You can adjust the bit rate of the compression used as the device sends the video to your computer for storage, and if you want you can also make some image adjustments – though those adjustments will also be reflected on your display, so I didn’t use them. “Input Device” will tell the GCHD what to expect, from a choice of Xbox 360, PS3, and iPad, though as long as you have the input source selected properly, I found that it was pretty good at adjusting to whatever I had hooked up to it. The options that are available are pretty easy to figure out as well: To the right, you can set options for the GCHD, check sound levels if input is running, give title information for the video before you start, and start the recording. Your input to the capture device is shown on the left. When you start it up it will wait for you to connect the device if you are in the Capture screen.
The software itself is pretty simple and easy to grasp. It’s as minimalist as I think a capture box can be. You will need to download the software from the Game Capture site, which is a small (<100 MB) download and consists of only one application that is installed to your computer. All the cables you need to hook it up come with it. You’re not left without anything, which considering the price of the unit, is quite nice. That’s the extent of what you get when you buy it.
On one end, there is an HDMI out, which is a passthrough to your TV or other monitor, and the mini-USB connector that goes to your computer:Īnd on the other end, there is the HDMI in and the DIN in, which can accept either the Ps2/Ps3 cable or the component breakout: The device itself is not much larger than a deck of standard playing cards: DualShock 3 and a 360 controller for comparison.Īs you can see, there isn’t much to it. As far as the computer hardware you need, it’s best to look this up on Elgato’s site, but it works with USB 2 (something its competitors sometimes don’t), is completely external, and works with both PCs and Macs. In short, everything you need to use the device comes with it, which is very handy. A very short DIN-to component/RCA stereo breakout cable.The Game Capture HD is a pretty simple package. I’ve done some tests with the device and will insert them throughout the review all YouTube videos in this post were captured in my living room using the Game Capture HD. The one I won’t be returning is the Elgato Game Capture HD, and for most people who would like to capture gameplay, I can recommend it as a starting point for capturing gameplay video.