5 cool uses for USB capture cards

Capture cards used to be exclusively internal PC components, but thanks to the introduction of fast USB interfaces, you can get almost any type of capture device as an external box or adapter. Most people use these cards these days for streaming on platforms like Twitch, but there are plenty of other uses you may not have thought of.



5 Turn professional cameras into webcams

Canon DSLR on a table
Image by Hanson Lu on Unsplash

There are many great cameras with HDMI output that you can use for live streaming. This is great because you have access to better lenses, optical zoom, and everything else that “real” cameras offer in addition to webcams. It also means you have access to any microphone you have connected to the camera, and this is handy because there are so many high-quality options in the camera world. Whether it’s a camcorder, DSLR, or even a GoPro with a Media Mod, you can use whatever audio accessories you want.

Remember that most cameras with HDMI output use the Micro HDMI standard, so you will need an adapter or adapter cable to connect the camera to your capture card.


4 Use your iPad as a portable monitor

MacBook Air next to iPad Air with Sidecar to mirror the display

If you're using an iPad with iPadOS 17 or later, you have the option to connect a USB capture card and view the video input on your tablet's screen. You'll also need an iPad model with a USB-C port, and I've only personally tested this with my 12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro tablet.

In addition to a USB capture card and your iPad, you'll need an app. I use HDMI Monitor-Orion and have successfully used my tablet as a monitor for my Nintendo Switch. However, there are a number of different apps to choose from.

Meta Quest 3 headset is put on
Source: Meta


If you own a Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, or Pro VR headset, you can now use a UAC and UVC compatible USB capture card to stream video directly into VR. Using a Meta app called HDMI Link, it's easy to connect your device to the Quest and put the headset on, allowing you to see your phone's screen in VR (assuming it supports video output) or use a handheld PC like the ROG Ally with a large virtual monitor. It really is like having a big TV with you wherever you go.

A VHS cassette.

Source: Josh Chiodo via Unsplash


If you have older physical media from the pre-DVD era, such as in Laserdisc or VHS format, and you want to back up the data stored on it, a capture card is the way to go. This is one of the main purposes capture cards were originally designed for, or at least the reason people bought them in the late '90s and early 2000s. When digital media like DVDs became the norm, analog video recording was no longer necessary. Of course, you'll need a capture card that accepts the connection types found on older players (such as S-VHS), or you'll use an intermediary device that converts the older connection standard to HDMI.

1 Capture devices such as tablets and phones

Most phones and tablets can record their own screen these days, but that's not relevant if you need to live stream what's happening on the screen. There are plenty of scenarios where this would be useful, including streaming mobile games. Also, live tutorials (such as drawing on your iPad for an art stream) or demonstrating something like augmented reality via a phone's camera are all pretty neat ways to make use of a simple USB capture card.


Thanks to the game streaming craze, there are more capture card options than ever before. From no-name $15 adapters that will do the trick in a pinch, to fully-featured, high-performance capture cards that cost hundreds of dollars. If you already have a capture card to try out, it's best to test how well it performs for every use you can think of. We've also looked at numerous cards over the years and have made it a point to highlight the best ones in case you're looking for suggestions on where to start!

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