Getting started

Shammy

Right , first off well done to Tallon and thanks to the mods/admins for leaving us have this section. Now down to business.

I'm looking for an easy to use editing software that has all the knick knacks.

Thank you

Bonavox

If you're looking for easy to use, and basic stuff, then Windows Movie Maker should generally suffice. Although if you have a HD capture card (HD PVR/Blackmgic Intensity Pro), then I've yet to find a way of outputting from WMM and retianing HD quality. There's probably a way of doing this (I'd be almost sure) but I've never really used it much.

With an hour or so of practice, you should get away with using something like Vegas for basic stuff, and the possibility of powerful tools are there as well. If you're on a Mac, I generally like to use Final Cut Express. Final Cut Pro is better, but for the stuff I needed, paying the extra money would be worthless.

There are others, like Avid and Adobe Premier Pro and such, but the above are generally the most used, and have the best support online and such. Shout if you need any help.

Retr0gamer

How about recording console games, especially old consoles? I was thinking of one of those USB capture devices but I've heard horror stories of them not working.

Bonavox

Retr0gamer wrote: »

How about recording console games, especially old consoles? I was thinking of one of those USB capture devices but I've heard horror stories of them not working.

It depends on what input it is. If it's composite, then you'll be grand with a Dazzle or whatever. I'm not too sure if Dazzle comes with S-video, as I know some old consoles had those. The iGrabber, however, has S-video inputs as well. I'm not entirely sure how you would go about splitting S-video into to outputs though, with composite it's only a matter of AV splitters.

Doctor DooM

Retr0gamer wrote: »

How about recording console games, especially old consoles? I was thinking of one of those USB capture devices but I've heard horror stories of them not working.

I've an easy cap on the way. I hear they can lag slightly. I will let you know.

Doctor DooM

I record street fighter tournaments regularly.

I use a combination of MPEG stream clip, iMove, occasionally a few more programs on windows which I will need to look up and a mac.

The quality isn't amazing but it's adaptable and portable and until we have our own venue for tournaments I think it's a good way of going about it.

Also picks up cheers and other ambient sound for atmosphere.

Bonavox

Doctor DooM wrote: »

I've an easy cap on the way. I hear they can lag slightly. I will let you know.

If you mean lagging while recording, then yeah, that happens a lot. The final output never really lagged for me using my EasyCap. You'll find it impossible to play without AV splitters and a second output to your TV though.

I had a terrible time finding the right splitters and stuff, so if you need any help just let me know.

NeoKubrick

Retr0gamer wrote: »

How about recording console games, especially old consoles? I was thinking of one of those USB capture devices but I've heard horror stories of them not working.

Well, as always, you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheap capture device, expect the quality to be cheap.

I have a Dazzle Platinum 170 and it captures composite and s-video, and the quality is good, especially, S-video.

Doctor DooM

Bonavox wrote: »

If you mean lagging while recording, then yeah, that happens a lot. The final output never really lagged for me using my EasyCap. You'll find it impossible to play without AV splitters and a second output to your TV though.

I had a terrible time finding the right splitters and stuff, so if you need any help just let me know.

Splitters probably won't be a problem, easy cap is only really a solution for recording matches already stored on the hard drive. Apparently there's just no way to get the lag under 1 frame with them (which you need for SF).

Shammy

Bonavox wrote: »

If you're looking for easy to use, and basic stuff, then Windows Movie Maker should generally suffice. Although if you have a HD capture card (HD PVR/Blackmgic Intensity Pro), then I've yet to find a way of outputting from WMM and retianing HD quality. There's probably a way of doing this (I'd be almost sure) but I've never really used it much.

With an hour or so of practice, you should get away with using something like Vegas for basic stuff, and the possibility of powerful tools are there as well. If you're on a Mac, I generally like to use Final Cut Express. Final Cut Pro is better, but for the stuff I needed, paying the extra money would be worthless.

There are others, like Avid and Adobe Premier Pro and such, but the above are generally the most used, and have the best support online and such. Shout if you need any help.

Movie maker is very basic and vegas and adobe are nearly professional ranging from 500 euro.

