Connecting a Wii to my PC to record gameplay

• Arsik wrote on 2012-02-23 04:24
  As some of you may know, I'm planning on hosting a Smash Bros. Brawl tournament sometime soon, and I said that I would probably record the matches and upload them to YouTube so that the people who don't have the game can watch the tournament.
  
  However, I'm having some problems actually connecting my Wii to my computer. I do have a TV tuner card (a AVerMedia M791 PCIe Combo NTSC/ATSC card to be specific), and that card does have a full composite input (those Yellow/White/Red wires), but for some reason, I'm not able to get my computer to recognize that I have my Wii plugged into it. I would use the software that came with my card... if I actually had software for it. Aside from the driver, the only program related to my tuner card is Windows Media Center, and that's a no go for recognizing the Wii either. It is able to record live TV though, so I do know that the card is working.
  
  I've spent the last couple of hours Googling ways to connect my console to my computer, and I haven't had any luck. I either turn up results that tell me to get a USB connector and use that to connect the two, or to buy some programs that will function similarly to what WMC does. If you haven't guessed by now, I'd like to do this without dropping $100 or so on hardware that I may not use again for a while.
  
  So, am I missing something super obvious, like a setting to switch inputs to the RCA input, or am I stuck having to go an hour's drive out of my way to pick up something that will probably end up in my dresser or something because it's just taking up space? Or is there a better freeware program that can do a good job at what I'm looking for perhaps?
• paladin wrote on 2012-02-23 04:27
  Is is possible to do Wii-> tv-computer
• Arsik wrote on 2012-02-23 04:29
  Probably, if someone wants to walk me step-by-step to go from my Wii to my TV with the RCA connection, and then from my TV to my PC with an HDMI connection, I suppose that can work.
• Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-23 04:50
  Odd, in my old OLD (crappy) PC, I think it had a TV tuner. Had the composite inputs as well. My PS2 displayed easily in WMC o-o, not sure what I chose to get into it...and I don't even remember if it was XP or Vista ;P
• Yoorah wrote on 2012-02-23 04:53
  I don't think software has anything to do with your Wii not being "detected." RCA cables (video, audio L, audio R) are completely dumb; if the Wii sends a video signal on the yellow cable, the TV card will see a video signal on it the same way as it would from your TV. There is no difference. I'm guessing you wired something wrong. D:
  
  The only "software" related thing would be the refresh rate setting; NTSC vs PAL. NTSC is the correct setting, but like I already, it would affect your TV and Wii the same way.
• Blue Shell wrote on 2012-02-23 04:57
  A Dazzle or w/e they are called..
• Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-23 05:07
  From what I understand, Windows MC isn't able to access other inputs from the tuner card, besides the TV signal itself (did a bit of Googling).
  
  What about VLC Player? "Open Capture Device" option in Menu, has quite a few configuration options for the capture card (I found something called "VCR Input", perhaps that might be what you need?)
  
  I haven't been able to test VLC, stupid S-Video adapter is too thick at one end to fit in my tuner card ;(
  (S-Video OR RCA composite, same thing applies with this problem. Both "other" inputs)
• Yoorah wrote on 2012-02-23 05:17
  Ah, good point.. if that's really a WMC limitation. D: I had assumed that the TV recording was done through the RCA cables too, in which case the Wii should have worked the same. But if WMC can only record from the coax cable, then that sucks.
  
  VirtualDub also has video capture capabilities. I never used it, however, so I don't know how easy to use it is.
• Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-23 05:31

  Quote from Yoorah;783427:

  Ah, good point.. if that's really a WMC limitation. D: I had assumed that the TV recording was done through the RCA cables too, in which case the Wii should have worked the same. But if WMC can only record from the coax cable, then that sucks.
  
  VirtualDub also has video capture capabilities. I never used it, however, so I don't know how easy to use it is.

  
  
  I pretty much found out myself as well, all I could find was "TV" in WMC. Not a single option for anything but the TV signal :(
  Not sure how I did it ages ago, that PC is long gone :P
• Arsik wrote on 2012-02-23 07:41
  Yea, neither program is picking up the signal from my Wii. I guess I'll have to buckle down and buy an adapter or something. Hopefully Walmart sells them, though it's unlikely that my local one carries them.
• elumini wrote on 2012-02-28 05:01
  PC Capture Card. May cost a bit. I think the cheapest average quality is Roxio's Game Capture for PC. Can try to invest in it? 60-80 dollars USD.
• Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-28 05:19

  Quote from elumini;789337:

  PC Capture Card. May cost a bit. I think the cheapest average quality is Roxio's Game Capture for PC. Can try to invest in it? 60-80 dollars USD.

  
  
  -_-, you completely missed the point of the OP
• elumini wrote on 2012-02-28 05:21
  The thing with the tool I posted, it allows you to play on PC as well for when you no longer need the TV. It's merely a suggestion, not a "go buy it".
• Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-28 05:23

  Quote from elumini;789401:

  The thing with the tool I posted, it allows you to play on PC as well for when you no longer need the TV. It's merely a suggestion, not a "go buy it".

  
  
  You still missed the point, he already has one :P It just doesn't work.
  You suggested it as if he didn't know 'what' he needed :P
• elumini wrote on 2012-02-28 05:24
  Not like I can go deepweb surfing for old drivers. ;P