How to set this up

Ch3m1c4L

Ch3m1c4L

Ch3m1c4L

Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2007
Posts
3,218
Location
London, UK
Hello,

I am looking to set up two to three video streams to be using in Xsplit (2 plus skype or 3 local) for a new show I will be starting late next month. There will be one main viewing window, with two smaller windows next to it, as in the picture below. I will be wanting to periodically switch two of the camera feeds around, which Xsplit can do perfectly fine.
The room will be lit using normal lighting. I do not have any big professional lighting equipment, and it will be being recorded in the evenings most likely.

B20-CamPanel-2_zpsf0c69f89.jpg


I currently have a 1080p Samsung Galaxy Camera, a 720p Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 Camera. Both cam stream via HDMI, but cannot be used as a USB Webcam. I know the Galaxy Camera can be used an IP camera over wifi, but it gets like 15 FPS at 720p which isnt good enough, this is on a ASUS N56u Black Diamond, and my WiFi speeds are plenty fast enough so its not the wifi causing low FPS.

I also have a 1080p Logitech HD Pro C920 webcam, and a not so good 720p creative live cam. I have a galaxy S4 phone as well, but assume the aperture size will be a limiting factor for quality in poor lighting just like the webcams.

I currently do not have a capture card of any sort.

I am not happy with the quality from the webcams, THe 1080p one is "ok" but the 720p ones sucks. I would like to use at least one of my cameras for the main feed, but preferably using both to allow me to switch between the feeds at will.

What do you think the cheapest way for me to get this to work is?

Option A: Buy a dual HDMI capture card to allow the cameras to stream directly to my PC and use the 1080p webcam (its fine quality for the smaller viewers, and it can be the one which doesn't get switched to)

Option B: Buy a digital video camera which can stream over fire-wire or USB, and use the two webcams for the smaller feeds (can't switch which camera is the main viewer then without degrading quality then though).

Option C: Buy a digital video camera and a single link HDMI capture card and use one webcam.

Option D: Buy better webcams?

Option F: Something I haven't thought of?
 
I used mulitple Avermedia C985 with a Panasonic SD800 and my Nikon d5200, both of which support HDMI output. The quality is in another league compared to webcams. Especially when using a DSLR for the low light.

here is an example, you can see the first shot is a rubbish webcam then the scene changes to a DSLR its like night and day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpG31vHmUyI

If its in your budget and the 2 cameras you have are decent then I would suggest the cap card route. If you want to do it on the cheap then just pickup a couple more Logitech C920 so you have at least the same webcam.
 
Thanks for the input man. Both of my cameras are compacts, very good compacts, but compacts none the less, and not dslr's. Which is why I though it might be worth buying a proper video camera instead of a capture card. Along with the fact that My main PC could only fit one card in, if I take out a gpu - spare pc is fine though.

Is it better to have multiple single input capture cards than one multi input?
 
I dont think it would make a difference as long as they support the resolution and the framerate you require.

I only used mulitple Avermedia cards due to a sponsorship deal we got.
 
picked up a black magic intensity and a logitech c930e to use for a top down view of the table (90 degree viewing angle and small/light enough to be attached to my mic arm, while being same image quality as a c920). Will get another intensity or similar if I find I need to use the other "proper" camera as well. No point in shelling out for all of the kit before I've even tested if I need it :D

Thanks for your help Bones.
 
Bah, just found out that my calaxy camera, being android based, will only output HDCP and as such cannot be captured. So, I do need a camcorder anyway lol.
 
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