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ruggar

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Need VGA Capture Card Recommendations

I am looking for recommendations for a VGA capture card. I have two systems; system A is linux and cannot have anything installed on it, system B is a Windows machine and I can "have at it". System A, the linux machine, has some custom developed apps that I need to create a "how to" training video for. Since I cannot install anything on it I thought the easiest thing to do is a F/M DB15 in to a capture card and record the screen that way.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
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ruggar

ASKER

Errr HD15 not DB15.
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You need a VGA frame grabber device.   These can be quite expensive, although Pixel-Smart has a reasonably priced model that should work for this application ($349):  http://www.pixelsmart.com/vga.html?gclid=CLyfh_TkhpUCFRdinAodK3NPqQ

If the Linux box supports s-video output to a TV ... and if that's good enough quality for your training purposes ... you can use a much-less expensive TV tuner card to capture the output.

... but if you need to capture full VGA resolution you'll need a frame grabber designed for that purpose.   Pixel-Smart has a couple of better versions of that card for a bit more that support higher resolutions and/or DVI outputs.   They also have somewhat lower-cost gray-scale only capture devices ... but I assume you need to capture in full color.
The PhynxRGB cards are nice frame grabbers ... but cost over three times as much as a Pixel-Smart :-)  [£695.00 GBP for the cheapest model => ~ $1330 at today's exchange rate]
Well at that price it certainly would need  a "have at it" attitude ;-)
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ASKER

What about component capture cards? Any suggestions? I suppose I could go from DVI or SVGA to component using a converter.
If your video card (on "System A") supports component output via an adapter, you can capture component with this:  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116030

... Note that NOT all VGA outputs support high-definition outputs via a convertor => if yours does not you'll also need a VGA -> component convertor ... the combined cost of that plus the component capture device will be as much as (or more than ) a Pixel-Smart VGA framegrabber.
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ASKER

Can you record video with the PixelSmart? It mentions screen shots but I need actual video.
The PixelSmart is just a frame-grabber ==> i.e. it only captures one frame at a time ... not a "motion picture"   If you need to capture a video, your best bet is probably to simply use a VGA to s-video convertor and just record the s-video with a TV capture card ... UNLESS your VGA adapter supports component output; in which case you can capture high-definition quality video using the Hauppauge HD PVR I suggested above (Note this will also record s-video, in case you'd like a high quality device that can do both).
I don't agree with the comment "... No one was able to provide a solution."

Both sparkmaker & I provided solutions that would work just fine for the stated need via a framegrabber;  and I also provided a solution that would allow capturing component output in response to your follow-up question.

Assuming the comment "... I eventually found one on my own. " means you found another, less expensive, solution, then rather than delete the question you should post the details of your solution and accept that comment as the solution.


I don't agree with the comment "... No one was able to provide a solution."

Both sparkmaker & I provided solutions that would work just fine for the stated need via a framegrabber;  and I also provided a solution that would allow capturing component output in response to your follow-up question.

Assuming the comment "... I eventually found one on my own. " means you found another, less expensive, solution, then rather than delete the question you should post the details of your solution and accept that comment as the solution.


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ruggar

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That's an excellent choice for high-resolution capture of the full video stream -- you should accept your answer as the solution rather than deleting the question, so anyone looking for a similar capability in the future will see how you did it.
ruggar,

Please go ahead and select your comment http:#a25116506 as your answer.
 
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