Elgato Game Capture HD software version 3.1 adds more abilities to Stream Command, including the use of Chroma Key and Web Page Overlays. This article goes over the newer interface and features.
Stream Command System Requirements
To use Stream Command, you will need a powerful computer:
2nd generation Intel Core i7 CPU (i7-2xxx or comparable), 2 Ghz or higher, before Turbo Boost
4GB RAM (or higher)
If you are using the Elgato Game Capture HD60 S, then the requirements are higher. The minimum System Requirements for that product will be able to use Stream Command:
Elgato Game Capture HD60 S System Requirements
A processor with a suffix like "U" (Ultra-low voltage) or "M" is not always recommended, since it will have significantly lower performance. They might seem to be powerful, but the U or M suffix indicates that they have much lower performance than other processors in that family or generation.
Stream Command Software Download
Version 3.1and above of Elgato Game Capture HD for Windows contain the newest version of Stream Command. You can download that software from here:
https://www.elgato.com/en/game-capture-hd-support
The macOS version of Stream Command does not have the same features as the Windows version. Please see this article to find out more about the differences:
Stream Command - Differences Between Windows and macOS
Windows - Turning Stream Command On or Off
The control to turn on Stream Command is in the Preferences.
Go to the Capture tab, and check the "Enable Stream Command" option.
Please Note:
When Stream Command is on, then you can use Image and Webcam overlays, along with the gameplay video stream.
When Stream Command is off, you can still stream gameplay video, but without the use of Image or Webcam overlays.
Windows - Video Encoding and Stream Command
If Stream Command is turned on, then software transcoding will be used. That will take up more resources than if you stream with Stream Command turned off.
When Stream Command is turned off in the Preferences, then hardware transcoding will be active. That will use less resources.
Version 3.1 of Elgato Game Capture HD for Windows contains Hardware Accelerated Encoding options that can be used for Stream Command.
Please see this article for more information:
Elgato Game Capture HD and Hardware Accelerated Decoding and Encoding
General Information
Stream Command works by using separate Scenes.
Each Scene can have an unique layout, where a Webcam and/or Images are placed at various locations over your video.
There are a total of 10 Scenes that you can use. Each one is numbered from 1 to 10.
To layout a Scene, first select it in the Stream Command section of Elgato Game Capture HD. That section is directly above the red Capture button.
You can toggle the Stream Command section to show or hide by clicking on the disclosure triangle.
In the screenshot below, the second scene is selected, with a blue highlight.
Edit Scenes
After you highlight a Scene, you can use the Edit Scenes button to change it.
Below the Edit Scenes option, there is one button.
Pressing that button will disclose many new options.
Those options include Scenes, Webcam, Image, and Web Page.
Get Scene
To customize the presentation of your recording or stream, you can add overlay images, which are mostly transparent, except for certain areas. That way, the gameplay will be accentuated by something like a border. You can create these on your own, or get them from others.
However, Elgato Gaming also provides expertly created ready-made Curated Scene images you can add to your gameplay as an overlay. They contain areas where you can add your Webcam, or other customized information.
First, highlight the numbered scene you want to use.
The, press Edit Scenes. That button will change to Save Scenes.
Press the button to Add an overlay option.
Select the one you want to use, and then it will be added as an overlay.
If you select Add Webcam before pressing Get Scene, your Webcam will automatically be added as well.
Add Webcam
First, highlight the numbered scene you want to use.
The, press Edit Scenes. That button will change to Save Scenes.
Press the button to Add an overlay option.
Then, a rectangle will appear on screen - your Webcam image will appear in that rectangle.
At the bottom left corner of the Webcam window there are buttons.
The first button looks like a hammer and wrench. That button brings up the Webcam settings window.
The second button lets you crop the Webcam image. You can move the top, bottom or sides.
The third button allows you to remove the background of your Webcam image (Chroma Key).
The fourth button, which looks like a checkerboard, controls opacity - whether the Webcam image is transparent or not, and to what degree.
The fifth button brings that Webcam window to the front layer, so it will float over other elements you've placed.
