CAPTURE CARD

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Video capture cards are a class of video capture devices designed to plug directly into expansion slots in personal computers and servers. Models from many manufacturers are available; all comply with one of the popular host bus standards including PCI, newer PCI Express (PCIe) or AGP bus interfaces.

These cards typically include one or more software drivers to expose the cards' features, via various operating systems,
to software applications that further process the video for specific
purposes. As a class, the cards are used to capture baseband analog composite video, S-Video, and, in models equipped with tuners, RF modulated video. Some specialized cards support digital video via digital video delivery standards including Serial Digital Interface (SDI) and, more recently, the emerging HDMI standard. These models often support both standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) variants.

While most PCI and PCI-Express capture devices are dedicated to that
purpose, AGP capture devices are usually included with the graphics
adapted on the board as an all-in-one package. Unlike video editing cards, these cards tend to not have dedicated hardware for processing video beyond the analog-to-digital conversion.
Most, but not all, video capture cards also support one or more
channels of audio. New technologies allow PCI-Express and HD-SDI to be
implemented on video capture cards at lower costs than before.

There are many applications for video capture cards including
converting a live analog source into some type of analog or digital
media, (such as a VHS tape to a DVD), archiving, video editing, scheduled recording (such as a DVR),
television tuning, or video surveillance. The cards may have
significantly different designs to optimally support each of these
functions. Capture cards can be used for recording a video game longplay (LP) so gamers can make walkthrough gameplay videos.

One of the most popular applications for video capture cards is to
capture video and audio for live Internet video streaming. The live
stream can also be simultaneously archived and formatted for video on demand.
The capture cards used for this purpose are typically purchased,
installed, and configured in host PC systems by hobbyists or systems
integrators. Some care is required to select suitable host systems for
video encoding, particularly HD applications which are more affected by CPU performance, number of CPU cores, and certain motherboard characteristics that heavily influence capture performance.

USB capture devices can be another low price, easy to set up, and
compatible option. Some examples of these USB capture devices are the
EzCAP ($30-$40), Pinnicle Dazzle ($50-$100), and the Hauppauge HD PVR
($200).

With Hauppauge you may need to purchase the WinTv package as well (as
with the HVR-1800 capture card) to use all the ports on the card.

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A video capture device is one that allows you to send audio and
video from a VCR, camcorder or other device to your PC for storage on
your hard drive or future editing. While many people place TV tuners and
video capture devices in the same category, they are not equal devices.
There are many overlaps in terms of what they do, but video capture
devices will not tune TV channels nor can most be used as a tuner
without external equipment. Let's look at choosing a video capture
device and the factors that come into play when finding the right device
for you.

Intended Use

What do you
intend to use your video capture card for? This is most likely the
easiest question you'll need to consider before buying a device. Most
people go into this purchase knowing what they need and the features
they'll require. Do you just need to backup the raw video so it's safe
and sound? Do you want to be able to edit the files afterward?

If you simply want to capture and save your videos, just be sure that the device saves them in an easily played back format.

Software

If
you do intend to edit your videos once they're saved, you may want to
consider a device that ships with bundled software that allows you to
both edit and burn your videos to DVDs. In this way, you know you're
getting software that will work with the video format your device saves
the videos in.

If your goal is simply to save your videos, editing and burning software probably won't factor into your decision.

Your Computer

In choosing a device, you'll also need to consider your PC. Is internal or external better for your situation?

If
you have the PC knowledge necessary to install an internal card, this
may be the best route for you to take. As long as you have an available
PCI or PCIx slot, you should be able to find a video capture device that
will do what you're looking for. If you don't feel comfortable inside
of a computer, an external USB device may be the best choice. You'll
simply need to connect the device to an open USB port and (in most
cases) the drivers will automatically be installed for you.

Inputs and Outputs

When choosing a video capture device, it's important to consider the inputs you need. Many of today's camcorders come with HDMI
out. If you want to capture video from these devices, you'll want to
make sure your device has HDMI in. If you want to use a VCR or older
camcorder with your video capture device, you'll more than likely need RCA A/V inputs.

While
these are probably the most common outputs on camcorders and VCRs, be
sure to check the devices you'll be capturing video from. Other inputs
and outputs may be available to you and considering all of your devices
is important.

Cost

Another important
consideration is cost. If you only intend to capture occasional videos
then you probably don't want to spend a ton of money on a video capture
device. If on the other hand, you know you'll be using the device on a
regular basis, it may be a good idea to spend some extra cash to ensure
that you're getting the best video quality possible from your videos.