The Best First-Time Streamer Capture Card this Christmas
| Reuben Howe
If you are wracking your brains for a present for someone who plays a lot of games, takes a lot of photos, or has a crafting / interactive "IRL" hobby then might I humbly suggest a capture card? Not just any capture card, mind, one that is as simple as plug-and-play while also being under £100.
With software and hardware and specifications and drivers and subscriptions and stream decks and all the rest of it, cut down the stress and give someone you know an accessible way to express themselves online with whatever they fancy!
Remember, streaming isn't just for gaming, and a capture card can allow you to share all sorts of footage like gardening, building LEGO or tuning up your car.
What is a Video Capture Card?
To help someone begin their streaming journey (Or brief stroll) they'll need a capture card.
A capture card is an electronic device which connects a video source (Such as a camera or games console) to a display (such as a TV or monitor) and a computer (Such as a desktop or laptop).
This allows the video feed to simultaneously be recorded and streamed (via the computer) as well as seen on the screen. The key difference between a capture card and simply using a HDMI cable is that you can record / stream the footage without it causing lag or disruption to the video you see on the screen.
This is due to the "passthrough" of the capture card, allowing the HDMI signal to simply pass through without being processed one way, but split off to be processed by the computer the other way.
How do capture cards work?
Capture cards are able to take the video from a device and 'split' it to both a video output and a processing device.
I use inverted commas for 'split' because actually, both the video feeds are 100% the quality of the original, rather than 50%. So, the signal hasn't been 'split' so much as duplicated, so that it can reach both destinations 100% intact.
Once this connection from HDMI to capture card, out to HDMI and USB is established, the workings of the card are up to the user.
For example, you could install OBS in order to stream that footage live online, the capture card will carry the video to the PC for recording and to your monitor so you can see what is happening too.
Whatever you do with the audio-visual data is up to you! The card works simply by taking a signal and providing it to two places at once via two outputs and some fancy encoding.
How to use a video capture card?
As capture cards work by simply connecting a video device to an output and a processing device, you can use them in any way you like!
Common uses include using a program like OBS or XSplit to stream that capture online. This allows you to share hobbies, games and the like online in real-time.
Anything you have with an HDMI connection will be compatible with most capture cards, so you could even use them to record lie TV onto your PC / laptop from a set-top-box for a more "out there" example.
The key thing is that after plugging in a capture card and getting our free recording / streaming software from OBS, you're all set from a hardware and software stance. You'll need to make an account with a streaming service, but this is also free.
Using a plug-and-play card like VGB500 takes a lot of the stress of setting up drivers and devices away, allowing someone to get a capture card as a gift to spur their creativity, confidence and community spirit right away!
Budget Capture Card Under £100
The VGB500 is a full-HD capture card which maxes out the settings you'll be able to access as a first-time streamer. That means 1080p 60fps recording and streaming. The plug-and-play design means no driver downloads and extracting files to get things working, the device will simply unpack when you plug it in and be available for use in OBS.
If you know someone passionate about a hobby that you want to inspire some creativity to share, a capture card is a great place to start. They can plug it into their laptop or PC and be ready to stream in no time from any HDMI device.
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