Everyone has their own good reason for wanting to record
video game clips . There are those who do it for the pure pleasure of reliving
a certain scene, others to immortalize the most successful match of the century.
Who wants to share a game with a friend or who publishes it on their YouTube
channel, or maybe live on Twitch. Today we put under the magnifying glass a
product that brilliantly responds to all these needs, the Game Capture Elgato HD60 .
This video capture card has been on the market for a few
years now, but the constantly updated software and excellent technical
specifications have allowed it to still be one of the best products around
today. What is certain is that technology in the meantime has made progress,
with cards capable of acquiring sources in native 4K. The HD60 stops
"only" at 1080p 60fps ; and that 'only' put in quotes, believe me, it
was a struggle to write it.
Packaging and specifications
The package with which the device is delivered is quite
simple and elegant, while its features and specifications are illustrated on
the back. Inside we find, in addition to the card, a long USB Type A - Mini USB
cable and a one meter HDMI plug. The most enthusiast will also be happy to find
a sticker of the brand.
The acquisition card looks like a small box with small
dimensions, black and opaque. The various inputs and outputs are arranged on
the two shorter sides, while the finish on the upper surface hides a series of
LEDs that mark the activities of the board. The weight is very light, which
makes the Elgato HD60 an easily transportable device . Furthermore, the small
size makes it more comfortable to place in plain sight on a desk, or behind a
cabinet in the living room so as not to be too conspicuous.
As for the inputs, on the left side we find those Jack 3.5mm
and HDMI, as well as the USB interface. On the right side there is only the
HDMI output. Connecting the peripheral is simple : the capture card is placed
between the source and the monitor / TV. The video output of the console must
be connected to the HDMI IN port, while the HDMI OUT port allows the signal to
reach the desired monitor. Also remember to connect the USB cable, which
supplies power to the HD60 and without which the HDMI pass-through function is
not available.
Input PlayStations
4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360 (or any other unencrypted HDMI source)
Analog audio (3.5mm Jack connector)
Output HDMI
(pass-through)
Resolutions supported 1080p60,
1080p 30, 1080i, 720p 60, 720p 30, 576p, 576i, 480p
Dimensions 112
x 75 x 19 mm
Weight 106g
As for the minimum requirements regarding the computer to
use, nothing demanding. I have in the past tested the peripheral on a low-end
computer, with the specs just below those required. As long as you do not
overdo the settings (which means high bitrates), you can proceed with the
recording activities with some peace of mind, and by tranquility I mean
"being sure that the program does not crash, consequently making you lose
the recording ".
I take this opportunity to points out that in all these
years I have never seen the application freeze or crash, at least with my main
computer. It goes without saying that by using a decidedly less performing
computer there are uncertainties. But basically we're here to do some tests,
aren't we?
PC Windows 7
SP1 or later
Mac OSX 10.9 or
later
CPU 2nd
Generation or Later Intel i5
for Streaming: 2nd Generation Intel i7 or later
RAM 4GB
USB one USB 2.0
port
The software: Game Capture HD
A device software installation DVD is not included in the
package. Better this way, because in this way you can directly download the
latest version from the official website . Game Capture HD software is valid
for all products of the Elgato line in terms of video capture cards.
The version we take as a reference is 3.70.13, which to date
appears to be the most recent. Over time, the acquisition program has undergone
some restyling, but the functionality and general structure have remained
almost identical, with some welcome additions (such as Elgato Sound Capture ).
The preview takes up most of the screen space and is always
crisp and smooth, even when locked at 30fps. It should also be noted that it is
displayed with a delay of about one second , and this makes it impossible to
play directly from the computer using the acquisition program. On the other
hand, that's what HDMI pass-through is for, which instead maintains
synchronization with the console. The HD60 S, as we will see later, improves in
this respect, with a preview in real time. In the personal experience of the
speaker, however, this "latency" has never been a nuisance .
The section just below allows you to edit the scene . Do you
know the typical streaming graphics? The Game Capture HD software allows you to
prepare up to 10 different scenes that can be recalled, for example, during a
live broadcast, simply with a click. Certainly the specialized programs for
streaming will allow a more precise control of the scene, but the supplied
software turns out to be functional at the right point . Further down is the
command to start recording, a slider to go back in time and review a past
scene, by way of replay, a button to take a screenshot and another to start streaming.
Laterally we find various items to set the recording:
settings of the card, volumes, webcam or microphone, the output file (name,
tag, ...).
A special eye deserves the device setup screen . The
software recognizes the Elgato HD60 and the input resolution. The settings are
intuitive: you can select the video source, the audio source (HDMI or Jack),
the resolution and the recording bitrate, 60fps or alternatively 30.
A secondary area of the program is the one used for the
" Edit ", which is presented as a simple and intuitive editor to
modify the clip just acquired. The features that are most useful are those of
being able to make cuts or arrange for export to social networks or YouTube.
Quick preview of card settings.
It is possible to customize the title of the clip and its
fundamental properties, in order to end up with a well-structured catalog.
Recording quality
In the last generation of consoles it was not easy to
acquire a game clip , mainly because the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 needed a
dedicated device. A video capture card, in fact, was a necessary step -
neglecting the fact that the HDMI source could also be encrypted… When
PlayStation 4 was released, many (including myself) liked the SHARE button; on
the other hand, Xbox One also integrated an internal DVR function. And so it
was that recording a clip became easier than ever .
I believe that in considering a product like the HD60 all
possible factors should be considered, and that of the DVRs inside the consoles
is certainly not negligible, especially for those who are not professionals.
The question I want to answer is : what is the difference between a console
clip and a capture card clip?
Let's take as a reference a PlayStation 4, whose 'standard'
model supports recording up to 720p and 30 fps, the Pro model up to 1080p 30
fps. Basically the Elgato HD60 allows you to reach 1080p in any case , and the
60 fps , if present in the game, are also felt in the captured clips. Not only
that: if we take still images of the same game scene and compare them, we find
that the HD 60's image is cleaner and more faithful to the original .
The merit of this is to be found in the recording bitrate
settings, because a higher bitrate allows to keep a larger amount of
information in the file. It is true that the maximum setting (40 Mbps at 60
fps) generates huge files, but it is also undeniable that the quality achieved
is, objectively, of enormous value. Not everyone will want to record at 40
Mbps, and personally I don't recommend it either: the best compromise between
size and quality is around 25 Mbps (20 s at 30fps), and the image is thus
decidedly cleaner than any acquisition carried out directly by the console.
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