A Guide to Choosing the Best Video Capture Card
A video capture card is an essential tool for capturing, streaming and recording gameplay and any other videos from your computer or console. It can also help capture the feed of your webcam and record it for you to view or post later. Video capture cards are really popular in the gaming industry for this very reason. You can easily stream and record any video on these cards and transfer it to an SD card or your computer for further processing.
Unlike other image processing cards, a video capture card captures the video and records it. However, the specifications of a video capture card make it stand out from the rest.
So how do you choose the best video capture card for streaming and recording? This guide will help you select the suitable capture card for your use by thoroughly walking you through all the essential aspects of a video capture card. Here is how you can get the best video capture cards in 2021.
How To Choose the Right Video Capture Card?
If you have already used a video capture card, you might know that several specs like the HDMI count, resolution, video quality and interface make or break a capture card's efficiency. However, if you haven't used a video capture card yet, there's no need to worry. Here are some of the specs that you should look for in a video capture card.
Interface
The interface of a capture card is how it connects with a computer or console to record videos. One of the standard interfaces used is the USB which is easy to set up and use. There are two types of USB connectors for video capture cards: USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.
USB 2.0 is mainly used in older versions of capture cards and is slower. USB 3.0 is faster and supports modern resolutions like 4K at high refresh rates; hence, it is the common choice for current capture card owners.
However, USB is not the best interface for streaming and recording through a video capture card. You can attain high-quality images and faster processing time using the PCIe interface. These capture cards are harder to install and are only compatible with desktop PCs which is they are not very popular.
Type of input
The type of input your capture card supports is critical to consider. The kind of input of the capture card should be compatible with the device you're going to connect your capture card to. Most PCs and gaming consoles use HDMI connections to connect to a capture card. So if your device supports an HDMI connection, your capture card should follow suit.
However, some other gaming consoles use cables to connect to a video capture card. If you have one of those consoles, your capture card should support a cable connection.
Resolution
The resolution of your video capture card is really important based on what you will be using it for. If your usage is professional streaming and recording, you might want the best image quality that a video capture card can offer. You can determine this by checking the input resolution and output resolution of the card.
The input resolution tells you the input image quality that your capture card can receive from your console or PC. This is not the final recording resolution of the card, though. The output resolution is the resolution in which the recording will be. Most capture cards can support high input resolution like 4K 60Hz. This is usually only up to 1080p 60Hz when using a USB 3.0. However, with PCIe capture cards, you might even get 4K 60Hz.
HDMI Count
We have already talked about HDMI in input types. However, the number of HDMI ports in a video capture card can vary from model to model. You need to figure out how many HDMI ports will you require to operate your capture card. If you're connecting your card to a camera and only need to record the images or video, you will need only one HDMI connection. However, if you're streaming a game, you will need a connection to a monitor or TV to display the video as well. For this reason, dual HDMI ports will be required by the capture card. Make sure you evaluate your use of the capture card and understand how many HDMI ports you will need before buying one.
Warranty
While this is not one of the specs that affect the quality of the video your capture card records or streams, you should check the warranty before purchasing. Many good video capture cards come with 1 or 2 years of warranty. However, if you're a professional or think you could do with a more extended warranty, some capture cards also provide a lifetime warranty. This allows you to relax and use the card without having to worry about the warranty running out.
FAQs
Q: Can I use the capture card on the same PC that I’m playing on
A: When streaming or recording a game you're playing on a PC, you must connect your video capture card to another PC or computer for output or recording. If you encode the video on the same machine that you're recording, you're doing it all wrong and need to reevaluate. You may damage your computer or the capture card if you do this.
Q: Can I record audio with a video capture card?
A: Not all video capture cards come with the option to record audio. However, you might find some capture cards that capture both video and audio, allowing you to record a complete experience. These cards can also stream audio besides recording it.
Q: Can video capture cards lag?
A: You will find that all video capture cards experience some lag. However, the amount of lag will depend on a series of factors, including the build of your capture card, the game you're streaming, and your PC's hardware.