What Capture Card (integrated or external) for OBS on Linux?

captainchaos

captainchaos

New Member
To link up a 4K Panasonic G95 only, would prefer integrated * card but if it is true that external cards are faster then I'm keen to hear... although also I have heard externals generate more heat than integrated cards?

* On Windows I use an Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 but I can't get any drivers working for that card on Ubuntu.
 
We generally recommend PCIe capture cards over USB ones, because you can have TONS of inputs on PCIe but only one (practically) per USB controller. Note that this is per USB *controller*, NOT per port! Internal hubs...

Some USB's "just work" on Linux, others have GitHub projects to make them work, and still others "just don't". There is a standard, but it seems that very few actually follow it. Those that do, however, "just work".

For a good PCIe card, I presently recommend one of these:
www.acasis.com

ACASIS PCIe Capture Card

Acasis PCIe capture card supports multiple HD resolutions (such as 4K60Hz), bringing crystal-clear visual effects to the audience. It also supports quad HDMI or SDI simultaneous input, allowing you to flexibly adjust between different camera angles or input devices. Solve your professional video...
www.acasis.com www.acasis.com
www.acasis.com

ACASIS CAPTURE CARD DRIVERS

PCIE CAPTURE CARD AC-4HDMI (Quad HDMI-1080P60).zip AC-4SDI (Quad SDI-1080P60).zip AC-4HDMI PLUS (Quad HDMI-1080P60).zip AC-4SDI PLUS (Quad SDI-1080P60).zip AC-VS2583 (2 HDMI-4K60).zip AC-VS2584 (1HDMI+1SDI-1080P60).zip AC-VS007 (Dual HDMI-1080P60).zip AC-VS014 (2HDMI+2SDI-1080P60).zip AC-VS049...
www.acasis.com www.acasis.com
I have one of their 4x SDI cards in one of my rigs and, interestingly enough, the Linux driver comes as source code to build on the machine that's going to run it. But that's not hard either. I guess it's one way to have it work on the entire zoo of Linux systems that exist, and it does "just work" after building as-is and installing.

The one downside of the way that one works though, is that when you update the kernel, you also have to rebuild the driver from the same source and reinstall. I have a script for that, that includes the update itself, and the rebuild/reinstall if needed, and works flawlessly.

The documentation that comes with the driver was easily enough to do all that.
 
Are these ACASIS cards really uncompressed? Just wondering as they are seem to be very similar to the ezCap ones where I know they appear to be uncompressed, but do an encoding/decoding step internally to handle the bandwidth. (At least in the past)

Magewell and Blackmagic are other brands that have been working well for me in the past on Linux.
 
Tuna said:
Are these ACASIS cards really uncompressed? Just wondering as they are seem to be very similar to the ezCap ones where I know they appear to be uncompressed, but do an encoding/decoding step internally to handle the bandwidth. (At least in the past)

Magewell and Blackmagic are other brands that have been working well for me in the past on Linux.
Click to expand...
My 4x SDI one is a lot better than the 4x SDI -> HDMI -> cheap USB that it replaced!

Whether it's *completely* uncompressed, I don't know, but it's certainly less compressed than a USB 2 chip behind a USB 3 connector!
 
A USB (UVC) capture device is the better option compatibility wise as it will work without any specific driver.

If I was looking to buy today, I would pick Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 - GC553G2 - https://www.avermedia.com/uk/product-detail/GC553G2

My ASUS CU4K30 works in Linux, Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40 etc with OBS. It does get warm / hot so I have it placed on top my PC case that has 3x fans blowing air over it. Really helps keep it cool.
 
R@de said:
If I was looking to buy today, I would pick Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 - GC553G2 - https://www.avermedia.com/uk/product-detail/GC553G2
Click to expand...
I have an AverMedia USB capture that refuses to work on Linux. As I said in my first post in this thread:
AaronD said:
Some USB's "just work" on Linux, others have GitHub projects to make them work, and still others "just don't". There is a standard, but it seems that very few actually follow it. Those that do, however, "just work".
Click to expand...
And my first google search turned up this thread, which is about problems with the GC553G2 specifically:

AVerMedia's GC553G2 HDMI 2.1 Video Capture Card at 4k60p Capture is FAKE

Very sad day to see this product not perform... I just saw the "grand" update for MacOS M1/M2/M3 update, and boy what an insult to Mac owners. Promising 4k60p capture for all, just to find out today that it will NOT capture 4k60p on the Silicon(M) chips but capped at 4k30p like every other...
obsproject.com

R@de said:
My ASUS CU4K30 works in Linux, Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40 etc with OBS. It does get warm / hot so I have it placed on top my PC case that has 3x fans blowing air over it. Really helps keep it cool.
Click to expand...
So I'd stick with that recommendation. I have my doubts that the AVM one would work on Linux.
 
