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Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 23:22
by djmaddis
I have a MacBook Pro i7 which comes with a thunderbolt port. This is in use for my 2nd video output.

I currently have a EasyCap usb 2 capture device using the VideoGlide component wrapper which is very bad quality I have done my research and listed the options below. I would go for the Black magic solution but the problem is either that MacBooks don't support usb 3 or the thunderbolt port that i would use to capture the video stream, would mean i wouldn't be able to have a second output to my projector.

The only solution i have come to would be either for me to buy another mac and use syphon or to buy the Belkin Thunderbolt hub (http://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/09/ces ... er-at-299/) which would cost me $299 :(


Ok, so here are my options (things in red need confirming):

1. VGA2USB

http://www.epiphan.com/products/frame-grabbers/vga2usb/
Price: $ 299.95
Connectivity: USB
Resolution: 1920x1200
Mac Supported = Yes
Delay = Unknown
Works in Resolume4 = Unknown

2. Hauppauge HD PVR USB 2.0

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hauppauge-Captu ... B001M0MY10
Price: £136
Connectivity: USB
Resolution: 1080i resolution, 720p or VGA/D1 (Component / rgb)
Mac Supported = Yes via EyeTv ?? (Need clarification)
Delay = 2 Seconds?? (Need clarification)
Video Glide Compatibility= Unknown
Works in Resolume4 = Unknown

3. BM Thunderbolt Intensity

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/produc ... ty/models/
Price: £110
Connectivity: Thundebolt & USB3
Resolution: Full HD
Mac Supported = Yes
Delay = Unknown
Video Glide Compatibility= Unknown
Works in Resolume4 = Yes

Hope you can help as i'm pulling my hair out. Maybe someone has found a really good (and affordable) solution

Thanks in advance

Re: Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 00:30
by Stickygreen
since the upgrade to R4 i have not been able to get my easycap/videoglide to work, have you actually tested this in R4?

also the only solution that will work well for you is to get a computer with an expresscard slot and then capture your HD video via a MXO2, or MOTU box, trying to capture HD video via USB isn't very good, as USB does not have the bandwidth needed to get the higher resolution. It can be done, in theory, but you'll have other issues, like latency, or crashing if using a MIDI controller.

Re: Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 00:42
by djmaddis
Stickygreen wrote:since the upgrade to R4 i have not been able to get my easycap/videoglide to work, have you actually tested this in R4?
Easy cap does work in R4. Took a whole day figuring it out. I actually have 2 Easy cap devices. 1 works in resolume, the other one doesn't.

Have you downloaded this open source component:

http://bentrask.com/easycap

You have to put the Quicktime component in :

/Library/QuickTime
/Library/Components

You might also want to download the application. This project is open source so maybe you could output it to syphon using quartz composer or Xcode?

If R4 crashes (mine does if this component is present) you will have to delete it. Bear in mind that the above method might work with your card. The other question about your easy cap driver is wether it works in VideoGlide?

Hope that helps.

PS so you think the MXO2 is the best option? I didn't even realise a expresscard slot existed on my machine, i guess that would solve the thunderbolt issue

Re: Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 00:47
by djmaddis
I have checked and my macbook pro has a ExpressCard/34 so I'm guessing that is where the MXO2 is to be connected?

Re: Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 16:18
by Stickygreen
thanks for the easycap/videoglide answer, i'll test it out later today!!!

Yes the expresscard 34 slot is where a capture device would connect to your computer, I have an MXO2, but there are other options, MOTU and AJA make a device that have been reported as working with R4

Re: Thunderbolt /USB Video capture solution for R4

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 17:09
by DayVeeJay
Check out black magic design's intensity series of capture devices