I’m going to discuss the top 3 capture cards and maybe it will help you to determine which one is the best for your needs. Below is my video where I recorded my own gameplay with the Roxio Card.
TIP: Remember to set the youtube settings above to 720p so that you can view the video in HD.
If you want to record your playstation games, edit your videos, and then post them to the internet (YouTube, etc), then you will need a Capture Card. Below are the three most popular choices:
Which Capture Card Should You Get?
Which one should you get? It depends… I’ll break each one down for you:
Dazzle Capture Card
The Dazzle is cool and the least expensive out of the three, but it does NOT record in HD. It only has rca type connections (red, white, & yellow) and an S-video connection. None of those will give you 720p HD quality. You will only get a maximum of 480 SD (Standard Definition) from the Dazzle card. You will also need to buy rca signal splitters and rca cables so that you can split the signal allowing you to play on your TV while you record the gameplay to your computer. My opinion is that the dazzle recordings are blurry and hard to read any text on the screen. However, many videos that I see online are low quality 480p vids, so if this is no concern for you (or you are on a tight budget) then you should get the Dazzle card.
Roxio Capture Card
The Roxio card is my favorite card and the one we keep plugged in at home. It records in 720p HD quality (as you can see by the videos that I have posted to this site [make sure you set the youtube settings to 720p]). YouTube lowers the quality a bit, but I have a tip that I will share later in the article. The price is mid range between the Dazzle and Hauppauge. The Roxio card is a Pass-thru card and therefore you can simultaneously play & record in HD. The Roxio card comes with its own editing software which is basically like a multi track recorder. You can add voiceovers, text overs, combine and crop videos, etc. This card is my favorite as it is medium priced but yet delivers true HD quality videos, and I love the recording/editing software. Learn more here: Roxio Game Capture
Hauppauge Gaming Edition
This card is the absolute best if you have the money. It records at 720p as well as 1080i. You can’t get better than that. It uses component cables (just like Roxio), but also has an additional optical port for audio. It is however the most expensive of the three cards as it costs $100 more than the Roxio card, and that is the ONLY reason that I prefer and recommend Roxio over this card. I myself don’t mind recording in Roxio’s 720p as it is true HD and I dont think many can tell the difference between the two resolutions. However, if you have the budget to spend, and want the absolute best, then go for this card. Find out more here: Hauppauge Gaming Edition
Take a look at the comparison chart below to see some of the differences in the 3 Capture Cards.
| Dazzle Plus | Roxio Game Capture | Hauppauge 1445 Gaming Edition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Features | |||
| Video Editing Software |  |
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| Export Direct To Youtube | |
|
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| HD Recording |  |
|
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| PassThru Device | |
|
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| Play in HD while You Record | |
|
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| Video Connections | RCA | HD Component Cables | HD Component Cables |
| Audio Connections | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo & Optical |
| Highest Recording Resolution | 480 (NON-HD) | 720p HD | 1080i HD |
| Costs | Lowest | Mid Range | Highest |
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|
|
Roxio Ease of use:
I used Roxio and did the Youtube video below about 5 minutes after I opened the box. It was just that easy to setup. If you plan to record xbox or PS3, or even wii, Then it’s pretty much your best bet as far as price and quality. Below is another video I created with the Roxio card. Remember to set the youtube settings to 720p so that you can watch the gameplay in HD.
How To Record Your Games
OK so let me explain how to record videos using the Roxio Game Capture… Ready? Just launch the included software, press record, and when you’re finished press ‘stop’, edit the video, then upload directly to YouTube. That’s it.. lol. Simple right? Yep.
I initially went with the Roxio product because I had already been using Roxios DVD Creator and I think it’s a solid product, therefore I assume they make solid products. And I was not let down at all. The Roxio card is a great card and easy to use. It comes with it’s own game capture software which is pretty straight forward. It allows you to:
- set hot keys for record and stop
- edit and splice your videos
- create snapshots from your videos
- add text, voiceovers and even webcam commentary to your videos
- merge multiple videos together
- export your videos straight to youTube
SET UP
The Roxio package comes with the capture card, video editing software, and connection cables. Just connect the box, install the software, and you’re ready to go.
It literally only took me 3 minutes to set this up and start recording my game. It came with all of the cables except for the PS3 component cable. Most people already have this cable, but I was using hdmi for my normal play, so I just ended up taking the component cable from my old PS2 console. Yes the PS3 can use the PS2 component cable, Thankfully. : )
Take the PS3 component cable and connect it to the ‘Component Video In’ on the capture card. Then use the supplied component cables to connect the capture card to your TV. Then connect your laptop to the capture card with the supplied USB cable.
