HDMI Capture Card PCI-E (Trident 7160 HD/ Timeleak HD72A)

So, this review was a planned one from a night of eBay browsing and even one trip into Plymouth and then finding out there are HDMI capture cards that are under £100 and are not USB based. Then it came to finding a company named Timeleak which has made some entry level Capture cards.

Named the HD72A (there is a /B version but that includes a HDMI out to a tv as well as a HDMI in), it can be able to show HDCP content as well as have confirmed compatibility with OBS.

OBS is also known as Open Broadcaster Software and its one of the best FREEWARE screen recorders I've ever used and perfect for getting started on twitch.

***UPDATE***

Now, after searching, it turns out Timeleak sell them Directly via their website. Which that is around £42 and then another £15 to £20 with postage via DHL. They do sell the card through eBay. its confusing to use the website since the totals were different and it even thought i had ordered it (but didn't pay even with a paypal option, well i don't need it haha)


***REVIEW CONTINUES BELOW***

Enjoy the video review below, which covers most of the content here, but this post goes into more geeky details.

The Packaging and contents

So, its a small but colourful packaging with blue, black and red on the front and back and Black and white on the sides. 

The Top of the Card. Note it says HDCP ready and also a picture of optimus prime, well an autobot anyway

This was the left side of the box

The rear end of the box

The right hand side of the box

The bottom of the box, with what it can support, a fake alienware pc, the card and a screen with bumblebee on it

Now as we get inside the box, it have not much in terms of documentation other than a folder A4 piece of paper with what the thing can do, a vauge translation of how to install drivers and also a mention on what Intel C-State is and why turning it off is a good thing (makes the computer go faster by not limiting voltages neither overclocking the CPU), there is mention of how turn C States off with a AMD CPU too. 

The only paperwork with the item

Then there is a Driver CD in the usual tiny cd format. It looks like there is no bundles software with the thing, which is sort of good since its either pirated or rubbish, ULEAD with the EasyCap was an example from some forum posts. From looking on the CD there was something called HD PVR but i will go into this later

The tiny driver CD thats is with it. 

Then you have the item, in a anti static bag, it did come with a low profile bracket as well, this might be a useful card for making a small PVR for either Youview or any other HDMI device for a home theater. 

The HDMI Capture card itself, with the LP bracket above it

The installation and setting it up.

Just as a note here, i'll list my PC spec below, this might not be vital to a perfect setup but i'm a budget but not on jobseekers kind of guy. 

• Intel Core2Quad Q8300
• Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev 2
• Gigabyte G31m-ES2L Rev 2.4
• Corsair XMS2 2 x 2GB DDR2 800MHz
• ASUS Radeon HD 6570 1GB DDR3
• Basic Case
• 500W CoolerMaster Non Modular PSU
• Asus P7131 TV Tuner
• 2x Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm 500GB (one for 8.1 x86, the other for Yosemite 10.10)

So it was a simple install since i only had a free PCI-E x1 slot left. This wasn't as tricky as i thought it would be, well maybe having big hands doesn't help. Since the G31m has a PCI-E x1 above the main PCI-E x16 (Graphics Card Slot), i had to take the GPU out (the video shows more trouble than what it was meant to be). But the card didn't feel firmly in at first, after i realised the metal contacts were in the slot, i was fine, its a bugger to see them in there.

The Card inside my PC, yes my wires are a tied up mess and there is a fan failing to stick with blu-tack but i am thing on a new case and even a new pc soon anyway. 

*upside down* the hdmi card as well as my hd 6570 GPU next to it

Now once i had it installed and booted up to Windows (since i was facing really annoying issues with Yosemite recently after upgrading then formatting then apple HDA being a pain), it picked up the card but didn't appear with "installing device software" at start up, which had me worried, since i thought i didn't plug it in, but low and behold, it was there but no driver installed. Since i was unsure on if the driver with the disc would work (it happens with the EasyCap drivers a fair bit). I posted the Driver info below.

