Looking for Free Video Capture Program - Any suggestions?

dchrisd

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Looking for Free Video Capture Program - Any suggestions?
Got an older laptop (about 1.2ghz, XP) that I want to hookup to my TV using the monitor hookup so I can record the input video (basically a cheap DVR).

Dont really care about quality (my laptop hdd is small so I dont want big video files anyway), just want the video to be fairly clear and the audio synched.

Any suggestions for a freeware program?
 
Unless I'm misunderstanding your setup, that's not going to work. It sounds like you're hoping to hookup your vga output ports (on your tv--which makes your TV a monitor itself, and your vga output on your laptop which, by nature, outputs) and get a... signal in? That's why people spend big bucks on capture cards and recording devices... or just a cheap video device that turns component signal into a usb signal, like this junk, here. I have that Honestech and it does a fair enough job just to record quick clips but its recording/editing end is pitiful. I've recorded a shout-out my gf had on QVC as well as some Showtime episodes, all of which were fine enough until I tried burning them to a disc then the signal was either terribly downgraded or else I couldn't get the audio aligned. Also, I had to have the source material running as well as the recording software to record it, but I assume this is the way with most USB devices like this one.

Again, if I misunderstood your setup, then I apologize for the lecture.
 
Thanks for the info. You're absolutely right about my setup. I previously had a card on my system that I could directly connect the cable line to (so I would get TV output on my computer screen) and I was thinking about that instead of my current setup which just outputs the computer to the TV. I might look into capture cards but this was just something I was looking to play with. Thanks again.
 
Since you have a laptop a USB-connected capture card would be the best option.

Question is, is it over-the-air signals or cable TV signals you're trying to capture as there's a difference in capture devices if it has to do cable, OTA or both.

They range from cheap ($20-$30) up to a couple hundred dollars. Plus, since you're using XP, you'd either have to get one with software to do the capture or have Windows Media Center version of XP installed which they did on later XP-type laptops (2005 and later).
 
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