For a layman like myself, the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus high definition video recorder has made the process of creating gameplay videos a surprisingly approachable endeavor.

Sleek and lightweight, this external video capture device is more than capable of recording excellent quality 1080i or 720p clips in 5.1 channel surround sound from a Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC and/or Mac. Any connections you’ll need to make between your console and computer are covered as the HD PVR 2 comes packaged with an HDMI cable, PS3 Component Video cable, Hauppauge A/V adapter for Component video, and a USB 2.0 cable.

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Once you’re properly plugged in, it’s a matter of popping the included HD PVR 2 Installation CD into your PC. This install is strikingly simple, and also includes HD PVR 2 drivers for Windows and applications which are great for helping users become internet sensations on YouTube or TwitchTV (or at least give them the tools to do so). Virtual producers can capture and edit clips using Arcsoft ShowBiz, go from screen to stream with StreamEez, and let the world know who they’re watching with a handy Personal Logo inserter.

There’s no need to worry about lagging while showing off your skills via Twitch as the HD PVR 2 has HDMI video passthrough for no-delay. Playing and recording can be done at once without so much as a hiccup from computers as the encoding is done within the capture box itself. A top-mounted record button is all that’s needed to start and stop a recording session- it really is that simple. Once pleased with the footage (recorded in HD using H.264), it takes but one click to post it on YouTube.

While there are scores of capture boxes and cards out there, what will ultimately make the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 a favorite among gamers is how easy it is to pick up and use. Whether you’re still scoring high on a seventh gen console or hoping to show off your impressive KD ratio from last winter’s big gaming gift, this external capture device is about as accessible as they come.

The Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus is currently available at retailers.  More information can be found on their website here: http://www.hauppauge.com

Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus- Specs:

Bundled software applications

  • Hauppauge Capture, for recording and streaming with game commentary
  • Record, Trim, Upload and Stream your game play
  • Record and stream your game commentary with built-in audio mixer
  • StreamEez built in for streaming on Twitch, Ustream and YouTube
  • With personal logo inserter
  • ArcSoft ShowBiz, with these features
  • Video capture for recording your game play
  • Video editor to trim your videos
  • Upload videos to YouTube
  • Hauppauge Personal Logo application, to “burn” your logos into your recordings

Included in the HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition and GE Plus packages

  • HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition high definition H.264 personal video recorder, USB 2.0 with built-in record button
  • 6V 1.6 amp power supply
  • USB cable – 9 ft.
  • HDMI output cable – 6 ft.
  • PS3 Component AV Cable
  • Hauppauge A/V component adapter
  • Installation CD-ROM
  • Quick installation guide

System requirements:

  • Laptop or desktop PC with 3.0 GHz single core or 2.0 GHz multi-core processor
  • Microsoft® Windows® 8, 7 or Vista (32 or 64-bit), or Windows XP Service Pack 3
  • HD PVR 2 GE Plus includes HDPVRCapture.com application which runs on Mac OSX 10.7 / 10.8 ( Intel 32/64bit only, no PPC support)
  • TV set with HDMI input
  • 1 GB memory recommended
  • Graphics card with 256 MB memory
  • Sound card
  • 220 MB free hard disk space
  • CD-ROM drive (for software installation)

Note: HD PVR 2 will not record video from HDMI with HDCP copy protection. If you are recording PS3 gameplay, use the included PS3 component video gaming cable.