Forums > MobyGames > Dream Screen Capture Setup
Multimedia Mike (20664) on 12/31/2006 1:49 AM · Permalink · Report
The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (#211) has a profile of a video game strategy guide writer. One of the tools of his trade is listed as:
Screenshot-capture system Hodgson uses a military-spec videocard that he claims is used by hospitals for surgery. It's able to take up to 1080p resolution video with sound at up to 60 frames per second.
Anyone else jealous?
Luis Silva (13443) on 1/1/2007 1:29 AM · Permalink · Report
I'd be happy with a regular card capable of taking Sega Saturn screenshots.
Multimedia Mike (20664) on 1/1/2007 1:38 AM · Permalink · Report
Is that what you're really looking for? Because I was doing just that this afternoon. I have an ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 edition. It does a great job, though my workflow for getting proper, Moby-approved screenshots is a bit involved.
Check out some Astal screenshots for examples of the net result.
Multimedia Mike (20664) on 1/1/2007 2:00 AM · Permalink · Report
They seemed to be good enough for MobyGames, which is no mean feat, I'll tell you. :-)
The Saturn is connected with composite cables. My process is to capture footage to MPEG files using the ATI TV record feature. This results in 720x480 MPEG video. Unfortunately, the video is also interlaced. I use a separate multimedia player to play the video back while de-interlacing it, and saving screen shots at opportune junctures. Then I have a conversion script which slices off the 40-pixel wide black bars on either side of the image to bring them in to 640x480.
You may notice that the bluriest screens are the ones with high amounts of horizontal motion. The de-interlacing wasn't kind. But I may re-evaluate algorithms before capturing again.
Trixter (8952) on 1/4/2007 1:27 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Multimedia Mike wrote--] You may notice that the bluriest screens are the ones with high amounts of horizontal motion. The de-interlacing wasn't kind. But I may re-evaluate algorithms before capturing again. [/Q --end Multimedia Mike wrote--]
The only way to avoid this is to pause the game, so that you can get a shot that doesn't need interlacing. Unfortunately, some games dim the screen, or display PAUSED...
The Dreamcast almost universally recognizes X+Y when a game is paused to remove the PAUSED message, so it's usually quite easy to get Dreamcast shots that look great.
Foxhack (32100) on 1/4/2007 2:31 AM · Permalink · Report
I hope that works with my games. I just bought one of these today at the flea market while hunting for things to sell on eBay. The cost? $2.50! It's only missing the stand. I still have to test it out but it turns on, and that's good. :p
I only need to figure out how to, well... figure out the resolution of the games I'll be ripping stuff from.
Trixter (8952) on 1/4/2007 5:53 AM · Permalink · Report
Well, for $2.50 you really can't complain :-)
I'm not sure exactly how that device works, but here's a few tips: Always capture with the lowest compression possible (ie. don't capture in mpeg-4 or low-bitrate divx or something) so that you get the best picture for a screenshot. Also, try to pause the game before taking the shot -- that way you won't have to try to deinterlace the picture if you end up getting two moments in time in a single frame (which is normal for interlaced video, but sucks for grabbing still shots). Finally, make sure the device is set to capture at either 640x480 or 720x480 -- anything lower like 320x240 is probably going to mangle things, even if the source is a real 320x240 console like the Genesis (320x224 actually) or PS1.
Luis Silva (13443) on 1/1/2007 1:56 AM · Permalink · Report
Those are very nice. Sadly, I've found out that most recent video cards would choke on this computer :\
Trixter (8952) on 1/4/2007 1:25 AM · Permalink · Report
You can get cheap capture cards from www.tigerdirect.com for $25 and less... Granted, the software might suck, but you can always use VirtualDub to capture.
Multimedia Mike (20664) on 1/4/2007 2:35 AM · Permalink · Report
I have great luck with Fraps, the free version, at least when the game runs in fullscreen mode.