New Recording Devices

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Recording Devices

One of the major steps in an eventual submission is recording the run. VHS is no longer an acceptable medium for submissions, so runners will have to invest in a dedicated device that can capture their gameplay. There are many, many devices available for this purpose to fit a variety of needs. This page is meant to give runners a resource for what to look for and what other runners have used and recommend.

The first thing to note is that a proper recording setup usually requires a bit more than just a capture device. Specifically, a distribution amplifier (aka a splitter) is used to provide the same input signals to multiple devices, namely a TV and your capture device. Creating a full capture setup is discussed in more detail on the Recording and Streaming Setup page. This page will eventually expand to include recommendations for distribution amplifiers and other equipment.

Also keep in mind some of your limitations. Some devices might require a more powerful computer to run smoothly (especially HD devices). Recording footage directly to a hard drive on your computer might ease organization, but it will use up a lot of space. Many people choose external DVD or HDD recorders for this reason. DVD/HDD recorders also provide a benefit in that they "just work", while many PC-based devices require some setup and are dependent on the stability of the recording software. Most DVD or HDD recorders do not provide a way to stream gameplay though, so a PC-based device would still be required if you intend to stream.

Device Parameters

There are many things to consider when looking for a capture device, but the main concern should be whether or not it will capture the games you're interested in running. The easiest way to determine this is to narrow down which inputs you are interested in capturing. See the A/V Connectors page for specific information about each of the types of video cables. The devices table below lists all of the inputs that a particular device can handle. Also make sure that the device supports your particular type of video signal. This information is listed in the Compatibility column; NTSC for US/Japan, PAL for EU. If you plan to stream, you should avoid HDD and DVD Recorders since they will generally not be able to provide real-time video to a computer. You would have to purchase another capture device in order to stream and record simultaneously with an HDD or DVD recorder. Finally, if you intend to capture content from systems older than PS2, make sure that the device can handle 240p signals. This includes NES, SNES, Genesis, and some PS1 output. Some devices have nuances where they cannot correctly capture these signals; this is something that has to be learned from experience, and is not something that a manufacturer lists in the product details.

The other columns in the table list other information about particular devices. Issues are simply any known technical limitations or problems with the device. Any fields with asterisks (*) have some caveats that are noted in the comments column. Finally, the Recommend column lists the number of people that have used and recommend a particular device. 4/4 means that all of 4 users recommend a device, while 2/4 means only 2 of 4 users would recommend it. Any fields marked with N/A were not reported for that device.

Capture Devices