With the increasing popularity of video game streaming, gamers have taken over a huge part of the internet to stream their gameplay live to people around the world. Capture cards are something that makes this process hassle-free and allows streamers to better customize their streams. Show
This article is all about capture cards and what you can do with them.. If you want to know what capture cards are, how to use one and which capture cards I recommended then keep reading. What Is The Purpose Of A Capture Card?A capture card is a device that is used to capture the video input or image of one screen/device and output that video capture onto your PC. From your PC, you can then edit that video input/image using a streaming software and then broadcast it out to others using platforms such as Twitch or Youtube. Capture cards are most commonly used when streaming on console or for those who use two PCs to stream. Before video game consoles like Playstation and Xbox allowed you to broadcast your gameplay to live streaming platforms like Twitch, you had to use a capture card to capture your gameplay, transfer that capture to your PC, and then from your PC you would stream it/broadcast it to your viewers. However, now that gamers can stream directly from their consoles, why are they still choosing to use capture cards? And doesn’t two PCs seem a little over the top? Well let me explain why people use capture cards. Why do You Need a Capture Card?You will need a capture card if your device does not allow you to stream directly to streaming platforms like Twitch, Youtube, etc. You will also need a capture card if you are on console and want to add overlays or alerts to your stream. Capture cards are most common for dual PC and console streamers. Streamers who are on console will need a capture card if they will want to make customizations to their streams such as overlays, alerts, etc. Capture cards are also commonly used on dual PC setups where one PC captures gameplay while the other streams the gameplay. This helps to reduce the burden that can be placed on your PC if you are both playing and streaming at the same time on one PC. This is why most big name streamers use two PCs. Some even use three! Like I mentioned earlier, yes, you can stream straight from your Playstation or Xbox console and broadcast your gameplay straight to Twitch. But like I just mentioned, you won’t be able to have any cool customizations on your channel if you go this route. Streaming straight from your console is pure gameplay. Now, throw in a capture card, and now you can capture your gameplay and send it to a streaming software like StreamLabs OBS (SLOBS) where you can make all kinds of cool overlays and animations. You don’t even need a fancy PC. I used to send my Xbox gameplay to my laptop, where I then used OBS to edit and broadcast my stream. It’s super simple to set up and use a capture card as you will see below. So don’t stress about how complicated this all may sound. It’s really not and I’ll walk you through it. And if you are a console streamer, I highly recommend using a capture card to stream. Adding custom overlays and alerts is what is going to make your stream unique and set it apart from other streams. Just streaming your gameplay, especially if you are new to streaming, is not a winning strategy. There is more than likely people who are better than you at the game you are playing, so why are people going to watch your bad gameplay with your generic, boring stream. Just saying. Moving on…. If you want to stream your Nintendo Switch gameplay, then you have to use a capture card. There is currently no way for you to stream to Twitch, or anywhere else, without using a capture card. But again, don’t be alarmed, I got you covered. It’s not difficult to set one up for the Switch either. See below for more information. Lastly, if you want to stream using dual PCs then you will need a capture card. Streaming with two PCs is what most major streamers do. If you have a ton of people chatting, subbing and donating on your stream then that can put a major strain on your PC. Now add your gameplay to the mix and it can be difficult for your PC to manage this load effectively. This is where the two PC or dual PC setup comes into play. Having two PCs, you can have one PC that handles all things stream related like your streaming software, broadcasting that stream out to Twitch, Youtube, etc. and the other PC focuses just on the game you are playing. Now all you have to do is set up a capture card to capture your gameplay on your gaming PC and transfer it to your streaming PC and boom, you are jamming my friend! Doing this will allow you to run the game that you are playing on the highest settings. If you have started streaming, and are only using one PC, then you may have noticed that you have to reduce things like your video quality on the game you are playing in order to effectively game and stream without dropping any frames. Using two PCs to stream will greatly help to reduce this by dividing the load between the two PCs. If you are using one PC, then you don’t need to use a capture card. You can just run your streaming software like SLOBS in the background, with all your stream customizations, while you game. Your streaming software will capture your gameplay and broadcast it for you and so there’s no need for a capture card. One last thing regarding dual PC streaming, if you are choosing to do a dual PC stream, then the PC you are using for streaming doesn’t have to be anything fancy since it will only be focused on streaming. So you can use your funds to beef up your gaming PC, and use a decent PC to stream from and you will be fine. If you want to know which PC I recommend for streaming then check out my recommended streaming PC page here. Do You Need A Capture Card To Stream?So, if your device cannot stream directly to live streaming platforms like Twitch, Youtube, etc., then you will need a capture card to capture your gameplay, send it to your PC where you have your streaming software like StreamLabs OBS, and from there broadcast it to your live streaming platform like Twitch. If you are on console, and want to make customizations to your stream, you will also need a capture card. Dual PC streamers will need capture cards too. Below I detail how to set up capture cards for each console and PC. How To Set Up A Capture Card On PCWorry not, setting up a capture card on a PC is as easy as completing a few simple steps. Seriously! All you have to do is go through the procedure explained below, and you’ll be good to go within a few minutes. This setup involves two computers. One, which is called the “gaming PC”, and the other which is called the “streaming PC”. Capture cards are of two types: internal and external. Let’s jump into how to set up both: External Capture Card SetupThe following setup is for an external capture card. Here is a list of the things you will need. I provided the Amazon link to each of these if you want to check them out:
Once you have the things above, follow these steps.
