So something I didn’t realize when creating this website was that devices that I would recommend would disappear off the market.
I’ve had to be on the lookout for a capture device that could fill the void of the Avermedia C875 that I currently use and recommend. The problem with AverMedia’s device is that it doesn’t seem to be available currently.
I checked on eBay Australia to see if the device is available only to find listings from Japan set at over $500!
Really? That’s absurd. No-one is going to pay that!
19Sometimes I wonder if my site was responsible for making the prices skyrocket. Hopefully it will drop to a more reasonable (aka realistic) price.
Ezcap 284 – A Little History
So that brings us to the ezcap 284, a device that looks similar to the AverMedia C875 but goes beyond the competition by giving consumers a variety of quality recording options.
I got mine from Banggood which delivered the device at a really fast pace.
19The ezcap 284 is practically an ezcap 283s but in a cheaper solid plastic body – which in my opinion, is a good thing.
Because the ezcap 283s is made from metal it can get warm when recording for a length of time.
19Another great feature is that the device can be powered via a USB connection port on a laptop or computer. It doesn’t rely just on a power adapter as some other models do.
While that may sound like a simple benefit, let me tell you there is nothing more annoying having to try and position so many devices near each other that all require their own power outlets.
Having one device powered by a computer makes life so much easier.
Ezcap 284 – A Closer Inspection
The ezcap 284 is built light, but sturdy enough to take a knock. I still wouldn’t recommend testing that though.
Along the left hand side there is a USB slot as well as a SD card slot.
As far as other models the ClearClick 2.0 is the only other capture device that has both.
I tested the ezcap 284 with a 16GB SD card and 32GB USB thumbdrive.
Along the back of the device is the infrared reciever.
The right hand side has the mini USB connection port which doubles as the power connection and transfer of files to a PC or laptop.
From left to right the device has.
HDMI OUT – For connection with a TV or monitor.
LINE OUT – For audio connection to external mixer or speakers if desired.
MIC IN – Connection port for microphone input.
AV IN – Recording source from the composite and component cables connection.
HDMI IN – Recording source from HDMI connection.
Along the top of the ezcap 284 is the record button. The device will recognize if HDMI, component or composite is plugged.
It does take approximately 8 seconds to do this.
Underneath we have the model name and version number.
Ezcap 284 – What’s in the Box?
Considering what is packaged with the ezcap 284, I was surprised how little the box was. Not tiny but conveniently small.
With the accessories that it is supplied, you certainly get value but that is to be expected.
The device uses a mini USB to USB 2.0 connection for power and for recording to the PC.
I’ve found in the past that some devices should strictly use their own mini USB cables otherwise you may encounter connection issues.
The AV cables give you composite YELLOW for video, while the component cable is split into RED, GREEN, BLUE for the video.
Audio is RED/WHITE which is used for both component and composite.
The connector for the ezcap is exactly the same as the Avermedia C875.
The CD comes with Arcsoft ShowBiz 3.5 and while that software is more than adequate, the ezcap 284 shines because of its feature to connect with OBS Studio.
If your computer doesn’t come with a CD drive you can download the software and drivers from ezcap’s own download page.
This device captures from HDMI straight to USB at the highest bitrate I’ve seen compared to other capture boxes (with the exception of the ezcap 283s they’re practically the same).
The remote is the exact same model as the ezcap 283s, which allows you to change the output size to 720p or 1080p.
Also allowing you to take a snapshot or commence / stop recording at any time. I’m personally not a fan of the remotes from any brand as I deem them to be unnecessary.
Again that’s just my personal view.
The power adapter supplied will vary to your country region but is only useful if you are not using a computer to power the ezcap 284.
And let’s be honest, if you are recording to a USB or SD card, one would think you have a computer to plug those in.
The quick start guide gives a quick rundown of the functions the capture box offers and goes further in depth explaining how to set it up with OBS Studio.
A Closer Look at the Results
I won’t go into ArcSoft ShowBiz 3.5 as I have a walkthrough on this page which shows in depth the software and what it can offer.
I am more interested in what the results were for the ezcap 284 using OBS Studio and it’s internal capturing quality.
Connection was from a Samsung DVD/VCR combination which allows me to play back video through composite, component and HDMI.
Ezcap 284 Component USB Results
Okay let’s get the worst result out of the way first.
The sample test was recorded for approx 30 minutes on component connection and the results are below acceptable.
A bitrate of 1500kbps and a frame rate of 12FPS?
There seriously must be an encoder issue as (you will see) this doesn’t happen with the other two input types.
Ezcap 284 Composite USB Results
Under the composite results things get much better.
For a 40 minute video the file was only 632MB. Based on the maths, a two hour video would be approximately 1.8GB file size.
The bitrate is a little on the low side at 2189kbps, but this can be upscaled in an editor. The frame rate is at the TV captured format of 25FPS.
Ezcap 284 HDMI USB Results
Like I said earlier, recording from a HDMI signal to USB is where the ezcap 284 shines.
The bitrate is at an astonishing 16189kbps! I don’t even transfer client videos at that rate.
But I guess there is a caveat with such large files.
The ezcap 284 will break up the video into smaller 1.95GB chunks. Once the set 1.95GB limit is reached a new file will be created.
For the example above, the video was recorded for approximately 30 minutes and it was automatically split into separate files. The device keeps the files in order so you will know which is first.
Some people may think this is annoying , but I actually welcome this sort of method.
I’ve had times where I had to record a four hour tape only to find the file decided to corrupt for God knows what reason – thus meaning I had to record the whole video again because it was one continuous file.
I would rather have three quarters of the video copied and only have to re-transfer the last segment.
When these separate files are lined together in an editor, there is no missing gaps. They are pin point accurate.
Ezcap 284 Component OBS Studio Results
Next in the tests I used OBS Studio to record from the ezcap 284.
Unfortunately for the component capturing side of things we still had a similar result as before.
Despite OBS Studio saying the result is at 50FPS, it wasn’t. It was still at 12FPS.
I’ve upload the sample here if you’re interested. (right click and save file as)
Ezcap 284 Composite OBS Studio Results
The composite I decided to do another 30 minute test using OBS Studio and the file came in at 2.2GB. If you decide to go this route, the recording will be one large continuous file.
Using the above half an hour test as an example, a two hour video would be approx 12GB.
The bitrate for the test was at 10000kbps which is where I would prefer to have recordings from a composite connection. Using this program also allows you to up scale the size easily in the settings.
Ezcap 284 HDMI OBS Studio Results
The HDMI sample was tested for only a few minutes.
The bitrate was set at 14000 kbps and the output size was up scaled. This file size is more than adequate for transferring your old videos.
Ezcap 284 Conclusion
In my opinion this is a must buy for transferring your old videos.
Compared to the competition, the ezcap 284 has some insane benefits for the low price you can find it at.
Any competition brands that are similar to the ezcap 284 are either not currently available or are too expensive to purchase.
If you are transferring your old videos through composite or HDMI connection, you have the simplicity of using a USB or connecting it to a PC to get high quality results.
If your only option was a component connection then this device will not suffice. But most DVD/VCR players (that I’ve come across) have a HDMI option to use anyway.
