What video grabber device would work best with avconv
 

I am streaming content via avconv and I am looking for a device that will capture what you connect it to and let avconv stream the content over the network. I have one but it's an older device (composite to USB). I was wondering what your recommendations are for a video grabbing device that uses HDMI an an input and if it will be compatible with the video 4 Linux drivers that a lot of these devices seem to use.

There are no easily obtainable HDMI capture devices. Content providers have a real problem with that, and actively go on the attack with regards to anyone producing devices like that. So, you are limited to "off-brand" devices that kind of fly under their radar (and are likely expensive). Capturing analog or CableTV/Digital Broadcast TV devices are much easier to come by, and relatively inexpensive/well supported.

Well I have an empia 28xx model that is capturing composite video input and it works fairly but I don't know what codecs to use at since it inputs raw video and audio. Transporting it over a network where the video and audio are perfectly synchronized is proving to be a bit of a challenge. What options in acodec and vcodec would you recommend for streaming videos over a network with one of these devices.

Has anyone tried this device? They mention Linux support.http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...mi_to_usb.html

That device should be fine for capturing non-HDCP compliant video from an HDMI source... (But as with devices like I indicated above,... It's a bit expensive). If the output you are trying to capture is HDCP compliant, then you aren't likely to get a good result. The specs say it's not HDCP compliant. Usually, that means that any HDCP encrypted video will simply not capture on the device. It should be fine for capturing from a camera, though.

All my video capture experience is with analog/digital TV devices like Hauppauge tuner cards and SiliconDust's HDHomerun tuners... So I'm not much help with anything else.

As for Codecs,... You're probably best off using H.264.

I do have an HDMI to composite converter so I can capture things with it, however the dimensions of the capture image are limited and don't make for an HD experience when you listen for the stream over the network. It still gets the job done though.

How do I utilize these codecs, what do I place after the options acodec and vcodec.