Compare capture devices by the signal path

Unencrypted HDMI

An HDMI input is not a promise of unprotected-source compatibility, a display loop-through, or a particular recording mode. Compare the external Ripsaw HD, whose conservative plan separates 1080p60 capture from a 4K60 display path, with the four-input internal DeckLink Quad HDMI Recorder. Other PCIe paths use specific adapters: Dual DVI reaches HDMI through listed DVI-I breakouts, while Mini HDMI uses a JST SHD lead and a Mini PCIe host. Check the exact review for the source, connector and host requirements before treating two HDMI-labelled devices as interchangeable.

Magewell's similarly named PCIe cards also differ in how many inputs and outputs they document. Pro Capture HDMI 4K (11120) is distinct from the one-channel HDMI 4K Plus LT (11152) and two-channel Dual HDMI 4K Plus LT (11260); the LT models have listed loop-through outputs, which is not the same as capture. Also separate the PCIe HDMI 4K Plus from the keyed M.2 Eco HDMI 4K Plus, and check the model-specific table rather than transferring one sibling's limit to another.

External cards have their own tradeoffs: Cam Link 4K is a camera-to-USB route, 4K X is a higher-refresh USB design, and AVerMedia's GC553G2 and GC535 tie some mode choices to their interface and model-specific output settings. Find every model with documented HDMI input; this input-only search does not certify HDCP handling, pass-through, or a requested capture rate.

SDI

SDI captures range from compact single-input devices to multi-connector workstation cards, and a connector count does not by itself show how many full-rate feeds can be captured together. The DeckLink Micro Recorder has a model-specific single-channel path, separate lead and Mini PCIe host; the M.2 DeckLink SDI Micro and PCIe Quad 2 use different host and port layouts. Compare the Duo 2 with the low-profile Duo 2 Mini for connector and slot fit, not just channel labels.

External UltraStudio HD Mini, Express HD, Express Recorder 3G, Mini Recorder 12G and Mini Replay 12G are not one interchangeable design: host connections, input ranges and playback/monitor outputs differ. In particular, an HDMI monitor output or a fill/key output is not an SDI input. Read each assessment against the source signal and the intended software, then use the SDI-input finder to see all reviewed candidates in this library.

Magewell's cards also vary by bus, channel and loop-through. The single-input Pro Capture SDI, Dual SDI, Quad SDI and Mini SDI have different connector and output arrangements; the SDI 4K Plus and Dual SDI 4K Plus are separate one- and two-channel models. USB Capture devices such as SDI Plus, SDI 4K Plus, SDI 4K Pro and SDI Gen 2 are different from the similarly named PCIe boards; their rates and host requirements belong to their own tables.

Multi-input M.2 and SDI 4K products have separate channel and link constraints: the Eco Dual SDI M.2 and Eco Quad SDI M.2 should not be read as all-channel peak-rate guarantees, while the Eco 12G SDI 4K Plus M.2 uses a one-source path. The Pro Capture AIO and AIO 4K/AIO 4K Plus select among alternative inputs. For the actual input requirement, find models with documented SDI input; check the individual review for the exact timing, simultaneous-channel and output limits.

SDI input with a 1080p60 capture target

For this combined request, the reviewed library has documented Windows/OBS plans for a single SDI feed at 1080p60. That condition does not turn every connector on a multi-input board into a simultaneous full-rate stream, nor does it imply a 4K60 mode. Compare DeckLink SDI Micro and Quad 2 for their different M.2 and PCIe layouts, and the Corvid 44/44 BNC with the Corvid 44 12G/44 12G BNC for their distinct PCIe, connector and SDI generations. Their conservative 1080p60 plans describe one feed, not four simultaneous peak-rate recordings.

Check the exact model's timing table when you need a higher target: the DeckLink SDI 4K and Studio 4K have different connector-specific mode limits, while the 8K Pro Mini is a low-profile PCIe SDI board whose multiple link connectors do not promise four peak-rate captures. The Mini Recorder 4K and Mini Recorder HD also separate 6G/3G signal paths and HD/UHD/DCI ceilings. Read the 4K Extreme 12G, 8K Pro G2 and IP/SDI HD reviews for their own layouts.

Magewell's USB, PCIe and M.2 SDI lines have separate mode tables, loop-through paths and host requirements: compare USB SDI Plus, USB SDI 4K Plus, USB SDI 4K Pro, USB SDI Gen 2, USB Capture AIO, Pro Capture SDI, Pro Capture Dual SDI, Pro Capture Quad SDI, Pro Capture SDI 4K Plus, Dual SDI 4K Plus, PCIe AIO and Mini SDI. The AIO 4K and AIO 4K Plus are not 4K60 SDI models merely because their HDMI paths differ. For the same input and recording target, find the SDI plus 1080p60 candidates.

Analog video

The current-reference AJA KONA LHe Plus adds PCIe capture from analog component or SD sources, with composite/S-Video SD paths documented through its model-specific breakout cable; it does not add a general HDMI input or a 1080p60 analog claim.

