HDMI & VGA Video Capture Problems

[r66f]

Hi! This is my first post here!

I have a 3 PC setup consisting of the following:

1. Windows 11 PC.
2. Dell Dimension 4100 running Windows Me.
3. Dell Optiplex 790 running Windows 10, which I am using as a video capture & streaming PC.

I am also using the following 3 devices & software.

1. HD Video Converter (VGA to HDMI - The Dell Dimension 4100 Windows Me PC is connected to this.)
2. 4x1 HDMI Switch (Both the Windows 11 PC & the HD Video Converter\Windows Me PC are connected to this via the HDMI switches HDMI 1 & HDMI 2 input ports respectively.)
3. Zasluke USB 3.0 HDMI Video Capture (I have the 4x1 HDMI Switch connected to this devices HDMI input port, my main monitor connected to the HDMI output port with a USB cable connecting the device to the Dell Optiplex 790\Windows 10 PC.
4. OBS 29.1.3 running on the Dell Optiplex 790\Windows 10 PC.

I have no problem capturing video from my Windows 11 PC however, when I switch over to the HD Video Converter\Windows Me PC, I get a "No Signal" message on my main monitor & a frozen last captured image on OBS 29.1.3 on the 1. Dell Optiplex 790\Windows 10 PC.

Sometimes, I can get the video from the HD Video Converter\Windows Me PC to passthrough the HDMI switcher & HDMI capture device & display normally on my main monitor, however to do this, I have to not only put the switcher on HDMI 2 but also swap the HDMI ports that the HDMI captures HDMI output is connected to on the back of my main monitor, also when I view the video that the Zasluke USB 3.0 HDMI Video Capture is getting from the HD Video Converter\Windows Me PC (Through the 4x1 HDMI Switch.), it looks like this.

The video resolution on the Windows 11 PC is set at 1920x1080 & 60 Hz (16:9).

The video resolution on the Windows Me PC is set at 1024x768 & 60 Hz (4:3).

The Windows 11 PC uses a NVidia RTX 3060 GPU.

The Windows Me PC uses a NVidia GeForce2 GTS GPU.

I am guessing that the problem is being caused by a mismatch with the video resolutions & aspect ratios.

I would like to fix this so I can properly capture video from both the Windows 11 & Me PC's.

 

[root]

Hey @r66f - welcome to CF. Apologies your post took a while to go live, the spam filter can be a little overzealous sometimes.

Windows Me... what a throwback.
I imagine something somewhere is getting confused with the switching going on. Just to confirm, have you tried to go direct from Me PC > video converter > capture card and if so are you getting the right resolution?

 

[r66f]

Hey @r66f - welcome to CF. Apologies your post took a while to go live, the spam filter can be a little overzealous sometimes.

Windows Me... what a throwback.
I imagine something somewhere is getting confused with the switching going on. Just to confirm, have you tried to go direct from Me PC > video converter > capture card and if so are you getting the right resolution?

That's ok! I removed the HDMI switch & was still getting normal video on my main monitor & messed up video coming out of the capture cards USB port.

 

[ChatGPT]

Hey @r66f - welcome to CF. Apologies your post took a while to go live, the spam filter can be a little overzealous sometimes.

Windows Me... what a throwback.
I imagine something somewhere is getting confused with the switching going on. Just to confirm, have you tried to go direct from Me PC > video converter > capture card and if so are you getting the right resolution?

I removed the HDMI switch & was still getting normal video on my main monitor & messed up video coming out of the capture cards USB port.

Hey r66f,

Thanks for clarifying. It sounds like the issue is indeed related to the video resolutions and aspect ratios between your Windows Me PC and the capture setup.

Since you mentioned that removing the HDMI switch and directly connecting the HD Video Converter to the capture card results in messed up video, it suggests that the converter may not be properly communicating with the capture card to provide the correct resolution.

Here are a few steps you can try to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Ensure that the HD Video Converter is set to output the correct resolution and aspect ratio for your Windows Me PC. So, in this case, set it to 1024x768 and 4:3.

2. Check the settings on your capture card software (OBS) to ensure it is configured to accept the correct resolution and aspect ratio from the video converter. You may need to manually set the input resolution to 1024x768.

3. Check if there are any firmware or driver updates available for your capture card and HD Video Converter. Sometimes, updating these devices can resolve compatibility issues.

4. If possible, try using a different capture card or video capture device to see if the problem persists. This will help determine if the issue is specific to the Zasluke USB 3.0 HDMI Video Capture device.

5. If all else fails, you can try using a different method for capturing video from your Windows Me PC, such as using a VGA to USB video capture device instead of HDMI. This would require a VGA output from the PC and a corresponding VGA to USB capture device.

Remember to double-check all your connections and cables to ensure they are properly seated and functioning correctly.

I hope these suggestions help you resolve the issue and successfully capture video from both your Windows 11 and Me PCs. Let me know if you have any further questions!

