Is this what you wanted to do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UWyY4Pf8go

Ignore the fact that this is done with an XBOX 360 as the VGA source. Any VGA signal that you plug into the TV tuner should work. The TV tuner is HD so it won't degrade the signal down to standard TV resolution.

There is an existing thread with more details.

Also that video confuses more than it helps. Most of the terms he uses are wrong.

It's not a TV tuner, it's a VGA to S-Video / Composite converter.

It will give you analogue, interlaced S-Video tops, not a progressive HD signal.

And red and white doesn't go into "surround sound".

EDIT: OMG

He uses the composite output! He could have just used the Composite cable of the Xbox and gone straight into the USB capture card.

What I used so far:

VGA to S-Video converter box and USB S-Video capture device.

VGA to HDMI converter box and HDMI capture device (usually PCIe)

The first option is really cheap, and good for 640 x 480 but nothing more.

VGA to HDMI is much better quality, but the gear will cost a little bit more.

Some VGA cards have component out, so you could save the converter box and get a capture card that uses component.

For 800 bucks I would get the PCIe versions.

I gave up on the unreasonably overpriced VGA converting bullcrap and went the s-video composite route too.

Well as far as I have noticed the typical conversion from VGA to S-Video incorporates a considerable drop in quality and a questionable graphics mode compatibility. This is probably not different to a Video-Out of more modern graphics cards that support this. I would like to prevent this.

From this page there are just a few HDMI capture cards available that go for $200+
http://www.videohelp.com/capturecards?Capture … 0&Search=Search

How 'mode compatible' is a VGA to HDMI converter?

VGA to HDMI converters are very compatible. They sell for around 50 bucks on ebay.

I agree with you that S-Video is quite basic. It get's the job done for 640 x 480, but you need to deinterlace the signal and no point trying higher resolutions.

If you have an ATI or Nvidia card with Component out, then you don't need any converter.

Around 100 Euros for this capture card: http://geizhals.at/a533217.html

Or from Haupauge for 140: http://geizhals.at/a632857.html

some 3dfx's have svideo/component out too 😀

Good to know!