Internal Capture Card SetupThe following setup is now for an internal capture card. ALWAYS make sure that your PC is turned off and unplugged before making any internal customizations.
1.1 – Check what type of cards your existing motherboard has room for. The pin configuration of the slots will be needed. A great way to do this is simply take a picture of your motherboard on your phone. You can reference the picture if needed to help identify the right kind of card to fit your PC. 1.2 – Check that the new capture card is a configuration that fits with your existing motherboard.
That’s it. You’re done! Aside from setting up the internet and all your settings, of course. Once you’re done connecting the PCs, the last part is to attach the monitors separately to both the PCs. This step is common for internal and external capture cards. The following steps are again common for both types of capture cards.
Make sure to take some time and learn how to use the software that you choose to stream with. Each software is unique and has some great features available to you. You just have to do a little research. Don’t forget to take a look at the information we’ve got about the best extensions to use for your stream on Twitch. There are some awesome FREE extensions you simply must know about! Now that we have discussed setting up capture cards on PC, let’s go ahead and jump into setting up capture cards on the different consoles. How To Set Up A Capture Card On A Nintendo SwitchThe ‘Switch’ is short for the Nintendo Switch, just in case you didn’t already know that. Setting up a capture card on Nintendo Switch is far easier than setting up one on a PC. But, before you proceed, make sure that you have all the required items on the list below (I posted the Amazon link to each item in case you want to check them out):
Assembly of ComponentsOnce you have all the hardware needed, the next step will be to assemble all of them so you can start streaming your Nintendo Switch gameplay to streaming platforms like Twitch and Yoututbe. Follow these steps, and you’ll be done in a few minutes. The following steps are for the external capture card:
Now all you have to do is work on the software, just like you would do as if you were on PC. This means custom overlays, alerts, animations, etc. which can all be done on StreamLabs OBS. Setting up an internal capture card on the Nintendo Switch won’t take more than 15 minutes if you know what you’re doing. The following steps are for the internal capture card:
Start using the capture card with the help of any suitable software, just like you’d do in the case of a PC only setup. It might be possible that you face some technical issues despite following the above guidelines. If that’s the case, make sure that the Nintendo Switch and the capture cards are both compatible. If you use the capture card that I linked above then you will be fine. How To Set Up A Capture Card On XboxSetting up a capture card on the Xbox is easier than the previous two methods described. To set up a capture card on Xbox, you will need the following items:
After you have the hardware listed above, the next steps are easy and will have you and your capture card up and running in no time. The following guide is for external capture cards:
Using an internal capture card, in this case, is possible but senseless at the same time. Because, that’d require an additional streaming PC, which doesn’t make a lot of sense since your Xbox is doing the gameplay and your PC is doing the streaming already. And with this, you’re all set! I wanted to note that you can also stream straight from your Xbox to Twitch using the Twitch app. However, if you do this, you will not be able to add any cool alerts or overlays. You will only be able to stream your gameplay and voice audio streaming to Twitch this way. If this is your only option, then streaming something is better than streaming nothing at all. But if you want to have a nice, quality stream with alerts, overlays, etc. then you will need to connect to a PC so you can do these kinds of cool customizations in your streaming software. Hence, the need for a capture card. An Issue that may Arise When Using a Capture Card With the XboxBelow is an issue that may arise while you have your capture card connected. This issue is not common, so don’t worry, this is just a ‘what if’ scenario. Since the Xbox uses HDCP encryption, it is impossible for you to watch a purchased movie or streaming service such as Netflix if a capture card is connected with it. For this, you’ll have to detach the card and restart the streaming service. If you’re unable to capture anything due to encryption, the capture card may be useless for this purpose. To try and fix this problem, follow the steps below:
How To Set Up A Capture Card On PlayStationPlayStation supports capture cards for the same reason as other consoles, to be able to send your capture to your PC so you can better customize your stream. This section talks about the steps that you should follow to set up a capture card on your PlayStation console. This setup is very similar to the Xbox setup, but still make sure to thoroughly go through the entire process. Most capture cards connect to the PlayStation with the help of an HDMI cable. Here’s what else you will need for this setup to work:
