elianda wrote:

S-Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNWj-alq0RE
RGB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aQ85b8tVZE

While there is some difference, it's not huge by any means. As long as you avoid composite, capturing gives good results.

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

elianda wrote:

S-Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNWj-alq0RE
RGB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aQ85b8tVZE

While there is some difference, it's not huge by any means. As long as you avoid composite, capturing gives good results.

Well, it is a bit more complicated.
On some systems the intermixing of the signals by using composite is used to get a characteristic blurring of pixels. It is like a short range linear interpolation perpendicular to the pixels edges.
Such systems should be captured using composite (like C64).
this shows f.e. also with the subpixel Antialiasing in Mahoneys "Princess in the Kingdom of Subpixels".
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=97768

Yea and some C64 have better video chips than others.

This guy does S-Video C64 game tests: http://www.youtube.com/user/Polaventris

And the results are very good I must say.

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

Yea and some C64 have better video chips than others.

This guy does S-Video C64 game tests: http://www.youtube.com/user/Polaventris

And the results are very good I must say.

There are two slightly different video chips used in C64s. Which one to choose for capturing depends on the content and for which VIC2 it was made. It is the same as for the different SID models (or wavetable soundcards if you like).
So there is no best solution because:
Most original would be directly from the developers machine.
Personally best depends on your own current preference.
This can be different from the preference of other users.

Still there are choices that are definitely wrong, f.e. if you have an early C64 game from the time where only breadbox C64s existed and you take a new C64 with new VIC2 color palette and new SID 8580 for capturing.

The next step would be then to decide to capture S-video or composite where you have to take a look if the content you are going to capture makes use of composite video features to generate graphical effects that are suppressed with s-video.
Typical content is f.e. HiRes color graphics or even Interlaced graphics where some amount of blending and blurring is very well intended.
(as side note: This is also the reason why there is so much effort in emulators to get a PAL emulation like in Micro64)

So it is better to rate captures with two different qualities, one for capture itself and the second quality for the correct playback choice.

Digging out this older thread, I would add something you have to take care of when capturing with the AverMedia Gamebroadcaster from HDMI and even other HDMI capture cards:

NVidia cards HDMI output usually limits the RGB range to 16-235, even if you set 0-255 in the nvidia control panel options - it is simply ignored.
In the captured video this results in black appearing dark gray and a pronounced dynamic range (compressed to 85.5%).
Actually I have seen this issue but as the control panel setting had no effect I thought it was a limit of the Avermedia card, but then I discovered this:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1591583
(tool: http://madshi.net/madNvLevelsTweaker.zip)
It is a tool that forces the card to use the full range 0-255 output. I compared captures with the different settings and it really shows. Now black is really black.
This seems an annoying flaw in the current NVidia drivers. I can't speak for other brands though.

Thank you for the insight!

vetz,
Could you write a full list of games that are not compatible with the Avermedia Game Broadcaster HD ?
Thank you.

Current games I cannot record with the Avermedia:

Matrox Mystique MSI games:
- Screamer 2 and Screamer Rally in MSI on the Matrox Mystique (both normal and 220 versions)

Creative 3D Blaster VLB:
ALL supported games. The only thing that works is the diagnostic software which tests 640x480.

Problem cards/games:
- Destruction Derby on S3 Virge. Requires a GX2 with TV output to be able to capture from VGA output.
- Voodoo 1 and Voodoo 2, image does not align properly in 800x600 resolutions. Capture with Voodoo 3/4/5, Banshee to solve.
- STB S3 Virge VX card does not want to sync in S3D games. Solve this by using other S3 Virge cards.
- Matrox Millennium does not always align properly in NASCAR Racing. Solve by using editing software to realign image correctly.
- Nvidia Nv1 does not want to sync if NV1 games are run fullscreen. Solve by capturing games in Windowed mode and then using editing software to stretch image to give a fullscreen apperance.
- Nvidia Nv1 does not align properly in Battle Arena Toshinden (see my video on youtube). No solution as of yet.
- Destruction Derby 2 on Matrox Mystique and many ATI Rage (ATICIF) requires positive/negative vertical sync to be set to NP (Negative-Postive). This can be done through the driver software or Powerstrip.

