Video Capture Card Suitable for Playing Games?

[biolizard89]

This one?
http://www.amazon.com/KWorld-Expert-Video-Maker-KW-USB2800D/dp/B000234SMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312487236&sr=8-1

Yes, that's the one.

As a side note, if you're on Windows Vista/7, don't install the drivers that come on the CD; just plug it into your PC and let Windows install its drivers automatically.  (I'm told that the drivers on the CD are for XP only.)  I'm currently using Debut for capturing/viewing the video as per dcx2's suggestion... I heard that the software that comes on the CD is crap, so I never tried it.

[dcx2]

Looks like it.  The Amazon says the model number is KW-USB2800D while newegg says the model number is VS- USB2800.  Close enough.

Yeah, I didn't use the crap that came on the CD.  I never use CD crap, always download the latest from the manufacturer web site (assuming Windows doesn't just recognize it).

If someone finds another good and free video capture app I'm all for it.

[CosmoCortney]

Also, i use Blackmagic Intensity Pro. It's an PCIe capture card, with Component, HDMI, Composide and s-video input and output (for playback to tv)
But you need a really fast HDD. Unfortunetly 480p isn't supported. But 480i, 720p/i and 1080i.
Same capture card is as USB 3.0 version avaiable, too^^

[biolizard89]

Also, i use Blackmagic Intensity Pro. It's an PCIe capture card, with Component, HDMI, Composide and s-video input and output (for playback to tv)
But you need a really fast HDD. Unfortunetly 480p isn't supported. But 480i, 720p/i and 1080i.
Same capture card is as USB 3.0 version avaiable, too^^

I've heard of the Blackmagic Intensity Pro; I'm on a laptop so I can't use PCIe, and I couldn't find any reviews of the USB3 version's lag or lack thereof.  Is the USB3 version completely lag free for gaming purposes?  Also, does the driver show up as a standard DirectShow video device in Windows (i.e. works with any video capture program), or does it require its own program to display?

[CosmoCortney]

the blackmagic intensity pro usb 3.0 version (shuttle) isn't compatible to every capture program. but there is a capture program avaiable on the producer's webside. the program is called blackmagic media express.
and it's compatible to adobe premiere pro and a couple number of other programs. but i don't know if the usb 3.0 version is lag free. but i think it will lag. because of that i recommand to connect the playback interfaces back to your tv. so you can play it on your tv as usual and record it to your pc on same time.
Also if you want to record your videos from your wii:
Do not set the graphics of your wii to 480p. plug in the Wii's component cable to the input interfaces of the black magic intensity shuttle. one more component cable is required, to connect the shuttle's playback interfaces to your tv's input interfaces. now connect the shuttle via USB 3.0 to your laptop and start media express. after you set the preferences correctly, you will see the video on the right side of media express and on your tv.

but please note:
installing and setting up the preferences is sometimes a bit complicated.
you need a really fast hdd. (like 7200rpm)
no sound will be displayed in media express. (only way to verify that you will record the sound is by having a look to the sound's graph)
the quality often the captured video often looks a bit grappy. but captured videos from the hdmi interface looks pretty good.
if you record longer videos, it could happen that the sound wont be synchrone to the video.

[biolizard89]

the blackmagic intensity pro usb 3.0 version (shuttle) isn't compatible to every capture program. but there is a capture program avaiable on the producer's webside. the program is called blackmagic media express.
and it's compatible to adobe premiere pro and a couple number of other programs. but i don't know if the usb 3.0 version is lag free. but i think it will lag. because of that i recommand to connect the playback interfaces back to your tv. so you can play it on your tv as usual and record it to your pc on same time.
Also if you want to record your videos from your wii:
Do not set the graphics of your wii to 480p. plug in the Wii's component cable to the input interfaces of the black magic intensity shuttle. one more component cable is required, to connect the shuttle's playback interfaces to your tv's input interfaces. now connect the shuttle via USB 3.0 to your laptop and start media express. after you set the preferences correctly, you will see the video on the right side of media express and on your tv.

but please note:
installing and setting up the preferences is sometimes a bit complicated.
you need a really fast hdd. (like 7200rpm)
no sound will be displayed in media express. (only way to verify that you will record the sound is by having a look to the sound's graph)
the quality often the captured video often looks a bit grappy. but captured videos from the hdmi interface looks pretty good.
if you record longer videos, it could happen that the sound wont be synchrone to the video.

So yeah, in that case this is kind of irrelevant to this thread.  If you have a TV handy, yes, any capture card is usable for recording gameplay.  My post was about actually gaming with the capture card (without a TV).  You may or may not have figured this out based on my other posts (based on your post count I'm guessing you're unaware), but the reason I brought up this question was because I was running the Wii's output into Stereoscopic Player for 3D gaming, so the capture card had to be 100% lag-free since the PC was the display used by the gamer.  (I released the relevant code a while after I made this thread.)  I realize that my use case is somewhat extreme; I'm still amazed at how good the KWorld USB capture card is at this... I wasn't expecting to find anything that's playable, but the KWorld is better than playable; it feels perfect.  Nice video quality via S-Video as well.

But, regardless, thank you for sharing the info.  :)