LLDL
Smash Hero
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2007
- Messages
- 7,128
I'm making this guide for players who in the future will want to record Melee footage. I see questions about capture cards, video recording devices, and which to buy a lot here, but I'm making this thread to compile EVERYTHING. It should stay separated from the Technical thread so that it won't be overlooked.
Recording video is a pretty simple process. I won't list any actual desktop capture cards, as they are installed inside your desktop computer. You most likely wouldn't be inquiring about how to record if you know how to install one. So, I am listing USB capture devices that can be installed on your laptop/PC. Chances are you will bring your laptop to a tournament over your desktop.
What you need
There are 4 things necessary to record melee footage.
1. Chances are that you already have a laptop if you are interested in recording melee, but how good is it? You won't be able to record good videos with a netbook / notebook / whatever you want to call the cheap mini computers. You will need a fully fledged computer to record and not have it lag periodically, drop frames, and de-synchronize the audio. Don't worry, you don't have to have a super expensive computer to record. This fluctuates, but my recommended minimum specs for your computer to have would be 2.1Ghz processor, and 2GB ram. You may be able to use an even less powerful computer, but think of this as a base that you want to at least be at. The better the specs, the more security you have not only in being able to use a particular capture device, but also in not worrying about corrupted, messed up videos and failed captures.
2. You will need to split your video signal between the TV and the capture device. If you're TV has video out, you can simply use normal yellow/white/red composite cables to connect to your capture device. However, most CRT TV's don't have video out, and the ones that do sometimes don't have a RED output. There are several ways to do this if your TV does not have video out. I recommend RCA Piggyback cables. Basically, you plug your cube into one end of the piggyback cable, and the remaining ends of the cable go to the TV and the computer accordingly. This way, you are able to watch the game on the TV and the capture card simultaneously. Some usb capture devices come with their own splitters, or have output jacks on the capture device itself. This makes it a lot easier to record and play at the same time. If you don't get a splitter, chances are you will only be able to hook up your melee only to the computer to record. But then, how will you play on the tv? Get it? If you can't get a hold of RCA Piggyback Cables, you can use 1female 2 male Y-Cables instead. Take note that the signal that the tv receives will be slightly dark. This is because the splitter splits the signal in half. Half of the signal goes to the tv, and half goes to your capture device, resulting in dark picture. In order to avoid this (if you really mind, it doesn't make a difference if you just turn the brightness settings og your capture device up to your linking), you can either use a gamecube that also has s-video output. The s-video goes to your capture device, the normal colors go to the tv, no loss of color. Or, you can use a distribution amplifier.
3. Now here is the main focus of this thread. Selecting a USB capture device to purchase. I have gone through many, many capture devices and tested them for quality and performance. No, I'm not loaded. I just buy one, and then when I get tired of it or want to try a different device, I sell it for almost full price. I have very good marketing strategies on ebay, so people tend to buy my items for the prices I list. So I haven't actually spent too much money on capture devices. However, some of these devices are more worth the dollar than others, which is why you should follow my guide very carefully before choosing a device. Of course, these things are particularly stylized. If quality doesn't matter to you, but you want an easy to use device with good performance, you may choose one over the other. And I'm sure a lot of you want the best quality possible, even if the device doesn't have particularly great functionality and is more expensive. The quality of the videos for some of the products sometimes heavily depend on you tampering with the capture settings. I rate the devices based on maximum quality settings while the videos are de-interlaced at standard 4:3 display.
List of products and info
For the devices that I have tested them, I have set up my own tier list. I have rated them based on video quality and functionality (user friendliness / How good it actually runs). I rate them as follows
Video Quality [Q]
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
Functionality [F]
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
I try to refrain from mentioning C and D Tier products, but some may not mind poor quality or poor functionality if the price of the item is reasonable and they get the videos recorded. I understand that, so I'm going to keep compiling all products that I have the chance to test myself. You guys are welcome to put your input on a particular device as well, and they can be noted here. So, here is a handy list of capture devices, prices, quality tests and what to consider before ordering them.
Pinnacle Systems Products
Pinnacle Dazzle DVD Recorder Plus [Tested] [Q] [F] $49.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: This is the capture device that most smashers use. The quality is really good, and it is super easy to use. It is known to leave videos messed up with audio lag, dropped frames, slow downs, etc if you have too many programs running during the capture. If you are offered this as a gift, gladly accept and you'll be able to record good quality smash videos no problem.
Pinnacle Dazzle HD [Tested] [Q] [F] $89.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: Same device as the DVD Recorded Plus (See above), but with much better quality. Use is the same.
Pinnacle Dazzle Video Capture for Mac [Untested] [Q] [F] $89.99
Pinnacle Video Transfer [Tested] [Q] [F] $99.99 [Recommended]
Official Web Page
Synopsis: I HIGHLY recommended this. This device doesn't require a laptop. It is the easiest and most consistent product you can get. Yes, it is slightly more expensive, but for good reason. You split the signal to the tv, and to the device and connect a memory stick to the device. You just press the record button and it records video straight to the memory stick (flash drive, hard drive, whatever you want) without a computer. You can get up to 5.5 hours of footage on a 4gb memory stick using the better quality option. The perfect solution.
