Powerbook and a HDMI video capture
  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    Hi,

    I have my Powerbook connected to a TV with a DVI-HDMI adapter, everything works fine, its really cool to have a 40" MorphOS desktop;)

    Now I put a HDMI video capture device between the Powerbook and the TV to record MorphOS's desktop.

    The signal is send through the box to the TV, I can the see video signal, everything is working so far.

    But pressing the "Record" button on the device does nothing, it should start flashing red and record whats on the desktop.

    I have tested the box with the PC from my daughter and a PS4 (after disabling HDCP, with HDCP the screen stays black), recording works there, but not with my Powerbook!?

    Can someone tell me why?
  • »26.12.16 - 13:16
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  • ASiegel
    Posts: 1369 from 2003/2/15
    From: Central Europe
    Hi, which device is it? It is possible that your TV can display a specific resolution that happens to be unsupported by your video grabber. (Make sure to check the Hz number, for instance.)
  • »26.12.16 - 14:22
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  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    Hi,
    its this device AGPtek Capture.

    Its a cheap device, but it has good comments.

    I have a full hd resulution (1920x1080), the device can handle this resultion, there is no mention which Hz numbers are supported, but since I can see the videooutput, I think it should can handle it.
  • »26.12.16 - 14:39
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  • ASiegel
    Posts: 1369 from 2003/2/15
    From: Central Europe
    Being able to view your MorphOS desktop may simply mean that the device passes through the display signal as-is to the HDMI out port / your TV. It does not necessarily mean that the signal is being successfully processed.

    One thing that stood out in the specifications on the linked Amazon page is the following:
    Input resolution: (...) 1920x1080(60p)
    Capture resolution: (...) 1920x1080(30p)

    So, while your device accepts Full HD at 60 Hz as an input, it only supports 1920 x 1080 at 30 Hz for recording.

    In any case, my recommendation would be to switch resolutions and see if this changes anything. 1280x720 would be a good candidate, for instance.
  • »26.12.16 - 15:20
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  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    I tried different resolutions with Prefs/Devices/Monitors, with no difference.

    The PS4 uses also 1920x1080@60Hz, and there recording works.
    It must be something else...

    I think "capture resolution" means that it records with 30 fps, although the input resolution is 60fps.


    [ Edited by igracki 26.12.2016 - 20:30 ]
  • »26.12.16 - 19:28
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  • ASiegel
    Posts: 1369 from 2003/2/15
    From: Central Europe
    Quote:

    igracki wrote:
    I tried different resolutions with Prefs/Devices/Monitors, with no difference.

    Okay, good. So we can rule this one out at the very least.

    Quote:

    The PS4 uses also 1920x1080@60Hz, and there recording works.
    It must be something else...

    It would be interesting to see if you are having the same issue when you connect a desktop MorphOS system (PowerMac, etc).

    Quote:

    I think "capture resolution" means that it records with 30 fps, although the input resolution is 60fps.


    Yes, this is how my capture card handles MorphOS steams, for instance. But then again, it also records correctly (although I did not test with a Powerbook) so that by itself does not mean much.

    [ Edited by ASiegel 27.12.2016 - 21:46 ]
  • »27.12.16 - 08:21
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  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    Quote:

    ASiegel wrote:

    It would be interesting to see if you are having the same issue when you connect a desktop MorphOS system (PowerMac, etc).



    I tried my broken (gfx trash) mac mini, with same result, pressing the record button does nothing.

    I also tried a Lubuntu 15.10 PPC live dvd, same result, recording doesn't work.

    Is it possible that my HDMI capture device doesn't work with Apple computers?

    Quote:


    Yes, this is how my capture card handles MorphOS steams, for instance. But then again, it also records correctly (although I did not test with a Powerbook) so that by itself does not mean much.


    Which capture device do you have?
  • »29.12.16 - 13:06
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  • ASiegel
    Posts: 1369 from 2003/2/15
    From: Central Europe
    Quote:

    igracki wrote:
    Quote:

    ASiegel wrote:

    It would be interesting to see if you are having the same issue when you connect a desktop MorphOS system (PowerMac, etc).



    I tried my broken (gfx trash) mac mini, with same result, pressing the record button does nothing.

    I also tried a Lubuntu 15.10 PPC live dvd, same result, recording doesn't work.

    Is it possible that my HDMI capture device doesn't work with Apple computers?

    I am not sure if this is specifically about Apple systems. Did you happen to use the exact same DVI to HDMI adapter for all of your tests?

    This might be your problem right there. If you search online, you will find plenty of reports from people seeing black TV screens when they use DVI to HDMI adapters. Presumably your TV screen is a bit more flexible than your capturing device, which would explain why you can see an image (via HDMI pass-through) but are unable to record video.

    Quote:

    Quote:


    Yes, this is how my capture card handles MorphOS steams, for instance. But then again, it also records correctly (although I did not test with a Powerbook) so that by itself does not mean much.


    Which capture device do you have?

    Hauppauge Colossus, which is an internal card, so not a full replacement for a portable external device. (Also, the picture quality is not quite as perfect for recording desktop applications as I expected.)
  • »29.12.16 - 15:29
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  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    I tested the device with the same monitor cable and the same dvi to hdmi adapter with the windows pc from my daughter and there recording works!
    Its also the same resolution 1920x1080 with 67.5kHz at 60Hz.

    So the only difference in my setup is the computer delivering the input signal.
  • »29.12.16 - 15:52
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  • Order of the Butterfly
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    igracki
    Posts: 382 from 2003/2/24
    From: Berlin
    I bought a new hd capture device (no name, but it seems to be a HDML Cloner Box Evolve, as it looks the same and I could update my firmware with a "cloner evolve" firmware;)).

    This time its able to record video (with audio!) and is able to make screenshots all with a nice small remote control and the video can be saved with an unlimited filesize!

    But again there is a problem;(

    The video and the screenshots are about 6 pixels moved down and horizontally stretched by about 15 pixels, so it looks a bit blurry;

    I talked to the support of Cloner Alliance and send them some screenshots and a short video, but they said no one ever had such an issue.

    So maybe there is something I can do from the MorphOS side? Maybe adjust the Radeon device driver?

    Here are some screenshots made with the box, I tried different screenmodes:
    img_12.jpg
    img_14.jpg
    img_15.jpg
  • »20.01.17 - 13:33
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