We generally recommend capture cards by Blackmagic Design and Magewell. While both of these brands release new cards and devices frequently, only the cards listed below have been tested by our team and/or reported working by our customers. If you've had success with a card that is not listed here, please let us know.
PCIe
- **Blackmagic Decklink SDI
- Blackmagic DeckLink SDI 4K
- **Blackmagic DeckLink Duo
- Blackmagic DeckLink Duo 2
- **Blackmagic DeckLink Quad
- Blackmagic DeckLink Quad 2
- **Blackmagic DeckLink Optical Fiber
- **Blackmagic DeckLink Studio
- Blackmagic DeckLink Studio 4K
- **Blackmagic DeckLink HD Extreme 3D
- Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme
- Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G - Quad SDI
- Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Pro
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Recorder (capture only)
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Monitor (playback only)
- Blackmagic Intensity Pro 4K
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K (capture only)
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K (playback only)
- Blackmagic DeckLink SDI Micro
- Blackmagic DeckLink Micro Recorder (capture only)
- *Magewell Pro Capture AIO
- *Magewell Pro Capture HDMI
- *Magewell Pro Capture Quad HDMI
- *Magewell Pro Capture SDI
- *Magewell Pro Capture Quad SDI
- *Magewell Pro Capture Mini HDMI
- *Magewell Pro Capture
- *Magewell Eco Capture Dual HDMI M.2
- *Magewell Eco Capture Dual SDI M.2
- *Magewell Eco Capture 4K M.2
- *Magewell Eco Capture SDI M.2
*Drivers for Magewell Pro cards can be downloaded here; Magewell Eco drivers can be downloaded here.
**Indicates this product has been discontinued. However, it is still compatible with our software if you already own it.
Thunderbolt
- Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Recorder (capture only)
- Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Monitor (playback only)
- **Blackmagic UltraStudio 3D
- Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K
- Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Extreme
- Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3
- **Blackmagic UltraStudio Express
- Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt
- **Blackmagic Intensity Extreme
**Indicates this product has been discontinued. However, it is still compatible with our software if you already own it.
Please make sure you are plugging Thunderbolt capture devices into a ports that have a Thunderbolt logo; oftentimes, these can be confused with display ports.
USB 3.0
- Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle for USB 3.0
- **Blackmagic UltraStudio Pro
- **Blackmagic ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher
- **Blackmagic ATEM 2 M/E Production Switcher
- Magewell USB Capture HDMI
- Magewell USB Capture SDI
**Indicates this product has been discontinued. However, it is still compatible with our software if you already own it.
The Blackmagic UltraStudio SDI is not supported.
Blackmagic USB 3.0 encoding devices are not supported on all machines. In particular, motherboards with an Intel X79 chipset do not support Blackmagic USB 3.0 devices. Please see Blackmagic Design's notes about USB 3.0 system requirements.
Studio does not utilize the individual inputs on the ATEM production switchers. Studio can ingest the output from these production switchers via USB 3.0.
USB Webcam Adapters
These devices will allow your computer to recognize your camera similarly to how it would recognize a webcam. Studio generally recognizes most webcams. We have tested the following:
- Blackmagic Web Presenter
- Elgato Cam Link
- The following formats did not work: 720p 30, 720p 29.97, 720p 25 and 1080p/720p 23.98, all interlaced formats
- Elgato Cam Link 4K
- The following formats did not work: 720p 30, 720p 29.97, 720p 25 and 4k/1080p/720p 23.98
If you are using an Elgato device, please check their website for supported cameras.
The following Blackmagic Design products connect via USB 2.0 and therefore do not work with Livestream Studio:
- H.264 Pro Recorder
- ATEM Television Studio
- ATEM Production Studio 4K
- ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K
- ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K
- ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K
If you would like to connect one of the ATEM 4K switchers to Studio, it is recommended to utilize one of their video outputs (HDMI, SDI, etc.) into a Blackmagic Capture device that Studio does support.
Once you have a capture card(s) connected to your computer, be sure to install the Blackmagic drivers.