The card but with no device driver

The compatible Hardware IDs

The Actual Hardware IDs

The events, best used to check what happens, 

 Now once i put the CD in it was very mimimal in terms of contents, with no autoplay and only 2 folders and 2 files on the root, it was going to be a sort of simple installation for anyone that knows how to install drivers without using installers. Now if you want a copy or have lost the disc, you are in luck (well except if you want to use the DVR25HDR since i didn't attach a key for obvious reasons and obs is much better).

The root of the CD drive. 

The 32bit drivers

The 64 Bit drivers

 Once i followed the simple way of using device manager to install the drivers, as shown in the video review, it was installed and all setup, no having to worry about sound drivers etc. However a point i need to make is that the drivers ARE NOT SIGNED. This will annoy people with 7 x64 and 8.x 64 since of turning driver signing enforcement off. It turns out its also named a "Trident HD 7160". A odd name and no sign of the HD72A the product was even advertised as. But at least there was no driver software to go with it, like Roxio and Happauge usually snowball in.

The driver once installed

The info on the driver and also the fact it is not signed

More info on the details

The history of when drivers were installed

Technically that was all set-up and OBS was the last part. Basically you needed to open it as a "video capture device" Then select it and the setting were the usual and OBS picked up the audio without having to configure it manually.

ADDEDUM. 

Now, after a trial and error experiment. I checked if the Timeleak HD72A drivers (Which is actually the HD75A drivers v1.06) would work, and low and behold they did and told me something new. 

The capture card is actually a HD75A

The details and notice its SIGNED. 

Notice the same device ID

 I installed it, after rebooting the PC, i saw no difference, Maybe less lines when testing OBS was exactly the same config as below.

The settings for the Card. There is support for Custom resolutions but there was no need to set that up, also you might need to raise the volume, i thought it was too loud if i used it, it was actually the opposite

Showing the Vita TV and the sound working while the mic was working (through a USB adapter and Poundland quality headset) 

 The Digital Manual

Now although there was a small a4 sheet with some details, there was a slightly easier to understand manual in a word document, i'll be honest and just show you below, i can't say much in terms of what it mention, since it is quite clear.

Page 1,2,3 

Page 4,5,6

Page 7

I also hid out the key in the screenshot in the manual, just in case but it was a simple guide and there was an installer on how to use the software, but to be honest, there is no need to use it. Other programs like OBS, Nero, Cyberlink can use it. 

The Testing

Now, you might of seen on the video i mentioned tearing, which isn't too bad its more thin lines flashing which i'm not sure but it wasn't too distorting,  But there is no delay on mine at the least. Maybe it helped due to the "ultrafast" setting with x264 on OBS which is the least CPU heavy profile for recording videos.

Recoding at 60fps at 10mbits on OBS, that was the quality from the capture card and it was nice, i've not tested it on a PS3 or even my laptop yet, but that is for another time. 

The Conclusion. 

The card is a good entry level start into getting good quality for game streaming or even making let's plays with HDMI. Now since this is a hard to find item, some places might be not as nice than others and some come from china with the customs might be hassling. So i might suggest being careful. Now if you don't have a deidicated PCI-E x1 slot, don't worry as other sized PCI-E slots work fine but you might need to have a spare slot for a GPU or any other dedicated card that needs a bigger slot. 

But the value is amazing for what i've seen so far. With HDCP ready it makes it more compatible and no splitters required, which even some of the usb capture cards have some hassle with that. Then if it works like any other capture card and even webcams work, getting it working with software should be reasonably good. Which with OBS, i saw no hassle at all. 

With this in mind

omracer's Rating: 6/10

The Good points

• Good Value.
• A modern-ish slot for most PCs. If your board doesn't have PCI-express x1 or x16 then consider a new motherboard. 
• Works with most video capture software and doesn't need its own to do so.
• HDCP ready for most consoles and even other devices. 
• Easy to install with the HD75A/HD72A Drivers

The Bad Points

• The drivers are NOT Digitally signed, this might make installation more complex for 7 and 8.1 x64 users. Scrap that. using the Timeleak drivers fix that.
• The Audio is not a separate driver for some older software. But can be solved by using OBS.
• Not easy to get the card (except from ebay/chinese suppliers)

I hope this review helps a bit more in terms of what it can do and if you are having driver issues, you might be able to solve it using this post as a guidelines. 

