Unique request on how to capture from a PC

[Clutch Cargo]

Did a search around the forums but didn't find anything close as to what I am trying to do.

I create flightsim and game videos by playing the game on one PC and capturing it on a 2nd PC via an S-video cable. It works, it's ok, but I am looking for a pure "digital" solution.

Is there any know PC cards that export a digital signial whereby I could then use a video capture card (probably via firewire) on the 2nd PC? Looking for something that won't break the bank either

Yes, I have heard of capturing with Fraps, Camtasia (and several others). I've tried I think all of those out there but my capture situations are usually so cpu intensive (causing stutters), I need to export that data to a 2nd PC for capture. I am already running the gaming rig at 4GHz.

I have heard of some people capturing to a video camera and then d/l back into the PC when done, but wouldn't that capture be through an analog source?

Appreciate any ideas.

[Clutch Cargo]

Well, I can see checking back in the forum that no one has a simple answer. The more researched I did the more I am believing there is no way to do this.

[Diesel_Danny]

hmmmmmmmmmm.. sorry dude cant help you out there. but im just curious, basicly you wanna capture video to a computer from another computer. right? im having trouble capturing video from my cheap dazzle thing. the software really sucks. anyways try asking blutach

[Clutch Cargo]

Yea, you got it. Well, I see two options I'm looking into:

1. - Overclocking probably upgrading to water cooling and capture from the same PC or

2. - Find the best quality card to capture S-video on the 2nd PC (say $200-$500 for the capture card).

[reboot]

Are you trying all this with a "soft" card?
Why not use a hardware mpeg-2 card? (hauppauge PVR-150 for example)
Not exactly 100% digital, but it will cap via S-Vid, and you don't need a 4ghz system to do it.

[Clutch Cargo]

No, for S-video I have been using various hardware capture cards. Tried WinTV, ATI TV Wonder Pro and a Turtle Beach capture card. Haven't tried Hauppauge yet or another one that (can't think of the name ), which is highly recommended (think it's around $300US. But thay are all thru the S-video. Just need to find the one that is best but so far none have really stood out as a "WoW what a sharp picture" look. They all are good but just not sharp as a true screen image.

Ah... the quest continues

[raddad]

What are you doing with the video once it is on the 2nd PC?

[Clutch Cargo]

I capture in raw AVI files, then I copy them back to the 1st PC for editing and post-production. I'm doing more tests with the S-video connection as we speak. Can be very touchy as to what programs will capture it and what ones will capture it with the best quality I can achieve. It's not that bad but you can notice the difference between an S-video capture and a screen capture.

[raddad]

I have heard of some people capturing to a video camera and then d/l back into the PC when done, but wouldn't that capture be through an analog source?

If you have some time read this thread http://forum.digital-digest.com/show...threadid=30624

Basically, you connect the s-video cable to the camcorder and it coverts it to a digital signal and sends to your PC via the firewire card for you to capture.

[Clutch Cargo]

Yea, I know a few people that do it that way. I look into it further but since they are also u/l via an S-cable it's also an analog signal thus loosing some quality. Maybe better than going through a capture card but I would think not since there is one extra step of d/l the signal back to the harddisk. I would think there would be an additional loss there but maybe not.

[Floppy]

Excuse me wilst I bypass...

I believe that a Leadtek PVR 2000 is the only card you need (not costing the earth) along with of course a Videocamera and a firewire port...

This card as a lot of surprises under the bonnet.... Specially with it direct hardware encoding via a dedicated chip... Im sure you can figure out the rest...

[Clutch Cargo]

Thx for the tip Floppy. Already have a Leadtek PVR 2000 Pro version (also a ATI TV Wonder and a Turtle Beach capture card). That end of the equation is easy for capture cards. The hard part was getting a digital signal out of the 1st PC.

After talking with several video companies, there is basically no such card available. So I am working on my "plan B", overclocking my PC to 4GHz (at 3.8Ghz so far), to achieve good enough framerates to use a screen capture program like Fraps. So far I am seeing good results.

[Floppy]

Thx for the tip Floppy. Already have a Leadtek PVR 2000 Pro version (also a ATI TV Wonder and a Turtle Beach capture card). That end of the equation is easy for capture cards. The hard part was getting a digital signal out of the 1st PC.

After talking with several video companies, there is basically no such card available. So I am working on my "plan B", overclocking my PC to 4GHz (at 3.8Ghz so far), to achieve good enough framerates to use a screen capture program like Fraps. So far I am seeing good results.

Not that I want to sound doubtful or anything but....

You will never be able to tell the diference, I dont care of how much of a perfectionist you are.... Unless of course you had bionic retinas implanted...

Leadtek PVR2000 PRO....

Unless you show a link to the exact location of such card It does not exist. Leadtek dont make such wonderful machines...

[vandalous1]

there is software on this website(i am searching for it myself) that will send media player video thru firewire to camera or dv deck or dvd recorder. I assume you could send it to another computer to capture on. Or you could burn it to DVD(or miniDV) and then recapture).