What is a good way to get Apple II screenshots onto a PC?

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Matthew Power

2017-06-25 17:33:11 UTC

I don't mean emulators. Real hardware. I'm thinking that the Apple II composite-out signal might be the way to go. That signal into a PC-setup sort of like transferring VHS to digital. Does that make sense?

I remember back in the day feeding the Apple II into a VCR and simply pressing <RECORD>.

Matt

g***@sasktel.net

2017-06-25 18:21:12 UTC

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What about just using a digital camera?

groink_hi

2017-06-25 23:43:01 UTC

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Post by Matthew Power
I don't mean emulators. Real hardware. I'm thinking that the Apple II composite-out signal might be the way to go. That signal into a PC-setup sort of like transferring VHS to digital. Does that make sense?
I remember back in the day feeding the Apple II into a VCR and simply pressing <RECORD>.
Matt

I would try a USB adapter. Maybe one of those that allows composite NTSC video to USB. And then use something like VLC to do a screenshot.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Composite-AV-S-Video-to-USB-DVR-Adapter-Digital-MPEG-H-264-Recorder-PC-Mac-/231506779213

Michael 'AppleWin Debugger Dev'

2017-06-26 03:47:03 UTC

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I know you mentioned that you didn't want emulators but With AppleWin v1.26 now having proper NTSC emulation the difference between real hardware is almost neglible.

Getting back to real hardware ...

Unless you are capturing the composite signal directly any sort of conversion is going to add artifacts.

What's the use case? Are you recording movies or static screenshots?

Matthew Power

2017-06-26 04:09:58 UTC

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Post by Michael 'AppleWin Debugger Dev'
What's the use case? Are you recording movies or static screenshots?

Screen shots of an Apple II in use. Any game, any text screen. I love AppleWin and use it to copy Applesoft programs from the Internet to my IIe (via Ciderpress).

But I'm kind of a nerd about the original hardware. Is composite-out the best way to send that video signal to a screen-shot on a PC?

I do have the A2 Heaven VGA scaler card, and I love it. But the A2VGAS is output only.

groink_hi

2017-06-26 06:23:17 UTC

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Post by Matthew Power

Post by Michael 'AppleWin Debugger Dev'
What's the use case? Are you recording movies or static screenshots?

But I'm kind of a nerd about the original hardware. Is composite-out the best way to send that video signal to a screen-shot on a PC?

I hear ya!

By capturing the composite signal, you'll see the same artifacts anyone using a composite display would experience, in particular the bleeding effect you get from composite color. I think if you capture the video through any other source (VGA, RGB, etc.) it may be a cleaner capture. But then, "clean" may not be what you're aiming for, or in a way might go against what you're trying to capture.

Of course, as someone else mentioned earlier, just aim a camera at the screen and shoot stills. And this way you'll guarantee 100-percent of that composite video experience.

David Schmidt

2017-06-26 14:59:25 UTC

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Post by groink_hi

Post by Matthew Power

Post by Michael 'AppleWin Debugger Dev'
What's the use case? Are you recording movies or static
screenshots?

But I'm kind of a nerd about the original hardware. Is
composite-out the best way to send that video signal to a
screen-shot on a PC?

[...]
Of course, as someone else mentioned earlier, just aim a camera at
the screen and shoot stills. And this way you'll guarantee
100-percent of that composite video experience.

For the ADTPro videos, I darken the room and point my cheap
point-and-shoot camera that can take movies at a non-glare LCD monitor.
Granted, I'm just doing text, so it's all black and white. But people
that have asked have always been surprised by the quality this simple
method provides. Shooting a CRT is trickier since you'll be chasing the
raster and may end up with a dark band moving through the picture.

Matthew Power

2017-06-27 23:38:01 UTC

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... I darken the room and point my cheap point-and-shoot camera that can take movies at a non-glare LCD monitor.

I hadn't thought of doing this, thank you!

D Finnigan

2017-06-26 14:28:41 UTC

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Post by Michael 'AppleWin Debugger Dev'
I know you mentioned that you didn't want emulators but With AppleWin
v1.26
now having proper NTSC emulation the difference between real hardware is
almost neglible.

I actually threw all my Apple II hardware in the trash a few months ago
because emulation has improved so much in the past year. :-)

--
]DF$
Apple II 40th Anniversary User's Guide:
http://macgui.com/newa2guide/

Matthew Power

2017-06-27 23:13:34 UTC

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Post by D Finnigan
I actually threw all my Apple II hardware in the trash a few months ago
because emulation has improved so much in the past year. :-)

Understood. Hey, if by any chance that trash hasn't been picked up yet... if there were just four or five Zip Chip 8s in there and you could send them along, that would be great.

Matt

James Davis

2017-06-28 18:31:10 UTC

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Post by D Finnigan

I actually threw all my Apple II hardware in the trash a few months ago
because emulation has improved so much in the past year. :-)
--
]DF$
http://macgui.com/newa2guide/

Condolences for your loss!

Kevin Dady

2017-06-29 13:56:12 UTC

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Post by D Finnigan

I actually threw all my Apple II hardware in the trash a few months ago
because emulation has improved so much in the past year. :-)
--
]DF$
http://macgui.com/newa2guide/

I didnt throw mine in the trash but yea I have no more apple II stuff around the house

both incarnations went to ebay, my //c ended up in south korea, and my mac apple II card and disk drive went to someone here in the states

When I had dedicated space for a retro bench I enjoyed messing with the machines, but I dont have a basement anymore, nor can I spend long periods of time isolated in nostalgic goodness in a spare room since I have a toddler running around. So stuff sat around, when it sit's it ships.

Kevin Dady

2017-06-29 13:52:59 UTC

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I have used pc tv capture cards in the past and it works well

Matthew Power

2017-07-01 01:11:29 UTC

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Post by Kevin Dady
I have used pc tv capture cards in the past and it works well

I'm gonna try this. I love the images from a darkened room and a flat-screen, but it's really tough to get the lines straight.

Kevin Dady

2017-07-03 01:11:08 UTC

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Post by Matthew Power

Post by Kevin Dady
I have used pc tv capture cards in the past and it works well

I'm gonna try this. I love the images from a darkened room and a flat-screen, but it's really tough to get the lines straight.

Examples using just a el-cheap-o generic pci card

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