Datapath has just released a firmware update for the Vision line of capture cards (Vision E1, E1s and E2s), that fixes a blue screen error that occurs when you change resolutions. This crash could happen with both analog and digital sources, so if you own one of these cards, upgrade right away:
Download Here: https://www.datapathsoftware.com/downloads/visioninstall-v7-29-0/
*Used Datapath Vision E1 or E1s: https://ebay.us/w8lzqK
*This is a paid affiliate link; It’s the same cost to you, but we get a cut of the sale. Sorry for interrupting the post to repeat what’s already written twice on the page, but eBay threatened to delete my affiliate account if I don’t. Anyway…this was the result of many of my livestream crashes and I’m happy it’s fixed!
While a new Vision E1 or E1s is far too expensive for most people, I’ve seen them used for as low as $40 sometimes…and at that price, the card is amazing!!! You can capture from 240p to 1080p60, completely lossless (as long as your PC can handle it), in the 4:4:4 colorspace. If you’re someone who does any kind of video analysis, having that kind of precision at a sub-$100 price point (once again, for a used one), is absolutely amazing.
There are a few things to note about the E-Series Visions. The first is they don’t capture audio at all, so if you’re using HDMI, you’ll need an audio extractor. Also, the DVI-I port does accept an HDMI signal via a cheap HDMI to DVI cable, but running it through some kind of splitter is really a necessity; The card requires amplification for HDMI signals or you might get green speckles, plus you get the benefit of HDMI audio extraction…and if you get this splitter, it’ll also make it “PS3 compatible”: https://www.retrorgb.com/hdmi-2-0b-1×2-splitter-audio-extractor.html
Lastly, if you plan on attempting direct capture via RGB SCART, you’ll need a device like the “SCART Cleaner” to ensure the sync signal is sent properly and a low-pass filter is applied. At this point, with devices like the RetroTINK 5x and 4K available, almost nobody needs direct capture anymore. If you’re someone who does analog video analysis, this might be extremely important though…however I’m still working on the best way to aspect-correct without adding shimmering to movement. I’ll follow up on that if I ever figure it out…