Analog is not one interchangeable source path. Magewell's Hexa CVBS is a six-input standard-definition composite design, while Pro Capture Dual DVI, Pro Capture DVI and DVI Plus use model-specific DVI-I breakouts for VGA/component. The PCIe Pro Capture HDMI has a separate DB9 analog breakout; the PCIe AIO and USB Capture AIO are separate products with selectable adapter routes. Check whether the source is component, composite or S-Video and which breakout is required; HD component support does not make composite or S-Video an HD source.

Blackmagic's Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G, DeckLink Studio 4K, UltraStudio 4K Mini, 4K Extreme 3, HD Mini and Express HD also separate analog connector families from their digital SDI or HDMI paths. Some list component video, composite or S-Video, but a digital timing table must not be transferred to an analog connector; the Studio 4K's broad SD/HD component statement, for example, does not establish an exact 1080p60 analog plan.

Other useful model-specific comparisons are the Pro Capture DVI, Dual DVI, Pro Capture HDMI, PCIe AIO, Hexa CVBS, USB Capture AIO and DVI Plus reviews; the earlier Elgato Video Capture is a separate standard-definition transfer route. Find every reviewed model for this exact analog input choice, then verify the source connector and exact adapter package in the individual assessment.

SMPTE ST 2110 network video

DeckLink IP 100G adds a current ST 2110 network-capture option with redundant 100 Gb/s QSFP28 ports and PCIe Gen 4 x8; Blackmagic lists fewer 2160p60 channels on Mac than on Windows or Linux. It is not HDMI/SDI input and needs network clock/routing configuration; read the DeckLink IP 100G assessment beside the three HD DeckLink IP reviews. Find models for this same SMPTE ST 2110 input choice.

Five current-reference products in this reviewed library document SMPTE ST 2110 network-video input: Blackmagic Design DeckLink IP HD, DeckLink IP HD Optical, DeckLink IP/SDI HD, DeckLink IP 100G and AJA KONA IP25. KONA IP25's SFP cages carry ST 2110 media while its separate RJ-45 is control; it is not direct HDMI/SDI input. Find models for this same SMPTE ST 2110 input choice.

The four current Blackmagic network-video cards remain distinct from the earlier AJA Io IP and KONA IP. The current AJA KONA IP25 is a separate PCIe Gen 4 x8 ST 2110 capture/playout model and remains in this current-only set; the earlier AJA devices appear only when earlier entries are included. Find models for this same SMPTE ST 2110 input choice.

Analog input and an exact 1080p60 minimum

Six Windows/OBS PCIe models match analog input plus a 1080p60 capture minimum; Studio 4K is not one of them because its component path is only specified broadly as SD/HD, without an exact timing table. The Intensity Pro 4K and Pro Capture AIO have more specific component-path plans. On any eligible model, this 1080p60 answer applies to the selected component/VGA route; it does not carry over to composite or S-Video, imply multiple simultaneous inputs, or add monitor passthrough. Read the Studio 4K review for why a general SD/HD description is not enough to assign this exact analog rate.

Find the exact analog, 1080p60, PCIe, Windows and OBS request

Current references only

The current-reference filter follows the lifecycle label used for each reviewed model; it is not a live-stock check or a promise that a particular operating system or driver remains supported. The UltraStudio Express HD, DeckLink IP 100G, Ripsaw HD and AJA KONA IP25 are examples from different signal and host paths, not interchangeable capture cards. Find current-reference models only, then check the exact source, connection, software and format in the individual assessment.

“Current” does not mean one installation style or one signal range. Compare the PCIe DeckLink SDI Micro and Quad 2 with the standard and low-profile Duo 2/Duo 2 Mini; compare Magewell's Eco AIO M.2 and Eco Quad SDI M.2 with the full-size Pro Capture AIO. Their signal connectors, host footprint and simultaneous-input arrangements have to be checked model by model.

Other current references in the library include AVerMedia's internal GC575 and external GC553G2, Elgato's Cam Link 4K and 4K X, and Magewell's USB Capture HDMI Plus. Their inputs, passthrough, host links and supported capture modes differ; use each review rather than treating the lifecycle selection as a compatibility decision.

Include earlier models

Enable earlier models to keep reviewed designs with earlier lifecycle labels in the finder; current-reference products remain available in this view too. An earlier label does not say whether a unit is in stock, whether its software still runs on your computer, or whether a used offer has the needed accessories. Find models including earlier configurations and use each review to check input direction, host and operating system.

The current Magewell set also includes the distinct Pro Capture HDMI 4K (11120), the single-channel Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus LT (11152) and the dual-channel Dual HDMI 4K Plus LT (11260), alongside the PCIe Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus/Eco M.2 and reviewed USB Capture models. Check each host, connector and configuration rather than treating similar family names as interchangeable.

The current SDI PCIe references also include single-channel Pro Capture SDI, two-channel Dual SDI, four-channel Quad SDI, single-channel SDI 4K Plus and two-channel Dual SDI 4K Plus; generation, grouped connectors, loop-through, lane width and profile differ. Pro Capture AIO is another current PCIe model, but its one selected input can be HDMI, SDI or analog via adapters.

