AVerMedia Game Capture HD Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. AVerMedia Game Capture HD4. The Software and Capturing Video5. Captured Game Play6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

The AVerMedia Game Capture HD is a simple device which can record game play from all the main games consoles. Unlike most of the competition, it doesn't require a computer to be connected and running.

It uses an internal 2.5″ HDD to store all the videos. However, this does mean it can't upload directly to Youtube, which is probably going to be the desire of most people who are capturing the video content.

In terms of its performance, the device has two key modes, ‘Standard' and ‘Real-time'. During Real-time mode we were really impressed with how quickly the device starts and stops recording. There is only a 2/3 second delay, which for this type of device is quick.

There is also no visible stutter or hesitation with our game play, showing that the pass-through is not affected when you press record.

However, during standard mode, which also gives all the menu options and allows you to use the remote control fully, there is a significant pause when the device stops recording which can cause problems while gaming (especially for FPS games). As such, we decided to keep the device in real-time mode until we wanted to change any settings as this then doesn't disrupt gameplay.

Unfortunately, the device boots up into standard mode by default, which is a little annoying as you have to remember to switch modes before starting to play.

In terms of the hardware, we are impressed. While it uses a component connection rather than a HDMI connection, the quality is impressive and the output files will be quite large, but it does handle them very quickly. When it is in Standard mode it does take a split second to save the 500+ Mb of video to storage. Admittedly we were using an SSD, so it might be a bit slower with a larger capacity HDD. However in real-time mode we didn't even realise it had saved all of our gameplay.

The only thing we didn't like was the remote control as you have to aim it within a narrow view of the device, and the buttons feel cheap and flimsy. There is also a small delay before key presses are registered and the next screen returned.

The software is slightly basic by design, especially when you compare it with that of the Hauppauge HD PVR 2.

To be fair, it has all the features you need, with the exception of being able to upload directly to Youtube or a similar video site. Instead the company have produced free software to convert to MP4 format which is then compatible with sites such as Youtube. You will have to transfer the files to a computer first to then run this software.

Overall, our experience with the AVerMedia Game Capture HD was positive. It is by and large, much more convenient and easy to use than the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 device, and the quality is noticeably better.

As it doesn't require to be connected to a computer you do need to add a storage drive inside the chassis. If you were going to be using it for a lot of gaming footage, a large 500GB 2.5″ HDD will only set you back around £40.

In terms of price the AVerMedia Game Capture HD device is available for just shy of £100 from Amazon.co.uk, which we think is a very fair price. We would certainly recommend this product if you have ever wanted to record your game play without dealing with the hassles of connecting to a PC.

Pros:

• Great quality.
• Easy to set-up and use.
• Doesn't require a PC.
• No interruption to gameplay.

Cons

• Need a 2.5″ drive.
• Software a bit limited.
• Remote needs a direct line of sight.

Kitguru says: A great device that records smooth gameplay at a great quality

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