After a bit of research on that myself, I got one of these for my mobile workstation rig:
It works with my Canon VIXIA HF R300 camcorder, which outputs 1080i on HDMI, and OBS 30.1.2 on Ubuntu Studio 22.04 LTS.

But another quick google search turns up this thread:
Mine says 20GAM9902 on the back. The Amazon listing includes both model numbers in different places.
 
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts. I'm minded to an integrated card, one less thing on the desk, need only 1 input, am minded to go with this, further to the suggestion of @AaronD , to rig up my digital camera...

Acasis 4K60Hz HDMI Input Video Capture Card 2K144Hz Game Capture​

​

1721400526247.png

It's more than I'd like to pay but my only question is this, please... will it play nicely with Linux? I guess this is a clue. on their website...​

1721401010923.png

Any thoughts, dear people, on this solution, thank you.​

 
captainchaos said:
my only question is this, please... will it play nicely with Linux? I guess this is a clue. on their website...

View attachment 105497​

Any thoughts, dear people, on this solution, thank you.​

Click to expand...
Mine does. I downloaded the zip, extracted it, and found the source code and enough documentation to build it and install. Reboot after installing, and it "just works" for me.

And like I said before, if you update the kernel (which is sometimes included in the regular updates), you'll need to rebuild and reinstall this driver.

I have a script that handles all of my updates and shuts down, and my automatic updates are turned off. When I'm okay for things to change, I'll run that script instead of a normal shutdown. In addition to the normal updates, it also grep's the output for the kernel headers, and if found, it creates a file for my startup script to find, and reboots instead. When the startup script finds that file, it rebuilds and reinstalls this driver, deletes the "flag" file, and finally shuts down. Next startup, I'm up to date, and everything still works.
 
This is the output of v4l2-ctl with a Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 - GC553G2 (USB version) running under Ubuntu 24.04 LTS once you update it with the latest firmware. It does record 4K/60FPS in MJPEG mode in OBS in Linux. Runs much cooler than an ASUS CU4K30 too.

Obviously if you dont need 4K/60 it is not worth the cost but the AverMedia does come up as a digital S/PDIF sound device and I do notice the better clarity in sound (I output to an optical system connected to my PC) compared to an ASUS CU4K30.

Output of v4l2-ctl -D
Driver Info:
Driver name : uvcvideo
Card type : Live Gamer Ultra 2.1: Live Game
Bus info : usb-0000:30:00.3-1
Driver version : 6.10.0
Capabilities : 0x84a00001
Video Capture
Metadata Capture
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Device Capabilities
Device Caps : 0x04200001
Video Capture
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Media Driver Info:
Driver name : uvcvideo
Model : Live Gamer Ultra 2.1: Live Game
Serial : XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bus info : usb-0000:30:00.3-1
Media version : 6.10.0
Hardware revision: 0x00000001 (1)
Driver version : 6.10.0
Interface Info:
ID : 0x03000002
Type : V4L Video
Entity Info:
ID : 0x00000001 (1)
Name : Live Gamer Ultra 2.1: Live Game
Function : V4L2 I/O
Flags : default
Pad 0x01000007 : 0: Sink
Link 0x02000010: from remote pad 0x100000a of entity 'Extension 4' (Video Pixel Formatter): Data, Enabled, Immutable
Click to expand...

Output of v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext

v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
Type: Video Capture

[0]: 'YUYV' (YUYV 4:2:2)
Size: Discrete 640x480
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 720x480
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 720x576
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x720
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x800
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Size: Discrete 1920x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1920x1200
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1440
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
[1]: 'MJPG' (Motion-JPEG, compressed)
Size: Discrete 1920x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.004s (240.004 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.008s (120.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1440
Interval: Discrete 0.007s (144.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.008s (120.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 3440x1440
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 3840x2160
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
[2]: 'NV12' (Y/UV 4:2:0)
Size: Discrete 640x480
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x720
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x800
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Size: Discrete 1920x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.008s (120.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1920x1200
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1440
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 3840x2160
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
[3]: 'BGR3' (24-bit BGR 8-8-8)
Size: Discrete 640x480
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 720x480
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 720x576
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x720
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 1280x800
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Size: Discrete 1920x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.017s (59.940 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.020s (50.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1080
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Size: Discrete 2560x1440
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
Interval: Discrete 0.033s (29.970 fps)
Click to expand...
 
