Capture to any kind of media from Y/R/W RCA cord

[tgp1994]

Hi there everyone. A friend and I were considering capturing the output of an XBox 360 to some sort of storage media. My camera, a Sony Handycam, had the ability to capture from an RCA input directly to the tape. The quality and framerate is exactly how we would see it on the TV screen. So I'm looking for a more scalable method, some sort of device that can capture from an RCA output to any kind of media, I don't care if it's VHS, MiniDV, a hard drive, what ever. Also, it would be nice if that device had an output to RCA as well, so we could see the game on a TV screen, while at the same time recording this.

If you may be thinking of something like one of the KWorld capture devices, the USB 2800 I think, we tried that before. The only problem is, it generally lagged for a few seconds every minute of recording time.

So does anyone have any good examples for a device that could do this?

[Ghitulescu]

The RCA/Chinch/Phono connector allows you the second worst image transfer in the analog domain (in case you wonder what's the first - the aerial). In this case I think the most scalable thing would be a PC/laptop with an integrated video capture device (be it on the Mainboard, or as extention).

However, being given that XBOX (or any other digital device with analog out *BUT NOT* analog device with analog out unless TBCed), you may also be entitled to a better capture card - as always I suggest a FireWire external card.

[tgp1994]

Perhaps I misspoke there, are we talking about the same kind of cord? The one with the Yellow, Red, and White plugs? It seems to offer nice quality. Like I said though, we tried a sort of capture card, but his computer lagged once and awhile while recording it live. Are there any capture cards that you recommend? I would prefer that they be under $100.

[Ghitulescu]

You have a good quality because of the output of XBOX, which is digital up to the last moment - if you read my last comment.

I do not recommend capture cards below 100$, unless used. Lost money, unless you don't care for quality, it's only a one-time [unimportant] capture, or you don't mind spending ages looking for drivers or a compatible software. Search my posts for recommended cards.

[zilog jones]

As Ghitulescu said, composite video (the yellow plug, the other two are audio) is the worst quality video you can get out of your 360 (without buying an RF modulator). You can get HD capture devices for PCs these days, but I don't think you'll get one for less than US(?)$100. If you go for an analogue capture card for your PC, invest in an S-Video cable for your Xbox, it will improve picture quality significantly.

The problem with video game capture is as you seem to have experienced before is that you'll get lag when viewing on the PC so can't really play live. Some S-video cables for consoles also have composite outputs - you could try connecting the s-video output to the capture card while connecting the composite to your TV at the same time but they're not really designed to be used simultaneously so you may see a reduction in signal strength or something. If this is not possible you will need to get a video distribution amp - there's loads on eBay but most are limited to composite video and are overkill for your application (4 or 8 outputs).

[tgp1994]

You have a good quality because of the output of XBOX, which is digital up to the last moment - if you read my last comment.

I do not recommend capture cards below 100$, unless used. Lost money, unless you don't care for quality, it's only a one-time [unimportant] capture, or you don't mind spending ages looking for drivers or a compatible software. Search my posts for recommended cards.

Ah... so you mean it's digital inside but analog outside. Quality is excellent for me, I'll mention more on that later on in this post.

Anyhow, it's too bad that there just isn't a device dedicated to recording media onto its own media, since I'd hate to buy a $175 capture card for a computer that isn't very good at recording it.

I know my school has a type on VCR player that can record to MiniDV tapes, which would be awesome, but that type of VCR is for professional media corporations, with plenty of money to spend.


@zilog: Ya, this seems to be getting more complicated than I expected. I remember hooking up my computer's graphics card to a TV via S-Video, and the quality was absolutely terrible until I played a DVD, so it is hard to tell weather that was just my graphics card, or... I dunno.

Also, we imported what I had recorded from the Composite cord onto a computer to edit, and the quality was awesome for a resolution of about 480x600 or w/e the youtube HD standard is. So if there is a media recording device, that isn't a capture card, that can record to MiniDV, that would be excellent. Then I suppose the fallback would be for anything that can capture off of Composite.

[zilog jones]

I know my school has a type on VCR player that can record to MiniDV tapes, which would be awesome, but that type of VCR is for professional media corporations, with plenty of money to spend.
A miniDV VCR would do more or less the same thing as you recording from the analogue input on your camcorder, assuming it's miniDV or Digital8.

Many camcorders with an analogue capture function also have s-video inputs. You could get a miniDV VCR or a VHS/miniDV combo second hand on eBay but one in working condition will be quite pricey - about $250+


@zilog: Ya, this seems to be getting more complicated than I expected. I remember hooking up my computer's graphics card to a TV via S-Video, and the quality was absolutely terrible until I played a DVD, so it is hard to tell weather that was just my graphics card, or... I dunno.
It was probably your graphics card. The TV outputs are usually terrible compared to e.g. a standalone DVD player, or require a lot of fine tuning to get a decent picture.

