Review on 📷 ClearClick HD Capture Box Platinum - Ultimate Video Capture and Streaming Solution for HDMI, RCA, AV, VGA, YpbPr, VHS, VCR, DVD, Camcorders, Hi8 by Brian Kingsford

Honestly one of the best things I've ever bought. The thing does exactly what I wanted. I was afraid I would buy this and it would work fine with some buggy issues but it was great. This is one of those rare occasions when I've bought something and it works exactly as the company promised and I hoped it would. their representatives. I bought this box to convert my 8mm digital tapes to mp4 format. I was looking for a device that would allow you to record directly to a USB stick. Why? Well, I'm not interested in downloading software from a dubious website or using software that claims to work on Windows 10 but actually doesn't. From the reviews I read, the vast majority of video converters face these problems. So far I've converted over 25 tapes to mp4 format with no problems, I've also made a few home videos that were on both VHS and DVD - great again. So the box is pretty easy to use. As a disclaimer, I only use this for video conversion. I don't record gameplay, play video on it, or use it as a pseudo DVR, so I can't speak for those purposes. The instructions could be a bit better, but it serves its purpose as it really isn't that difficult to get started. The box has two video inputs and one output. HDMI output so you can connect it to your TV, Monitor or other device to see what you want what you record (a relatively short HDMI cable is included). I have connected an additional monitor. As for the input connectors, one of them is HDMI. The other port is MMI and is used with the cable provided. The MMI cable is split, allowing for input via VGA (anyone else have a VGA output? If so, dear!), RCA connectors, or digital component connectors. For my use I only used HDMI and RCA connectors. For convenience and because the cables aren't very long, I have the entire setup on my desk: Clearlick box, monitor, laptop, camcorder, VCR, and DVD player. This allows me to switch quickly and transfer/backup files frequently. As for using the remote control, it can be a bit wonky, but not too bad. I find that more than acceptable considering the box works great. The only buttons I really use are power, input source, record, stop, aspect ratio, and 720p/1080p. I guess some reviewers weren't thrilled with the play buttons, but since I don't use them I can't comment on that. For my use, the remote control is functionally good. However, as others have pointed out, you'll need to point that remote directly in front of the box. It's picky, but since my entire setup sits on a table, I literally have 6 inches of remote control out of the box, so that's not an issue for me. The menu is a bit silly as others have pointed out. It's easy to navigate, but sometimes you hit the arrow that means "back" or "back" and you exit the entire menu. instead of returning to the last menu screen. Then you have to press the menu button to return to the menu. I found that a little annoying, but it doesn't really matter much. Didn't have to go long into the menu. I'm fine with the default settings. Speaking of settings, let's talk about that. I've set the clock on the box, but despite correct time, there are strange times in my mp4 files (in filenames) that don't correlate to anything. While it's weird, it doesn't really matter since I'll be renaming the files anyway. It is important to know that the files are named that they appear in the chronological order in which they were recorded (more on storage in a moment). As mentioned, the resolution cannot be recorded in standard definition (SD, 480). Apparently you can do this by downloading their software and burning it straight to your computer, but trying to avoid this I went with 1280x720 (720p@60Hz). when recording my 8mm tapes which were in SD. This was the default when using the RCA jack input. As others have pointed out, you end up shooting SD video at 720p, so the video file is larger than it needs to be. I don't think this is a problem. In times of USB 3 and large flash drives, slightly larger files are no problem. Typically, my hour-long 8mm tapes were between 4GB and 4.25GB in file size. The important thing is that you want to use an aspect ratio of 4:3 for SD videos. Otherwise everything is stretched. Depending on your video, this can look almost normal or goofy. So yes, these videos will be placed in the mailboxes on the sides of your widescreen, just like watching an old TV show on a widescreen. When using the HDMI input, the default resolution was set to 1920 x 1080 (1080p) and the aspect ratio was 16:9. This is what I used for the home video on the DVD and it worked well. In my hands, the difference in file sizes between 720p and 1080p footage of the same video length was imperceptible. Another nice feature is that during recording the REC button on the front of the device (power button) flashes. It flashes green for 720p and blue for 1080p. This is a good way to check the resolution of a recording. Now for the memory. According to the manual, the hard disk size should not exceed 32 GB. Others have found that you can go much further and have no problems. The key is that you need a USB 3 drive. You need the extra transfer speed to burn the video file to the drive fast enough. I'm using a 32GB USB 3.0 drive (you can buy one for about $10). I used to transfer my videos by pressing the record button on the remote and then playing them on the source device. When the video was finished I manually pressed the stop button on the remote control. Once you click Stop, you will see an indicator on the screen that will glow for a few seconds while the file is being closed. I've checked every file I've created and they all work great. There were no issues with files not closing properly as described on some of the earlier Clear Click devices. So, I know what you're thinking, did you manually press stop? Means do you have to sit through all your videos? Not quite. First, there's a timer setting in the box, which some reviewers describe. I decided to do it by hand as I had no idea how long some of my 8mm or VHS tapes were. My entire setup is in my home office, so I keep it on the site where I can keep an eye on it or I set a timer on my phone to come back and check it out. I like. If not for you then check out other reviews or try a timer. After the box has locked and stopped completely (there is no stop indicator on the screen), you can remove the USB flash drive and connect it to the computer. You can of course create multiple videos. Considering I use a 32GB flash drive, it was convenient to shoot 5-6 videos at a time between transfers. One thing to note here: there is no option on the box to pause the recording while playing a different source video - for example, if you want to merge two videos into one mp4 file. There is only record and stop. Now you can save the box recording while you switch on or start another video, but keep in mind that any images on the screen, e.g. when the VCR shows "Playing", the remaining time etc. will be recorded in the box recording . As for value for money, I see that some reviewers bought the device long before me and paid around $100-$110. I paid about $150. I think you might object that the device is simple and should be a lot cheaper. I could not disagree with this point of view. However, this box worked perfectly, and I couldn't find anything else on the market that which allowed me to record directly to Flash without downloading any software. That fact combined with the value of converting all my old videos to mp4 perfectly makes me feel like it was worth it. No regrets, very satisfied!