Hopefully i'll try to review some more Chinavasion products, maybe some Xmas stuff too. But for now, i need to enjoy a meal out with Glass tonight :D

omracer

Playstation Vita TV (Known as Playstation TV in US/EU)

Well as many of you might of known, I've mentioned that i had wanted a PS Vita TV since it was announced in September . Its now November and they have been released in Japan, I've been checking Play-Asia and eBay and found some offers. it turns out Otaku was listing one for $149.99 + $12 postage (tracked). Which comes to around £110. But i did make an offer for everything (The console + tracked delivery) for $160 which when paid with Paypal, came to about £102.44. So that was ordered Friday evening

I worked an extra day this week due to Dickensian Night happening this Friday, and since a customer wanted to have a lesson with me and was only in Tavi on the day, so i worked, i did finish at 6:30pm or so. But i found it had arrived withing 5 days, that's quick, even quicker than chinavasion with £12 delivery from DHL (That had customs, this didn't ?). So when i arrived home, i found it, looking at me, i undid the outer packaging and you can see the box below.

The box, sealed up, with the PSVita TV logo infront of me, i was excited but i had to pace myself.

So, after the evening was sorted, everyone else went to sleep and i started to get this review underway, It was quite cold in the kitchen, but i made sure to get what i needed before i started. With a Figure 8 cable, my fake DS3 and i did get the usb cable to pair it part way through, but i was ready. You can enjoy the review below, which includes what was in the box, setting it up and looking through the PS Store, but there are bits i have missed which i will cover in this, so do read on...

The Unboxing and setup 

Well Getting the seal off was quite tricky. But the box has a nice PS feel to it, advertised what was available, the interface and of course, parental control, trademarks and safety regulations. Have a look at the unboxing pictures below:

The top of the box, with the logo and some of the bubbles

The back of the box, with detailed descriptions as well as the Reigon, HDMI trademark, Parental controls and something that looks like a date on the right hand side

The Right side of the box, with the Mode numbers, POS Bar code, URL for more info and where it was made, well china for obvious reasons :D

The bottom of the Box, which has sony's trademarks and "FOR SALE IN JAPAN ONLY". But many have been lucky to import.

The Left hand side of the box, with the pictures of the interface, mentions the ability to play PS1 and PSP games (You'll See later). Also the sony icons as well as the GUI is shown.

So with the box shown, its time to look inside. Now there isn't much to show you inside but a list of what is actually included is as follows:

• The Console itself
• A HDMI Cable, 1.8m, standard V1.4
• An AC adapter, which can support 100-240V (So maybe its not just localized for Japan perhaps ?)  and the cable to plug it in to the mains, which is a figure 8 cable, so you can buy a local cable for your country, plug it in and not worry about using adapters. I was actually running around before i left work, looking for a 240V to 110V adapter aha. 
• A manual which folds out and is double sided, it even tells you how to replace a battery in a Dualshock 3, which isn't mentioned in a PS3 manual, funny that ???. 
• A warranty card/booklet. 
• Some notices on small sticker type labels

Now this is a nice amount, when you open the Box, the console is the first thing you see, which you have to take out before you can get to the other items. So i'm going to show you whats in the box:

The left side of the Console itself

The right side of the console, with the PSVita Logo on the slot where the games are inserted

The back of the console: with a power button, slot for PSVita Memory Cards, USB 2.0 Port, HDMI port, 10/100 Ethernet port and the power jack, supporting DC 5V

The bottom of the console, with the Sony logo and some of the detailed information

The front of the console, with the Sony logo and a tiny LED

The top of the comsole, with the PS logo, in a nice silver finish.