These earlier models answer different jobs rather than forming a single upgrade ladder. Read the HD60 X assessment for an external HDMI path, the Cam Link Pro assessment for four unencrypted HDMI inputs in a Windows PCIe card, and the Video Capture assessment for standard-definition analog transfer. AVerMedia's GC553 Live Gamer ULTRA is an earlier HDMI 2.0 generation with 4K30 capture, distinct from the GC553G2 and GC553Pro. The earlier BU113 is an external camera-to-USB unit, not the newer BU113G2: its Windows recording ceiling is 4K30 or 1080p60 HDR, and its Mac support FAQ limits capture to 1080p60. The BO311 Live Streamer 311 kit is the only reviewed route here with both a bundled webcam and USB microphone; its original GC311 card is limited to 1080p60 on USB 2.0, not the newer GC311G2's passthrough modes. The current Cam Link 4K is a distinct single-camera USB device, not a revision of Cam Link Pro. Current external AVerMedia references include HDMI 2.0/5 Gbps GC553Pro, HDMI 2.1/10 Gbps GC553G2, GC551G2 with separate 4K30 capture and 4K60 passthrough, the 1080p60 capture/4K60 display GC311G2 and camera-oriented BU113G2. The current internal GC575, GC573 and GC571 have different HDMI, PCIe and capture limits. The current GC313Pro, GC531, GC535 and dual-input PCIe GC570D reviews explain their distinct source connector and mode boundaries. The current Magewell HDMI Plus, SDI Plus and HDMI 4K Plus are three distinct input/capture configurations, not interchangeable suffix variants. Elgato marks Cam Link Pro and Video Capture Legacy/EOL; inclusion does not promise stock, current driver support or warranty parity, and GC553's earlier-generation status is not a claim that its support page has ended.

Include earlier models in the finder

The Eco models stay visible in the earlier-inclusive library: AIO M.2, Dual HDMI M.2, Dual SDI M.2, Quad SDI M.2, HDMI 4K M.2 and 12G SDI 4K Plus M.2. These are current configurations, not historical variants added by the `earlier=yes` selection.

Several earlier AJA Corvid cards also have distinct input and host requirements: compare Corvid 1, Corvid 3G, Corvid 22, Corvid 24, Corvid HB-R and Corvid HEVC by their SDI layouts, capture limits, PCIe/software needs and input type. Their individual reviews explain those differences; lifecycle alone is not a compatibility or condition check.

Earlier analog source on Windows with OBS

Fourteen earlier-inclusive Windows/OBS analog-input plans match. Express HD adds an explicitly documented analog component/composite SD/HD path on USB4/Thunderbolt 4; older Elgato Video Capture remains SD-only, and model-specific analog rates must not be inherited across these products. Compare the Express HD, Video Capture, PCIe Pro Capture AIO, Pro Capture Dual DVI, Pro Capture DVI, Pro Capture HDMI, USB Capture AIO, DVI Plus, Hexa CVBS, Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G and Studio 4K for their adapters, host connections and analog limits. The finder keeps the exact earlier, analog, Windows and OBS conditions.

The original Game Capture HD is excluded from the Windows/OBS analog set: the inspected Elgato material does not establish that its analog input is used in the documented OBS workflow; the analog route is documented in its legacy Game Capture HD application. Elgato's OBS setup guide describes a Windows device workflow but does not specify the A/V input, while its manual treats analog video as a separate adapter-fed input. Read the Game Capture HD assessment before treating those paths as one supported combination. Find this same earlier, analog, Windows and OBS request.

Earlier analog transfer with a 1080p60 minimum

Ten earlier-inclusive analog, 1080p60, Windows/OBS plans match, including component-only HD paths on Intensity Pro 4K and DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G; UltraStudio Express HD’s analog timing is unspecified, and SD composite/S-Video does not satisfy this mode request. Compare the Pro Capture HDMI, Pro Capture DVI, PCIe Pro Capture AIO, Dual DVI, DVI Plus, USB Capture AIO, Intensity Pro 4K and DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G for their actual analog inputs and host needs. Find this exact earlier, analog, 1080p60, Windows and OBS request.

The original Game Capture HD is not a match for this threshold: Elgato's comparison chart describes 1080p60 HDMI pass-through with 30 fps capture, so a display path cannot substitute for 1080p60 recording from an analog input. Its analog route also uses a separate A/V adapter, and the official HD60 comparison distinguishes the original Game Capture HD's analog input from its newer sibling. Confirm the connector and capture mode together before choosing an adapter.

Current PCIe card for analog 1080p60 in Windows and OBS

Decision: For analog 1080p60 on PCIe with Windows and OBS, the two reviewed matches are Pro Capture HDMI (11040) and Pro Capture AIO (11020). The former assesses component through its DB9 breakout; the AIO brochure lists typical 1080p60/59.94 and its analog plan is VGA/component, not composite or S-Video.

The Pro Capture HDMI and Pro Capture AIO are both single-channel PCIe choices but differ in their source adapters and other inputs. Neither has a listed monitor loop-through; verify the selected source connector, adapter package, PCIe slot and signal timing.

Find this exact analog, 1080p60, PCIe, Windows and OBS combination