If that all sounds confusing, well take a look at the diagram below – maybe that will clear it up a bit. PS3, Capture Card, TV, and Laptop. : )
Well that’s it… If you want to record any game that you play on any console, and create high quality videos then you know my recomendation… Roxio Game Capture…
the video quality does look good. I have a question. were you able to play the game on the television while u record with no lag?
hey whats up. yeah I’m still able to play in HD because its connected with component cables. and no there is no lag. this capture card is like a splitter or a passthrough. It takes your signal from ps3 and sends it to the computer but at the same time it still sends the HD signal to your television.
off topic, but is that offline campaign mode for socom 4? the quality is really good by the way
Yes that is campaign mode.. since PS3 was out of commission for soooooo long. lol
I’m trying to help my son, set up and purchase the right equipment to capture his gameplay.
Is there an option so that we don’t have to connect the PS3 to the computer, and TV? Our desktop is far away from his PS3.
My husband is deployed or he would be doing this, as this is not my department. Best Buy suggested dazzle, the software your suggesting looks like it is made for gamers.
Thanks for your help!
Hi, I dont know of any way to record PS3 gameplay without a computer… I doubt that PS3 can record itself while simultaneously playing a game… Dazzle is OK, but the Roxio game capture is the best by far in my opinion. The quality is insane (as you can see in the video I posted)…
Well good luck whichever you choose 
and thanks for commenting.
My email was wrong for the above post.
FYI: Dont keep the capture card too close to the back of TV, it creates noise (static feedback) in the recorded video. I had recently just velcro’d the box to the back of my TV trying to make things nice and neat.. but once I did that, my recorded video was distorted. Im assuming feedback, because once I moved the box further from the TV, the picture was perfect again.
hey shane, what video editing program do you use? do you use the one provided by roxio or a different program? id like to know your rendering settings to upload video on youtube/facebook in 720hd.
Hey Jeff, I use the software that came with Roxio. I just go into Output and select “Share with YouTube”. The only time you need to set settings is at the beginning of your capture. But I honestly think it was set to the correct settings by default… Mine says: DIVX, and the TV standard says: NTSC_M
hey i was just looking at the roxio and was wondering does the component cable need green/blue/red?
Yes the component cable is the one that has green/blue/red markings on it. it should also have a red and white for audio.
What do i do if my ps3 and computer are about 20 meters away and i cant move either one plz reply plz plz
Im not sure how many feet are in a meter, but just get a usb extender cable. Here’s two I found on Amazon… one is 10 feet and the other is 50 feet.
USB 2.0 Active Extension / Repeater Cable A Male to A Female
Cable N Wireless 50 FT USB 2.0 Active Repeater Extension cable 480Mbp
My sons laptop has a core 2 duo but with only a 1.3 GHz processor. It has 4gb of RAM. The processor does not meet the minimum requirements (1.8GHz) do you think it will be ok for the recording? We can always do the video editing on my i7 desktop.
I’m not sure. It probably would cause hicups in the recording. you could always get one of those 50ft usb extension cables and run it to your desktop when you want to record. That’s what I do now.
Thanks for the review. I bought the roxio video capture card. you’re right easy setup but i still referenced your site during setup because you did extreme details! haha. by the way good title for your blog. very direct to the point
Hey, I just got my Roxio today and I noticed the games I play go up to 720p and with the hdmi it looked perfect but now with the components the xmb looks 1080I…is there ANY waay to watch with hdmi and still record with roxio game cap? Email please
Hey whats up Jose. I’m not sure if the PS3 allows for simultaneous video out, but I think it does. I know I have the PS3 hdmi going into my TV, and I also have PS3 optics going into my surround sound amp, and I play sound through TV and Surround sound amp simultaneously. But im not sure if PS3 allows hdmi and component to both play video simultaneously. Since the HD TVs have so many connections, I just leave both connected (HDMI and Component). I normally play using hdmi, but when Im ready to record something I just switch TV input to component and play using component while recording.
FYI – If your video looks blurry, Move the video game capture card box away from your TV. Sounds weird, but its true. When I have the box too close to my TV, it causes feedback static or something.
Will i be able to add voice to the videos i record?
hey how are you. Yes you can add voiceovers. also text.
Will it capture audio as well?
Yes of course. See the video above. I recorded that video when I first unpacked my Roxio Game Capture.
