PS3 Capture Card Advice

[The Bossman]

Seems like this is the best place to ask. I want to record gameplay from my PS3, and I'm getting bored of using my digital camera, then trying and failing to convert the file to a format that Youtube accepts, then repeatedly pressing 'try again' after the upload fails time after time. I just want nice, simple, advice about what capture card is best for PS3, how you set it up to work, and any issues that may come from setting it up. The only issue I suspect I'll have is that my PC is in a different room to my PS3, so if I need to connect a cable up, it won't be long enough and I would need an extension cable of some sort.

I've looked through the net for advice, and there's no real walkthrough to help you with it. It says I need a splitter, which I haven't heard of before, and an AV cable, but that comes as standard with the PS3, doesn't it? It's plugged in all the time so you can see what you're playing, right? I saw a very cheap capture thing on Amazon.co.uk for under £2, called Ez Capture, but I'm confused about where the recorded gameplay would go. Is it stored on the actual device, is there a hard drive in the USB thing I'm using? Or does it have to be connected to the PC, which is probably out of reach for me? Would I need another device to connect to the capture card, which then goes to my computer? How would the capture card reach around the back of my PS3, and then into the back of my TV, which is on a shelf above the PS3, or even the PC as well? What settings work best, for a non-HDTV?

That capture card is just an example. I'd expect to pay a maximum of £30 for a capture card. I just want one that works easily, so that I understand how to work it, and that it'll work with the set-up I have. If ANYONE can help, I'd be grateful, because I'm completely lost.

[Chris]

£30 for a capture card will be absolute shit. If you want good results you gotta pay a LOT more than that mate, really.

Blackmagic Intensity cards are widely regarded as the best on the market for capturing from an HD source: http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/

One will set you back more than £100 though... I dunno it's your choice of course, but a cheap card will not deliver good results.

As for how it works. Well it's been a long time since I did any video capture. When I used to capture from my PS2, I had the S-Video cable going into my PC's capture card, and the 3 RCA connectors, these: going into my TV. This meant I had the video on my TV and my PC at the same time. Recording the video straight to my hard drive.

Anyway my point is you could probably do something similar with your PS3, since you say you don't have an HD TV, so you presumably aren't using HDMI (honestly that must absolutely suck lol, I can't imagine playing today's games in SD )

[The Bossman]

Yeah, sucks for me. I can only imagine what Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 would look like in HD. Anyway, I think I know a bit more about this now. I might get a standard Dazzle capture card, I don't want anything flash at the moment. I just want a basic set-up so that, if and when I need to upgrade, eg with a HDTV, expensive capture card, etc, then I'll be ready for it.

I think I need these below:

3 of these - splitters, for the cables - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gold-plated-splitter-plug-sockets/dp/B000L980MU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223757292&sr=8-1

A Belkin Pro Series Audio Cable - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Audio-Cable-Triple-Yellow/dp/B0002AFT9A/ref=pd_bxgy_ce_text_b

An AV cable, but I think you get those as standard with the PS3, right? And obviously the Dazzle itself - http://www.amazon.co.uk/8230-10063-01-DAZZLE-DVD-Recorder/dp/B001918NLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223757466&sr=1-3

Like I said, a basic set-up to begin with, because this is my first attempt at this. After I get used to recording and uploading, I'll upgrade to some heavy duty stuff. Let me know if I'm right/wrong. Although I did get those links from a walkthrough on Youtube, so it should be right.

[WRX22B1998]

I heard those USB recorder thingo's are shite quality.

if your PC is a desktop rather than a laptop, then I'd buy a PCI card (internal) with the composite (yellow,white,red) inputs. then you just plug the PS3 av cables straight into that.

If you want to have it split to TV and the PC, then you need three of these as well as those splitter things you mentioned. and one of these.

This is what it will look like

btw f>f is the RCA joiner. It's gonna be a big f**ken mess of cables but it'll work.

[The Bossman]

I think the internal one might be good, but again, I haven't watched any videos for that yet. I might just go with Dazzle, and then either in the future get an internal one, or buy a DVD recorder and record from that onto a DVD, then burn onto the PC.