Before starting with the setup, make sure to follow the steps below:
The reason for doing this is because HDCP encryption may cause the same issues that could happen with the Xbox One console. External Capture Card Setup – PlaystationNow let’s begin the setup! This guide is for the external capture cards:
If you don’t disable HDCP encryption as per the steps above, then you’ll definitely encounter some issues such as flashy screen, or black screen during the capturing process. Also, you won’t be able to enjoy video streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, etc. with the capture card still connected. So make sure to disable it. Does A Capture Card Cause Lag?A capture card can cause lag if the load on your CPU is too great. However, if you have a good PC, then using a capture card should not be an issue for you. Many people believe that adding additional hardware can possibly slow down your system, and there may be some truth to this. Here are some reasons why your capture card might make your system lag:
Now that we have talked about how to set up your capture card, the last step for you is to choose a capture card that works for you. Best Capture Cards Out ThereIf you’re all fired up to start capturing your gameplay, and sharing it on streaming platforms, then you want a good capture card. This section is about a couple of the capture cards that I recommend. If you want a more detailed breakdown of which capture cards I feel are the best, then check out my recommended capture cards page here. Best Overall Capture CardIf price is not a factor for you, and you just want the best of the best, then go for the Elgato Game Capture 4K60 S+, which you can see here on Amazon. This capture card captures in 4k at 60 fps and you can record your gameplay to an SD card. Again, if price is not a factor in you choosing which capture card you want, then this is the capture card that I would get. A Really Good Capture Card at a Fair PriceIf you are looking for a good capture card, at a reasonable price, then the Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+, which you can check out on Amazon here, is what I recommend. It has the El Gato quality and captures in 1080p at 60 fps. I really like this capture card for the price. Budget Friendly Capture CardIf your funds are a little tight, and you need something that is friendly for your budget, then I recommend the Razer Ripsaw HD Game Streaming Capture Card, which you can view here on Amazon. This is the capture card that I use when I stream on console and it works great. It captures in 1080p at 60fps which is more than enough for most videogames, especially if you are streaming on console. This was a brief summary of a few of the capture cards that I recommend. If you want a more in depth breakdown then check out my page here. As always, if you have any questions or just want to hang with me, stop by my Twitch channel here and say what’s up! Stream TipsBest Equipment (Mics, Cameras, Etc.) – Looking to upgrade your streaming equipment? Check out some of my recommended products here on Amazon. 🎙️📸🎧Best Overlays, Alerts, Etc. – Want to make your stream STAND OUT? Check out the amazing overlays, alerts, and emotes at OWN3D.TV (click to check them out). 🎨😎👽Best Streaming Software – Streamlabs Prime is the streaming software used by most major streamers. It allows you to multi-stream, set up a merch store, and much more. Click here to check them out. 🤖Best Music – Looking for music you can safely play on stream? Epidemic Sound has thousands of DMCA free songs that you can safely play on your streams and Youtube videos. Click here to check them out.🎶🎸🎤 For even more streaming tips and how to content check out my Youtube channel here. And if you want to check out my streams then stop by my Twitch channel here. Capture cards can really enhance your streams and so it is best to get a quality capture card that will make your streams look crisp and clean. Capture cards are easy to set up and so you don’t need to fret about using them. And for you console streamers, capture cards are the way for you to get those crazy cool overlays. Ahhh yeah! What is the point of a capture card on PC?Capture cards make it possible to record content and then edit it later before posting to a streaming platform. They are also useful for more than just video games. For example, they make it easy to livestream other content from your desktop screen or from devices like cameras.
Do I need a capture card for OBS on PC?If you're gaming and streaming on the same Windows PC, you won't need a capture card. But if you're going to use a two-PC setup where one computer is your gaming PC and the other is your streaming PC, you'll need the capture card to connect the two.
Does a capture card affect PC performance?The second PC performs the recording task with the help of capture card and it will never affect performance of your first system. On the other side, capture software use to record videos on the same PC on which your program or game is running.
Do you need a capture card to stream on Twitch PC?Instead of going and building a streaming PC or even buying a pre-built PC just to encode your Twitch stream, you can use Lightstream to stream directly from your console without the need for an expensive PC or capture card.
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