Crash Guide Into Streaming: What Is a Game Capture Device?

Streaming isn’t simply turning on your camera and PC and showing whatever game you have on. Well, in essence, it is that when placed into perspective, but the preparation that goes behind it can take some time to get used to. Understanding the ins and outs of peripherals and accessories that aid your streaming journey can elevate the viewing experience for your audience better. 

You may have encountered an accessory called a capture device, a pivotal peripheral that delivers top-notch content to your audience. If you don’t know what it is, stick around to discover what exactly it is and how it can be an essential element. 

From AVerMedia Official Website

What is it? Think of a game capture device as the bridge between your gaming console to the digital world. Mainly associated with consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, it is a piece of hardware that captures the audio and video outputs from these devices and converts them into a format that can be streamed or recorded. It's a nifty box that translates whatever is happening on your screen and sends it to your streaming platform. 

From Gerbert Official GIPHY

It’s easier to broadcast whatever is on your computer’s screen, but it's a different situation altogether if it's from a device separate from your PC. 

Do you need one? “Can’t I just use software to capture my gameplay?” While software solutions exist, game capture devices offer several advantages:

• Performance: Whenever recording on your PC, streaming programs take resources form your CPU and GPU, depending on what you are trying to stream. Game capture devices offload the task of capturing and encoding video from your computer, which results in better performance while gaming and streaming simultaneously. 

• Compatibility: As mentioned above, these devices work with a wide range of gaming consoles, PCs, and other streaming software ensuring flawless integration depending on what setup you have on hand. 

• Quality: Depending on your capture devices, it can possibly provide better video and audio quality, which preserves the fidelity of your gameplay for your audience. 

How does it work? Thankfully, it doesn’t take much time to understand how it works. A good and beginner-friendly example is the AVerMedia GC311 Live Gamer Mini Capture Device. Normally you would connect your gaming console or PC to the game capture device using HDMI cables. The game capture device then sends the captured audio and video to your computer through another set of cords. Once received the software, in this case RECentral, is used to send to your specific streaming platform of choice. 

From AVerMedia Official Website

Whether you're a seasoned streamer or just starting out, understanding the role of a game capture device can help you elevate your streaming experience and engage with your audience in exciting new ways. So, if you're ready to level up your streaming game, consider adding a game capture device to your setup! Buy it now at the Next Upgrade Shop!