The bottom half of the rear of the manual, it even mentions how to replace a battery on a dualshock 3. Thats impressive

The top half of the rear of the manual, More safety notices

The bottom half of the front of the manual, which shows the UI, the dualshock 3 and how to use the sticks as the either the front or reach touchscreen

The back of the Warranty booklet

The inside of the Warranty booklet

The Front of the Warranty Booklet

The Figure 8 AC cable to plug into Japanese sockets

The actual AC adapter itself, which allows for 100 - 240V and steps it down to 5V

A bog standard HDMI V1.4 cable, Looks good for a added extra and helps you get started. 

So the unboxing was quite nice, with everything to get you started if you already own a PS3. After getting everything plugged in, turned on, i started to set the console up, it was quite simple, although i did forget that O is enter and X is back, unlike the Western settings, which is X for enter, O for back. But it was easy to navigate, even getting "Trial access to Playstation Network" was a unique idea, but it technically is on PS3 but i never used it.

After you set it up, or when its normally turned on, you see this. The home screen

Once it was set up, it was like a normal vita but there was a popup on how to use the home screen, well with the d-pad and analog sticks. there was 2 parts, since there was more features then what could of been fitted on one screen. You can even make folders by pressing /\ (That i didn't mention in the video). Afterwards, i went to the settings to get the wifi setup, this is quite simple, although my router always has to fuck me over, i'm going to cut to the chase, but after a few attempts, it worked fine. Then i checked the PS store after updating to 3.00 OFW. There were some good apps as you saw, some of the standard vita apps had been ported over, Torne, Livetweet, NicoNico, Youtube and others, all free too.

The testing. 

At this point, the video ends and i continues to do some extra tests. I did decide to start playing the one game i've always wanted to play on the Vita, which is of course Ridge Racer. I inserted it in the slot, which is tricky to comprehend if you have badly bitten fingernails, i even tried using the cable ties for the hdmi, which worked the first time, but not the second time, it exposed the wire inside lol. But once i got the cartridge in, i found it needs an update, it said ver 1.02, which i hoped would of allowed it for Vita TV compatibility, but alas it was an update in April 2012. Alas it didn't make the game compatible :(

The latest update for Ridge Racer on the Vita TV. 

Afterwards, i downloaded the games i have on my JAP PSN account, which were some free ones, very interesting that the PSP demos don't work, but the full games do. So i had the chance to play some LocoRoco Midnight Carnival, i didn't play much but it felt like it should be, as well as being able to download other conent while playing, which was nice, even the PS3 doesn't let that happen for some games. The upscaled quality is not too bad (Patapon 2 cutscenes are quite bad, but the tv was at 1080i) and also it allows you to add functionality to the right stick, which might be useful for some games.

Playing LocoRoco midnight Carnival and a notification that mentions i've download a PS1 game, in this case its a demo of Devil's Dice, which i still don't understand.

The Verdict:

Well with some things covered, its time to give you my opinions. I'm sort of glad i did get the console, the concept for what i've wanted to do for a while is there, yes i've been able to do it with my CFW PS3 but the emulator for the PSP remasters isn't as good as the vita's. But since there is no UK or even Western release planned, for now at least...The console is restricted if i wanted to buy a ramdom vita game from CEX, Game et, there is a chance that i might of not bought one of the 304 compatible games that is compatible with the Vita TV, i'm surprised Ridge Racer isn't compatible . But the UI is fluent and really easy to use, even if the X and O are swapped

omracer' Rating: 7/10

Pros:

• Looks beautiful and small
• Easy To use
• Has alot of potential, as a mini console and as a Smart TV box (Well for Japan currently anyway)

Cons:

• Linked to Japan only, so you need a JAP PSN to get around
• Not compatible with many vita games, especially EU and US games, PSP and PS1 games are mostly fine. 
• 1GB of storage is basic but a 4GB card is recommended. 

Well that sums this review up. This won't be the last time i mention about the Vita TV, but for now, expect some more reviews, maybe Christmas Present ones. 

omracer :)

.