What is HDMI Video Capture Card?

Thanks to streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube, broadcasting video games has become very popular. If you want to stream gameplay or just capture footage and post the video later, you might need a gaming capture card.

A capture card provides more control over your stream, improving the quality and professionalism of your videos. If you want to grow your channel and reach more viewers, a capture card should be part of your streaming setup.

Capture cards let you record footage from PCs and gaming consoles. Gamers use capture cards to connect their consoles to PCs or capture footage on their PCs for broadcasting on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Yeah, a card is also good for quickly recording gameplay footage, which you can use to create edited VODs.

If you want to stream gameplay from a console to Twitch or another streaming platform, there are several options available. By using screencasting software or streaming directly from the Twitch app on your console, you can avoid the hassle of hooking up a capture card and getting everything set up correctly. Of course, using these two methods has limitations. Screencasting software may not be powerful enough if you're trying to stream high-end PC games, and your console might not let you stream for very long if it's set up as a "closed" system (for example, the Nintendo Switch).

Capture cards are affordable and allow you to achieve higher quality while streaming. You can use features like adding an overlay, webcam footage, and audio commentary with the help of a capture card.

How to choose a capture card

When looking for a capture card, keep these four characteristics in mind:

1. Quality of the image: If you’re getting a capture card to stream gameplay, then it’s important to pay attention to the pixel quality it can capture. Some capture cards have 4k-capable chips and can record at up to 1080p resolution. It will be a bit more difficult to get low-latency streaming with a 4K resolution though, so keep that in mind while you’re making your purchase.
2. Software that comes with the card: To use a capture card with your computer, you’ll need to purchase software from the manufacturer or from a third party that comes with the card. Look for cards that come with user-friendly, robust software that’s packed with tons of features like adding overlays or incorporating your webcam.
3. Right input type for your device: When getting a capture card, make sure it will work with the console you plan to stream on. Typically, a capture card’s input is HDMI, but always check before buying.
4. How it connects to your computer: The interface is how the capture card connects to your computer. The most popular types are USB, which is easy to set up, and PCIe, which is harder to use but records footage without any delay.

What types of capture cards are there?

Capture cards come in two basic types, but their operation is basically the same. External capture cards are connected to your computer via a USB interface. You get power from the computer and transfer captured material to your hard drive via USB. Many models can be used on both a PC and a Mac.

If you prefer to have a clean setup without tangled cables, an internal capture card is interesting for you. These cards are plugged directly into a free PCIe slot on the computer's mainboard, and are generally considered to be more reliable than external capture cards. The prerequisite here is that you have a PC with a free slot.

Why do you need a capture card?

You can essentially stream your gameplay on a PC. So you don't need a capture card on a PC. If you occasionally stream or record gameplay on a computer, you don't need a capture card.

Some current video game consoles can stream gameplay directly to the Internet or record short video clips. If these features are enough for you, a capture card is unnecessary.

In contrast, many YouTubers who regularly stream or publish Let's Play videos employ a more elaborate setup. They use a separate machine specifically to stream or record their gameplay footage while playing on another machine or console.

The division of labor between different devices means that each device only has to do one computationally intensive task. This setup means that you can play video games on your Playstation, while a video capture card records or streams the game footage. If you'd like to view and edit your material afterwards, you might even need a capture card.

How is a capture card connected?

Connecting a capture card is very simple: you connect the capture card between the device you are playing on and the monitor or television on which you are viewing gameplay .

To connect your console to your capture card, plug the cable coming out of the console or PC into an HDMI-In connector on the capture card. You should also run a second cable from the HDMI-Out port on the capture card to your monitor or TV. The capture card itself is connected either to an HDMI port on your computer or packed directly into a PCIe slot on your mainboard.