Pinnacle Studio MovieBox HD [Q] [F] $99.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: A capture device that is easy to use, and has some above average quality. I don;t really recommend this over the other devices considering the price and quality. It's still here if you need it. It is a really good device. I would recommend if I hadn't been exposed to many other options.
Pinnacle Studio MovieBox UC [Q] [F] $149.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: The near thing about this device is that it has it's on output. This means that you can split the video to your TV without having to find a splitter. You just need standard composite cables to go to your tv. It is way too overpriced though. Not worth it over the other options that we have. Once again, this is a GREAT device to have if you get as a gift or can get it for a low price/free.
Hauppauge Products
Hauppauge HD PVR 1212 [Tested] [Q] [F] $199.00
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis:The best melee quality you can get when used at max settings. I wouldn't recommended buying one though. There are a couple of seconds lag when previewing the capture in the software included, you can't capture with any other software, editing the file type is difficult and takes a long time, and it's also really expensive. If you HAVE to have quality on par with this though, try the USB-Live 2!
Hauppauge USB-Live 2 [Tested] [Q] [F] $50.00
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis: Excellent Quality, almost on par with the HD PVR. Easy to set up and use. There is quite a bit of lag when previewing the capture in the software that comes with it. If you use Ulead or Pinnacle studio, that doesn't happen. Also inexpensive considering how good the quality is. However, there are a lot of driver issues with this device, so you may be hard pressed to make it work with other video capture software than the default that it comes from. I can't say that I recommend this anymore.
Misc / Low Price Capture Devices
EazyCap/EZCap [Tested] [Q] [F] $15.00
Web Page
Synopsis: Quality is below average. It is easy to set up and use, however it has a lot of issues with drivers on Windows Vista/7. It's a really good buy if you don't mind average quality and have Windows XP. Don't bother with the hassle if you don't have XP. If you play around with the settings, you can end up getting some great picture. I suggest forking out an extra 30 bucks to get a more quality product.
Diamond One Touch Capture VC500 [Tested] [Q] [F] $49.99
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis. Excellent Quality, you have to play with the settings before it starts to record right tough. I will lost those here. No lag when previewing capture. Really good buy if you see it in a store near you.
Capture devices that I am going to test in the future.
Black Magic Intensity Pro $199.99
Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Converter $52.00
honestech VHS to DVD 5.0 Deluxe $64.98
EazyGrabber2 $24.00
I know that the price of a lot of these are kind of steep, but I will test and add more affordable low price capture devices for you guys as I go along.
Recording video is a pretty simple process. I won't list any actual desktop capture cards, as they are installed inside your desktop computer. You most likely wouldn't be inquiring about how to record if you know how to install one. So, I am listing USB capture devices that can be installed on your laptop/PC. Chances are you will bring your laptop to a tournament over your desktop.
What you need
There are 4 things necessary to record melee footage.
- A laptop computer + enough storage(memory) to save the video files
- A way to split the video to both the TV and the capture device, without having lag.
- A usb capture device (Can be bought online, and in some stores)
- Video capture software (Usually is packaged with a usb capture device that you purchase)
1. Chances are that you already have a laptop if you are interested in recording melee, but how good is it? You won't be able to record good videos with a netbook / notebook / whatever you want to call the cheap mini computers. You will need a fully fledged computer to record and not have it lag periodically, drop frames, and de-synchronize the audio. Don't worry, you don't have to have a super expensive computer to record. This fluctuates, but my recommended minimum specs for your computer to have would be 2.1Ghz processor, and 2GB ram. You may be able to use an even less powerful computer, but think of this as a base that you want to at least be at. The better the specs, the more security you have not only in being able to use a particular capture device, but also in not worrying about corrupted, messed up videos and failed captures.
2. You will need to split your video signal between the TV and the capture device. If you're TV has video out, you can simply use normal yellow/white/red composite cables to connect to your capture device. However, most CRT TV's don't have video out, and the ones that do sometimes don't have a RED output. There are several ways to do this if your TV does not have video out. I recommend RCA Piggyback cables. Basically, you plug your cube into one end of the piggyback cable, and the remaining ends of the cable go to the TV and the computer accordingly. This way, you are able to watch the game on the TV and the capture card simultaneously. Some usb capture devices come with their own splitters, or have output jacks on the capture device itself. This makes it a lot easier to record and play at the same time. If you don't get a splitter, chances are you will only be able to hook up your melee only to the computer to record. But then, how will you play on the tv? Get it? If you can't get a hold of RCA Piggyback Cables, you can use 1female 2 male Y-Cables instead. Take note that the signal that the tv receives will be slightly dark. This is because the splitter splits the signal in half. Half of the signal goes to the tv, and half goes to your capture device, resulting in dark picture. In order to avoid this (if you really mind, it doesn't make a difference if you just turn the brightness settings og your capture device up to your linking), you can either use a gamecube that also has s-video output. The s-video goes to your capture device, the normal colors go to the tv, no loss of color. Or, you can use a distribution amplifier.
