<p>I'd first try some different software to see if it is a hardware shortcoming or not.  If it is a hardware short coming, I'd go for a different approach to getting the highest quality signal possible.</p>

<p>Based on your needs to operate with minimal gear, taking the fewest devices and trying to keep the best quality, I'd probably try and go with something like an HDMI capture device like the Black Magic Intensity (which will work over either Thunderbolt or USB3) and then for dealing with analog signals coming in, I'd probably pick up a scan converter to handle the analog signals.  </p>

<p>DVI's pretty much cross compatible with HDMI, so if you can get either DVI or HDMI, you should be able to use it with the Intensity directly.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-04T20:36:35.197Z
2013-10-04T20:36:35.197Z
AJ Henderson
<p>I have been using the lowest level model of the <a href="http://www.epiphan.com/products/frame-grabbers/vga2usb/" rel="nofollow">Epiphan VGA2USB Frame Grabber</a> to capture a video stream over vga.</p>

<p>It is an okay piece of hardware. It is just very expensive for what it is and there does not seem to be any other options.</p>

<p>Here is my problem:</p>

<p>I typically capture slide presentations in 1024 x 768, so it should default to 10 fps, using the Epiphan capture tool software that came with it. I would think that the video should be pretty seamless at 10 fps, but it is not. There seems to be a lot of horizontal lines for about two seconds after every slide change.</p>

<p>Here is what I am thinking it might be:</p>

<ul>
<li>The capture tool software that came with it is junk. I notice now that they have a new suggestions section. Perhaps any verification on these would be sufficient.</li>
<li>The cheapest model of the frame grabber is not that good, and if I want to eliminate this problem I need to get one of the better models.</li>
</ul>

<p>Here's how you can help:</p>

<ul>
<li>Verify that it is the capture tool and suggest a different software to use.</li>
<li>Verify that it is the frame grabber itself and suggest options.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-04T19:15:54.853Z
Is there a reason you need to do it this way?  Would screen capture or direct editing with the presentation be a better option?  This seems like an odd device since it seems like there are better approaches than using it in most cases.
AJ Henderson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-04T19:59:21.830Z
@AJHenderson Yes, I am stuck capturing externally. The venue is live conferences where a speaker is giving a lecture and we record the slides as they are presented and mix it together with video of the speaker as well. I need to bring in a video feed of whatever is on the presentation screen.
user3643
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-04T20:10:34.360Z
Does it have to be VGA out or is DVI or HDMI out an option?  It simplifies the problem significantly if you can start with a digital signal.
AJ Henderson
<video-quality><video-recording>
Help with the epiphan vga2usb frame grabber
user3643
# Help with the epiphan vga2usb frame grabber

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-10-04)

I have been using the lowest level model of the [Epiphan VGA2USB Frame Grabber](http://www.epiphan.com/products/frame-grabbers/vga2usb/) to capture a video stream over vga.

It is an okay piece of hardware. It is just very expensive for what it is and there does not seem to be any other options.

Here is my problem:

I typically capture slide presentations in 1024 x 768, so it should default to 10 fps, using the Epiphan capture tool software that came with it. I would think that the video should be pretty seamless at 10 fps, but it is not. There seems to be a lot of horizontal lines for about two seconds after every slide change.

Here is what I am thinking it might be:

* The capture tool software that came with it is junk. I notice now that they have a new suggestions section. Perhaps any verification on these would be sufficient.
* The cheapest model of the frame grabber is not that good, and if I want to eliminate this problem I need to get one of the better models.

Here's how you can help:

* Verify that it is the capture tool and suggest a different software to use.
* Verify that it is the frame grabber itself and suggest options.

**Tags:** video-quality, video-recording

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is there a reason you need to do it this way?  Would screen capture or direct editing with the presentation be a better option?  This seems like an odd device since it seems like there are better approaches than using it in most cases.  
> **username_0**: @AJHenderson Yes, I am stuck capturing externally. The venue is live conferences where a speaker is giving a lecture and we record the slides as they are presented and mix it together with video of the speaker as well. I need to bring in a video feed of whatever is on the presentation screen.  
> **username_1**: Does it have to be VGA out or is DVI or HDMI out an option?  It simplifies the problem significantly if you can start with a digital signal.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-10-04. Score: 1

I'd first try some different software to see if it is a hardware shortcoming or not. If it is a hardware short coming, I'd go for a different approach to getting the highest quality signal possible.

Based on your needs to operate with minimal gear, taking the fewest devices and trying to keep the best quality, I'd probably try and go with something like an HDMI capture device like the Black Magic Intensity (which will work over either Thunderbolt or USB3) and then for dealing with analog signals coming in, I'd probably pick up a scan converter to handle the analog signals.

DVI's pretty much cross compatible with HDMI, so if you can get either DVI or HDMI, you should be able to use it with the Intensity directly.


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