I forget if I’ve asked this before. What are you (anyone) using for HD capture?

Are you capturing via HDMI, or Component video? (if via HDMI, how do you get around HDCP?)

I’ve got a DirecTV HD DVR in the living room, and I’ve got a Firewire cable that’ll reach into the office. I use a Canopus portable device for SD capture, which works fine, but would like to now upgrade to capturing in HD. Any suggestions?

On the computer I’ll be using Sony Vegas Pro for authoring.

For me, I use firewire coming out of the back of my Comcast cable box, going into my MacBook Pro and use AVCap to capture. I cannot capture anything that has been DVR’ed; can only capture live. There are certain channels I can’t capture at all, due to the copy protection built into the signal.

Since the HDMI out of the DVR is probably HDCP protected, I’m looking at recording the Component signal. Looks like my box (DirecTV HR21) can output a 1080i signal (the manual doesn’t mention 1080p).

I’m looking at devices like
Hauppauge HD PVR
and
Elgato Game Capture HD

What I’d like is something that Sony Vegas’ capture utility can see natively, so I won’t have to use the software that comes with the device (no-one wants more software).

Anyone have thoughts on these types of devices?

I know lots of people use those Haupage PVRs. It’s not ideal, since the captured video is re-encoded from the analog RGB signal. But certainly beats just recording to DVD. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to do a direct, bit-for-bit digital capture of DirecTV like you can with firewire-enabled cable boxes.

I agree that it’s impossible to get a direct copy of recorded material from a DirecTV box. Whatever gets captured will need to be re-encoded. I don’t have a big problem with that, as long as I’m starting with the best possible image.

To that end, I’m now leaning towards an HDMI capture card:
Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity/

along with an HDCP stripper:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004F9LVXC/

and a long HDMI cable.

Black magic is what I was gonna suggest but it looks like you found it, been thinkin about one myself.
If you go with that lemme know how it goes

Well, after much fighting, I think I’m going to give up on the Blackmagic product/solution. That card (or the shuttles) require drivers to work, and I can’t get the software to install on my computer. I’ve tried many different things and spent hours on the problem, and even their support people have thrown their arms in the air. I think the only solution would be a complete OS reinstall. But that wouldn’t be any guarantee either.

So I’m moving on to the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 device. It seems like it’d be a decent solution, and I’ve just started researching it. I had looked at their Colossus card product, but the reviews seemed shaky.
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr2.html

I’ve also looked at some AVerMedia products, but not sure on them yet either.

So I’m moving on to the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 device.It seems like it’d be a decent solution, and I’ve just started researching it.I had looked at their Colossus card product, but the reviews seemed shaky. http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr2.html

I’ve also looked at some AVerMedia products, but not sure on them yet either.

Is there a way to bypass the HDCP issue and use HDMI instead of component outputs on a cable or sat box? I have 2 dvr’s filled with stuff I would like to transfer to a pc & burn to discs, would prefer to not use the component outs if possible.

zr1fevr: Is there a way to bypass the HDCP issue and use HDMI instead of component outputs on a cable or sat box?

I haven’t tried it yet, but word on the “street” is that any powered HDMI splitter is also an HDCP stripper. Models like this one on Amazon can also be found all over eBay, etc.. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004F9LVXC/

Slowly settling in on the Elgato Game Capture HD device: http://www.elgato.com/gaming/game-capture-hd

Anyone use one, or know anyone that does and can provide a review?

Ron this might help here http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/359486-Elgato-Game-Capture-or-HD-PVR-2

Here’s a clip I captured from my DirecTV DVR (HR23) using my Hauppauge Colossus. This was captured straight from the DVR to the computer via the HDMI.

The clips capture OK & look alot better than these youtube conversions, however when I try to do any simple trimming or joining (without recoding) of the clips the audio goes out of synch…

steecoe: The clips capture OK & look alot better than these youtube conversions, however when I try to do any simple trimming or joining (without recoding) of the clips the audio goes out of synch…

What are you using to trim? Try using Video Redo for trimming & editing. It’s the only thing I know of that will edit closed-GOP formats (MPEG2, MPEG4) natively, without re-encoding. I actually run a Windows virtualization setup on my machine just for this program.

JasonA: What are you using to trim? Try using Video Redo for trimming & editing. It’s the only thing I know of that will edit closed-GOP formats (MPEG2, MPEG4) natively, without re-encoding. I actually run a Windows virtualization setup on my machine just for this program.

Thanks, I’ll look for it. I was trying to use TSmuxer in the same manner as I had been with other files but these don’t wanna play nice for some reason.