problems, issues or frustrations. All these adds are lies or I'm retarded. I give up on this shit. I've wasted too much of my time and money, and I don't have the energy or physical stamina for this. I should have figured out that when I was born with a shitty life I wasn't going to achieve or be able to get what I want and thought I was good at. I have no money, no resources and apparently any brains. Just blend into the ******* background until I die...

Sorry to trouble you all. I'm stupid and know nothing...

Calm down. Nobody is born knowing this stuff. Everybody starts out ignorant and works their way up from there. Nobody called you stupid.

...but if you find this pastime makes you miserable, then you are right, it isn't worth the trouble.