Difference between revisions of "Video Capture Devices"

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| Intensity Pro || Blackmagic || Yes || Yes || Yes || ? || 1080i 720p || Good || ? || Cmps Cmpn SVid HDMI || Source: [http://speeddemosarchive.com/forum/index.php/topic,8811.msg245421.html#msg245421 CMiller] || [http://www.blackmagic-design.com/resellers/ World]
 
| Intensity Pro || Blackmagic || Yes || Yes || Yes || ? || 1080i 720p || Good || ? || Cmps Cmpn SVid HDMI || Source: [http://speeddemosarchive.com/forum/index.php/topic,8811.msg245421.html#msg245421 CMiller] || [http://www.blackmagic-design.com/resellers/ World]
 
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| SweetSpot Video Processor || PluggedIn.tv || Yes || Yes || Yes || Yes || No || Good || ? || Cmps Cmpn SVid SCART* || SCART only using custom-made cable. Source: [http://speeddemosarchive.com/forum/index.php/topic,8811.msg245517.html#msg245517 Andrew Mills] ||  
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| SweetSpot Video Processor || PluggedIn.tv || Yes || Yes || Yes || Yes || No || Good || ? || Cmps Cmpn SVid SCART* || SCART only using custom-made cable. Source: [http://speeddemosarchive.com/forum/index.php/topic,8811.msg245517.html#msg245517 Andrew_Mills] ||  
 
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Revision as of 16:13, 13 September 2008

Not all video capture devices are created equal. Here's a list of DVD recorders, capture cards and capture cables, along with what we know about them.

If reading this page to find out whether a specific device is good or not, take it with a grain of salt, as you would with any review. Most of these views are based on one person's experience.

See HDTV Lag for instructions on how to test a device's lag. The source PC/laptop should be connected to the device and the TV or destination PC/laptop's set to the appropriate channel. Each F2 (25/30fps) frame of difference on the screen is 40ms (PAL) or ~33ms (NTSC). When working out the lag in ms you should use a median number - e.g. if PAL lag is 2 or 3 frames, the stated lag will be halfway between 80 and 120 (i.e. 100).

Don't assume that your recorder has no lag just because you can't see any. Any digital recorder - which includes all these devices - has at least one frame of lag due to the way they work.


Inputs:

RF Analogue SD, low quality. Uses coaxial cable for audio and video. AKA "TV aerial plug", "PAL connector".

Cmps "Composite video". Analogue SD, medium quality. Uses a yellow RCA plug for video and one (white) or two (white/red) RCA plugs for audio.

SVid "S-Video". Analogue SD, high quality. Uses a black 4-pin Mini-DIN plug for video and RCA plugs (as Composite) for audio.

SCART Analogue SD, very high quality. Uses large rectangular connector for audio and video. AKA "Péritel", "Euroconnector". Europe only.

Cmpn "Component video". Analogue SD/HD, very high quality. Uses three (red/green/blue) RCA plugs for video and red/white RCA plugs for audio.

HDMI Digital SD/HD. Uses a single connector for video and audio.

Coax] "Coaxial audio". Analogue, high quality. Uses a coaxial cable for audio only. Rare.

Opt "Optical audio". Digital. Uses a fibre-optic cable for audio only. Rare.


Want to add to this page? See the VCD List Topic on the forum for details.


DVD Recorders

Model/Title Manufacturer NTSC PAL PAL-60 SECAM HiDef Quality Lag (ms) Inputs Notes Buy
DVR3004 Bush Yes Yes Yes  ? No Good  ? RF SCART Cmps SVid Drive sometimes unresponsive. Occasionally bricks rewritable media. Source: bmn N/A
RDR-HXD870, 970, 1070 Sony Yes Yes Yes  ? No Good 100 RF SCART Cmps SVid Must switch between PAL and NTSC through system menu. Cannot record, edit or erase PAL video while in NTSC mode and vice versa. Source: bmn UK
 ? Presidian Yes  ?  ?  ? No Average  ?  ? Source: t r i - h e x N/A
DVR-233-S Pioneer Yes  ?  ?  ?  ? Good  ? RF Cmps More? Source: t r i - h e x N/A
DVR90VF Sylvania Yes  ?  ?  ?  ?  ?  ? RF Cmps SVid More? Source: grndino N/A
MRV660/17 Magnavox Yes  ?  ?  ?  ?  ? Good RF Cmps SVid Cmpn More? Bricks discs. Crashes. Source: Lord_VG N/A
DNR-ES20 Panasonic Yes  ?  ?  ? No  ?  ? RF Cmps SVid Source: Lord_VG N/A
DMR-ES40VS Panasonic Yes  ?  ?  ? No  ?  ? RF Cmps SVid Source: InsipidMuckyWater N/A
DVDR520H/00 Philips Yes Yes  ?  ? No  ?  ? RF SCART Cmps Source: Raven75 N/A
A30 Andersson  ? Yes  ?  ? No Good  ? RF SCART Cmps SVid Opt Source: HidoiMidoriRyuu N/A


PC Video Capture Cards

Model/Title Manufacturer NTSC PAL PAL-60 SECAM HiDef Quality Lag (ms) Inputs Notes Buy
Intensity Pro Blackmagic Yes Yes Yes  ? 1080i 720p Good  ? Cmps Cmpn SVid HDMI Source: CMiller World
SweetSpot Video Processor PluggedIn.tv Yes Yes Yes Yes No Good  ? Cmps Cmpn SVid SCART* SCART only using custom-made cable. Source: Andrew_Mills


PC USB Video Capture Cables

Model/Title Manufacturer NTSC PAL PAL-60 SECAM HiDef Quality Lag (ms) Inputs Notes Buy
Movie Capture Video Xpress USBAV-192-EF ADS Tech Yes Yes  ?  ? No Very Bad  ? Cmps SVid No drivers for Vista. Hard to get working. Unstable software. Source: MortyreR45 US
GameBridge AVC-1400 Adaptec UK
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 DVD Creator Belkin Cmps SVid UK
Ez Grabber Techgear Cmps SVid UK
Dazzle DVD Recorder Pinnacle Systems UK
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