Micomsoft SC-500N1 RGB Capture Card

[Fudoh]

will be interesting to see if the USB3 version can keep the latency as low as the PCIe versions.

[lettuce]

will be interesting to see if the USB3 version can keep the latency as low as the PCIe versions.

Is there latency issues with devices like the, Black Magic Intensity Shuttle or Elagto then? Im really tempted to get one, is Micomsoft the only supplier that stock these for shipping to Euro land?

Just a shame they didnt implement a non PC use option, so you could just hockup a USB HDD and capture directly to that thus removing the need for the PC

What the the 'Output' ports for, surely for capturing you just need 'Input'?

[Fudoh]

Is there latency issues with devices like the, Black Magic Intensity Shuttle or Elagto then?

you can't compare the two. Elgato uses a live h.264 encoder which takes time, so the lag is too high for live-play anyway. BMD devices always deliver uncompressed video to the PC. I didn't read anything about the latency of the external BMDs compared to the internal ones.

Just a shame they didnt implement a non PC use option, so you could just hockup a USB HDD and capture directly to that thus removing the need for the PC

which would require an build-in encoder - totally different approach.

[lettuce]

I guess, it was the Avermedia Game capture unit i was looking at.

Also the black magic has the option to using thunderbolt as well

[Fudoh]

Thunderbolt is technically similar to a bi-directional display port. No lag issues with that. USB on the other hand - not so sure about that.

[Thrill]

I'm torn between purchasing the Shuttle, SC-512 or XCAPTURE-1.

I have read numerous things about the Blackmagic and it's pass through (which is the real selling point for me). Some say it is lagless and others say it is not. Example: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showth ... p=23713830

That says the internal and external products are the same (post 3). Another cool thing about the Blackmagic products is able to input component and output via HDMI. It seems that for the SC and XCAPTURE-1 you need to input and output with the same standard which adds to cable mess (plus really sucky if you have an LCD without component input).

[BuckoA51]

Well seeing as Microsoft are dropping the "Disable desktop composition" option from Windows 8 onwards anyway, I think low-latency video capture is a thing of the past at least on Windows. Perhaps versions of Linux will work better though.

[lettuce]

Why are they dropping it?

[BuckoA51]

Metro/Modern/Windows Store/Tiles whatever they finally decide to call them need it to be enabled and since that's the start menu now it needs desktop composition on all the time.

[lettuce]

Well i cant see me moving to windows 8 any time soon, so nothing to worry about for at least the next few years

[lettuce]

I'll defo be getting one of these XCAPTURE-1 device, its the only device on the market that can do 240p all the way upto 1080p 60fps!!!

This whole CPU usage and clock locking is pissing me off now, havent used the Capture card in the last 2 days and just notice my CPU is stuck at full clock speed and hasnt entered its power saving state because of this damn Micomsoft PCI card

[dieKatze88]

I'll defo be getting one of these XCAPTURE-1 device, its the only device on the market that can do 240p all the way upto 1080p 60fps!!!

This whole CPU usage and clock locking is pissing me off now, havent used the Capture card in the last 2 days and just notice my CPU is stuck at full clock speed and hasnt entered its power saving state because of this damn Micomsoft PCI card

This is pretty fricking annoying on the ExpressCard Version too. I wouldn't be that annoyed if it would change the setting back when it's done capturing.

[kazuo]

Haven't tried this myself yet, but seems quite obvious: if you the software records in 720x240 than of course the pixel ratio is completely off. You can apply linedoubling in the postprocessing and up it to 720x480p (which is still no square pixel ratio)... Some players ignore the actual pixel ratio, while others ignore any flags and only go by the pixel ratio. 720x480p is treated as 4:3 in most players, but will show up wider than 4:3 on Youtube.

If you put a 720x240 into a file container which supports custom ratios (e.g. MKV) and enter a 4:3 ratio, then it will properly show up in nearly every player. No idea about Youtube though. If you want the original TV ratio in Youtube you have to convert the 720x240 recording to 640x480.

Just curious, but, has anyone figured out a workaround for this, if one is possible? I'm trying to capture 240p sources via RGB->Sync Strike through the card's DVI port (using a VGA->DVI-A cable) for live streaming and I cannot get the aspect ratio to display correctly. Amarec can display the image correctly if I adjust the view size, but I'd rather not resort to screen capture for this for a variety of reasons.

Amarec view: http://i.imgur.com/Z25ZJVh.jpg
OBS view (live stream software): http://i.imgur.com/nfs6olf.png

I have not tried Xsplit yet. Thanks for any advice with this.