So can u have the hdmi in while u are recording or do u have to take it out
Are you talking about the Roxio or Dazzle? If you are talkig about Roxio, Yes you can leave your hdmi cable plugged in (I do) and you just go to PS3 settings to set display to component (to use roxio), you will be playing the game via the component cable that is coming out of the Roxio Game capture card and going into your HD TV component Inputs (there is no delay or latency at all. it is a direct thru-put). Component is HD, Some people get that mixed up with RCA, but totally a different cable. using a Component cable allows you to record and play in HD. Basically what i do, is I hook my PS3 up to my TV both ways.. (1) PS3 hdmi direct to TV hdmi, and (2) PS3 component direct to Roxio Game Capture, and then from the Game Capture it has Component cable direct to TV component input… So then when you first turn your TV on, you select the input right then (hdmi if you do not plan to record anything) or component (if you do plan to record). very simple to switch back & forth. Let me know if I confused you.. I’ll try to write more clearly.
hey i want to record video game walkthroughs with commentary. Does the Roxio device let you make commentary while you are playing instead of adding commentary after the video is made
No it doesn’t. game capture cards are connected directly to the HD outputs of the PS3 (or other game system), so you are recording the game, and have to add commenting afterwards. That would be a pretty cool feature though to allow a mic input into a capture box or have the PC simultaneously use PC mic. but so far, I havent seen a card that does this
I have a question how can i see the tv of the gamplay while im playing because when i click on capture it just shows it on the computer but no picture on the tv although i can hear the audio Help plz
Which capture card did you get? If you have the Roxio Game Capture, then just look at the diagram I posted on this blog. It shows you a nice pic of how it should look. Just plug the component cable (5 wires) from the card into your TV and make sure you select the right input on your TV. that’s it
(FYI: Make sure you’re not using RCA – You must use Component)
Thanks bro
Hi Shane. I just got my roxio and hooked it up earlier today, and I have one question/issue. When I play using the roxio and component cables, the image on my tv is slightly darker, and fuzzier and just not as crisp as I’m used to. Is this the normal result of passing through the Roxio? Or is there a setting I’ve overlooked(messing with the settings on the tv had little or no effect). Or would different component cables going from the game cap to the tv change the image on the tv? I can live with the slightly degraded signal as I’ll usually use hdmi except when I want to capture, but I thought I would ask someone who is educated on this product.
Hey how are u. The image on your TV should not be fuzzy at all. Make sure you do not have the roxio card near the TV. I initially velcro’d my game capture card onto the back of the TV but it caused lines to be on the screen. Once I moved the capture card away from TV, everything was back to greatness.
It could also be cheap component cables. I myself use the component cables from my old PS2 (They fit the PS3) to connect to the capture card, and then I use the included roxio cables to connect to my TV, and all is good. I think HDMI is a better signal than component, but the component is still HD (and should not be fuzzy). so try this: (1) move the capture card away from TV… if it is still fuzzy, then (2) bypass the card and hook your PS3 directly to your TV with component cables.. (to troubleshoot) and see if its your PS3 component outs; or TV component INS; or the component cable itself. Let me know.
Hey dude so ive just got my new 24 inch led tv and the problem is that i can see the picture on both tv and computer but no sound . what should i do ?
Thanks for commenting. Did you go into PS3 settings and set the audio to use component? Double check that… But If that is set correctly, then the only other thing would be that your cables are not set up correctly. Do you have all 5 individual wires plugged in? Note: there are two red wires… so make sure that you use the red one (that is nearest the white wire) as your audio wire. (sorry if that sounds insultingly simple.. But I just have to mention it because it does happen).
either way, I hope you get it resolved.
so you would get all those cables in the box….. and is it worth 100 dollars? last question is there any where i can get it cheaper
(1) It comes with the USB cable and also the component cable to connect the roxio card to your TV, But it does not come with the component cable to connect your PS3 to the card. I guess because many people already have that cable (unless they use hdmi). I use my old component cable from my old PS2 (yep it works). If you don’t have a PS2/PS3 component cable, then I recomend BestBuy or getting a used one from GameStop. (2) Yes the Roxio is definitely worth it. The Dazzle card quality is garbage, The Roxio quality is perfect, plus you can still play in HD as you record. I have 2 videos on this site if you feel like checking them out (make sure to select 720p on settings to view in HD). You won’t get anything close to that quality if you buy the Dazzle card. Dazzle is blurry, and you can rarely read the words. (3) I don’t know where to get it for cheaper. It’s a farely new card, I haven’t seen it at BestBuy or anything yet. I got mine direct from the Roxio site. It’s a must have if you want to record ps3 gameplay in HD quality. Tip: export to 720p file first (instead of direct to youtube). then upload to youtube (Iv’e noticed much better quality videos doing it that way).
Im doing some research for my brother who wants to do this, except he wants to do live commentary while playing. Any ideas how to do that?
thanks
I’ve gotten a few emails about this…
unfortunately I have not seen a capture card that allows you to do live commentary as you play the game. If they ever do decide to create one, I think it would be added to the recording software that comes with cards because it is more likely they would add it to the software than adding a mic input to the actual card. but so far there are none out there.
thanks for a great comparison of the cards! I needed this.
No Problem, Glad it was useful