TV-Output cards for DOS/Win98 comps?

[Edmond Dantes]

Just wondering. Seeing the AVGN video where he says he records everything he plays to DVD inspired me to want to do something similar to keep the plots of games fresh in my head when I move onto the sequels (also might be a good note-taking schema in adventure games).

So is there any way to TV-output a DOS computer?

Thanks.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Yes there is!

There are devices (usually converter boxes) that will take a PC's video and convert it to a regular TV display. They're not perfect (a TV has a lower resolution than your typical video card) but they work in a pinch.

I've seen two over the past six months but nobody wants to sell them for less than $40.

[Jorpho]

I've seen two over the past six months but nobody wants to sell them for less than $40.

Aroo? This one's a little more than $20.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

I actually have something similar on hand that I've been meaning to sell, but it's a pretty bulky box (partly because it comes with a serial IR mouse) and ordering from Monoprice would probably be much cheaper (as is often the case). But you can PM me if you're interested.

[Edmond Dantes]

I just realized one thing I overlooked: something that only outputs video doesn't output sound, so these theoretical recordings I'd make would be all video, no audio.

Also I'd need a signal splitter, because while I'd want to record them onto a DVDR I'd want to actually play them on a computer monitor.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Aroo? This one's a little more than $20.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

I actually have something similar on hand that I've been meaning to sell, but it's a pretty bulky box (partly because it comes with a serial IR mouse) and ordering from Monoprice would probably be much cheaper (as is often the case). But you can PM me if you're interested.

The ones I was talking about supported converting resolutions much higher than 1024x768 to NTSC/PAL.

And the people selling them had no idea what they were. They were just stupid sellers who saw some nerdy guy look at a device with interest and wanted to milk him for money.

And Edmond, in regards to your audio problem, that's easy - Tadah. That simple adapter takes your audio output, converts it to RCA, and lets you record it. You should be able to run that through a regular audio splitter like this one.

[Jorpho]

Also I'd need a signal splitter, because while I'd want to record them onto a DVDR I'd want to actually play them on a computer monitor.

Looks like Monoprice has those too for rather reasonable prices.

...Really, I can hardly imagine you getting that much use out of a setup like this in order to make it worthwhile.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Looks like Monoprice has those too for rather reasonable prices.

...Really, I can hardly imagine you getting that much use out of a setup like this in order to make it worthwhile.

Classic Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy on an HDTV? Priceless.

[Jorpho]

Classic Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy on an HDTV? Priceless.

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I am, and I am not.

To be honest, such a device, coupled with a good video capture device, can be put to good use if you're trying to capture video from an older PC or Mac. I know, there's emulators and such. But it's still a cheap, affordable way to do it.

I think phreakindee / Lazy Game Reviewer does this to record video off some of his older systems.

[Jorpho]

But for the purpose of keeping game plots fresh in one's mind..?

Anyway, now that I think about it, I think with my old ATI All-in-Wonder, not only could TV-out be activated at boot, but I think it could also provide the same picture to a monitor and a TV simultaneously. I can't be sure though.

[skaar]

Yeah most older cards with RCA (yellow jack) video out would activate TV-out at bootup and you could just get a 3.5mm > Red/White RCA splitter for sound. I used to do this all the time.

Any older ATI card would do it. Modern cards would be trickier but shouldn't be a problem. The hardest part for you likely is finding something that has something less than S-Video output so you can hook it up to a recorder

[Edmond Dantes]

Looks like Monoprice has those too for rather reasonable prices.

...Really, I can hardly imagine you getting that much use out of a setup like this in order to make it worthwhile.

Maybe not immediate use, but at least I know where to find them/what to look for now.

I might use them for my Laptop too... just recently snagged Penumbra and wouldn't mind recording my playthru of that...