Really confusing wiring issue - capture card

[alienjesus]

It's not EXACTLY game related, but I'm having a mini nightmare with my new capture card which I've been using to live stream games. I've done one or two streams before, and after some twatting about with the software, got everything up and working pretty comfortably. However, today when I tried to stream, I just couldnt get it to work. I'm pretty sure there's a hardware issue somewhere, but everything I tested seemed to turn out really weird and confusing. I know theres a few wiring nerds here (I listened to the podcast!) so I'm hoping someone can figure it out.

Anyhow, my stream set up is pretty basic - my Wii's composite cable runs into 3 splitters (one for each cable end). 2 cable are plugged into the output of the 3 splitters, with one cable going to my tv (so I can play without lag) and one going into the capture card to capture video to stream. It worked fine until today, when the TV image had some static bars rolling up the screen (like an old VHS -normally the only noticeable change is the brightness drops slightly) and the capture card could only pick up a grey, very shaky image of the screen. It turns out this only happened when the wii was split into BOTH the capture card and the television.

So I assumed there was an issue with the splitter, so I switched the video cables between the other splitters and got the same results. The video only went funny when BOTH output cables of the splitter were being used - I could take either out and It would be clear. I decided to test the cables one at a time, but things only got more confusing. One cable provided perfect video if it was plugged from the splitter into the television, but no video at all when connected to the capture card. The other cable produced a fuzzy image on the television screen, but a good image on the capture card. To check the capture card wasnt the issue, I plugged the wii composite cable straight into the capture card with no splitters or cables in between and it I got a perfect image.

So basically, I'm wondering what I need to do to get it all working again. It worked previously, and all the individual parts seem to be working fine when I tested them (bar some weird anomalies). It's got to be a hardware issue, as software problems wouldnt affect the television image as well as the captured image, surely?

I'm so confused.

[Anapan]

I know when I've tried to connect 2 displays with composite via a Y cable, as soon as I connect the second display the picture suffers. I assumed it was because there wasn't enough power to put the signal through to 2 devices. I'd suggest getting a WII video cable that has both composite and S-video output so you're not straining any of the hardware. Capture cards, way more than TVs show a much cleaner picture through S-video anyway.

[lordofduct]

your splitter isn't strong enough to split your signal...

you need an amplified splitter.

That gray signal that is shaky is coming because Component carries all the luma on the Y cable (this is the brightness data), and then the other 2 cables are the differences of the luma from chroma in varying hues... from which it collects all the red green and blue data. Making the chroma. But if your signal degrades you geta shitty luma signal, and the differences for the chroma signals just turns garbage (because the differencing doesn't match up to a full signal).

An amplified splitter will work great because it keeps the power of each signal up at what it aught to be.

They aren't cheap though... anywhere from 25 to 200 USD. Google for "amplified component splitter". You know it is one because it has to be plugged into an outlet.

[alienjesus]

Can anyone explain this to me, I figured it out and it's not any less confusing.

I unplugged the laptop I was using and it cleared right up instantly - Both the TV and the stream image. I recently bought a new power adapter because the plastic around the wire of my old one was receding. Swapping back to my old plug produces a perfect image!