It has been in front of us for a long time and we had not seen it. Or yes, but we don’t pay attention to it. Because seeing the price of other proposals, it was normal to distrust about their performance. Now we have launched to test the most economical HDMI video capturer (or almost) and does it work well for streaming, video calls or gameplay capture? We will tell you.
The most economical option for capturing video
Video calls and growing interest in streaming on Twitch or YouTube in recent months led to an increase in sales of HDMI cameras and capturers . That in turn caused them to sell out quickly and prices to skyrocket unjustifiably in some stores with available units.
Fortunately, everything seems to be returning to normal in terms of price and availability, although during the general madness we have gotten two good things. The first is that most camera manufacturers such as Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus and even GoPro have ended up launching applications that allow some cameras to be used as a webcam . And the second is that it has given us to try other less known capture options.
This is how we got to this one that we are talking about today, a model that offers quite interesting performance. Also limitations, but little else can be asked for a price between 16 and 24 euros . So, if you are interested in getting a device of this type to improve your videoconferences or do direct on Twitch and YouTube, even capture video from another source, we will tell you what you can and what you cannot expect from this inexpensive HDMI video capturer .
HDMI Video Capture, how does it work?
First of all you have to know that this is a clone product. That means that there is no single manufacturer and you can find the same device sold by brand X or Y. Even so, internally and externally it is the same HDMI capturer. The exact model that we have acquired is this, which currently has a current cost of only 16 euros on Amazon .
Physically it is as you see in the image. A small stick with a USB 2.0 connector at one end and an HDMI input connection at the other . That will be where you will have to connect the HDMI cable that jumps from your photo or video camera, game console or any other HDMI video signal.
Once you have all this, it is as simple as connecting it to the computer and using some capture software. There are many options here, from the popular OBS used for streaming topics to VLC or similar. After all, what this device does is offer an interface that the equipment recognizes as a USB camera .
Therefore, without further complication in terms of connection, the rest of the details regarding its configuration will depend more on the application. In it, depending on the one you use, you can define what capture resolution you want to use. The maximum it allows is 1080p at 60 fps . It is true that it supports a 4K video input signal, but the conversion and capture it performs reaches at most Full HD resolution.
This can be a problem if you want to capture material with the highest quality for later editing, but for streaming or direct themes it is normal to do it at 1080p, for a simple matter of resources. And is that to manage and broadcast 4K video you will need a much more powerful equipment. So, if you want that extra quality, there are much more complete and expensive devices as well.
Lastly, although this is more a matter of software and operating systems, sometimes you may have to recheck the input settings for both audio and video, in case they have been modified. If not, it is likely that you do not hear or look good and it is because of that.
Capture quality
Knowing how the device is, let’s see how it performs. In the tests carried out we have used different equipment and operating systems. Thus, from a Windows PC to a Mac Pro or MacBook Air with macOS and even using Windows through Bootcamp, the result has been satisfactory, although with some buts.
When connecting via USB 2.0 it offers an advantage that other capturers do not have, such as the elgato. Your Cam Link 4K requires a USB 3.0 connection in order to be used. That in recent equipment is not usually a problem, but if you do not have a compatible connection you will not be able to use it. Therefore, for those who still use computers with only USB 2.0 it is a great option. The problem is that the bandwidth it offers is more limited, that reduces the maximum quality of the image.
If the elgato option achieves 4K video capture at 30p maximum, here we only have 1080p at 60fps. Still, for streaming or video calls it is more than enough . Because higher resolution also requires more power from the equipment to manage the captured video and audio. With this device we can not only capture video, but also HDMI as long as the video source sends this signal.
Of course, what really matters is the compression you can apply when capturing the video signal and the lag. Here to say that it is not a big problem, depending on the camera there may be occasions when the image is not as clean as using other capturers, but in general the quality is good considering the device it is and its price.
What you do have to bear in mind is that there is a bit of a delay in the captured audio and video. It’s not a lot and it shouldn’t negatively affect streaming. But if you are looking for maximum performance and quality, then you would have to opt for other alternatives.
Worth?
Without a doubt this is the big question, is this device worth it considering its price and that of its alternatives? The answer is yes, as long as you are not a demanding user.
If you want to perform live shows in a timely manner or improve the quality of your video calls and you don’t have a powerful team, then we will tell you that it is a great option. If, on the other hand, you are looking for something of higher quality, then the elgato Cam Link 4K solution or making the leap to higher level capturers such as the ATEM Mini by Black Magic is the idea. Of course, the outlay will be higher. So you have to assess what interests you the most.