Intensity Pro or Intensity Shuttle?

I'm looking into getting the Intensity Pro to record Xbox 360 and PS3 gameplay. That seems pretty simple and straight-forward. However, in order for me to hear 5.1 sound in my headset while playing and recording, I need to use a TOSLINK connection that runs to my headset's receiver.

From my understanding, the Intensity Pro can output S/PDIF audio. If that's true, I can record both video and audio over HDMI, then use the S/PDIF output back to my headset. My only concern would then be lag. Is there any known lag from input to output on the card?

Also, is the Intensity Pro's S/PDIF output stereo, or 5.1? I see the Intensity Pro's specs say 2 channel output for S/PDIF, which is usually standard along with compressed 5.1, but can it output compressed 5.1? Or would I be better off getting the Shuttle instead and then use a converter for the HDMI audio out to optical?

Thanks for reading.

Anybody?

There are a couple of issues.

1. Both the X-Box and PS3 enable HDCP over HDMI, which neither Intensity will accept.

2. Neither Intensity will accept Dolby Digital over HDMI or spdif, only pcm audio.

There are a couple of issues.

1. Both the X-Box and PS3 enable HDCP over HDMI, which neither Intensity will accept.

2. Neither Intensity will accept Dolby Digital over HDMI or spdif, only pcm audio.

Well there are ways to get around HDCP, or even to simply use component instead of HDMI. My main concern was recording 5.1 sound while being able to hear it. But it looks like I'll have to use a 3rd party device to downmix the audio before it hits the Intensity. Disappointing indeed.

Thanks for your help anyway.

There are a couple of issues.

1. Both the X-Box and PS3 enable HDCP over HDMI, which neither Intensity will accept.

2. Neither Intensity will accept Dolby Digital over HDMI or spdif, only pcm audio.

The XBOX 360 has HDCP disabled while in Game or Dashboard mode, it only activates HDCP when playing back Video. The PS3 (except for Test-Kits) has HDCP enabled at all times.

The XBOX360 will output Stereo Audio via RCA even if the digital (Optical) output is set to 5.1.
It seems to me that with the latest Dashboard Update Microsoft restricted the 5.1 option to optical, HDMI also only uses Stereo.

There are a couple of issues.

1. Both the X-Box and PS3 enable HDCP over HDMI, which neither Intensity will accept.

2. Neither Intensity will accept Dolby Digital over HDMI or spdif, only pcm audio.

The XBOX 360 has HDCP disabled while in Game or Dashboard mode, it only activates HDCP when playing back Video. The PS3 (except for Test-Kits) has HDCP enabled at all times.

The XBOX360 will output Stereo Audio via RCA even if the digital (Optical) output is set to 5.1.
It seems to me that with the latest Dashboard Update Microsoft restricted the 5.1 option to optical, HDMI also only uses Stereo.

There's no way Microsoft would reduce HDMI to stereo in a dashboard update. It is however a fairly common problem for people to have issues getting 5.1 over HDMI, dating all the way back to the first HDMI-equipped Xbox 360's.

Here's a good thread on it, with fixes if you're having issues with 5.1 over HDMI:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/993204/my-xbo ... -over-hdmi

[Joshua Helling]

It seems to me that with the latest Dashboard Update Microsoft restricted the 5.1 option to optical, HDMI also only uses Stereo.

Not that this helps with the issue, but this is not right. I get 5.1 out of my XBOX360 through HDMI all the time.

What neither Intensity will do is handle the encoded audio that come down the HDMI. Intensity will only handle PCM as was stated elsewhere in the thread.

I ended up getting an HDMI switch that will accept audio/video via HDMI, and then output audio/video via HDMI and audio via TOSLINK simultaneously. This way I can hear via TOSLINK while recording both audio and video from HDMI (in stereo though, of course). It also allows me to jump between all my HDMI sources with the push of a button (or by remote). Pretty handy thing so far:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011008&p_id=8146&seq=1&format=2

Slightly pricey for what I'm doing but it gives you lots of options.

Now I just need to figure out which Intensity will be best...

Don't get the shuttle unless you have the exact computer specs listed in the FAQ page, otherwise you're just wasting money and time.

Don't get the shuttle unless you have the exact computer specs listed in the FAQ page, otherwise you're just wasting money and time.

You do understand there is more than one Intensity Shuttle, right?

Yeah you're right. Theres one for MAC too.