3rd Party Software for Elgato?

[ManiKz]

Is there any other software that works with Elgato Game Capture HD (non 60) as the softare that Elgato provides is quite limited in terms of tweaking the settings for capturing.

[usually_quiet]

No, it only works with the provided software and Elgato's PVR software, EyeTV (for OSX only).

Even GraphEdit and GraphStudio won't really work properly. You can use them to build a capture graph, but unfortunately, the capture drivers decompress the video before giving it to any other program and don't provide access to the encoded stream from the device. You can re-encode the decompressed video with a different encoder, but since it was already compressed once by the Elgato HD's hardware encoder, the quality will be reduced. I have seen the filter graph, and the Elgato HD's encoder controls weren't available either. So basically, no, you can't really use any other software to capture from the device in the normal way.

[SHS]

Elgato are hard code there no way make used of directshow support in rigth way as some HD devices

[Cauptain]

Hi ManiKz,

Look here: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-setup-the-elgato-game-capture-hd-in-obs.48/



Claudio

[usually_quiet]

No, OBS won't do what the OP wants. It doesn't use the device's own hardware encoder. OBS can only use the Elgato Game Capture HD's drivers to access the decompressed video from a previously compressed stream. OBS uses x264 to re-encode. The result will be the same as if the OP used x264 to re-encode a file recorded using the Elgato Game Capture HD.

[Cauptain]

Strange UQ, because my C985 supposedly works like the Elgato and I can record with OBS higher bitrate >60btr (Limited in Aver software). No reencode.

Anyway, the OP could try Virtualdub, it also works with Hardware Encoder like C985, its enable record using direct show codecs. Just testing it.



Claudio

[usually_quiet]

Strange UQ, because my C985 supposedly works like the Elgato and I can record with OBS higher bitrate >60btr (Limited in Aver software). No reencode.

Anyway, the OP could try Virtualdub, it also works with Hardware Encoder like C985, its enable record using direct show codecs. Just testing it.



Claudio

I don't know the full capabilities of the AVerMedia C985. However, there is a lot of information on VideoHelp about the Elgato Game Capture HD and its odd Direct Show drivers. It is written by people who have one. Read it.

...but let us leave the Elgato Game Capture HD's unusual Direct Show drivers out of the story for a moment. The Elgato Game Capture HD uses USB 2.0 to connect to a PC. USB 2.0 does not have enough bandwidth to provide an uncompressed HD video stream at 25 fps or 29.97 fps. Also look at the instructions in your link. OBS is using x264 to encode, not the Elgato Game Capture HD's hardware encoder. So, explain how OBS is not re-encoding video originating from a previously compressed stream?

[Cauptain]

Good question UQ.

In theory OBS can record at higher bitrate (More quality).

Elgato software claim record 40Mbps@1080p and 30Mbps@720p. OBS bypass this value at 60Mbps.

Can OP make a simple test??




Claudio

[SHS]

Here the Elgato Game Capture HD

Here it so called Direct Show accses which nothing more then Realtime Perview pins side of things

Here the Hauppauge HD-PVR

Here the Hauppauge Colossus

Here the Hauppauge HD-PVR 2 or Colossus 2


Do you see the difference in too with Hauppauge you have full accses to hardware audio/video (Capture Deivce) as well the encoder or multiplexer (Encoder)

So far only two Hauppauge are use less when come Graph Edit and 3rdparty support the very 1st Hauppauge WinTV-PVR PCI and now the HD-PVR Rocket.

[usually_quiet]

Good question UQ.

In theory OBS can record at higher bitrate (More quality).

Elgato software claim record 40Mbps@1080p and 30Mbps@720p. OBS bypass this value at 60Mbps.

Can OP make a simple test??




Claudio

The Elgato Game Capture HD cannot capture video as an uncompressed stream because it has a USB 2.0 interface. That means OBS is using x264 to re-encode a previously encoded stream. (The compressed stream stream is automatically decompressed by the Elgato Game Capture HD's Direct Show drivers. The drivers do not allow access to the compressed stream.)

Of course OBS can encode at a higher bit rate than the hardware encoder supports. ...but re-encoding at a higher bit rate won't improve the quality over that in the compressed stream from the Elgato Game Capture HD. If you think that it can, you know nothing about video capture.

The OP wants to tweak settings for the Elgato Game Capture HD's own hardware encoder, which OBS clearly is not using.

[Cauptain]

Thank you for explanation SHS. Always feel difficulty using GE/GS.


UQ, I know the basics to capture videos because this frequent the VH, of course.

I gave two suggestions.

If one does not work (OBS), try another (Virtualdub). No problem.

In theory the C985 should have the same problem, so that does not work in other software(Like Elgato) but it works in Virtualdub using correct parameters.

OP could try if it works or not for Elgato users.



Claudio

[usually_quiet]

Thank you for explanation SHS. Always feel difficulty using GE/GS.


UQ, I know the basics to capture videos because this frequent the VH, of course.

I gave two suggestions.

If one does not work (OBS), try another (Virtualdub). No problem.

In theory the C985 should have the same problem, so that does not work in other software(Like Elgato) but it works in Virtualdub using correct parameters.

OP could try if it works or not for Elgato users.



Claudio

Plainly you still do not understand what is going on, in spite of the explanations provided. Virtualdub does not give access to any hardware encoders in any device. It is also accessing a decompressed stream from the Elgato Game Capture HD's Direct Show drivers. That decompressed stream was already compressed once (by the Elgato Game Capture HD). Compressing it again at a higher bit rate cannot improve the quality.

[Cauptain]

UQ, I understood. Just didnt know what worked this way.

Thanks for clarification.



Claudio