Recording video from Amiga 1200 / Indivision

[sbergmann]

I have an Amiga 1200 with an Indivision AGA MK2cr flickerfixer. Does anyone have experience with recording the video from the flickerfixer's DVI port and the audio from the Amiga's audio output? Any pointers to video grabbers would be appricated. Such a video grabber would ideally connect via USB to computer running Linux or Windows for recording.

[ajk]

Do you want to particularly record some screen modes that only the Indivision produces? It's easy and cheap to record from the Amiga's own outputs with USB capture devices.

Recording VGA/DVI/HDMI is certainly possible but devices for it (e.g. Blackmagic Intensity, Hauppauge Colossus) are somewhat more expensive, and they are usually internal PCI cards rather than USB devices due to the required bandwidth. It should be possible now with USB3, though.

Personally I usually capture either as s-video (using one of AmigaManiac's adapters) or as analog RGB from the Amiga's own video port.

[sbergmann]

TBH, I did not expect to be able capture from the Amiga's own outputs. Can you recommend an adapter for that? Thanks!

[ajk]

The simplest option is to capture the A1200's composite output using for example this device. I have both the EzCap and also a similar ATI600 USB capture device, though the latter is now out of production.

Both of these also capture s-video, which gives better quality, but as the A1200 doesn't directly have an s-video output you'd need to get an adapter for that separately. The next step up from s-video is to capture the RGB output directly from the video port, but I am not aware of a cheap USB device that can do that, they are mostly PCI cards.

Here is a [ Show youtube player ]. I should really re-upload that since YouTube allows 50 fps these days.

All this really depends on the quality of capture needed. What have you got in mind?

[Retrofan]

@ajk I had already seen your video and it has the best quality I've ever seen.

[sbergmann]

@ajk The quality of the video capture demonstrated in the YouTube video is good enough. Did you capture that using the EzCap? And if so, was it done from the native Composite output or did you use S-Video? Thanks!

[ajk]

The A4000 video is captured as RGB, using a PCI card.

Here is [ Show youtube player ]. It is of a C64 and not an Amiga, but the results will be similar regardless of the machine. That is recorded with the EzCap.

I'd recommend getting the EzCap, it's quite affordable and you'll be able to see for yourself what the quality is like. You can always upgrade later on if necessary, without losing much money.

AmigaManiac is out of the scene these days but kipper2k might have s-video adapters available.

[sbergmann]

Thanks! I sent kipper2k an email.

[sbergmann]

Has anybody heard anything from kipper2k recently? I have not heard back from him yet, no response to email or private message here in the forum.

Does somebody else offer RGB to S-Video adapters? Thanks!

[ajk]

One option would be to modify an A520 for the purpose.

[sbergmann]

Thanks for the pointer, ajk, but I have no experience with soldering / modifying hardware like that.

[ajk]

Doesn't mean you can't get someone else to do it for you As far as I know all the RGB-to-s-video converters are homebrew projects so their availability will be quite random.

One exception might be a GVP G-Lock, which has an s-video output alongside the other functionality. But the output on it is not automatically active, so it might not suit every situation.

[sbergmann]

True, I don't have to do it myself. But I would need to find an A520 and then somebody to modify it. That's not really worth it to me, TBH.

A ready-to-use homebrew solution such as http://kipper2k.com/svideo.html is what I am looking for. I guess I have to hope that kipper2k responds eventually (or that somebody else offers a similar solution).

[mark_k]

Since you're in Europe you might have an RGB/SCART cable for your Amiga already. You could buy a SCART to S-video converter. Those often don't cost much used on eBay, since few people use them these days. Plus you could use it with other RGB-outputting devices like game consoles.

For example here's one (Shinybow SB-3680) from a UK eBay seller for £15 incl. UK delivery:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191553491538

They come up from time to time. I bought one for less than that before.

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by ajk

Personally I usually capture either as s-video (using one of AmigaManiac's adapters) or as analog RGB from the Amiga's own video port.

What hardware do you use for capturing the RGB output?

[ajk]

@mark_k

I have a StarTech video capture card for capturing RGB or digital video.

[mark_k]

Thanks. How does that card work for capturing non-interlaced video, like from most Amiga games/demos? Have you used it to capture non-interlaced video from any other computers or consoles?

Also, it seems to have component video analogue input, not RGB. Did you have to use an RGB-to-component converter with it?

[ajk]

The A4000 [ Show youtube player ] is captured with the StarTech card. I don't have gaming consoles but when I did research on what card to get, people did seem to be using this or a similar card with consoles also.

[demolition]

Is it the PEXHDCAP that you use for RGB capturing (through VGA) or some older model?

Also, is it effective for direct pass-through to show the Amiga screen on the PC monitor?

[ajk]

@demolition

It should be that one, unless there is some really similar other model. I'm at work right now so I can't check what it exactly says on the box.

The software that came with the card was, let's say, glitchy, so it wouldn't be very useful for real-time monitoring (e.g. for gaming purposes). The recordings came out fine once all the settings were correct. There might be other software better suited for live viewing, I suppose.