The Fox Report
Barry Fox’s technology column
HDMI capture dongle update
I
promised an update report on the absurdly low-
priced (under a tenner) HDMI capture dongle which I
test-purchased (see The Fox Report, PE, October 2020.)
These little devices are now widely available online, direct
from Chinese suppliers and via more local importers – at
a wide range of prices starting at around £7 (US$10).
The generic name is ‘HDMI to USB Video Capture Card
1080P 2.0 For Game / Live Streaming’. Some middlemen
are labelling these dongles with their own model names,
but the basic specification, and very likely the chipset,
remains the same:
‘Input (HDMI) resolution 3840×2160<at>30Hz, output (USB)
resolution 1920×1080<at>30Hz. Support 8/10/12-bit deep
colour. Support most acquisition software, such as VLC,
OBS, Amcap, etc. Support Windows, Android and macOS.
No external power supply is required. Video Output Mode:
YUV / JPEG. Support Audio Format: L-PCM’.
Easy to use
No instructions are needed. Just plug one end of the
dongle (which is around the same size as a USB memory
device) into the HDMI output of pretty much any media
player, set-top box, game console or online entertainment
system; connect the other end of the dongle by USB
lead to a USB socket on a computer which is running
capture software, such as free Open Source OBS (Open
Broadcaster Software).
The capture software ‘sees’ the dongle as a simple
USB media device and captures whatever it delivers.
It’s that simple. The only complication is the way OBS
offers a myriad of setup options and likes to default to
settings which mute the sound. Time spent on the OBS
help pages and googling user experience is time well
spent. It’s a small price to pay for a wonderfully flexible
free program.
Higher-priced alternatives
Super-cheap HDMI capture
dongle – it does exactly what
it says on the case...
...but unlike its (much) more
expensive rivals it does require
a reasonably powerful PC.
1552 hand-held plastic enclosures
One cautionary note; most of the capture devices sold by
big name companies such as Hauppauge and Elgato, and
costing ten or twenty times the dongle price, have onboard processing power which takes processing load off
the computer running the capture software (such as OBS).
This enables glitch-free capture on low-spec computers.
Some of these ‘name’ devices also cater for component
video and analogue and SP/DIF audio inputs; the new
dongles do not.
If you use the budget dongle with a budget computer,
the captured video and audio will stutter and judder. But
use it with a reasonably powerful computer and the dongle
delivers smooth and glitch-free results. I tried it with a
low-end Acer Windows 10 laptop and ageing HP desktop
and the results were unacceptable; but with a Mac laptop
it worked like a dream.
!
w
ne
Learn more: hammfg.com/1552
Contact us to request a free evaluation sample.
uksales<at>hammfg.com • 01256 812812
8
Practical Electronics | January | 2021
Copyright / copy wrong
Tests suggest that the
dongle simply ignores
the HDCP copy protection
which is tied to the HDMI
standards; so, it enables
copyright infringement.
Perhaps sales can and will
be banned; perhaps not.
We are simply reporting
the facts on devices which
are now widely on sale,
with China apparently the
prime source.
What you use these dongles for is your responsibility. I have found an
HDMI-to-USB dongle a
very good way of digitising my own old home
videos, by first converting
analogue AV from a VCR to
HDMI (see The Fox Report,
PE, September 2020) with
one of the equally cheap
converter devices that are
now also widely available.
The analogue-to-HDMI
conversion will often stabilise ageing video.
AVAILABLE
NOW!
PE VOL 49
January to December 2020
P
files ready for
immediate download
All 2 2020 issues
for ust £25.95
See page 6 for
further details
and other great
back-issue offers.
VCR rescue! Combine an HDMI capture dongle with
one of the many cheap and simple SCART-to-HDMI
converters to get your tape-based analogue video into
the digital domain.
