Elgato : Video Capture
Elgato have pretty covered most of our video needs with TV encoders (and EyeTV) for our TV capturing and editing needs. The Turbo.264 HD allows us to encode footage directly from AVCHD camcorders and virtually any other video format. Now the company tackles our analogue video needs in the form of “Video Capture”
Video Capture package is a USB device with Composite / RCA and S-Video inputs,a SCART adaptor for connecting to a range of devices and a CD containing the really easy to use Video Capture software. One of the biggest selling points is the device captures directly to the H.264 / MPEG-4 format that is iTunes and iPod friendly.
The device arrived in perfect time as I have a video produced in 1986 on VHS that I needed for a presentation at the end of this week. Traditionally we opted for using a Video to DVD recorder (capturing in real time) we then had to handbrake the DVD for editing in Final Cut or iMovie. This device offers a direct to edit workflow.
I decided the best way to test the device was to connect it to the various analogue devices I could easily get my hands on and import a section of video from each. The list includes a video recorder, Sky+ set top box and a Xbox 360 console.
The video (above) shows 30 seconds of output from these various sources that was imported into iMovie for adding titles. Note the video hasn’t been adjusted or enhanced in anyway.
Over the years I have found capturing from analogue devices to be particularly problematic. Low video quality, incorrect dimensions and frequent audio issues have dogged the experience so much I have sat with VHS tapes on my to-do list for a number of years.
The Video Capture software features a very simple workflow that steps through a number of stages before final capture. These stages check both the video and audio settings to ensure the best possible recording is achieved.
Once you have installed the software you can connect the Video Capture hardware directly via a free USB port. Obviously such a system is going to be best suited for Macbook and Macbook Pro users who can move their computers close to the likes of Sky+ boxes etc. Elgato have also included an RCA extension cable for those hard to reach devices.
The first stage is to select the video input, i.e. S-Video or RCA and the video size (4:3 or 16:4).
The next stage is to check the audio is coming through to the computer and then it is off to the large red record button. The software allows you to either man the recording and click stop when it is complete or alternatively you can set the duration of the recording and let the Elgato Video Capture system do the rest.
For testing purposes I monitored the recording directly but the ability to capture for set time periods is particularly useful when capturing old VHS tapes etc.
Once the recording is completed you can trim the ends of the video (if necessary) before it is saved into your My Movies folder. Finally you have the option of watching your recording in Quicktime (or iTunes) or further edit with iMovie. If you are happy with the recording and want to share it with the world direct export to YouTube is also just a click away.
I think looking at the show reel of captures (above) it is easily to see the value in the Elgato Video Capture system. To be honest I am especially happy with the VHS recording as much of the noise visible on the TV screen has been ignored in the recording making the imported footage of a higher visual standard than the original. The baby featured in the video is now considerably older and excited about seeing the clips.
The Sky recording looks as good as the TV but the recording from the console looks a little darker than the reality. I am sure the brightness could be tweaked a little but I think the quality is as good as game footage I have seen featured in TV programmes etc.
One slight negative was I found I had to play the game through the laptop screen as my TV didn’t offer any form or video out from an HDMI device. Again this is a very small negative and I sure there is a better way to connect the device to the Xbox to overcome these issues.
I love this device as it serves a genuine need I face on a regular basis. TV recorded on Sky+ and old videos on VHS are now easily transfered to a digital format using the Elgato device. In reality this little USB device will record virtually anything with an RCA or S-Video output.
The Elgato Video Capture package is a perfect combination of top quality video hardware coupled with really easy to use software. Analogue video brilliance !
DigMo! ★★★★★
The devices costs £89.75
Click here for more information (non-affiliate link).
As a side effect – does it also act as a method of using a laptop screen as a way of viewing composite/S-video outputs? For live video mixing, I end up carting a VGA monitor and a composite-to-VGA converter box with me to hook up to the video mixer.
So for Mac laptop users, will this allow them to just hook it straight up to the USB and use some kind of live preview function?
I hope this answers the question. If you connect a composite device you do see it live (and hear it) in a preview window. You can then hit the red button to record that feed if you so desire.
It won’t give you a full-screen preview though Alan – it’s restricted to a window inside the capture application.
