Need help capturing video out from Powerbook Ti 1Ghz

[Dystopia]

I'm trying to record from my Powerbook and it's not going well. I'm using an Avermedia Live Gamer HD Lite in my PC. Nothing I do seems to induce the Mac to see the capture card as a monitor. It won't see it in OS9, or in OSX, or at any point while booting. I had similar trouble capturing my Windows 98 PC, until I found that if I got the capture card to sync while the PC was POSTing it would work. The equivalent trick has not worked with the Powerbook.

Anyone got any ideas?

[GaryN]

Assuming you're trying to pull video out of the Powerbook from the DVI (and you must be since it's that or S video) you have a big problem.
The card wants DVI-digital.
The Mac is sending DVI-analog.

All I can think of is to insert a DVI-to-HDMI converter in between and cross your fingers.

[Dystopia]

I didn't think to clarify because I completely overlooked S-video, yes it was hooked up via a DVI to HDMI adapter and then a HDMI cable.

I tried a different cable, one that's DVI at one end and HDMI at the other. It works plugged into my Dell U2415, which is a monitor that I'm pretty sure has no analogue capability. Its only inputs are HDMI and displayport. I plugged this cable into my capture card and the Powerbook recognised the card, but only gave black output. Then I rebooted and it wouldn't detect the card anymore.

I tried plugging the Powerbook into a DVI to VGA adapter, then that into an active VGA to HDMI adapter, and then that into the capture card. The Powerbook consistently sees the adapter as a monitor, but I only get black output. This VGA to HDMI adapter works on my retro PC, though that's directly from VGA out on the video card.

The black input to my capture card indicates the card is detecting a signal, else it would say "no signal".

I suppose if all else fails I can just point a camera at the screen, but I'd rather not.

[GaryN]

I tried a different cable, one that's DVI at one end and HDMI at the other. It works plugged into my Dell U2415, which is a monitor that I'm pretty sure has no analogue capability.

On the contrary… the Dell is HDMI analogue

I tried plugging the Powerbook into a DVI to VGA adapter, then that into an active VGA to HDMI adapter, and then that into the capture card. The Powerbook consistently sees the adapter as a monitor, but I only get black output. This VGA to HDMI adapter works on my retro PC, though that's directly from VGA out on the video card.

This scheme does have a chance of working, but only a slim one. What's probably happening here is the PowerBook is outputting a Mac resolution that the card can't follow… What???

Here's the what:
The DVI-to-VGA adapter is adapting the connection, but is not converting the Mac resolution to actual VGA. SO…
The active VGA-to-HDMI unit may be failing to handle the signal properly, and so there's nothing for the card to "see". OR…
The VGA-to-HDMI unit is passing the signal at the Mac resolution (very slim chance), but the card can't read that resolution anyway.

You're trying to drag and old piece of tech kicking and screaming into the modern video era, and it's hard, to say the least. The biggest problem is that nobody feels it's necessary anymore to provide detailed specs when it comes to all things HDMI. According to them, you're not supposed to use anything pre-HDMI anymore. You're supposed to just buy all new shit and then everything is just plug and play.

That is of course, except for interconnecting Macintosh and PC stuff. Apple has always made that as hard as possible to keep you in the Mac ecosystem and lock out all of the tons and tons of PC equipment and it's driver requirements etc.

That "just point a damn camera at the screen" idea starts to look better and better, doesn't it?

[Dystopia]

With the VGA to HDMI adapter I set it to 1920x1080x60, which is explicitly a supported input resolution for the capture card. I suppose I have no way to verify that's what's really happening though.

I'm going to try the camera option and see what sort of quality I can get. Too bad my camera only supports PAL framerates. I also wonder if I can get different results out of a desktop Mac. I didn't have any luck with an Aluminium Powerbook or a Macbook either (not that it would have helped me if I did - OS 9 is a must for what I'm trying to do), so maybe something without a built in monitor might go better.

[GaryN]

With the VGA to HDMI adapter I set it to 1920x1080x60, which is explicitly a supported input resolution for the capture card. I suppose I have no way to verify that's what's really happening though.

1920x1080 is FHD…as in Full High Definition. That's a 16:9 television standard. That is NOT what's coming out of the Powerbook.
I don't know exactly what your VGA-to-HDMI box is, but I think you're expecting it to scale the input to match that FHD standard. Unless it cost hundreds of $$$ it's very unlikely that it can do that.

Here's your last and best bet. Go HERE:   https://archive.org/details/tucows_206903_SwitchRes
SwitchRes is a small app to change your monitor resolution in the computer. It may enable you to output something that your capture card can actually capture.

Note:  IT MUST BE USED WITH CAUTION!  It is possible to eff up your video to where you can't see anything at all on the internal and the external monitors. That can make it impossible to get back to where you were since you can't see any controls, mouse pointer etc.

Read the instructions then read them again and proceed with caution! The developer is still around but supports later versions for OSX only. There is info about the older version available but you have to search for it on the net.