TV-based video game image ripping?

[Asinine]

So, I've scoured the 'net and seen many screenshots from various video games popular on console games. I'm packing a 360 with a good TV, and it's got PC inputs and stuff... but I'm wondering this: how does one capture screenshots and/or video from console games? I'm sure it's got to be possible... but how? Would anyone know?

[WhoDatIs]

I mean you can use a capture card to get the image, but that's not really the same as a screen capture.

[Asinine]

Well, I don't intend to buy a whole lot of new hardware just for that. There's got to be some way... I've been googling and apparently I'm just not getting the concept.

Is there some in-between hardware that I'm missing? If I can get something that would allow anything showing on my tv to be recorded, I'd seriously consider it. I'll sheepishly admit that there are a number of great Rock Band (and its variants) drummer videos out there, and I have no idea how to make one of my own. That's actually not the point of this post; I had to achieve my only-missing achievement for Assassin's Creed (the first one's Eagle's Dive; if you're really interested in seeing the rest, I'm "Tincan17"). And I found a number of gorgeous stitching options, but I have no idea how to convert that to a PC.

I really don't understand how capture cards work; from their beginnings (when I was working in a computer shop), they functioned as the video card for a computer. Well, these days, I'm running a very expensive video card (okay, so it was "very expensive" when it came out... not so much now), but would it be possible to tune an NVIDIA 9600 to do what I'd like?

But I know it's possible... I just hope it's somewhat financially feasible.

[johloh]

what games are you trying to rip? when i cant find sprites I usually use an emulator and just download the rom of the game...seems the easiest way.

unless youre looking for a screenshot of a newer game of course.

[techno-ninja]

Have you tried e-mailing someone that has uploaded a video to youtube and asking them how they did it?

Or if you have a DVD recorder you could have it record the input (so your xbox is hooked up to the recorder then recorder into the TV). It is also possible by having your games console hooked up to a PC monitor, with the PC monitor still hooked to the PC and use background recording software, or just print screen if you are only are an image as opposed to a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qJMXLnH0g4 This link also seems to provide a pretty simple set up for the 360

Sorry if that isn't very helpful, I'm not very good at crossing hardware.