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I have an original SNES. I'm trying to output video to my pc, using the component output. I'm using a Diamond VC500. I got the latest drivers ("VC500 Complete Package" from that page). Main issue: the video is showing up weirdly interlaced:

As a side point, I'm not sure what software to use to view the capture stream. If I use VLC, there's a noticeable input delay I can't figure out how to fix. If I use the EZ Grabber software that comes with the capture card, there's no video shown but the screenshot tool works (how I captured the above image):

If I use OBS, I can't get the audio to work.

Anyways, the main question is: How can I capture SNES video to PC without the weird interlacing?

Windows 10 Home, GeForce GTX 980 Ti.

edit: I found this related question, so I'm assuming my question is appropriate for this SE: How can I play a SNES through a VGA monitor?

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I've found some useful information in the following posts:

https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/capturing-streaming-your-retro-consoles-the-right-way.289/

https://www.reddit.com/r/speedrun/comments/2fvcy6/snes_capture_scanlines/

Both of these mention using some software called amarectv. It seems it was last updated in 2013, but this works on Windows 10.

Here's a screenshot of it the output, the interlacing issue I posted about is no longer present:

Some notes on the setup:

I downloaded the software and unzipped it, filename amarectv231_en.zip.

There are a few different executables, I just ran AmaRecTV.exe.

Here's a copy of the config, this is the only tab where I changed anything:

Text overview of settings:

  • Video Capture Device: Conexant Polaris Video Capture (only option)
  • Audio Capture Device: changed to Conexant Polaris Audio Capture
  • Input: changed to composite
  • Audio input: changed to (link)
  • (I'm in the US, using the 29.97 fps options)
  • Format (top/video): changed to *w= 720, h= 480, fps=29.97, fcc=UYVY, bit=16
  • Format (bottom/audio): chose *sample= 48000, bit=16, ch= 2 (only option)

A note on the format, the 360x240 options (*w= 360, h= 240, fps=29.97, fcc=YUY2, bit=16) are still badly interlaced. I can't tell a difference between UYVY and YUV2

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Your SNES footage is natively progressive scan, outside of occasional 480i title screens and such. The combing you're seeing means something is interpreting 240p (or 224p or whatever) as an interlaced signal. The most likely culprit is your capture card.

I suggest getting something like a RetroTink 2X to line double the 240p signal to 480p, which modern devices are much more comfortable with. It will look a lot better than even the screenshot in your self-reply. Your capture card will need to be able to accept HDMI inputs. Another cheaper option that's not as good is to get an old DVD recorder and pass the signal through that, as it will also act as a line doubler. I've used both methods and they get the job done.

Also, unless you desperately need to save space or bandwidth, please record at 59.4fps. SNES games look awful at half refresh rate. Not only are they choppy just in normal motion, but the 60hz flicker they often employ for faux transparency or to indicate damage is screwed up and you'll either see a solid sprite or nothing at all. The SNES is over 30 years old now; there's no reason modern captures of it should look objectively worse than what we saw on our CRTs in the '90s.

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