USB 2.0 HD PVR Gaming and Video Capture Device – 1080p HDMI / Component

When you troubleshoot issues with a video capture device, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:

• Video cables

• Video source

• Video capture device

To test your setup components, try the following:

• Use the video cables, source, and capture device in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

• Use a different video cable, source, and capture device in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.

When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:

• Test each cable individually.

• Use short cables when you are testing.

When you test the video cables and source with the video capture device, make sure that the following is true:

• Other video destinations work with the same video source. For more information, visit http://www.startech.com/faq/video_capture_cards_source_compatibility.

• Adapters and extenders are kept to a minimum.

• The video source is not copyright protected (for example, HDCP).

• The video standard (for example, NTSC, PAL, HDMI, and so on) of the video source matches the Technical Specifications of the video capture device.

To check if the video capture device is detected in Windows^®, complete the following:

1. Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Device Manager. Check to see if your device is listed under Sound, video and game controllers.

2. Do one of the following:

• If you do not see the video capture device in Device Manager, for more information, visit https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#pci-pcie-cannot-boot-os-or-detect-windows
  or https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#usb-cannot-detect-windows.

• If the device is listed with an error, follow the instructions on the Support tab on the StarTech.com product page to reinstall the drivers. 

When you test the video capture device on your computer, make sure that the driver and capture software is installed on your system for your adapter. Some cards may be able to support third party software, however, support is limited. For more information, visit https://www.startech.com/faq/video-capture-cards-third-party-software.

Note: The USB3HDCAP requires a compatible USB 3.0 card.

You can use a video capture device to capture or record an audio and video output signal to a connected computer.  You can use USB, ExpressCard, or PCI Express technology to connect a video capture device to a computer system.  StarTech.com has video capture devices that can capture audio and video from sources such as HDMI, DVI, VGA, S-Video, component, or composite.  The captured signals are usually recorded with software that is included with the video capture device.  Some software will also stream the captured signals online.

Select a capture device that features the audio and video connections you want to use.  These can be identified on the product page, under the Technical Specifications tab.  Whenever possible, you should avoid using adapters or converters with video capture devices as they can cause issues or negatively impact the quality of the audio or video signals being captured.

When looking at a video capture device that requires software to use, it is important to consider the operating system you want to use it on.  You can find this on the product page under the Technical Specifications tab, which only lists supported operating systems.

Consider what resolution and refresh rate you require.  You can find the supported resolutions and refresh rates on the product page, under the Technical Specifications tab in the Performance section. 

Video capture device usually use drivers and software to record audio and video.  Both the drivers and the software can be found on the product page under the Support tab.  Different software will have different features so it’s a good idea to review the software to make sure it is a good fit for your intended usage.  You can do so by looking at the manual for the device, also located on the Support tab.  StarTech.com only supports the software included with the video capture device. 

HDCP stands for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.  This system protects high definition video from being intercepted, modified, or recorded between the source and the display.  All StarTech.com devices adhere to the HDCP standard, so they do not record HDCP-protected content.  HDCP content that is being blocked often appears as a blank screen or a screen with an HDCP error shown on it.

Certain video capture devices allow you to stream video feeds online with streaming platform such as YouTube.  For more information, review the product manual or watch our video on this subject.  You can find a link to the video in the description.  If at this point you have further questions about a Startech.com video capture device contact our technical support team for further assistance. 

Although you may be able to plug in all of the connectors used for video standards associated with video capture cards/cables, you may still encounter issues that may prevent the video from being captured correctly.

About copyright protection

Some video sources implement copyright protection when you are plugging into a non-display device. Examples of copyright protection include the following:

• High Definition Content Protection (HDCP). This type of copyright protection is included with DVI and HDMI^® and can appear as a video error or blank screen. HDCP may also appear on the screen.

• Analogue Content Protection (ACP). This type of copyright protection is included with analogue video (for example, composite, s-video, or component). ACP can appear as a brightness pulsing up and down.

Copyright protection cannot legally be bypassed, and StarTech.com does not offer any products that do so.

Using video adapters

It is possible to passively convert video signals to different connector types, but the video standards will not always match between the video source and video destination. You may need to actively convert from one video type to another to ensure that the correct conversion is being made. When a passive converter is not available, most video standards can be converted with active converters.

Examples of incompatible passive conversions include the following:

• VGA source to composite or component (RCA) video, or composite or component (RCA) video to VGA.
• Composite (RCA) source to s-video.
• VGA to DVI-D and DVI-D to VGA.

Note: S-video to composite can be passively converted. DVI-I/DVI-A and VGA can be used bidirectionally.

About output resolution

If your video source has the ability to change resolutions (for example, a computer), it may be possible to send an incompatible resolution. To verify that the correct resolution is being used, navigate to www.StarTech.com and click the Technical Specifications tab for your product. Make note of the Industry Standards and Maximum Resolution specifications.

In the operating system's display management, you can adjust your video source to match or go below the maximum resolution and if possible, the refresh rate of your capture card.

Due to High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), it is not possible to record from certain gaming consoles. HDCP content (for example, movies) are protected, but the console itself may or may not have permanent HDCP enabled on the HDMI output.

For more information about consoles and their permanent HDCP enforcement, consult the following table:

You can use a video capture card with consoles that do not have permanent HDCP enabled.

Certain StarTech.com video capture cards are compatible with DirectShow and will work with many third-party video capture applications that are compatible with DirectShow. For more information on DirectShow compatible video capture cards, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/video-capture-cards-directshow.

Although third-party software might work with this video capture card, StarTech.com does not officially support or endorse the use of third-party applications.

No, you cannot use this capture card to turn your video camcorder into a webcam. This capture card does not use a DirectShow compatible driver, which is a requirement for many of the software applications that enable you to use your video camcorder as a webcam. 

For a list of video capture cards that you can use to turn a video camcorder into a webcam, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/video-capture-cards-webcam-capable.

This video capture card cannot record from more than one input at the same time.  

Note: Although the USB2HDCAPS can be connected to multiple computers on the same network, only one device can capture video at a time.