Record desktop

[Séamus]

This is the other way around.
I'd like to hook up my TV-out of my VGA card to my DV-cam (PAL).
And then be able to record my desktop.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Also will this work with a full screen game ?

Thanks.

[jggimi]

Sure, that works.

But if you have only a single PC, I would record to tape, and not try to use the camcorder as an A->D converter back into the same PC, since DV capture takes resources, even if its only a firewire-to-disk copy.

DV capture discussions take place in the DV forum, per our announcement (http://forum.doom9.org/announcement.php?s=&forumid=10). I'm moving the thread there.

[Séamus]

Well yeah
My idea was to connect the TV-Out through S-Video into DV-in of the camera. Just like you would connect a VCR or TV to it.
Later on I'd import with Premiere (through Firewire) to edit the video.

A couple of things I'm not sure of:
-If it goes through my TV-Out, is the signal progressive or interlaced ? How will my camera interpret the signal, since DV is interlaced BFF if I'm not mistaking.
-Audio issues, I'm able to connect my soundcard output to the same DV-in given the right plugs. This would be my first choice since I want audio and video synced.

(Thx. I was unsure about the correct forum.)

[jggimi]

Yes, analog tv-out is interlaced. Progressive would require component video out.

Yes, you'd want to connect audio out to your DV camera as well. Typically cameras offer RCA phono plugs, and you should be able to readily find a Y-cable that has a 3.5mm stero plug at one end, and two RCA phono plugs at the other. If you can't find one with sockets, just plugs, then all you would need would be two female/female RCA phono sockets ... "gender menders" these are often called.

[Valky]

I have done it this way:

My JCV 53 has both svhs and composite inputs. I use two cables. Cbale with svhs in both ends, so I plug the other end on my graphic cards tv-out and the other end in my camera. Then I use cable with miniplug in both ends and I plug the other end in my camera and second end to my sound cards speaker out.

Then I just use contol panel and change my display to TV and start capturing on my JVC.

[nicco]

My idea was to connect the TV-Out through S-Video into DV-in of the camera. Just like you would connect a VCR or TV to it.

It works perfectly with my Sony PC100-E camcoder and my pc's S-video out:)

[Séamus]

Yes, I have a similar setup, S-Video out my graphics card into the A/V input of my Sony DCR-HC40E.
Later I import with Premiere through Firewire.

But I'm still wondering about the signal itself, the TV-out is interlaced, but is it TFF or BFF ?
The camera records BFF I presume, so does it convert an incoming TFF signal ?
Or shouldn't I worry about any of this ?

Also 2 issues I still have.
-I get black borders in Premiere when capturing from the cam. The image isn't full screen.
-At times the video gets intersected by a horizontal line which divides the screen.
This occurs throughout the whole recording.
Hard to explain therefore a clip and a screenshot.
Short wmv clip, slowed down to see the effect.
http://users.telenet.be/detox/doom9/movie003-1.wmv
http://users.telenet.be/detox/doom9/scr03.jpg

[Valky]

This is just a guess, but since your trying to capture game I was wondering if you have vertical sync enabled in that game. That might do just something like that. And of course it's no wonder if this kind of frames happens anyway, since you are playing something like 40-100 frames per sec and it's not constant framerate. From this framerate your camera can only capture about 25 frames per second.

[Séamus]

Yes, but I thought the TV-out was fixed at 25fps (which is enough for me) when PAL is selected in the TV-out options.
I'm not sure about the output resolution.

V-Sync is off.

[Séamus]

The black borders issue is resolved.
Apparently, TV-out does some pre-scaling, it compensates for overscan. It does this by adding black borders.
Deep in my graphics card options (TV-Format/Advanced/Device Adjustments) there's an option to change the position and zoom in to remove the overscan-borders.

Upon capturing in Premiere the picture is now as good as fullscreen, just a tiny border on the left. Good enough.