HowTo: make quality and hires videos from aos4 machine.

@Raziel
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Such quality is can't be called quality :)

I already have a device that does the job fine: LGP2. It just didn't catch in H264 640x480 and didn't catch 800x600 at all. So for 640x480 i just grab it as MJPG and leave with no ability to grab 800x600 (which veeeery rare need it).

So it is mostly to find a perfect device covering everything, but LGP2 is already good enough.

@kas1e
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Hmm...that's strange. According to their website this shouldn't be the case with the UHD version.
UHD PRO Supported Resolutions

I did some extensive testing with my ClonerAliance Pro (non UHD) and although it is limited to recording 1080p at 30HZ, I had no issues with sound or any resolution I threw at it. I tried recording using various combinations of DVI and HDMI using an DVI to HDMI Calbe.

HDMI Computer -> HDMI Cloner -> HDMI monitor
DVI computer -> HDMI Cloner -> HDMI monitor
HDMI computer -> HDMI Cloner ->DVI monitor

One strange thing I did run into when using DVI is that MPlayer and Emotion would not play back the recorded video. The programs would just hang. I could play back the video with DVPlayer. When I hooked my video back up through all HDMI connections again all the players could play the same video.

If your intrested you can get a copy of the video I made here:
(HDMI Computer -> HDMI Cloner -> DVI Monitor)
ClonerPro_Res_Sound_Test_Video (~43M)

I'm suprised the ClonerAliance UHD Pro isn't working as expected.
Sound like you should return it and get your money back.

@kas1e
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I hadn't used the software with my ClonerAliance Pro before so today I downloaded OBS Studio and also the ClonerAliance softrware, "ClonerAliance Helper" which comes free with purchase.

OBS Studio seems more powerful but I did have some issue with recording and switching resolutions. Not the same as you describe but some strange behaviour. I didn't spend a lot of time setting it up so I could have missed something.

ClonerAliance Helper was much simpler and uses a driver specific to the recording device. I had no problem recording in 1280x720 60fps and switching screens. If you haven't downloaded this software yet you might try it. It allows you to set the resolution and the fps by clicking the settings button next to the "Video Capture Device" setting. In resolutions smaller than 1280x720 I can selelct 30, 50 or 60fps. Of course for my device I can only select 30fps in 1920x1080 resolution. Would be intresting to see if it lets you select something other than 30fps with your device.

NOTE: I had to scan the QR code on the bottom of my device with my phone in order to register and get the software. When I tried to do it manually from their website it told me the registration isn't working at the moment.

@ktadd
Yeah, i of course tried their software too... The same issues. And yes 1280 modes have the ability to record in 60FPS, but that is nothing in comparison with few years old LGP2 from Avermedia.

Anyway, i wrote them another mail, and have an answer that

Quote:

So, it is expected that their stuff is just designed to not work in a normal way with TO-PC mode, but being instead standalone (so mostly designed for TVs, etc).

I tried to record to the USB flash- and yes, it can then 1920x1080x60. But then, how good is it: you need to write that to flash, then copy to a computer for editing (while if it recorded on PC, then you already start editing it, without additional copy).

So... With that, it is clear: that box is for standalone recording, and it is even designed to be like this. I offer them help for beta testing if they will ever consider improving PC-MODE but well... when and if :)


But anyway, that didn't explain issues with sound: their sound detects as 96000HZ, MONO, while LGP2 detects as 48000HZ, Stereo. But that again, in TO-PC mode. Maybe in standalone it also will be ok .. but not sure, as if I just connect to standalone my headset, it has the same bad sound. Too much "sand".

Add at top of that those issues:

1. Switching between modes sucks. I.e. it almost immediately switches for the first frame, then this frame disappears, their device does something for 2-3 seconds, and only then the image shows up.

2. Not in 640x480, not in 800x600 images don't show up on a monitor, only in PC-Software when TO-PC mode. On the monitor, it just says "no signal/ not support". While shows up in software. Wtf :)

3. Picture quality on the monitor when it comes from Cloner's back changes. It starts to be more "white" and less quality because of that. I assume that because they put their sucking "menu" on signal, so should mix it, and probably provide not unchanged signal, but a new one, mixed with something => bad.


I explain that all to them, maybe they will fix half of the issues, but then .. Device clearly designed for TV and consoles with a big resolution to write things standalone only.

They probably can improve TO-PC mode to be better, but they dunno if can fix software issues with sound, and slow switching between video modes.


At the moment, our winner is still LGP2. But I still want to find something which will record modes from 640x480 till 1920x1080, in 60fps, called hardware, with no limits in TO-PC mode, with fast video mode switches, and to record in H264.

Maybe i want too much or maybe we need to check something more non-popular, more "dumb" and "analog" to have it all be without "auto-adjust" settings and all those modern-for-dumbs things which make things only be worse :)

@kas1e
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Ahh...that explains it. Thank you for your continued follow up to clearify the situation. Up until now I had only tried mine in stand alone mode. I tend to make smaller videos to demonstrate bugs so having to copy the file is no big deal. I can see where that would be a pain with larger videos.

I don't seem to have the screen switching and audio issues you describe using mine in stand alone mode, as can be seen in the video I linked to above. It's a bummer their higher end product has these issues.