I want to ask a question. Can you view the Sky + video on full screen without actually recording to MP4? I’m wanting to use the Elgato as a video in to watch regular TV on my iMac.
No, this is not possible. You can record whatever your sky box is playing but you won’t be able to watch it full screen on your imac with this version.
Thanks for getting back to me. Do you know of a product that can do this?
( I’m wanting to use the Elgato as a video in to watch regular TV on my iMac.)
If you want to watch TV on your mac then any of the Elgato TV adaptors would work perfectly for you ? They can access all the current Freeview channels and the software also allows you to record TV (as well as pause etc). Check out http://www.digmo.co.uk/hardware/eyetv-250-plus-excellent/
and for information on the EyeTV software here http://www.digmo.co.uk/software/eyetv-30/
Just what I’m looking for! Looks excellent. Any chance I could borrow/rent it for about a week to see if I really want one?
[...] those tapes that are considered gems of learning we plan to use the Elgato video capture device (read our full review) to convert these to [...]
I’m looking for a cheap way to use a macbook pro to monitor what a camera operator is framing on set, the above mentions that a full screen preview isn’t possible with this unit, is there any other device that will transfer a signal from an rca and be able to view full screen without recording?
Thanks, Mark.
In the past, Video Capture systems which record directly to MPG4 exhibit a problem with the audio becoming out-of-sync with the video after a long (say 1 hour) recording. Do you know if this Elgato Video Capture device exhibits similar problems? Thanks.
I’ve been doing research for quite awhile now, and have almost settled 100% on this product, except I have yet one question be answered. Is there any delay between the interactions on an xbox 360 controller, and the picture on your computer monitor? And if so, is there a way to fix it? I know, with the eyeTV software there is a way to fix the delay, but the Elgato video capture isn’t included with eyeTV software….
Thanks.
Further to my earlier post, I purchased the Elgato Video Capture device for testing within the 15-day store return policy. My setup was to simply record a 1 hour TV program and create an MPEG4 file. I have to say that the Elgato Software User Interface is excellent and easy to use. However, at the end of the 1-hour capture, the audio (lip-sync) was approximately 1/2 second out-of-sync with the video, so I returned the unit for credit. After some investigation, I believe I have discovered the problem, and it fundamentally rests with the MPEG4 design. When an MPEG4 clip is started, an absolute time reference is created to keep the audio and video in sync. However, further along in the MPEG4 data stream, the audio time reference markers are relative to the previous marker, therefore allowing an accumulation of small errors to occur. Only an absolute time marker can correct the accumulation of errors, and you only get an absolute marker at the beginning of a new clip. Therefore, for normal home video use, and even long continuous shots up to 5 or 10 minutes, the accumulated relative audio slip is not noticeable, and certainly, is corrected when a new clip commences. However, when a continuous 1 or 2 hour recording is made from an existing source, such as a VHS tape or a live TV broadcast, the accumulation of relative time-slips becomes noticeable. The only way to repair such an MPEG4 clip is to use some software (the names for which I do not know) that will strip out the audio and video, then re-construct the audio and correct the time slip, the re-build the result into a more predictable format such as MOV. So, in conclusion, although I love the ease of use of the Elgato Video Capture device, Elgato has based their product upon a flawed hardware encoding system, such as MPEG4, which was never designed for long time-period clips. My advice for anybody considering any MPEG4-based system is to be aware of the long time-clip audio-sync problem and keep the clip duration under 10 minutes. This could be done with a VHS capture by simply capturing several 10 minute clips, with overlap, then editing the overlap and re-building the original VHS content in iMovie. Although this appears to be a lot of effort, the only other alternative is to find a capture system which records directly to MOV format instead of MPEG4 format.
Thanks a lot.
Well if MPEG4 is only good for 10 min at a time, then what about certain devices that use MPEG1 or certain levels of MPEG2??? Would the audio and video still be out of sync then? Maybe a longer period of time?
Thanks.
Would the elgato video capture be able to have no lag LIKE THIS???
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BUXy2tgOP4&feature=related
I have used the device numerous times and I haven’t seen any lag at any point. That said I haven’t captured hours worth of footage at a time but it worked perfectly every time I used it.