Which Kernel does the driver support?

Currently I am stuck on a 5.15 because there is no stable driver for my LG4K and Linux 6.8. I think I can keep my current setup for a while, but in the next years I plan on changing the card unless the issues are fixed.
 
Reporting back. So that card arrived and worked immediately with its Windows drivers but not with those for Linux. The drivers in the pic, from their website, did not work with a kernel above, if I remember correctly, 5.11... I know because I installed a bunch of kernels and built the driver accordingly for each, playing with the scripts etc, all good fun... so the card was only working with an inferior kernel.

I emailed a chap whose contact details were included in the driver docs and he replied within half a day with a new driver to try, using any kernel, so I did on a fresh Mint install and it worked.

Bottom line, crisp video with the above card for Tux as well as for Windows, something my more pricey Elgato could not achieve (Linux support)... I shall now sell that card.

Top marks Acasis, the best support I've ever had I think, and thank you @AaronD for a superb recommendation.

~
I prefer Linux to Windows, of course. Only used the latter because I couldn't multi-stream with OBS - a while back - but now that that has changed and I can use Linux again exclusively I am a very happy bunny. Here's to open source, cheers!
 
captainchaos said:
The drivers in the pic, from their website, did not work with a kernel above, if I remember correctly, 5.11... I know because I installed a bunch of kernels and built the driver accordingly for each, playing with the scripts etc, all good fun... so the card was only working with an inferior kernel.
Click to expand...
Really?! I just updated mine today, with the normal sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade && ..., which grabbed a new kernel with headers. My script saw that and auto-rebuilt the driver that I got way back then, straight from the site, and it "just works". Weird.

captainchaos said:
I emailed a chap whose contact details were included in the driver docs and he replied within half a day with a new driver to try, using any kernel, so I did on a fresh Mint install and it worked.

Bottom line, crisp video with the above card for Tux as well as for Windows, something my more pricey Elgato could not achieve (Linux support)... I shall now sell that card.

Top marks Acasis, the best support I've ever had I think, and thank you @AaronD for a superb recommendation.
Click to expand...
Good to hear that someone actually takes their customers seriously! Glad you got it working.
 
Hi!

Because of this article I also bought the Acasis card to run on my Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS.
`uname -r` gives me "6.8.0-45-generic"

Unfortunately the install fails without a meaningful error message (ERROR: Failed to build module!)
I attached the install log. It has more info but none I can parse.

I would be really grateful for any advice!
 

Attachments

BroadcastGoblin said:
Hi!

Because of this article I also bought the Acasis card to run on my Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS.
`uname -r` gives me "6.8.0-45-generic"

Unfortunately the install fails without a meaningful error message (ERROR: Failed to build module!)
I attached the install log. It has more info but none I can parse.

I would be really grateful for any advice!
Click to expand...
Looks like the source code has changed since I got it. Or at the very least, you got a different version. I think your problem is on lines 71-74 of the log, and suggests that the source itself is bad:
Code: 
/home/womb/Downloads/PCIE_1CH_4K60_CAPTURE_CARD_DRIVER_FOR_LINUX/hwsuhdX1/hws_build/hws_video.c: In function ‘hws_video_register’:
/home/womb/Downloads/PCIE_1CH_4K60_CAPTURE_CARD_DRIVER_FOR_LINUX/hwsuhdX1/hws_build/hws_video.c:3170:18: error: ‘struct vb2_queue’ has no member named ‘min_buffers_needed’
 3170 |                 q->min_buffers_needed = 2;
      |                  ^~
If you want to try and clean it up yourself, it's referring to line 3170 of hws_video.c. Otherwise, I think you need to contact Acasis like @captainchaos did.
 
Oh, not just that, this pretty much bricked my system: I now cant play video, opening a terminal takes minutes and my sound devices have disappeared!
 
Managed to uninstall it and revert all changes... but this was scary. Is there a way to get this card to work without installing malware that some random Chinese guy sends you via email? :D
Possibly using some public repo?
 
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