Also, we imported what I had recorded from the Composite cord onto a computer to edit, and the quality was awesome for a resolution of about 480x600 or w/e the youtube HD standard is.

YouTube HD is 1920x1080 or 1280x720. I think you are confusing it with HQ (High Quality) which is 854x480 in 16:9 widescreen or 640x480 in 4:3 fullscreen - if you were told to use any other resolutions for uploading they are incorrect or obsolete (HQ used to be 480x360).

[tgp1994]

Ya I think I meant to say HQ 640x480. That resolution is just fine for me, now if only those VCRs weren't so expensive...

[Ghitulescu]

So, if you want to upload these videos to youtube, well, you can use any card you want, because the quality sucks. Don't spend too much for such an end.

MiniDV is for consumers and not for corporations, although they might use it (for cutting costs). DV (the same system but with a bigger tape) might be. MiniDV is still the best SD system the consumers have.

And it's no use to capture to band then recapture the band, unless there's no other choice. And there are many ...

[tgp1994]

Well, as I think I may have said earlier, the reason we liked using the tapes was because they offered absolutely lag free recording. My only issue was basically the fact that the camera screen was so small. Perhaps we could use firewire to then connect the camera to the computer, just so we could look at the screen while we were playing the Xbox.

[smok3]

yes, some dv cameras can be used like that:

xbox -> analog -> kamera konverts to dv -> firewire out -> your comp to record and preview that dv stream (or just record to tape and capture later)

+ kamera hooks to some tv as well, so you can view (but there will be some sort of lag for sure)

[tgp1994]

I'm a little concerned that after google "Kamera", the equipment company is nowhere to be found on google, and/or anything related to it is not in English :S

Unless you are referring to this IP rights management comapany?

[Ghitulescu]

Kamera ist just the German misspelling for camcorder ;)

[tgp1994]

Ohhh, ok :D

Ya, that kind of is what made me wonder if someone had made some kind of box for that. Our school had these Sony Walkmans, which I'm sure could record from analog, but I bet they're expensive. Oh well, a camera is fine for now :)

[zilog jones]

Well, as I think I may have said earlier, the reason we liked using the tapes was because they offered absolutely lag free recording. My only issue was basically the fact that the camera screen was so small.

You were trying to play on the camera screen? :eek:
Does the camcoder not have separate TV outputs or does it use the same connectors for the inputs?

A Sony Video Walkman may not be a solution to your problems either as most only have the one set of analogue connectors, i.e. you'd just have to play on a slightly larger tiny screen instead. The GV-D1000 has separate s-video input and output but the only one on eBay right now is about US$1000 and is a PAL model so is useless to you anyway.

Do you have a VHS VCR or DVD recorder? If it has more than one output you could use that to output to your camcorder and TV simultaneously, e.g. composite out for camcorder and RF out for TV.

[tgp1994]

You were trying to play on the camera screen? :eek:
Does the camcoder not have separate TV outputs or does it use the same connectors for the inputs?


Correct. It only has an input/output for analog video. The problem we discovered was that since mine was newer than his, my version of the Sony Handycam introduced their analog port as input AND output, whereas his older camera was only output. Bummer.


A Sony Video Walkman may not be a solution to your problems either as most only have the one set of analogue connectors, i.e. you'd just have to play on a slightly larger tiny screen instead. The GV-D1000 has separate s-video input and output but the only one on eBay right now is about US$1000 and is a PAL model so is useless to you anyway.


Dang :( We were actually able to stream video through my camera, out to firewire, then play on a larger computer screen, but as we both noticed, that lag is actually bad enough to make playing WAW2 a difficult task, which is why I always fallback to using the tape only method.

In fact, he bought a splitter that would take one input and convert it two outputs, which worked out wonderfully. Now if only they made them for hd.

[Ghitulescu]

yes, some dv cameras can be used like that:

xbox -> analog -> kamera konverts to dv -> firewire out -> your comp to record and preview that dv stream (or just record to tape and capture later)

+ kamera hooks to some tv as well, so you can view (but there will be some sort of lag for sure)

Ohhh, ok :D

Ya, that kind of is what made me wonder if someone had made some kind of box for that. Our school had these Sony Walkmans, which I'm sure could record from analog, but I bet they're expensive. Oh well, a camera is fine for now :)
Oh, please, was it so difficult to figure it out what a ckamera was?

[smok3]

Kamera ist just the German misspelling for camcorder ;)

no misspelling and i'am not german, but have fun anyway ;)

(seems to be the word to come directly from 'camera obscura' btw)

[tgp1994]

Oh, please, was it so difficult to figure it out what a ckamera was?

I was assuming you were talking about some special product -.- It's funny how they make products with misspellings like that.