Building on this thread a bit... there are some other concerns about Elgato capture cards when setting up professional workstations to dynamically control complex presentations. Two display captures (HDX 60) and a camera (Cam Link 4k) requires three separate USB 3.0 hubs... not ports... hubs! Many workstations come with two hubs, but often only one is USB 3.0 and the other is USB 2.0 for the slower keyboard and mouse.
That's generally only a problem for laptops, because the PCI bus isn't accessible and so you're limited to USB. If you happen to have an exception to that, that's awesome, but recognize that it *is* an exception and that the vast majority of laptops, including mobile workstations, are limited to USB and therefore have this problem.
It's actually even worse than you said, though I think you meant right. It's one capture per *controller*. You can't put a bunch of hubs on and get more captures with one on each.
Also, the lower-end Elgato capture devices don't support multi-app, so it isn't possible to run an OBS instance for streaming and another for recording without enabling Elgato's Stream Link and NDI... which introduces processor load and a small lag.
OBS has a virtual camera, that can be connected to anything. So if you're not using it for something else already, you can point it to a raw capture and use that to feed another app. Or you can send that app a processed version of it, or even something semi-produced if not entirely produced. At least fix some things in OBS before it continues on. For example, a cheap PTZ that got the sensor in upside down and the other app won't flip it, but OBS does.
For simultaneous streaming and recording, of course OBS itself does that with the same content. If you need different content for each, there's the Source Record plugin:
Download Plugin for OBS Studio to add a filter that allows you to record a source. Add "Source Record" filter to your source. Installation Copy and merge the folders that are in the download zip to the OBS folder for example: C:\Program...
obsproject.com
It creates a filter that you can put anywhere in OBS, and it records what it gets at that point.
Of course, if you're streaming and recording different content, you'll need a separate encoder instance for each. Some GPU's can do that, but not all. You might have to use the GPU for one of them and the CPU's integrated graphics for the other, or software encoding with careful settings to not bog down.
Yes, this can be solved with Elgato internal capture cards and a motherboard upgrade to expand the number of PCIe x4 slots, but the point is that the rabbit hole keeps getting deeper and deeper.
Does anyone know of any professional-grade equipment to get the same job dsone? Just curious if it is worth the price of higher-end gear if that reduces the setup pain.
At that point, I'd VERY STRONGLY recommend a desktop tower. If it still has to be portable, put it on a cart.
After trying and failing miserably with a BlackMagic card - their support couldn't figure it out either, and *I* finally noticed (they didn't) that no combination of their settings would actually give me the 4 simultaneous inputs that I needed, even just in theory - I ended up with an ACASIS for a lot less anyway. And it just worked! No settings, just 4 simultaneous inputs. Done!
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
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
But then when I reinstalled the same Linux OS (Ubuntu Studio, so not something obscure) on a brand new build with all new hardware except for that one card, and used the Linux driver that they had on the website, it would only do one input at a time. Like the even-cheaper security system cards that only have one real input and a 4-input switch to save costs. But I know that the ACASIS has 4 real inputs because it did that just fine in the previous rig.
So when I get back from this trip and can try things, I need to get on *their* support and see what's going on.
