Question / Help ElGato HD60 vs HD60S -- Does on-device encoding vs raw data affect CPU when streaming?

[ddr4lyfe]

My wife and I are trying to figure out the differences between the ElGato HD60 and HD60S. We found that the HD60 has H.264 on-device encoding, whereas the HD60S does not. I assume that instead, the HD60S sends raw data directly to the computer to be captured as-is.

I'm trying to figure out if using an HD60S with its raw data would require significantly higher CPU power to be able to handle all of the data as opposed to the computer handling the compressed HD60 data.

We currently have an LGP which also has an H.264 hardware encoder built in, but I don't even know if OBS uses that encoder, and instead ignores it and grabs the raw data.

All of this is super confusing, help please. @_@

 

[Harold]

My wife and I are trying to figure out the differences between the ElGato HD60 and HD60S. We found that the HD60 has H.264 on-device encoding, whereas the HD60S does not. I assume that instead, the HD60S sends raw data directly to the computer to be captured as-is.

It doesn't matter if the device has the on-device h264 encoder or not, it needs to be decoded for OBS to be able to use it anyway, and you're better off using the LGP over ANY elgato device.

 

[ddr4lyfe]

It doesn't matter if the device has the on-device h264 encoder or not, it needs to be decoded for OBS to be able to use it anyway, and you're better off using the LGP over ANY elgato device.

I see this said all the time, but I've never been able to find out why people feel this way. Do you know why?

 

[Harold]

Because elgato capture cards, although great when used with their own software, are nothing but driver issues and pain when used with other software.

 

[ddr4lyfe]

Because elgato capture cards, although great when used with their own software, are nothing but driver issues and pain when used with other software.

I see, I see. So for a USB 3.0, an AV LGX would be better than an ElGato HD60S for that reason. Cool, thanks for the replies Harold!

 

[Boildown]

I'd get any PCIe capture card before any USB 3.0 (let alone 2.0) capture card. Even the Elgato ones.