Any capture cards that can capture 1280x720 or above via component, DVI, HDMI,or VGA?

[HD4ME]

I'm working on some tech reviews, etc. for a website, and I need a way to capture 1280x720 or above video from games from consoles (PS3, Xbox360), etc. Also, it'd be nice for PC as well (though FRAPS does this as well). I have two relatively fast PCs, both dual cores, one 3800x2 with all the bells and whistles and an overclocked Core 2 Duo.

So I know I'll need a lot of storage, but what about capture cards?

I'd like an Hd-camera, but that's not in the budget right now unless there are some $1000 or less options. :)

I have found some capture cards that are HDTV tuners, but I see none with good inputs that can support higher resolutions.

I'm currently browsing this site and founding some helpful info, but haven't found the ideal one just yet. :)
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV10-Camcorder-Review.htm

[Blue_MiSfit]

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/techspecs/

This is AFAIK the cheapest product that can capture 720p or 1080i over Component.. Keep in mind it doesn't have any hardware encoding, so unless you can get HuffYUV to encode 720p60 in real time (tough), you will probably have to capture uncompressed, which means mandatory 3 drive RAID 0 array.

~MiSfit

[squid_80]

...It can't get around HDCP, so capturing from those consoles via HDMI is probably not an option (unless you've got one of those little black boxes). I just got hold of an intensity pro today but unfortunately due to technical issues haven't got it up and running just yet.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Yeah HDMI is most likely a no-go.

Component should be good though, right?

~MiSfit

[squid_80]

Probably. easy2Bcheesy would be the best person for info.

[HD4ME]

Well, I'll most likely doing most of the stuff with component, VGA, and DVI. :)

Also, why would it demand a 3 Drive Raid 0 array? Is it because the hard drives couldn't keep up with writing the video files, so Raid 0 would split it between the three drives, I'm assuming? :)

I'll be building a separate Core 2 Quad PC as well soon, so I'm assuming the Core 2 Quad could encode 1280x720 in real time? :)

[Blue_MiSfit]

Exactly. writing uncompressed 720p is very bandwidth intensive. RAID 0 is all about increasing sustained write/read sizes.

A single drive couldn't begin to cope, and a 2 drive RAID 0 would probably not be enough. I can say from experience that a 3 drive RAID 0 will definitely work for even 1080p30, provided that you don't fill the drives up. Once you get to ~80% capacity, the array slows down too much.

I have heard that the Intensity pro can do hardware assisted MJPEG encoding with Premiere, but take that with a grain of salt. If so, that would definitely be the way to go, as high quality JPEG can be very close to lossless.

~MiSfit

[TheNewAddiction]

Hmm. I might give this a try on my 4x500gig array.. Haven't really put a dent in it yet.. As far as proc power I have an A64-X2 40-whateverhundred oc'd to 2.7ghz. The 4x500 seems slower than my old 4x250.. probably is.

I've been looking for a card like this for quite some time. Nice find.. I wonder how it will like Vista X64 :o

[squid_80]

I've been looking for a card like this for quite some time. Nice find.. I wonder how it will like Vista X64 :o
Therein lies my problem; no x64 drivers for the intensity pro. The latest x64 drivers they have on the blackmagic site are 1.3 which don't support the pro. I have been told the x64 1.5 drivers will support the pro and they are coming "soon". (No idea if they will work with vista.)

[Blue_MiSfit]

*whacks himself upside the head* DOH!

This is eerily familiar to when i was waiting for x86 OS X drivers for all sorts of fun video hardware... The movie was being made and I didn't have software. AWESOME.

My advice: murder x64. Hell, murder Vista while you're at it, and install vanilla XP Pro SP2. It will all work.

~MiSfit

[squid_80]

My advice: murder x64. Hell, murder Vista while you're at it, and install vanilla XP Pro SP2. It will all work.

Ha. After 3 days of stuffing around I finally did get xpsp2 installed and had the card running... for about 12 hours. Now it won't pick up a signal from composite or s-video at all (HDMI and component seem ok) so it's being RMA'd.

I can confirm it will do up to 1920x1080x30fps over component though.