question about recording matches

Ok i just got a nice new video card that has video capture capabilities and all that stuff. It also came with an adapter to hook up a DVD player or something. Now could i run my PS2 through my computer then onto my TV and monitor and record the match on my computer while playing? BTW its an AIW Radeon 9700 Pro

 

You should not run the ps2 to the computer and then through your tv. It's not only unpractical, it will look really crappy on your tv that way. The best way to record matches is either

1) Save the matches as replays and later hook up your ps2 to your computer and capture the replays.
2) Run your ps2 through your vcr and set it to record and play, then later hook up your vcr to your computer and capture clips as you see fit.

Hope that helps.
/versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

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2) Run your ps2 through your vcr and set it to record and play, then later hook up your vcr to your computer and capture clips as you see fit.


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Although it involves more time I suggest the VCR method simply because there are always fights where someone thinks, "if only I saved that". A tape set to EP takes care of that; you're always recording everything.

Best way to not make you want to tear out your hair is just keep a pad of paper and pen beside you and note the time (or tape code depending on age of VCR) after a particularly good match. That way you don't have to sit through a whole session panning for gold.

GE

 

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Srider said:
2) Run your ps2 through your vcr and set it to record and play, then later hook up your vcr to your computer and capture clips as you see fit.


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Some of you who (are pretty damn wealthy) might have DVD recorders, which could be substituted for a VCR, and then you can extract the media files (if your PC reads DVDs) onto your computer from your DVDs. Also files from DVDs are simple to edit in most cases.

 

no i definitly don't have a DVD recorder, will it really make my PS2 games look that bad if i run it through the computer first? why? Ok that doesn't seem so bad to just save them as replays and then save them on my computer. I don't have a VCR set up in my room so it will just save me the trouble of hooking one up.

 

You will need to have a video output and input on your computer. The thing is that when you are recording the feed from the ps2, you will see the game playing on your computer in a window. If you output the video to your TV, it will be the video signal of your computer desktop. So what you see on your TV is what you'll see on your monitor.

It's kind of pointless to do that imo unless you really really want to play it on your tv. The video quality will definitely be degraded, plus you'll need a HUGE amount of free space if you want to be recording all the time.

Depending on what format your capturing software uses, the captured video file can be huge. A typical best out of 5 rounds match in avi format can get up to over 1 gig in size. So if you are gonna be recording on your PC the whole time you're playing, be prepared to use up 100's of gigs in harddrive space.

/versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

I just thought I'd point out that realtime capturing works fine for me using the following method:

Composite out from the PS2 -->
Dazzle USB Capture Device

Composite out from Cap Device -->
10 dollar Radio Shack Splitter/Converter

Coax output from splitter ---> TV

The amount of space consumed while capping is relatively small, video is captured as an mpeg2 stream. It doesn't hitch and resolution is 320x240 or (I think) 384xsomething with the right settings. The only catch is it will capture with some chugginess if your computer is busy doing something else processor intensive. You also cannot see the video on the monitor during the capture, only on your TV set.

 

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SoundWave said:

no i definitly don't have a DVD recorder, will it really make my PS2 games look that bad if i run it through the computer first? why? Ok that doesn't seem so bad to just save them as replays and then save them on my computer. I don't have a VCR set up in my room so it will just save me the trouble of hooking one up.

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If you're adamant about recording on your pc simultaneously while playing on your PS2, then the best thing to do would be to buy A/V composite splitters. Perhaps your video card can be toggled to only output the incoming AV stream, but odds are as Srider mentioned the output signal would include the desktop and such, let's not even mention resolution differences and the editing of the recorded file after a prolonged VF session. Srider's suggestion of only recording the replays is a good one.

 

Yes, I forgot about using the method described by creed. Go for it. /versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

Creed:

Sounds like the Dazzle does a really good job for you. Although I'm unsure if the Radeon can emulate the same scenario you have set up.

 

My setup for capturing games realtime is the following:
I have the tv,ps2 and a stereo system (use it as my pc's speakers) in my room. Usually, a headphones(male)<->double analog(male) connects my computer's line out to my stereos line in. I switch things around and connect my stereo's line out to my computers line in. I hook the ps2's audio cables to the stereo's line in, hook the ps2's video to the tv's video in and the tv's video out to the capture card's video in.
So the computer gets the signals from the TV and the stereo system. Quality loss ends up minimal.

I recommend this setup for anyone that has everything close enough to do this himself.