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  1. I have an Elgato Game Capture HD which is fine for capturing HD TV shows however it's not good at capturing SD content. I'm trying to capture a 576i 25fps show from my Sky+ HD sat box. If I use HDMI the Elgato will only capture in 480p 25fps.

    The Elgato doesn't support SCART so I bought a SCART to S-Video converter here for £50: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KEENE-RGB-S-VIDEO-CONVERTOR-PSU/dp/B00131CBDE

    I can now capture 576i however I don't know if it's the Elgato or the converter doing this but the picture is squashed and the colours are wrong with crushed blacks. I can change the elgato settings to fix the colours and I can unstretch the picture in AviSynth but after I crop the crap away I'm left with a picture that's missing about 50 pixels or so from the resolution.

    Is there a cheap better device with SCART or S-video you can suggest please for capturing SD video in 576i that won't distort the picture?
    Last edited by AndersonJames; 11th Sep 2020 at 14:09.
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  2. Originally Posted by AndersonJames View Post
    I have an Elgato Game Capture HD which is fine for capturing HD TV shows however it's not good at capturing SD content. I'm trying to capture a 576i 25fps show from my sat box. If I use HDMI the Elgato will only capture in 480p 25fps.

    The Elgato doesn't support SCART so I bought a SCART to S-Video converter here for £50: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KEENE-RGB-S-VIDEO-CONVERTOR-PSU/dp/B00131CBDE

    I can now capture 576i however I don't know if it's the Elgato or the converter doing this but the picture is squashed and the colours are wrong with crushed blacks. I can change the elgato settings to fix the colours and I can unstretch the picture in AviSynth but after I crop the crap away I'm left with a picture that's missing about 50 pixels or so from the resolution.

    Is there a cheap better device with SCART or S-video you can suggest please for capturing SD video in 576i that won't distort the picture?
    You are barking up the wrong tree. Most of your problems are not caused by the Elgato device. And those that might be can easily be corrected by adjusting the device's proc amp (black crush, off colors).

    The squashed picture is either caused by the satellite box or the SCART to S-video converter. Probably the former. When it converts the widescreen digital video to analog RGB it's letterboxing and putting out a standard 4:3 analog RGB signal.
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  3. So you think it's the satellite box that's the issue? Should I just put up with the loss of pixels or is there a better capture device I can use?
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  4. Well, I haven't seen the captures but I'm guessing about the letterboxed 4:3 output. Look through the satellite box's setup menus and see if there's an option for analog 16:9 anamorphic output. Or connect the satellite box's SCART output directly to a SCART input on a TV. If you see a small 16:9 image in the middle of the screen with both letterbox and pillarbox bars on a 16:9 HD TV that will confirm that the satellite box is the culprit. On an old analog 4:3 TV you will see a letterboxed 16:9 image on the 4:3 screen.
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  5. As jagabo was trying to caution you, many satellite services simply don't have any analog output feed thats formatted to be compatible with modern capture expectations. HDTV via HDMI has been around long enough now that they (probably correctly) assume the only people still tapping the SCART, composite or S-Video decoder box outputs are using them merely to connect an old-school 4:3 CRT television in a nursing home. The number of subscribers actually trying to capture from those analog outputs is vanishingly small, so the outputs are optimized strictly for 4:3 CRT display (i.e. downgraded to be a low-res, letterboxed, total PITA to capture).

    That is why you're encountering a rats nest of issues: the signal at the satellite box analog outputs is probably locked at 4:3 format, with 16:9 material lettrboxed. Even worse, many of these services now "windowbox" older 4:3 content (black borders on all four sides) rather than transmit traditional 4:3, in some cases older 4:3 material is further cropped to a quasi-widescreen simulation (then additionally letterboxed- yuck).

    The only way you're likely to obtain correct formatting for capture purposes is to tap either the analog component RGB outputs (if the box has those) or HDMI. Both would require additional hardware: HDMI a separate HDMI capture device or HDMI>analog S-Video converter, component a component >S-Video converter. The converters available in consumer price rangers are all generic Chinese trainwrecks that mess with black levels and colors, direct HDMI capture is preferable but then you're stuck having to find workarounds for HDMI anti-record flags (HDCP).
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  6. Capturing Memories dellsam34's Avatar
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    Why would you capture digital satellite from its analog output, You are going from digital to analog and to digital again, Just capture the HDMI output it is good for both HD and SD, that way you preserve the original aspect ratio. Better yet get a satellite receiver with DVR option and you can record to USB thumb drive or internal HDD and transfer to computer if needed. I've owned a satellite receiver before with USB flash drive and I can take those files anywhere.

    Post your satellite programming info, your country or type of satellite transmission, encrypted or clear, The members will be happy to assist you getting the right DVR.
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  7. I'm in the UK and I have a Sky+ HD satellite receiver. I have a HDMI splitter which removes the HDCP protection so I can output HDMI without issues. My box only has HDMI, SCART and Composite outputs. I can select PAL or RGB for SCART in the box options.

    Are there any decent HDMI to S-video converters anyone can recommend? If I use that then is it going to fix the squashed picture on the Elgato or do I need a different capture device? If I need a different capture device then do you have any suggestions?
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  8. If you have HDMI output on your Sky+ box, an HDMI splitter to bypass HDCP, and a capture device that can capture HDMI -- why aren't you capturing HDMI?
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  9. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Also it does not make sense that your card only captures SD at 480P since that is not a PAL spec.


    Which variant of the Elgato do you have ? The one I looked at certainly supports 576i
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  10. Originally Posted by jagabo View Post
    If you have HDMI output on your Sky+ box, an HDMI splitter to bypass HDCP, and a capture device that can capture HDMI -- why aren't you capturing HDMI?
    I'm trying to capture a 576i 25fps show from my Sky+ HD sat box. If I use HDMI the Elgato will only capture in 576p 25fps because Sky won't output 576i via HDMI.

