You’ve undoubtedly heard of capture cards even in passing if you’ve worked with computers or the internet. Games and content creation have dominated discussions of these devices. As a remote working and online training become more prevalent, capture cards will undoubtedly be part of one or more conversations in your office.
Capture cards are tremendously versatile devices that can benefit more people than only gamers.
What is a Capture Card?
A capture card lets you capture video and audio. Audio and video are captured from a device and reproduced into a form that can be shared and manipulated. Historically, capture cards were mainly used by gamers for recording gameplay. You can use a camera or computer to capture a video feed from these devices nowadays.
Capture cards are characterized by their HDMI input capability, the secret sauce. With a capture card, you can use your device to record an HDMI signal, as long as it produces an HDMI output. There are many uses for this kind of device.
What can I do with a Capture Card?
If you have a capture card that can capture HDMI signals, you can:
- Use your console or gaming PC to record gameplay.
- Use live streaming services such as Twitch or YouTube to broadcast your play.
- Webcams can be made from regular cameras, like DSLRs.
- It is possible to live stream events like meetings, conferences, or training sessions.
- These aren’t the only options available. A capture card can be a lifesaver if you do recording or live streaming and can output the video via HDMI.
How Can a Capture Card Benefit Me?
It depends on your situation whether you require a capture card. Adding a capture card and a camera to a Zoom call is overkill if you only want to show your face. Even though they are relatively inexpensive, capture cards tend to be a better investment when used for projects that require good video quality.
1. Do I Need a Capture Card as a Gamer?
Gaming has evolved from being a solitary activity in the last few years. Thanks to social media and chat apps like Discord, gamers now share their extraordinary adventures and mad skills more than ever.
Some devices allow you to capture your gameplay and share it with others, such as gaming rigs and consoles. You can, however, use capture cards to enhance your experience. Videos created with them can be edited later with some fun effects, memes, and sounds before posting online.
A capture card can also be useful when you live stream on Twitch or YouTube. By letting your device handle most of the encoding, you are free to maximize your game’s performance on your computer.
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2. Do I Need a Capture Card in my Job?
Your situation will be influenced greatly by what you do for a living and how you record. Remote training is becoming increasingly popular. Capture cards are useful for recording training sessions that can later be repurposed as bite-sized content that colleagues can access on their own.
Also, your team leads can use a capture card to deliver remote briefings at a higher level. If you use a high-quality camera and a card to capture the HDMI output, your Livestream will look more professional, and you will be able to see yourself or your team members.
3. Do I Need a Capture Card for my Daily Life?
In the same way that a capture card can fit into your life, you can use it for your Job if you wish to record something. Using a capture card to record your creativity or your family’s creativity is an immediate application. In addition, if an HDMI dongle is plugged into an iPad, you will also be able to record your children’s progress on educational apps and have them play it back so they can gain confidence.
There are a few types of capture cards that you can consider if you are planning to buy one for whatever reason you may have.