3. Now here is the main focus of this thread. Selecting a USB capture device to purchase. I have gone through many, many capture devices and tested them for quality and performance. No, I'm not loaded. I just buy one, and then when I get tired of it or want to try a different device, I sell it for almost full price. I have very good marketing strategies on ebay, so people tend to buy my items for the prices I list. So I haven't actually spent too much money on capture devices. However, some of these devices are more worth the dollar than others, which is why you should follow my guide very carefully before choosing a device. Of course, these things are particularly stylized. If quality doesn't matter to you, but you want an easy to use device with good performance, you may choose one over the other. And I'm sure a lot of you want the best quality possible, even if the device doesn't have particularly great functionality and is more expensive. The quality of the videos for some of the products sometimes heavily depend on you tampering with the capture settings. I rate the devices based on maximum quality settings while the videos are de-interlaced at standard 4:3 display.
List of products and info
For the devices that I have tested them, I have set up my own tier list. I have rated them based on video quality and functionality (user friendliness / How good it actually runs). I rate them as follows
Video Quality [Q]
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
Functionality [F]
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
I try to refrain from mentioning C and D Tier products, but some may not mind poor quality or poor functionality if the price of the item is reasonable and they get the videos recorded. I understand that, so I'm going to keep compiling all products that I have the chance to test myself. You guys are welcome to put your input on a particular device as well, and they can be noted here. So, here is a handy list of capture devices, prices, quality tests and what to consider before ordering them.
Pinnacle Systems Products
Pinnacle Dazzle DVD Recorder Plus [Tested] [Q] [F] $49.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: This is the capture device that most smashers use. The quality is really good, and it is super easy to use. It is known to leave videos messed up with audio lag, dropped frames, slow downs, etc if you have too many programs running during the capture. If you are offered this as a gift, gladly accept and you'll be able to record good quality smash videos no problem.
Pinnacle Dazzle HD [Tested] [Q] [F] $89.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: Same device as the DVD Recorded Plus (See above), but with much better quality. Use is the same.
Pinnacle Dazzle Video Capture for Mac [Untested] [Q] [F] $89.99
Pinnacle Video Transfer [Tested] [Q] [F] $99.99 [Recommended]
Official Web Page
Synopsis: I HIGHLY recommended this. This device doesn't require a laptop. It is the easiest and most consistent product you can get. Yes, it is slightly more expensive, but for good reason. You split the signal to the tv, and to the device and connect a memory stick to the device. You just press the record button and it records video straight to the memory stick (flash drive, hard drive, whatever you want) without a computer. You can get up to 5.5 hours of footage on a 4gb memory stick using the better quality option. The perfect solution.
Pinnacle Studio MovieBox HD [Q] [F] $99.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: A capture device that is easy to use, and has some above average quality. I don;t really recommend this over the other devices considering the price and quality. It's still here if you need it. It is a really good device. I would recommend if I hadn't been exposed to many other options.
Pinnacle Studio MovieBox UC [Q] [F] $149.99
Official Web Page
Synopsis: The near thing about this device is that it has it's on output. This means that you can split the video to your TV without having to find a splitter. You just need standard composite cables to go to your tv. It is way too overpriced though. Not worth it over the other options that we have. Once again, this is a GREAT device to have if you get as a gift or can get it for a low price/free.
Hauppauge Products
Hauppauge HD PVR 1212 [Tested] [Q] [F] $199.00
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis:The best melee quality you can get when used at max settings. I wouldn't recommended buying one though. There are a couple of seconds lag when previewing the capture in the software included, you can't capture with any other software, editing the file type is difficult and takes a long time, and it's also really expensive. If you HAVE to have quality on par with this though, try the USB-Live 2!
Hauppauge USB-Live 2 [Tested] [Q] [F] $50.00
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis: Excellent Quality, almost on par with the HD PVR. Easy to set up and use. There is quite a bit of lag when previewing the capture in the software that comes with it. If you use Ulead or Pinnacle studio, that doesn't happen. Also inexpensive considering how good the quality is. However, there are a lot of driver issues with this device, so you may be hard pressed to make it work with other video capture software than the default that it comes from. I can't say that I recommend this anymore.
Misc / Low Price Capture Devices
EazyCap/EZCap [Tested] [Q] [F] $15.00
Web Page
Synopsis: Quality is below average. It is easy to set up and use, however it has a lot of issues with drivers on Windows Vista/7. It's a really good buy if you don't mind average quality and have Windows XP. Don't bother with the hassle if you don't have XP. If you play around with the settings, you can end up getting some great picture. I suggest forking out an extra 30 bucks to get a more quality product.
Diamond One Touch Capture VC500 [Tested] [Q] [F] $49.99
Official Web Page
Quality Test
Synopsis. Excellent Quality, you have to play with the settings before it starts to record right tough. I will lost those here. No lag when previewing capture. Really good buy if you see it in a store near you.
Capture devices that I am going to test in the future.
Black Magic Intensity Pro $199.99
Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Converter $52.00
honestech VHS to DVD 5.0 Deluxe $64.98
EazyGrabber2 $24.00
I know that the price of a lot of these are kind of steep, but I will test and add more affordable low price capture devices for you guys as I go along.