Thank you very much! 😀

Managed to get Scorched Planet on Matrox Mystique to sync. As I suspected you just need to find the right settings in Powerstrip. The trick is to set visible lines above 450 when you have 640x400 selected. Save it as a custom resolution. Switch back to 640x480 and then back to 640x400. You now have sync.

On the Matrox Mystique 220 I could sync with Negative-Postive polarity. The "original" Mystique required Negative-Negative.

This trick does not solve Screamer 2/Rally in DOS, as I do now know of any tools that can force hertz changes.

elianda wrote:

NVidia cards HDMI output usually limits the RGB range to 16-235, even if you set 0-255 in the nvidia control panel options - it […]
Show full quote

NVidia cards HDMI output usually limits the RGB range to 16-235, even if you set 0-255 in the nvidia control panel options - it is simply ignored.
In the captured video this results in black appearing dark gray and a pronounced dynamic range (compressed to 85.5%).
Actually I have seen this issue but as the control panel setting had no effect I thought it was a limit of the Avermedia card, but then I discovered this:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1591583
(tool: http://madshi.net/madNvLevelsTweaker.zip)
It is a tool that forces the card to use the full range 0-255 output. I compared captures with the different settings and it really shows. Now black is really black.
This seems an annoying flaw in the current NVidia drivers. I can't speak for other brands though.

Looks like the nVidia card is outputting video in a YUV colorspace friendly format even though its RGB video. Very annoying.

That Nvidia issue with HDMI is fixed now. I have a Samsung LCD with HDMI and driven by a GTX660. Full RGB range now works.

Back to the AverMedia!

I just got the card and doing all sorts of test.

With VGA capture I noticed that, depending on the card, the image is shifted a little to the left or to the right. Meaning there is either a 2 pixel wide black line on either side and on the other side as many pixels are cut off from the image. I only noticed now using my EagleEyesTM 😀

So I tried various cards:

Matrox is shifting the image to the right. Nvidia is shifting the image to the left. Tried an S3 AGP card (which is faulty as it has wrong gamma or brightness is off) and the image is perfect!

Also tried an ISA Diamond Speedstar 24X and the image is also shifted. Will try the ET4000 next.

Made a photo album of various cards: http://imgur.com/a/zrJ0B#0

Sorry for bumping the old thread, but i have a real problem (repost it as new thread if needed). I'm using:

* AVerMedia C027 PCIe HD (AverMedia DarkCrystal HD Capture Pro)
* chinese device without brand "VGA to HDMI Adapter HD VGA R/L Audio" with external power supply

* Sega Dreamcast with VGA cable that has output 640x480 60
* i will test it on my 3DFX hardware later, but not now

vetz wrote:

2. Then select DirectShow, Avermedia HD Capture and the sound device that has the sound input.

In my capture device there is two ports, the first for digital signal and second for analog. So "secondary" means digital.

vetz wrote:

6. On the next one select 60FPS as framerate and then 640x480 resolution. (select higher if you intend to capture in higher resolutions)

My capture device has no option with 640x480, also it can only output 59.940 fps. Can i unlock 640x480 somehow? The only available option is 720x480.

vetz wrote:

sync the image on another computer unplug the VGA cable and connect it to the other machine.

I did - helped a little, but final result - still has no sync. Here is example of what i've got:

short video:

1https://youtu.be/aiX9i9gsfa4

any solutions? Maybe i did something wrong? Thanks. (image is perfectly synced and stable on my TV with HDMI, only AVerMedia has this problem)

Hello,
Anyone know, how set for a minute resolution 640x480 for start capture, with another method like start Tomb Rider ?
I want capture screen from 386SX with 4 mb of ram and realtek 512Kb. TR dos'n work.

Yes, sorry, i forget Phils bench pack !

Use some pic viewer like lxpic/pv with a target mode of 640x480x16 ?

Ar2r4eg wrote:

Anyone know, how set for a minute resolution 640x480 for start capture, with another method like start Tomb Rider ?

Run this in QBasic:

1SCREEN 12