BlackMagic Intensity Pro: recording HD via HDMI/Component

[pat_smith1969]

I noticed he only has 1 gig of ram, I bet his utilization would go down if he upped it to 3 gigs (xp) or 4 gigs (Vista). Or at least if his utilization didnt go down he would be able to do TWO cards at the same CPU levels.

[pat_smith1969]

Also.. did I read the device correctly? you only get stereo audio? or is there a way to get the full 5.1 input?

[BitBass]

THIS IS HUGE

If this actually works it's effectively an analog hole for HD. This is the solution I've been looking for for years.

I might have to spend the $350 just to test it. I'm very much looking forward to more info and other's tests.

[dadavo]

Originally Posted by pat_smith1969

I noticed he only has 1 gig of ram, I bet his utilization would go down if he upped it to 3 gigs (xp) or 4 gigs (Vista). Or at least if his utilization didnt go down he would be able to do TWO cards at the same CPU levels.

I had 2GB at one point but the system never used more than 720MB. CPU utilization did not go up when I removed 1GB of RAM. I have not been compelled to try more RAM. Considering that I am using a 2.16 GHz Core Duo, I feel that the performance for HD capture, real-time transcoding, background commercial skip detection and, partial utilization for video playback all simultaneously is better than expected.

Originally Posted by pat_smith1969

Also.. did I read the device correctly? you only get stereo audio? or is there a way to get the full 5.1 input?

When you are building the graph for capture, the video and audio sources are separate and have to be muxed. You can choose to use another audio source. I currently have a separate sound card to capture the audio since I am current capturing via component. However, you have to use a Direct Show Filter multiplexers that accept multichannel audio.

[pat_smith1969]

So I would need to add another sound card to my system that does optical SPDIF in? or am I getting it wrong? Do you have any issues with audio and video being out of sync wiht this setup?

[pat_smith1969]

Originally Posted by BitBass

THIS IS HUGE

If this actually works it's effectively an analog hole for HD. This is the solution I've been looking for for years.

I might have to spend the $350 just to test it. I'm very much looking forward to more info and other's tests.

This seems to be a cheaper way to get what R5000 offers, I think. Granted it offers more compatability with different cable providers (pretty much anyone who has Component STBs), and I think this won't get phased out as easily. So yes this is big IMO but there are lots of people getting the same if not better results from the R5000 solution.

[pat_smith1969]

I wonder if you could use one of the many HDMI/HDCP splitters that emulate HDCP to trick this non pro version of this to work. That way you wouldn't need a seperate audio source.. ??

[dadavo]

Originally Posted by pat_smith1969

So I would need to add another sound card to my system that does optical SPDIF in? or am I getting it wrong? Do you have any issues with audio and video being out of sync wiht this setup?

You can use whatever sound card you like as long as it can accept the audio output from your STB. If your current card does not have multichannel input and you want it, then yes you will need to add another card. I suppose you can also user a filter such as AC3Filter which can turn 2 channel audio into quasi 5.1 stream. Yes initially I had audio sync issues but I think that was more related to my DirectX and drivers.

[Humanzee]

Chickman,
Can you change the name of this thread to something like "Recording HDMI/Component Video with BlackMagic Intensity Pro"? I think it deserves more attention than might be given by those who might not pay attention to Direct TV Threads. Its clearly more about capture tech than source.

[BitBass]

Originally Posted by pat_smith1969

This seems to be a cheaper way to get what R5000 offers, I think. Granted it offers more compatability with different cable providers (pretty much anyone who has Component STBs), and I think this won't get phased out as easily. So yes this is big IMO but there are lots of people getting the same if not better results from the R5000 solution.

Unless I'm wrong about this the R5000 is only for DishTV. And it's at the mercy of Dish not changing how they deliver content. I could be wrong about that as I'm not a Dish customer.

This solution should, in theory, support any component output. DirecTV, any cable provider, XBox360, PS3, Wii, BD, HD-DVD...anything else that has a component out? I'm not sure why but you could use a SlingHD even! No broadcast flags, no DRM.

This is an open (except for Sage being proprietary) method of recording any HD signal that can be output over component. Sorry if I'm gushing a bit but this is truly a big deal.

[HawgGuy]

I agree this is HUGE. We need for a few of us to try this, codify the results and come up with a step by step how-to guide.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by BitBass

Unless I'm wrong about this the R5000 is only for DishTV. And it's at the mercy of Dish not changing how they deliver content. I could be wrong about that as I'm not a Dish customer.

Kind of ironic, me being one of the R5000's biggest proponents, and not having one , but lets just get a couple things out of the way:

On it's own, the Intensity Pro is cheaper than an R5000 mod, but the cost is not a simple comparison. The Intensity pro solution requires a much more powerful PC, and the practicality of running more than one in a system has yet to be determined.

The quality of the R5000 should be better because it's a direct bitstream capture.

All and all, if you're on Dish, I think this method is a much harder sell, if you've got DTV or cable, it's a much easier choice.

Oh, and as for the R5000 being obsoleted on Dish, that's not likely, Nextcommwireless will mod all the current/latest Dish IRDs, which support MPEG-4 and all Dish's orbital locations, any change that would obsolete the R5000 on Dish would obsolete all their IRDs, that's not likely to happen any time soon.

All and all, this is very cool, it blows a few of my preconceptions/assumptions about the practicality of recording HD out of the water, and in a good way

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by HawgGuy

We need for a few of us to try this...

Are you volunteering?

[Olias]

As a DTV subscriber, I've decided to take the plunge and give this solution a try. Ordering the Intensity Pro along with an Abit IP35 Pro board to upgrade my existing SageTV setup. Since the Abit has optical audio in, I hope to capture HD via component on the Intensity and audio via the motherboard.

As I read though some of the linked documentation, I am a bit concerned about the delay between changing channels. The WAF may be too low if there is a long delay.

Dadavo, how long does it take your system to channel change?

[toricred]

Could you use the non-Pro version of the Intensity? It looks like that would save ~$100, but would only work with HDMI.

[Olias]

I plan on using component to avoid any possible content protection schemes in HDMI.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by toricred

Could you use the non-Pro version of the Intensity? It looks like that would save ~$100, but would only work with HDMI.

You could, but you either need a source that doesn't require HDCP. I have no idea if any of the STBs out there today require HDCP displays or not.

[HawgGuy]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

Are you volunteering?

Ha. I'd really like to. I have a very stable r5000 system & hd extender now and I think HawgGirl and the kids would have a fit if I started disrupting their viewing pleasure <again>. The state of this sort of capture is fairly immature and not thoroughly worked out, I think I'd need a separate machine and STB to play with it before it's ready for HawgGirl and the Hawgitos.

I'll leave the bleeding edge stuff to you geniuses and jump in at the end.

[dadavo]

Originally Posted by Olias

As a DTV subscriber, I've decided to take the plunge and give this solution a try. Ordering the Intensity Pro along with an Abit IP35 Pro board to upgrade my existing SageTV setup. Since the Abit has optical audio in, I hope to capture HD via component on the Intensity and audio via the motherboard.

As I read though some of the linked documentation, I am a bit concerned about the delay between changing channels. The WAF may be too low if there is a long delay.

Dadavo, how long does it take your system to channel change?

You will have to use another device (i.e IR Blaster, serial controller, etc depending on your STB) to change channels so the amount required will vary. I use an IR blaster and it doesn't take more that 2 seconds from the time I hit enter on my remote to the time it take my blaster starts transmitting to my STB. Immediately after the blaster is finished transmitting, SGR Recorder start recording in the new file so not much time passes.

[BitBass]

The channel changing speed shouldn't be any different than any other method using SD, right?