Choosing the Ideal HDMI Capture Card for You
Do you want to record, broadcast, and otherwise manipulate HD video on the fly? Well, you can do that and much more with the HDMI capture cards available at eBay. You'll find a broad selection of affordable options in both new and pre-owned condition.
How do external and internal capture cards differ?Internal capture cards, such as HDMI capture cards, are for use in desktop computers and connect via a system's motherboard. External HDMI capture cards host in enclosures and tend to connect via USB. External cards are portable and especially convenient when connecting to video game consoles and other closed systems. Internal cards tend to be more versatile and are often preferred when you need an HDMI capture card for live streaming and other advanced scenarios.
How are HDMI video capture cards typically configured?A capture card requires a video input and usually receives audio as well. With HDMI capture cards, the same cable is able to carry both video and audio from the source to the card. Via software, which typically comes with the card, the card can then be set to record, encode, add overlays, broadcast, and so on. In the case of an internal card, the output is not necessary because the captured video and audio is accessible through the card. With an external card, you output via a separate HDMI connection, and there's often a USB port, which allows you to connect a PC so that you can save the data.
What inputs and outputs are available?An HDMI capture card has at least one HDMI input and one HDMI output. External HDMI capture cards usually have at least one USB or mini-USB port. While this is all that's inherent to an HDMI capture card, many products on the market support additional inputs and outputs, including:
- VGA
- DisplayPort
- Composite
- Component
- Headphone and mic jacks