 

[root]

That's ok! I removed the HDMI switch & was still getting normal video on my main monitor & messed up video coming out of the capture cards USB port.

Couple more things to check (other than the suggestions from ChatGPT which is still currently in training on this site)

Are you able to directly feed the Windows Me PC into the capture card with no other video output being split etc? i.e just record a capture for a couple of minutes with nothing in the chain but the Me PC's video card > converter > capture card

If it's still producing the bad video, I would start considering getting a separate VGA capture card to eliminate as many steps in the process as possible, so it's only 'one step' from analog to digital. Or even potentially a graphics card that's a) compatible with Me and b) has a HDMI output - I'm not too sure if something like this exists though to be honest as HDMI wasn't really a 'thing' until after Windows 98/Me had had it's day.

 

[ChatGPT]

That's ok! I removed the HDMI switch & was still getting normal video on my main monitor & messed up video coming out of the capture cards USB port.

Couple more things to check (other than the suggestions from ChatGPT which is still currently in training on this site)

Are you able to directly feed the Windows Me PC into the capture card with no other video output being split etc? i.e just record a capture for a couple of minutes with nothing in the chain but the Me PC's video card > converter > capture card

If it's still producing the bad video, I would start considering getting a separate VGA capture card to eliminate as many steps in the process as possible, so it's only 'one step' from analog to digital. Or even potentially a graphics card that's a) compatible with Me and b) has a HDMI output - I'm not too sure if something like this exists though to be honest as HDMI wasn't really a 'thing' until after Windows 98/Me had had it's day.

Couple more things to check (other than the suggestions from ChatGPT which is still currently in training on this site)

Are you able to directly feed the Windows Me PC into the capture card with no other video output being split etc? i.e just record a capture for a couple of minutes with nothing in the chain but the Me PC's video card > converter > capture card

If it's still producing the bad video, I would start considering getting a separate VGA capture card to eliminate as many steps in the process as possible, so it's only 'one step' from analog to digital. Or even potentially a graphics card that's a) compatible with Me and b) has a HDMI output - I'm not too sure if something like this exists though to be honest as HDMI wasn't really a 'thing' until after Windows 98/Me had had it's day.

Thanks for your input, root!

That's a great suggestion. Confirming if the issue persists when directly feeding the Windows Me PC into the capture card without any other video output being split would help narrow down the problem. This way, you can isolate whether the issue lies with the specific configuration or the capture card itself.

If the issue still occurs even with a direct connection, it's worth considering getting a separate VGA capture card to eliminate any potential compatibility issues between the HD Video Converter and the capture card.

Alternatively, as you mentioned, finding a compatible graphics card for the Windows Me PC that has an HDMI output could simplify the setup by eliminating the need for the video converter altogether. However, as you rightly pointed out, compatibility for HDMI output on a graphics card for Windows Me might be challenging to find due to the age of the operating system.

Keep us updated on any progress you make, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or need assistance.

 

[r66f]

Couple more things to check (other than the suggestions from ChatGPT which is still currently in training on this site)

Are you able to directly feed the Windows Me PC into the capture card with no other video output being split etc? i.e just record a capture for a couple of minutes with nothing in the chain but the Me PC's video card > converter > capture card

If it's still producing the bad video, I would start considering getting a separate VGA capture card to eliminate as many steps in the process as possible, so it's only 'one step' from analog to digital. Or even potentially a graphics card that's a) compatible with Me and b) has a HDMI output - I'm not too sure if something like this exists though to be honest as HDMI wasn't really a 'thing' until after Windows 98/Me had had it's day.

I tried it that way & was still getting the same problem. I think I will try getting a better VGA to HDMI adapter & see what happens & if that doesn't work, I'll try looking to see if there are any GPU's with HDMI ports that support Windows ME.

 

[root]

I tried it that way & was still getting the same problem. I think I will try getting a better VGA to HDMI adapter & see what happens & if that doesn't work, I'll try looking to see if there are any GPU's with HDMI ports that support Windows ME.

Good luck - let us know how you get on in case someone in the future has a similar issue.

And if you’re capturing content for YouTube, feel free to share your channel link - my first Windows PC ran Me so would be a trip down memory lane!

 

[r66f]

Will do! My YouTube channel is R66F Plays Games. Currently, I am mostly playing newer games (Mostly driving\racing & simulation games.), but once I get this setup to working properly, I will start playing some older games like SimCity 2000 or some of the 90's Carmen Sandiego games.

 

[root]

Will do! My YouTube channel is R66F Plays Games. Currently, I am mostly playing newer games (Mostly driving\racing & simulation games.), but once I get this setup to working properly, I will start playing some older games like SimCity 2000 or some of the 90's Carmen Sandiego games.

Nice one, love a bit of classic Sim City 2000/3000 along with Cities Skylines. Subscribed!