[lettuce]

Haven't tried this myself yet, but seems quite obvious: if you the software records in 720x240 than of course the pixel ratio is completely off. You can apply linedoubling in the postprocessing and up it to 720x480p (which is still no square pixel ratio)... Some players ignore the actual pixel ratio, while others ignore any flags and only go by the pixel ratio. 720x480p is treated as 4:3 in most players, but will show up wider than 4:3 on Youtube.

If you put a 720x240 into a file container which supports custom ratios (e.g. MKV) and enter a 4:3 ratio, then it will properly show up in nearly every player. No idea about Youtube though. If you want the original TV ratio in Youtube you have to convert the 720x240 recording to 640x480.

Just curious, but, has anyone figured out a workaround for this, if one is possible? I'm trying to capture 240p sources via RGB->Sync Strike through the card's DVI port (using a VGA->DVI-A cable) for live streaming and I cannot get the aspect ratio to display correctly. Amarec can display the image correctly if I adjust the view size, but I'd rather not resort to screen capture for this for a variety of reasons.

Amarec view: http://i.imgur.com/Z25ZJVh.jpg
OBS view (live stream software): http://i.imgur.com/nfs6olf.png

I have not tried Xsplit yet. Thanks for any advice with this.

Have you tried enabling 'Scanline doubler' in the AmaRec settings?

[Ed Oscuro]

Metro/Modern/Windows Store/Tiles whatever they finally decide to call them need it to be enabled and since that's the start menu now it needs desktop composition on all the time.

I was hoping that maybe the return to the Start menu in Windows 8.1 would reverse the desktop composition decision, but apparently not. In any case, there is a workaround (as always):

http://osu.ppy.sh/forum/t/141175

Firefox is starting to remind me of Windows with a ton of things you have to tweak in order to get a clean but full-featured old-fashioned look. Of course unlike Microsoft, Mozilla's design decisions usually make sense. Anyway this isn't the place to rant about Microsoft, but sheesh...Microsoft.

Perhaps this will be an option in the future. Seeks to be binary-compatible with Windoze.

[BuckoA51]

I'll have to give that a try when I get back to the UK, that's excellent news if true. I need to stay on the latest windows for work so anything that helps with Windows 8's perculiarities is great news. I guess you could stlll use a start menu replacement rather than the metro start screen if needed?

Also, Start Menu isn't coming back with 8.1, only the start button, still much better though.

[Thrill]

Found SC-512 clone.

http://www.advantech.com/products/DVP-7 ... B2F88.aspx

[lettuce]

Have placed my card for sale in the trading forum, http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 90#p933890

if anyone is wanting one

[bitkid]

I heard that these cards are all originally manufactured by a company called Yuan High-Tech (see http://www.yuan.com.tw/en/products/sing ... models.htm). They have a card with the same model number. Anyone here have any experience with their cards? I have a quad channel HDMI capture card from them (SC510 N4 HDMI) and the configuration UI looks very similar to the config panel for the StarTech SC-500N1 card.

[bitkid]

Woo-hoo I'm getting a Yuan SC510 N1 card to play around with at work. I'll let people know if its the same as Micomsoft and StarTech cards.

[Fudoh]

which exact model are you getting ? On their website I don't a 510 version similar to the 500N1.

Other than that the cards are certainly identical. The 512-N1-L is listed right there on their page and it's identical to Micomsoft's version (minus the passthrough daughter board).

[Thrill]

I ordered the 512 myself. Will see how it goes. Should be here about Wednesday.

[bitkid]

Oh, I was gonna order the SC 510 N1, which has the SDI input, HDMI, DVI, and component video. It seemed the closest to me. You think that the 512 N1-L is an exact clone of the Micomsoft? I can ask them to send me either one, or maybe even both.

[Thrill]

You think that the 512 N1-L is an exact clone of the Micomsoft?

Well Micomsoft just buy the card from Yuan as do Advantech and StarTech so yes.

[Thrill]

Got the SC-512 today.

The pass through works without any software loaded and seems lagless. Even playing from my monitor is fine.

Unfortunately the 100% CPU bug does exist but this means the bug is in the driver (not hardware) and fixable. We just need to alert them.

[BuckoA51]

Any ideas where the SC-512 can be purchased in the UK?

[blizzz]

Any ideas where the SC-512 can be purchased in the UK?

I think the most popular store is Solaris. I don't think there's any EU based store that sells it. Importing one would cost 80€ for shipping and customs here :/

[Fudoh]

If you don't need one right now, I would give it a little more time. I'm quite certain that Startech might upgrade their version later on this year. 1080p capture is a selling point.

[BuckoA51]

Yes my thoughts exactly

[Fudoh]

I think Microsoft announced last week that the XBOne would work with existing capture devices - which would mean the output will remain HDCP-free. This alone will push the demand for 1080p capturing A LOT towards christmas.