The sixth button puts that Webcam window into a lower layer, so it will appear underneath other elements you've placed.
At the top right corner of the Webcam there is an "X", which can be used to remove the Webcam window from the Scene.
Press Save Scenes to save your changes.
Add Image
First, highlight the numbered scene you want to use.
The, press Edit Scenes. That button will change to Save Scenes.
Press the button to Add an overlay option.
Please Note: If you want your image to be partially transparent, choose a .PNG image that has transparency. A .JPEG image would not have the same option.
Then, a rectangle will appear on screen - your image will appear in that rectangle.
You can move it to the location you prefer. You can also resize it by grabbing a corner and dragging.
At the bottom left corner of the Image window there are four buttons.
The first button lets you crop the Image. You can move the top, bottom or sides.
The second button, which looks like a checkerboard, controls opacity - whether the Image is transparent or not, and to what degree.
The third button brings that Image window to the front layer, so it will float over other elements you've placed.
The fourth button puts that Image window into a lower layer, so it will appear underneath other elements you've placed.
At the top right corner of the Image there is an "X", which can be used to remove the Image window from the Scene.
Press Save Scenes to save your changes.
Add Web Page
First, highlight the numbered scene you want to use.
The, press Edit Scenes. That button will change to Save Scenes.
Press the button to Add an overlay option.
The second button allows you to remove the background of your Web Page (Chroma Key).
The third button, which looks like a checkerboard, controls opacity - whether the Web Page is transparent or not, and to what degree.
The fourth button brings that Web Page window to the front layer, so it will float over other elements you've placed.
The fifth button puts that Web Page window into a lower layer, so it will appear underneath other elements you've placed.
Press Save Scenes to save your changes.
Remove Background (Chroma Key)
You will need a Chroma Key backdrop for this feature to work. There are different options to choose from, but a solid color is necessary.
Green or blue are the recommended colors for keying — green being the most recommended.
Please Note: When using a Chroma Key backdrop, if there is a similarly colored object as the background, it can also possibly be keyed. So if you are using a green screen, make sure you aren’t wearing green clothing, etc.
Here are some tips to make sure you get the best experience and picture using Chroma Key:
- Be in a well-lit environment. Try to use lights which cover a large area evenly and don't focus onto one small part.
- Make your green screen as smooth as possible. Try and iron out big creases or put weights at the bottom of the material to hold it down and minimize clumping.
- Leave a decent sized space between you and the material. 1-2 (3-6 ft.) meters behind you has shown the best results, too close or too far can make lighting harder.
To Chroma Key your Webcam, please follow these steps:
1) Highlight the numbered scene you want to use.
The, press Edit Scenes. That button will change to Save Scenes.
2. Click the Add button.
3. Choose your Webcam.
4. Once your Webcam is in your scene, click the icon to Remove Background.
5. Check the box Enable Green Screen.
6. Click Pick Color.
7. Use the color picker tool to select your background to remove it.
8. Adjust the tolerance slider to your liking.
9. Click Save Scenes.
Default Scene Presets
Scenes numbers 2 through 10 include preset locations for the Webcam and Images.
If you want to clear a Scene, highlight it and then Right-Click, selecting "Remove All Overlays".
If you want to bring the default preset for a Scene back, highlight it and then Right-Click, selecting "Reset to Default".
Stream Command Scenes and Recordings
The Scenes you make for use with Stream Command will appear to viewers of your stream.
They will also appear in any recordings or shared files you make from that stream.
Scenes will appear in any screenshots you take of your stream.
Saving Webcam Video Separately
If you create a Scene with Webcam (Facecam) video, and record it, you can later save that Webcam video as a separate video file.
To do this, Right-Click on the video timeline in the Edit section, and then select "Save Webcam Video Only".
You can also choose the "Export webcam to a separate video file" option in the Sharing section of the Preferences. Then, that process will happen each time you share a recording.
Special Shortcut Keys
Press numbers 1 through 9 on the keyboard to switch from one Scene to another.
Press the Esc key to leave the Edit Scenes mode.