I'm looking for something in between.

Bonavox

Shammy wrote: »

Movie maker is very basic and vegas and adobe are nearly professional ranging from 500 euro.

I'm looking for something in between.

For something in between, I used to use VideoPad Pro. It's $70, but it's a user-friendly interface and will do the majority of the stuff like mixing up clips, adding soundtracks and adding effects. A Google search should bring up more info.

TheChrisD

Shammy wrote: »

Movie maker is very basic and vegas and adobe are nearly professional ranging from 500 euro.

I'm looking for something in between.

Vegas is only 500 quid if you go for Vegas Pro. I only use Vegas Movie Studio and it works fine for my style of video. You can get it for around 100 quid or so.

animaX

@ NeoKubrick: you have a grand hand view is that right? I bought a similar product recently after you recommended it for use as a VGA splitter/converter along with an xbox vga cable.

Being the cheapskate that i am, i bought a cheap knock-off from china (on ebay). Looks like it would do exactly the job i need (lag-free direct recording) but the picture quality from the converted signal is really unreliable. It was perfect at first, then i was getting nothing, then i was getting washed out colours etc etc.

Would the grand hand view be more reliable? Do you get good signals from s-video and composite?

Gelio

right . . . I have the easycap all the equipment . . . everything plugged in correctly . . but it just wont work . . i go onto the computer software and it says there is no easycap attached . . .

Any ideas???

Bonavox

ajeffares wrote: »

right . . . I have the easycap all the equipment . . . everything plugged in correctly . . but it just wont work . . i go onto the computer software and it says there is no easycap attached . . .

Any ideas???

May sound like a stupid question, but I'm assuming you have the drivers installed?

Gelio

Bonavox wrote: »

May sound like a stupid question, but I'm assuming you have the drivers installed?

Yes . . thats why its so strange

Bonavox

ajeffares wrote: »

Yes . . thats why its so strange

I know that composite capture cards can be tricky to get working, so it could be a connection. For a start, turn off your console and your close capturing programme. Disconnect everything, and reconnect them, double check everything and load up your programme and console.

Out of curiosity, which console are you using?

Shammy

I switched to cyberlink director 8 , but i'm finding that after rendering it seems a bit jerky .

Anyone use that program ?

MurfyAthea

Hey guys just want to know if easycap is good like would it be clear on youtube to see the people you shoot I will order if it is good like!

Also thanks tallon for the info on all the editing and capture devices:D

Sabre0001

Shammy wrote: »

I switched to cyberlink director 8 , but i'm finding that after rendering it seems a bit jerky .

Anyone use that program ?

I use that. I've found that you have to play around with certain settings when producing. At this stage I just hit the YouTube button because I also had problems with stuttering or massive file sizes!

Shammy

Sabre0001 wrote: »

I use that. I've found that you have to play around with certain settings when producing. At this stage I just hit the YouTube button because I also had problems with stuttering or massive file sizes!

Thats where i'm getting most of my problems , when i do hit the youtube button , i think i tryed mp2 (might be wrong) but the file turned out to be way too big.

ryanw54794

NeoKubrick wrote: »

Well, as always, you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheap capture device, expect the quality to be cheap.

I have a Dazzle Platinum 170 and it captures composite and s-video, and the quality is good, especially, S-video.

And I use a dazzle dvc 100 with s-video and problems such as colour, then using AMcap then when I record the recorded video lags.

treatyman

Hi guys...

I want to try recording some stuff... and have read Tallon's sticky guide

If i got this http://cgi.ebay.ie/Easycap-USB-2-0-Video-TV-DVD-VHS-Capture-Adapter-/390248325940?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item5adc9ce334

and this http://cgi.ebay.ie/Easycap-DC60-Easycap-Full-Gamers-Accessory-Kit-/110593524026?pt=UK_Computing_Software_Software_SR&hash=item19bfe3413a

for Xbox 360... Would I be all set?

I won't spend 200 for a PVR just yet so is this my best option?

Thanks.

Tallon

Hey treatyman, yeah that looks like the perfect purchase. Seems to have everything you need and not bad of a price.

If you get stuck setting it up, let us know