    The Sky box also has a an option to set the SCART to 16:9 which doesn't fix the squashed problem and loss of pixels.

    How would I find out if a show is actually shot in 576p 25fps or not?

    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    Also it does not make sense that your card only captures SD at 480P since that is not a PAL spec.

    Which variant of the Elgato do you have ? The one I looked at certainly supports 576i
    I have an "Elgato Game Capture HD". It's 576p 25fps that my box outputs, said 480p by mistake before.
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  11. Originally Posted by AndersonJames View Post
    Originally Posted by jagabo View Post
    If you have HDMI output on your Sky+ box, an HDMI splitter to bypass HDCP, and a capture device that can capture HDMI -- why aren't you capturing HDMI?
    I'm trying to capture a 576i 25fps show from my Sky+ HD sat box. If I use HDMI the Elgato will only capture in 576p 25fps because Sky won't output 576i via HDMI.
    Can you force the sat box to output 720p50? That will give you full 25i motion with only slight upscaling. Most set-bop boxes do adequate (though not great) deinterlacing and upscaling.
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  12. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Well if the $ky Box only outputs 576p for SD and the Elgato captures at 576p I fail to see the problem. It's not ideal but if that is all the $ky box outputs then that is all you can get.


    The other thing is that 576p should cover both 4:3 and 16:9 since the underlying form is 720*576. Surely there is a setting for the Elgato to force the capture to 16:9 so the video is no longer 'squashed'. But the main issue is probably that the Elgato is focused for game capture rather than tv capture.


    But you would get more help if you actually answered ALL the Q's >> 'Elgato Game Capture HD' is a generic name. On Amazon I saw 4 different models - there may be more - with that name. Only knowing the EXACT model will one have a full understanding of what it can do.
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  13. It might be helpful to see a sample of what you mean by "squashed". Especially an image including of something with a known aspect ratio.
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  14. Capturing Memories dellsam34's Avatar
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    HDMI spits out whatever the program parameters are or whatever the box is set to output, interlaced or progressive, HD or SD. Instead of wasting money on the wrong gear you could have used it to buy a good DVR.
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  15. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by dellsam34 View Post
    HDMI spits out whatever the program parameters are or whatever the box is set to output, interlaced or progressive, HD or SD. Instead of wasting money on the wrong gear you could have used it to buy a good DVR.

    You may not be familiar with a Sky+ HD Box. That is a sat receiver with built-in DVR. There is no practical solution to have a separate DVR.
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    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    There is no practical solution to have a separate DVR.
    Move to another country with another DVR standard? Canada, maybe?

    I jest, of course.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
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  17. Capturing Memories dellsam34's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    You may not be familiar with a Sky+ HD Box. That is a sat receiver with built-in DVR. There is no practical solution to have a separate DVR.
    Before I move to the states I was able to record anything on a Korean made multi access FTA sat receiver with two slot access card, I don't remember if I ever had Sky+ channels, Can't you get a Sky+ card to use with any FTA DVR receiver now?


    Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    There is no practical solution to have a separate DVR.
    Move to another country with another DVR standard? Canada, maybe?

    I jest, of course.
    It's more true in the US and Canada than any other country on the planet, A 3rd party DVR for dishnet or Bellview, Are you kidding me?
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  18. Member DB83's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=dellsam34;2595032]
    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    You may not be familiar with a Sky+ HD Box. That is a sat receiver with built-in DVR. There is no practical solution to have a separate DVR.
    Before I move to the states I was able to record anything on a Korean made multi access FTA sat receiver with two slot access card, I don't remember if I ever had Sky+ channels, Can't you get a Sky+ card to use with any FTA DVR receiver now?


    /QUOTE]


    When you use the term FTA I would expect you mean 'Free To Access' or similar words. But very few channels are actually 'FTA'. Most channels are locked to the subscription model which uses 'Videoguard' encryption and your viewing card only allows you to view those channels you subscribed to. So you can have the films or sports or both plus other services such as BT sports that also use the Sky platform (addit subs required)


    Now as far as the encryption is concerned I do not think (I may be wrong) that the sat receivers/dvrs which, theoretically, can point to the Astra sat which is predominantly for Sky but other subscription services such as Virgin Media also use it, are compatable with Videoguard. Many moons ago I also owned a sat receiver with a CA (Conditional Access) slot. I had official cards for some services and, well everyone else did it, a card which you could program to receive others (until the channels changed their codes and those that had the means to update the codes then made them available). But Videoguard was still off limits.


    Add to that that I write of the analogue period when there were several competing encryption methods such as viaccess. These DVRs supported those systems.


    I do have another sat system other than Sky that points to the Astra service at 19.2E and any other (the dish is motorised). So I can move it to other sats and pick up FTA channels which do broadcast on the Sky bouquet . And I do not require a card for this (this receiver does not even have a CA slot anyway). And it is obvious that their transmit in SD since this receiver fails to display any channel on any sat that is in HD.


    Now we do have two other means to receive tv >> FreeSat and FreeView. The first uses a dish and for all practical purposes is what my 2nd sat system is. The second is picked up from rooftop aerials. Most services are FTA but there is a limited subscription model as well. Now with both of these, especially the more commonly used Freeview, you can use a DVR of your own choosing and not be reliant on what Sky sends you plus that many DVD/HDD combos also have the electronics to receive Freeview already built in.


    So apolgies for the 'rant'. I was simply attempting to flesh out the non-practical nature of using an independent DVR for non-FTA Sky services.
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