Introduction: How to Play a Console on a Laptop (NTSC Only)
You can do this with a tower but there is a more effective way to do it if you don't need to capture and ill be posting that instructable soon.
Also im going to post an instructable on how to do this with s- video because it gives you a better video quality.
video instructions
Demo
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Step 1: My System
this is the tec specs of my laptop. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the better it is the better it will run. I have about 1/8 seconds of video lag. It is not enough to effect gamplay or be noticeable on its own but if you have your system running on a TV and computer you can sort of see a very slight lag.
Windows Version: Windows Vista Home Basic
manufacture: Dell
windows experience rating: 3.1
Processor: Intel(R) Pentuim(R) Dual CPU T2370 @ 1.72 GHz 1.73GHz
Memory(RAM): 3062 MB
System Type" 32-bit operating system
Step 2: What You Need
Ok this is the long list of stuff you will need.
1)A EasyCap usb Capture card
Amazon.com:http://www.amazon.com/EasyCap-Capture-Adapter-Editor-Software/dp/B001BWU8US
2)A usb extension cord (optional)
3)Three RCA female couplers
4)5 RCA cables (i used 1 yellow, 2 red two 2 white)
5)Two RCA splitters
6)L/R RCA to 1/8 plug
7)1/8 female to 1/8 female coupler
8)1/8 Headphones/1/8 Speaker
Most of this stuff you can get a radio shack. the only thing you can' t get there is the easycap usb capture card. you can get the easycap on ebay but i would avoid that because theirs a lot of fakes that ether have crazy lag or don't work properly.
Step 3: Install
Ok to start off you need to install the driver and studio software that is on the included disk. Follow all the instructions given to set up easycap the proceed to step 4.
Step 4: Setup
So now that you have easycap and the included studio software installed its time to set up all the wires.
1)The Y/R/W cables on the console plug those in to the female to female couplers
2)On the the red and white plug in the rca splitters
3)add rca cables to the 2red 2whit and 1 yellow
4)plug 1 red 1 white and 1 yellow in to your easy cap. add a USB cable to the end if you wish.
5)plug the l/r RCA to 1/8 adapter to the end of the other two RCA cables. plug the 1/8 female to 1/8 female on the end of the l/r RCA to 1/8 adapter.
I know this is a mess of cables but all are needed because easycap does not monitor audio meaning you can not hear you game through your laptop speakers thus requiring external speakers.
Step 5: Getting Ready to Get Your Game On.
Plug the usb cable in to your computer and plug speakers of head phones in to the 1/8 plug. Launch the included Ulead VideoStudio and slick on video studio editor. Well that is staring up turn your console on. Now back to Ulead VideoStudio click on the capture tab then click capture video. The preview scree should be blank. Click options then video and audio capture and property settings then click ok once that opens. Now the preview screen should not be blank.
Step 6: Getting Your Game On
Ok so now you want to play. This is what you need to do.
1)Turn you speakers on
2)Get your controller
3)hit the maximize preview button(right hand corner of preview window oval with 4 triangles around it)
4)recline your chair
5) get ready to pwn some noobs
Step 7: Graphics Comparisons
Here are some Graphics comparisons. They are all lvl 12 jpegs which is the highest resolution you can get. What you see in these pics is what you'll see in game.
Step 8: Other Notes
depending on your computer you may be able to get a better quality picture than me or not as whell. i can get an almost HD picture but then i have the problem of crazy lag. You have to play with it for a little to find the perfect balance between running smoothly and quality picture.
ALWAYS set the video to constant bit rate. you can do this by clicking options/ video and audio capture settings/ the capture tab/ advanced/ then change bit rate to constant bit rate.
when you start to capture a video do it well the game is paused because the video will freeze for 3-5 second but then it will return to normal.
If the screen looks too dark you can change it by clicking options/video and audio capture settings then the color tab.
This is not intended for people with 50+ inch TVs its meant for people like me who have a 20 inch to play on and figure they would be better off on there laptop.
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