Hauppauge
HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture Device with HDMI
In and Out and Real Time Passthrough for Use with PC, Xbox 360 and PS3
Upon reading reviews before buying, i bought new hdmi cables to replace the cheap ones that it came with. i have had this a week now and no issues so far. I use it for youtube videos of game play edited with Sony software. This works perfect. Any changes i'll update my review. But so far so good.
I bought this for my 13yo for Xmas to record his Xbox playing. He hooked it up himself and it works great. He asked for a more exspensive model but this one works as good for half price. I recommend.
Unlike most of the reviewers that you come across on here, I actually test consumer electronics and review them in my line of work. I have reviewed every major HD capture device on the market, and I can tell you that the Hauppauge HD PVR 2: Gaming Edition is the best! I put every device through it's paces, and give each one a well rounded review that covers every aspect of the device - not just one small part.
Before I get to my full review, I STRONGLY recommend that you use common sense when reading these reviews. Most of the one star reviews on here are from people who have small tech issues with their device, and have refused to contact Hauppauge customer support. I have been a long time Hauppauge user, and can tell you that they have incredible customer support. You call them, or email them - and THEY HELP YOU!
Now to my review:
1. Build Quality: The Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition has incredible build quality. It is half the size (or less) of the HD PVR 1, and is made of a combination brushed metal & hard plastic. The new light that beams around the center looks great. The device is sturdy, strong & built well. All of the ports are solid, and I never felt anything loose or cheap with this device.
2. No Delay Passthrough: The HD PVR 2 comes with HDMI 1080P no delay passthrough. I lot of people seem to be confused on this. That does not mean that there is no delay on your PC screen. It means that there is no delay on your TV screen. You hook this device up to your computer (usb), and your TV (HDMI) at the same time. While recording, you look at your TV screen, and there is absolutely zero delay, which is key for gamers when wanting to be at the top of their game. There will always be delay on your PC screen with any capture device. When you play back the videos though, after the capture is done - they look stunning!
3. Hookup: The HD PVR 2 comes with multiple hook ups. First of all there are 2 HDMI ports (in/out) for 1080P recording for HDMI devices like the XBOX 360 or iPad 2/3 (with Dongle). The PS3, although HDMI compatible, will not record through HDMI ports on any capture device (Sony issue). Hauppauge has solved that and more by including a component dongle so you can hook your PS3 up at the same time as your 360. I also like this because it allows the Hauppauge device to also record component video from other devices if you ever need to - adding to the HD PVR 2 versatility. The HD PVR 2 also has a USB cable for your PC, and a power cable. This device took me about 10 minutes to setup (including the software installation), and then I was recording in 1080p!
4. Software: The HD PVR 2 software set up similar to the HD PVR 1. You install the drivers once your HD PVR 2 is plugged in to power and your pc, then you install the ArcSoft Showbiz software. Some users were having issues with a driver, but Hauppauge included detailed instructions on how to solve that. I was one of those users, and it took me about 5 minutes to solve the issue - then everything was working fine. User who are used to the HD PVR 1, will find the new version of ArSoft Showbiz very familiar. There are not a ton of changes, but the small changes are recognizable in a good way! The biggest change is the level of detail in which you can customize your recording. It is amazing. You can modify, tweak and customize every detail of the way that you want to capture your games. The HD PVR 2 gives you the most options for the type of output that you want, setting it apart from the rest of the capture market. Once you have the software setup just like you want it, you can also edit and publish your gaming video right within Arcsoft. Most gamers are going to edit outside of the software, but the option is there if you want it.
5. UPGRADES/UPDATES: Unlike most of the capture devices on the market, the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 is built to last, because it is built to have the ability to be updated. For some reason gamers seem to be forgetting that this is why the HD PVR dominated the market for years. The HD PVR 2 is carrying on that tradition. This device already has a slew of 3rd party apps, and 1st party updates on the way. MAC SUPPORT is coming soon, and will be done well. I like a device that I know is going to last me a long time, and the HD PVR 2 is already being updated to do so. Hauppauge is already releasing a logo burning software update for next week, meaning that you will be able to capture your logo over your video in every capture!
In conclusion, my gaming videos have never looked better then they have with the Hauppauge HD PVR 2. No capture device on the market has the build quality, ease of use, and longevity of the HD PVR 2. I am a review & gaming industry expert, and I have put the HD PVR 2 through all of the tests.
Pick this one up today!
Deuce a: a couple of things to note:
- the reason why the video quality is so good on the HD PVR 2 is that it uses a professional video encoder which is found in broadcast TV recorders. We wanted to deliver pro quality video at a consumer price. And we did. Here is a new video which was just posted showing the video quality from a PC game (recorded through HDMI at 1080p30). When you watch this video, select either 720p or 1080p quality to really see what HD PVR 2 can do:
http://youtu.be/6cnlXaOyLo8
- the Record button is a feature I personally use every day. I almost never go to the PC screen to record, I just hit the record button on top of HD PVR 2. As MTV Multiplayer said: "To capture content, ... press the handy button at the top of the PVR ".
- I never need to disconnect my cables. I leave everything plugged in even when I disconnect my laptop. Compared with recording devices which advertise "USB bus power", the HD PVR 2 does not need to be disconnected when your PC or laptop is disconnected.
- I'm using the Personal logo program to burn the Hauppauge Gaming Zone logo into all of our recordings. I don't need to spend hours of rendering just to add a logo in Vegas. With HD PVR 2 and the Personal Logo inserter, all my videos have the logo put in while the videos are recording.
- HD PVR 2 was designed by one of the top design companies in the US. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but we think the HD PVR 2 design is great and has all the features you want to have on a game recorder.
Here is the latest review of the HD PVR 2. Hauppauge agrees with you: HD PVR 2 is clearly the best game recorder on the market.
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2012/09/21
This is the best capture card i had ever had... theres no problems with it its just straight up aweosme. its worth the money!
Easy use and ready to go.
Setup is easy and simple, unless you have an elaborate setup which will take some time to get to everything you need. The software that comes with it works great for capturing but for editing it's not the best. Some small issues with it when trying to record but checking the FAQs should help out.
This system is so simple to set up and start recording gameplay, easy to hook up and stream as well with xsplit as well as the quality is bar none! I recommend this over any other capture card hands down.
I was skeptical of the device after seeing so many negative reviews, but after using it myself I found that it's very handy and makes recording so easy! I use it with both my PS3 and 360 and the quality comes out at a beautiful 720p and 1080p/i when I want it to! Recommended to a friend of mine and he's going to use this for his gameplay videos as well!
Buy Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture Device with HDMI In and Out and Real Time Passthrough for Use with PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 Now from Amazon.com
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