Ok, before I start I did read the sticky at the top of this board. Which makes me all the more hesitant if my idea will actually work. But here it goes.

I have really been getting a hankering lately to record some of my Warhawk battles(Playstation 3 game if you are unaware). My goal is to still use the HDMI from the PS3 and not have anything interfered, yet be able to record something on the spot if I wanted.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and here is what I am proposing.

PS3's HDMI to a HDMI Splitter/Video Distributor (basically it will take in one HDMI, and output two identical copies)

One of those will goto my TV (actually to my receiver..but thats the jist of it), and the other is what I will explain below.

My goal is to end up at my DVD recorder's component IN. So from the HDMI splitter will go to a HDMI to DVI cable then I get a DVI to Component cable and goto my DVD recorder with the component.


Might sound pretty stupid. But if I can accomplish this, the one HDMI from the PS3 will go in two directions essentially. One to the TV and one to my DVD recorder. Both would get identical signals, and I wouldn't have to switch the video settings on the PS3 when I want to spontaneously record something, since it all would be done from that one HDMI out.

So what do you think? Pipe dream..or plausible?

I have come to the conclusion that I may have an issue with resolution and the DVD recorder. To my knowledge the DVD recorder can only do/take in 480i(maybe p) signals. So its possible the Component video coming in will be too high of a resolution..and it just simply wont show anything. (Would be 1080i signal from HDMI)

Or...I might get lucky, and the DVD recorder will downscale (or downconvert...dunno the difference) the resolution to what it can handle. But it all depends on how much this will cost..cause it sure would be one expensive way to 'test' this theory of mine, especially if it didn't work. So that's why I am asking here just in case somebody could shed some light from previous experience/knowledge. Cause I have read that somebody has actually done a HDMI > DVI > Component. But I dunno if it will be compliant with my DVD recorder. (Magnavox MRV640..about 3 or more years old)

Or even better yet, maybe somebody could come up with another solution to this. For all I know there is a box that will accomplish all this easily. (One HDMI in, and a HDMI out and analog out in forms of component/S-Video/composite)

Anyway, thanks for any help given...even if its bad news.

DVD recorders can only accept a 480i video signal. You would need a scaler to downrez the 1080i signal to 480i. Scalers will add about $350 to your project. I have seen HDMI -> component converters on ebay. I'm not sure if they are still there because there appears to be some legality involved.

edit - actually they still do sell them. Search this on ebay:

HDMI to Component Video,CRT,XGA,VGA Projector Converter

in the same boat

right now i have ps3/xbox360/wii all component into a receiver then receiver to component splitter cable to projector. the splitter act as a pass-threw and displays on both projector and lcd perfectly. no my problem is finding something that will record the component signal. anyone have some idea's for me dvd recorder, capture card for computer or other........

thanks

Try here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=775235

Or this for DVD recorders without component inputs:

http://www.svideo.com/appletv2tv.html

I have one. It works pretty good. It does not offer scaling though so the source has to be 480i.

source of the gaming systems is 720p and i can not change that or i would just run everything over composite cables. the problem is finding a way to recorder the out put from the component cables

DVD recorders can only record in 480i. You'll need a scaler to downconvert the 720p to 480i before it gets to the DVD recorder.

thanks for the quick reply

Thanks for the replies. Seems I would need a scaler..and would be a little more than I would like to spend for something that is not too important. Its more of something I want to do, but not something I would need to have.

Does anybody have any other suggestions for what I want to do? Where I can have one output from the PS3 (HDMI) then from that somehow get video over to my DVD recorder either by component, S-Video, or composite. While still getting video to my TV.

Well. You might try recording the video and audio out of your TV. My HD TV has both analog A/V out ports. I've recorded from these in the past and the results are very good. The problem is that it is a "blind" recording. But it may be a good way to archive your gaming activity.

I don't think my TV has any video-outs whatsoever...but if it did, it could be a cheap effective way to record.

I am at work now, so I cant check, but maybe you can tell me off the top of your head if my TV can or not.

Its a Samsung LNT-3253H.

Also, I'd assume the video scaler built into my TV would obviously scale the 1080i signal down to 480i?

Anything going out of the HD TV via analog is at SD resolution of 480i.

Yeah, I figured but wanted to make sure.

Well, I checked a few places online and it seems that my TV is all inputs.

It looks like only audio out. No video out.