Capturing Console Footage

You'll need to record some footage from your console or PC if you want to show off your gaming skills or capture a really funny moment in a game to include in your videos. Aiming a camera at the screen is one option, but you'll get much better results by recording through a direct AV feed.

Getting footage of PC games is tricky because you have to capture a video signal while you're playing the game you wish to record. You can use video-capture software that records the video to your PC while you're playing, or you can output the AV signal to an external recording deck.

Video-Capture Software
The advantage to using software is that you won't need external devices to record your footage; it's all stored on your computer and ready to edit. The downside to using video-capture software is that the program does use system resources, which can affect gameplay, although the hit isn't too noticeable on modern, high-end systems. These types of programs have different features and limitations, so you'll want to try out a demo before buying the full version. Fraps is currently the best known video-capture software for gaming.

Recording Devices
You can use external recording devices to capture PC footage as well. If your video card has S-Video output, you can run an S-Video cable out to a recording device such as a VCR or a camcorder. Otherwise, you'll need to buy a scan converter to convert your VGA signal into a composite or S-Video signal that your recorder can accept

Use a scan converter to record PC gameplay on an external recording device.

Consumer-level scan converters can be found for under $100 and provide good video quality. If you're planning to purchase a scan converter, take note of the maximum resolution it can handle and its maximum refresh rate. A scan converter that can handle 1600x1200 at any refresh rate will cover most situations, but it will also be more expensive. We've had success with the AverKey iMicro. It has a maximum resolution of 1280x1024, can handle high refresh rates, and is fairly affordable at less than $100.

If none of these options work for you, you can simply record your monitor using a camcorder. With the right lighting conditions and angles, you can get a fairly decent video this way. Be sure to adjust your monitor's refresh rate to get rid of the scan lines. Generally, you'll want to set your monitor to 60 hertz if you're using an NTSC camera.

There are a couple of ways to record your gameplay footage from video game consoles. The easiest way is to connect the game console to the PC, but you'll need a video card with video inputs, a dedicated capture card, or a Firewire/USB converter.

You can buy PC capture cards that will accept composite, S-Video, or component video signals. They can cost several hundred dollars, though, and aren't significantly different from a device that converts video into Firewire or USB. So unless you want to use your PC monitor as a TV, you should go with a more affordable analog-to-digital video converter that converts your console's video signals into a Firewire or USB connection that can be read by your PC. Firewire converters can be somewhat pricey, but they work well. If you're on a tight budget, a USB converter would be the best choice. Assuming your computer already has a USB 2.0 port, all you would need is the converter. You can find basic kits that include a converter and video-editing software, like the Dazzle Video Creator 85, for around $50.

You can also hook up your console to a recording deck first before capturing to a computer. You would do this if you wanted to save a physical tape of your footage or if your console isn't close to your computer. You can use a variety of equipment for this method.

VCR
You can record footage on a standard VHS tape using a VCR. Just pass the game console's AV output through the VCR The footage will have mediocre quality, but it's a cheap method for those on a tight budget.

DVD Recorder
Not too many people own one, but you can use a DVD recorder (not to be confused with a DVD-R drive in a computer) to record audio and video from a console system. The quality will be high, and transferring footage is easy. Connect your console to the DVD recorder, record your footage, and then plop the DVD into your computer and rip the video to the hard disk for editing. DVD recorders can cost a few hundred dollars, though, so you may want to seek a less-expensive option.

Camcorder
Some camcorders have AV inputs that can connect to a game console system for simple recording. If your camcorder has this option, you can record your footage onto a tape and transfer it to your computer. Note that most cameras have one set of AV connectors that function as inputs or outputs. If they're being used as inputs, you won't be able to use them to output at the same time. In this situation, you'll have to use the little screen on the camera as your playing monitor. If your camcorder doesn't have video input, you can just point the camera at your television and record the game being played. You can get fairly decent video this way with the right lighting conditions and camera angle.

Other Recording Devices
If you have access to other types of recording decks (such as mini-DV or Beta SP), then use them by all means. These types of decks can costs thousands of dollars, but the image-capture quality is excellent.