Game consoles like Switch do not require a screen recording software like PC games for live streaming or recording game graphics. To capture game graphics in PS5 or Switch mode, a capture card must be used.

The working principle of the capture card is to convert the image and audio signals output by the game console through the HDMI interface into signals that can be recognized by the computer, and output them to the computer through the built-in USB or Thunderbolt interface. The computer can save the signals as video in real time through software such as OBS, and even directly stream with one click for live streaming.

A regular capture card has one entrance and one exit. The built-in chip of the capture card processes the HDMI signal of the entrance before outputting. The chip takes time to process the video, and the video signal of the output port is slower. Generally, the stronger the capture card chip, the higher the price, and the lower the delay. Powerful capture cards can compress the delay to within 50ms.

The best way to completely solve latency is to use an acquisition card with a ring outlet, which is also an output port. The principle is that the acquisition card receives an HDMI input signal and copies the video signal into two copies. One copy is directly sent to the ring outlet for zero latency output, while the other copy is converted into a recognizable signal by the acquisition card chip and output to the computer through its built-in USB or Thunderbolt interface. The computer can save the signal as video in real time through software such as OBS.

The wonderful use of collection cards

Raspberry Pi enthusiast: If you, like me, bring a Raspberry Pi and a laptop in your bag, but the HDMI image signal output by the Raspberry Pi cannot be directly output to the computer screen, at this moment, connect the Raspberry Pi HDMI output cable to the input terminal of the capture card, and then connect the capture card output terminal to the USB or Thunderbolt port of the laptop, and the laptop can see the Raspberry Pi's image in real time!

Super Screen Recorder: Some video course software is very unique and cannot use any software for screen recording. If we have a capture card that supports ring out function (one entrance, two exits), we can connect the HDMI cable of computer host A to the input terminal of the capture card. There are two output terminals of the capture card, one is responsible for zero delay direct ring out and projection to the screen, and the other output port can be connected to computer B's USB or Thunderbolt port. Computer A can watch videos normally, while computer B records computer A's screen in real time through OBS and generates high-quality screen recording videos.

Automatic collection of console game video materials: We can install an OBS on the Raspberry Pi and connect it to an external hard drive. The Raspberry Pi is normally open, and the OBS software is also normally open. The HDMI port of the game console is connected to the input port of the capture card, the USB port of the Raspberry Pi is connected to the output port of the capture card, and the display is connected to the ring outlet of the capture card (without game delay). In the future, when we play console games, the OBS of the Raspberry Pi will automatically record videos through the capture card and store them in the external hard drive. By connecting the Raspberry Pi to a LAN cable and setting up an SMB service for internal network penetration on the Raspberry Pi end, we can access our console game recordings anytime, anywhere, from any computer or point, and obtain game video production materials.