Guide to Recording Games

Tech Talk
61

veri nice guides here! thanks all :slight_smile:

62

I have Hava HD Platinum, I used a custom template with Sony Vegas that I created myself with the following video properties:

Frame Size: NTSC DV(720x480)
Frame Rate: 29.970 (NTSC)
Field Order: Progressive Scan
Pixel Aspect: 1.2121
Video Format: Dvix 6.8.6 Codec 2 logical CPUs)

Here are my videos:

http://www.youtube.com/faux123

It almost fill the entire screen so its not too bad. I used Divx to reduce the upload size since Hava records in MPEG2 DVD format which is good for quality but bad for upload since the file size are huge. I am happy with the video quality of my uploaded videos (in HQ of course). It is around 125 megabytes per 10 mins of video (youtube limit)

63

Just grabbing this off the ps3 recording off laptop thread.

I am currently using the Hauppuage HD PVR and it works good assuming you use the right tools. The crappy tools that come with the product kind of made recording a pain for me.

Tools I use with the HD PVR:

  • rcTVCap for recording (0% CPU utilization during recording, since it is a CLI application)

In other words I what I see on my LCD monitor is what I get after recording.

  • RipBot264 to transcode and sync the raw A/V to either MP4 or MKV

So first to let you all know that when using the HD PVR to record with the Playstation 3, it is best to use the optical inputs for recording the audio. Second since most games are 720p, it will record at 1280 x 720 @ 60fps. However the file this output will always be out of sync with the audio due to the high frame rates. You will need to transcode it to either MKV or MP4 using RipBot and decimate the file to synch the frame rate.

Here is a video I recorded in the PS3 with the HD PVR at 720p (Click HD button):

[media=youtube]CPysTcA-yUM[/media]

If anyone wants a fully flesh out guide if they canā€™t piece together stuff from Aroganā€™s blog then I will think about making one if the demand is there.

64

for all my ArcadeInfinity Youtube videos, iā€™m using Blackmagic Intensity Pro for all the HD videos:
[media=youtube]vkOTCa-1YoI[/media]

for everything else, iā€™m using a regular Dazzle i bought at frys:
[media=youtube]Z63w4G3WvlU[/media]
downsampled progressive recorded on 480i through composite at 25fps:
(reinterlaced, then deinterlaced again, yet it turned out alright) +3:2 pulldown conversion
[media=youtube]nY-6GKnnFzs[/media]

more tips-

  • do not record your raw videos in MP4.
  • deinterlace it, before you do any editing to it.
  • crop out any black overscan borders.
  • level out your colors if you split them through an unpowered composite splitter.

i had no idea a thread like this existed, if i think if anything new iā€™ll be sure to add on to it.

65

scottind, your ArcadeInfinity videos look great! How are you getting the direct feed with commentary? Is their a seperate audio recording and then you sync them with software? Iā€™m using a Hauppauge 1212 PVR and I love the thing except that I canā€™t figure out how to record commentary. If anyone has any info on how to do this, please post up!

Thanks,

Pete

66

The HDMI out on the Blackmagic doesnā€™t lag does it?

If you record HDCP protected content does it downscale it to SD and record or does it not record at all?

The thing I really want is something like the Intensity, but USB.
Does anybody know of a capture card that:
Can connect to the PC through USB
Has an HDMI input
Has an HDMI passthrough so I can keep my setup with no extra lag
Can record in SD or HD donā€™t care

I havenā€™t been able to find any, I think the Intensity is the only inexpensive capture card with HDMI :frowning: I want something that can be used on my laptop though.

67

Here are a few other things ( I learned the hard way) capturing HD footage with Blackmagic Intensity pro:

  • Use Western Digital Caviar Drives (of the exact same type) for your raid. Make sure the drives have a large cache size. I went through too many Seagates. Many dollars wasted. Fuk Seagate barracudas.

  • Try the Cineform codecs. You can save tons of HDD space by using Cineform and the quality is superb.

68

so does anyone know of any good/free capture software?

my capture card came with ulead andā€¦itā€™s ulead.

69

Can I assume commentary as in you are speaking while playing the game? I would have to check, but could you try plugging in a USB headset and try talking to it while recording the gameplay. If there is a way to do a feedback where you hear yourself from the speakers then essentially that should be picked up while recording.

70

Check out my channel for some Hauppauge HD PVR footage. I record at a low-medium setting and upload the raw .M2TS file directly to YouTube. Iā€™m also just using the regular white/red stereo jacks and have not faced any audio de-syncā€™ing issues (or at least none I can notice).

[media=youtube]hn-e2ZD_CMg[/media]

71

Probably depends on the setup and what is used to record the video. I never actually did much with the software that was provided by Hauppauge and went straight for rcTVCap. It could be that it just records it at 1280 x 720 @ 60fps and always dumps a transport stream file. I play these raws from MPC and they are out of sync.

As for M2TS I hope that it gets supported by rcTVCap maybe then it would do some syncingā€¦

72

What program do you use for video editing? Iā€™ve used premiere for color correction before but I found it a little ummā€¦ clumsy.

