Question / Help I'm looking for a Capture Card so I can record videogames

[Greenapple968]

If this is in the wrong section then I apologise.

I'm looking for a Capture Card so I can record myself playing videogames. I currently use a camera but this isn't the most appreciated method, hence why I'm wanting to upgrade to a Capture Card.
I'll provide you with the details I believe are necessary:

I play my videogames on consoles and not on the PC
I play in Standard Definition and on an AV Source (FAV)
I own the PS1, PS2, PS3, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Wii.
The games I wish to record are on the PS1, PS2, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Wii.
I can record on all of those consoles or I could get away with just recording on the PS2, PS3 and Nintendo Wii; the games I wish to record can be played on those consoles. (Whatever is best from a Capture Card's prospective)
My Laptop has Windows 7
I have a standard TV; it is capable of producing HD but doesn't naturally.
I have all the necessities such as RCA Cables and Splitters

I had a bad experience where I tried recording on the PS1 and PS3 with a Dazzle but the video audio was terribly out of sync. Thankfully, I managed to refund the product.
Since then, I have been recommended an Ezcap116 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dvideogames&field-keywords=ezcap%20capture%20card&sprefix=ezcap+ca%2Caps%2C428)

Any thoughts on what Capture Card will be best for me? Does the Ezcap seem like a good one?

 

[FerretBomb]

Ezcap will work and be an upgrade over a camera. Doesn't look great and is prone to breaking off the wires (use a USB extender cable to minimize bending them) but it's cheap.

Better, get an Elgato. It has about 1500ms delay though and is a USB 2.0 device. Decent tradeoff between performance and price. Most retrogame streamers will use one of these, but getting the timing of your mic+cam synced up with the on-screen action is a bit of a pain to dial in.

Best, get a Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI capture card. Needs a PCIe 2.0 1x slot (can go into up to a 16x) and is expensive at about $330, but it's worth every penny... it'll capture whatever you throw at it and look beautiful doing so. 240i all the way up to 1080p@60, with negligible capture latency, and passthrough ports (so no need for splitters, but you may need a de-HDCP device for the PS3 unless you use component cables instead).
Personal opinion, it is the best capture card on the market for livestreamers, hands-down.
If mine broke? I'd be ordering another one five minutes later. And I'm pretty frugal.

 

[achmetha]

To add onto what Ferret says, you could also try Avermedia Live Gamer Portable C875, relatively cheap and easy to use. But be aware that there have been defective units, but it works great when it does.

If you aren't comfortable getting a PCI card, you could get the USB 3.0 version of the Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI that Ferret recommends. It accepts nearly every common input in use. 1 disclaimer: your motherboard has to have Intel USB 3.0 ports in order for it to work.

 

[FerretBomb]

The LGP (much like the rest of AverMedia's product) does not go lower than 640x480, which is needed for most of the consoles he's mentioned (though IIRC the PS2 can do 480p over component, as can the Wii). Talked with a number of people who have run into this problem when trying to cap NES/SNES/N64 gameplay from the console itself, where the capture card didn't support low enough resolutions to grab the incoming video. Even beyond my dislike for AverMedia's misleading marketing/business practices.