Purchase and download at:
www.electronpublishing.com
STEWART OF READING
17A King Street, Mortimer, near Reading, RG7 3RS
Telephone: 0118 933 1111 Fax: 0118 933 2375
USED ELECTRONIC TEST EQUIPMENT
Check website www.stewart-of-reading.co.uk
Fluke/Philips PM3092 Oscilloscope
2+2 Channel 200MHz Delay TB,
Autoset etc – £250
LAMBDA GENESYS
LAMBDA GENESYS
IFR 2025
IFR 2948B
IFR 6843
R&S APN62
Agilent 8712ET
HP8903A/B
HP8757D
HP3325A
HP3561A
HP6032A
HP6622A
HP6624A
HP6632B
HP6644A
HP6654A
HP8341A
HP83630A
HP83624A
HP8484A
HP8560E
HP8563A
HP8566B
HP8662A
Marconi 2022E
Marconi 2024
Marconi 2030
Marconi 2023A
PSU GEN100-15 100V 15A Boxed As New
£400
PSU GEN50-30 50V 30A
£400
Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.51GHz Opt 04/11
£900
Communication Service Monitor Opts 03/25 Avionics
POA
Microwave Systems Analyser 10MHz – 20GHz
POA
Syn Function Generator 1Hz – 260kHz
£295
RF Network Analyser 300kHz – 1300MHz
POA
Audio Analyser
£750 – £950
Scaler Network Analyser
POA
Synthesised Function Generator
£195
Dynamic Signal Analyser
£650
PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1000W
£750
PSU 0-20V 4A Twice or 0-50V 2A Twice
£350
PSU 4 Outputs
£400
PSU 0-20V 0-5A
£195
PSU 0-60V 3.5A
£400
PSU 0-60V 0-9A
£500
Synthesised Sweep Generator 10MHz – 20GHz
£2,000
Synthesised Sweeper 10MHz – 26.5 GHz
POA
Synthesised Sweeper 2 – 20GHz
POA
Power Sensor 0.01-18GHz 3nW-10µW
£75
Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 30Hz – 2.9GHz
£1,750
Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 9kHz – 22GHz
£2,250
Spectrum Analsyer 100Hz – 22GHz
£1,200
RF Generator 10kHz – 1280MHz
£750
Synthesised AM/FM Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.01GHz
£325
Synthesised Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.4GHz
£800
Synthesised Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.35GHz
£750
Signal Generator 9kHz – 1.2GHz
£700
HP/Agilent HP 34401A Digital
Multimeter 6½ Digit £325 – £375
HP 54600B Oscilloscope
Analogue/Digital Dual Trace 100MHz
Only £75, with accessories £125
(ALL PRICES PLUS CARRIAGE & VAT)
Please check availability before ordering or calling in
HP33120A
HP53131A
HP53131A
Audio Precision
Datron 4708
Druck DPI 515
Datron 1081
ENI 325LA
Keithley 228
Time 9818
Practical Electronics | January | 2021
Marconi 2305
Modulation Meter
£250
Marconi 2440
Counter 20GHz
£295
Marconi 2945/A/B
Communications Test Set Various Options
POA
Marconi 2955
Radio Communications Test Set
£595
Marconi 2955A
Radio Communications Test Set
£725
Marconi 2955B
Radio Communications Test Set
£800
Marconi 6200
Microwave Test Set
£1,500
Marconi 6200A
Microwave Test Set 10MHz – 20GHz
£1,950
Marconi 6200B
Microwave Test Set
£2,300
Marconi 6960B
Power Meter with 6910 sensor
£295
Tektronix TDS3052B Oscilloscope 500MHz 2.5GS/s
£1,250
Tektronix TDS3032
Oscilloscope 300MHz 2.5GS/s
£995
Tektronix TDS3012
Oscilloscope 2 Channel 100MHz 1.25GS/s
£450
Tektronix 2430A
Oscilloscope Dual Trace 150MHz 100MS/s
£350
Tektronix 2465B
Oscilloscope 4 Channel 400MHz
£600
Farnell AP60/50
PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1kW Switch Mode
£300
Farnell XA35/2T
PSU 0-35V 0-2A Twice Digital
£75
Farnell AP100-90
Power Supply 100V 90A
£900
Farnell LF1
Sine/Sq Oscillator 10Hz – 1MHz
£45
Racal 1991
Counter/Timer 160MHz 9 Digit
£150
Racal 2101
Counter 20GHz LED
£295
Racal 9300
True RMS Millivoltmeter 5Hz – 20MHz etc
£45
Racal 9300B
As 9300
£75
Solartron 7150/PLUS 6½ Digit DMM True RMS IEEE
£65/£75
Solatron 1253
Gain Phase Analyser 1mHz – 20kHz
£600
Solartron SI 1255
HF Frequency Response Analyser
POA
Tasakago TM035-2 PSU 0-35V 0-2A 2 Meters
£30
Thurlby PL320QMD PSU 0-30V 0-2A Twice
£160 – £200
Thurlby TG210
Function Generator 0.002-2MHz TTL etc Kenwood Badged £ 6 5
Function Generator 100 microHz – 15MHz
Universal Counter 3GHz Boxed unused
Universal Counter 225MHz
SYS2712 Audio Analyser – in original box
Autocal Multifunction Standard
Pressure Calibrator/Controller
Autocal Standards Multimeter
RF Power Amplifier 250kHz – 150MHz 25W 50dB
Voltage/Current Source
DC Current & Voltage Calibrator
£350
£600
£350
POA
POA
£400
POA
POA
POA
POA
Marconi 2955B Radio
Communications Test Set – £800
9