Iā€™m considering buying one of the Hava units with USB ports. Iā€™ll be using at ranbats and I donā€™t really want to have to hook my laptop up to it. Iā€™m wondering how easy it is just to hook up an external hard drive, hit the record button and let it do itā€™s thing. Does anybody do it this way?

73

i have a tv/monitor combo and i use one channel for the xbox 360 and one channel for the computer.
do i need to buy some hardware in order to record my matches or is there a way i can do it with software?
i am a complete idiot so please do not assume i know anything if you have any advice.

74

I just recently purchased a Hava Titanium HD w/ WiFi for its multiple features. With the WiFi feature your computer/laptop does not have to be right next to your TV where you play. Also with this particular model it has a USB port to attach an external hard drive to capture/record your videos directly to it. The Hava software allows you to select/browse where you want save your captured video files (whether it be on an external hard drive directly connect to USB port on Hava or a computer on your local network).

I have not tested the save to external hard drive feature yet, still getting a few kinks out for my ā€œspecificā€ setup. I am trying to not only capture game play, but utilize the ā€˜play your tv anywhereā€™ feature (kind of like a slingbox). I almost have it working smoothly, just need to get a component splitter. Iā€™ll let you guys know how it goesā€¦

75

Whats good everyone. Iā€™m glad thereā€™s a thread like this. I would like to share some of the software/hardware items used to capture HD SF4 matches. First Iā€™m using a Apple Macbook Pro 17" Quad Core 2.67 GHZ 4 GB memory 200GB S-ATA 7200 RPM. Hauppauge HD PVR. This is my second box. The first one started to freeze and stops video capture. Eye TV 3.1.1. After I few experiments I managed to get things working properly. I export to .MP4 (H.264) for the purpose to be viewed on the web. Youtube Box Arena Channel My only problem that Iā€™m having is if the box is hooked up (Component) to my friends Sony Bravia 52", players seems to notice a lag. But we also used the same box on a 32" Vizio and lag is never present. Iā€™ve tried everything from HDMI/Componen/DVI splitters/Y-Splitters/1-4 dist.amp. Used Tekken/Rock Band to test experiments. Still there is a lag on the Sony Bravia 52". My assumption is the Sony component processor is the culprit. Does anybody else have any suggestions? Also is it possible to record audio from crowd reactions through the mac while capturing through the Hauppauge HD PVR?

Thanks

Frank

76

the audio is being mixed live with a mixer board. iā€™m using a Behringer Eurorack, its highly recommended as an entry-level for audio mixing for amateur DJs and sound enthuiasts. Generally there was a LOT of trial and error, but i generally cut the game audio to 60-70%, and mix in the commentary normally. level it out to 0db, and send the Production line audio to the computer for capture. For games like sf4, the high range REALLY needs to be reduced because it sounds terrible.

HDCP encrypted video wont show up on the blackmagic at all. therefore its not suitable for PS3. Xbox360 and Taito X2 will work just fine.

HDMI bandwidth is much to high for USB, if theres any processing involved to resize the image or compress the video, its going to lag for sure. That being said, the HDMI out on the card will not lag, since the stream is not being processed. You can also buy a $30 hdmi splitter on Monoprice, and that wonā€™t lag either.

Fallback, i been using the blackmagic MJPEG codec, but ill try those Cineform codecs and see if i can use it.

77

Iā€™ve never had any audio sync problems with my HD PVR so I donā€™t know wheres thatā€™s coming from. Just putting that out there.

78

I had a feeling HDMI would be too much for USB but I was hoping there would be something that could do HD -> SD. Shame, I guess my cheapest option to stay HDMI would be PS3 -> HDMI -> AVR -> HDMI -> HDFury -> HD PVR and my Screen.

I may just get a cheap handheld camera that can take a mic/line in lol, I have a tripod already.

79

I got the PVR too, I really feel its the Bravia lagging. As Iā€™ve used it on many monitors and it feels the same on that monitor w/ and w/o PVR.

QUESTION: Does anyone use the SageTV software with the Happauge PVR? I have SagetTV but donā€™t really now how to use it to record SF4 matches.

80

Iā€™ve got the EVO-approved ASUS TV (actually a monitor - Model # VW246) and a PS3 and was wondering about the best way to record match videos from it. It only has an HDMI, DVI, and VGA inputs. I bought a Hava Platinum HD, but it doesnā€™t seem to work with this television (I am not familiar with this at all, so I could be wrong - maybe there are cables I can buy?) Seems like the Hava requires that the TV have a component (composite?) video inputs after you connect your PS3 to your Hava for the HD video to pass through.

Hereā€™s the monitor on newegg:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049
(check out the specifications if you need to).

What would I need to buy in order to record with the PS3 and the ASUS?
(please list everything, including the unit (Hauppauge/Hava that you recommend - I am very willing to switch from a Hava.)

Help me out here Faux and everyone :slight_smile:

Thanks.