Using Elgato Game Capture HD to record content from your Mac is a simple process.
Some Macs have built in HDMI Output, and thus will not need any adapter to connect to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD.
Other Macs have other types of video output, and they will need an adapter before they can connect to Elgato Game Capture HD.
Recording from one Mac to another Mac
Elgato Game Capture HD will accept the video input from a Mac that's attached to it.
Then, that signal can be sent to another Mac using an USB 2.0 cable.
The first Mac's display will appear in the Elgato Game Capture HD software on the second Mac.
There will be a few second delay between movements on the source Mac, and what appears one the Mac that's recording.
Recording from one Mac to the same Mac
Elgato Game Capture HD software can accept the video input from the same Mac that Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is attached to.
1) Output the signal from your Mac, and run it into the HDMI Input of the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware.
2) Attach the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware to your Mac using an USB 2.0 cable.
The video signal will exit the Mac, be processed by the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware, and then enter the same Mac again.
There will be a few second delay between movements on the Mac, and what appears in the Elgato Game Capture HD software window.
That Mac's display will appear in the Elgato Game Capture HD software, as an infinite series of smaller and smaller screens.
If you want to record something, hide the Elgato Game Capture HD software after you start recording (perhaps by minimizing it to the Dock), so all you will see is your Mac's normal screen.
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has HDMI output
Some Macs, like current Mac mini models, have a built in HDMI Output port.
In that case, no adapter is needed - just connect your Mac to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable.
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has Thunderbolt output
Many current Mac models have a general purpose Thunderbolt port. That port can be used to output video using the Mini DisplayPort standard.
You will need an adapter to convert the Thunderbolt port to HDMI. Many of these adapters are marketed as Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters. Some are called Thunderbolt to HDMI adapters.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable.
Here is one adapter that can work with some Macs:
Griffin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI with Audio + DVI
Other similar adapters exist from various manufacturers.
You will need to make sure that the adapter you choose can support sound output.
For this Griffin adapter, audio support is only available for 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBook Pro models released in mid-2010 or later; or for 21.5- and 27-inch iMac models released in early 2010 or later.
Make sure to read this Apple Support article about Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters and audio support:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
NOTE: Some Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters may not transmit sound to the Elgato Game Capture HD software unless the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is also attached to a TV set using HDMI. See this video for an example of this issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1jDv9QAEaY#t=392
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has Mini DisplayPort output
Some recent Mac models output video using the Mini DisplayPort standard.
You will need a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable
Here is one adapter that can work with some Macs:
Griffin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI with Audio + DVI
Other similar adapters exist from various manufacturers.
You will need to make sure that the adapter you choose can support sound output.
For this Griffin adapter, audio support is only available for 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBook Pro models released in mid-2010 or later; or for 21.5- and 27-inch iMac models released in early 2010 or later.
Make sure to read this Apple Support article about Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters and audio support:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
NOTE: Some Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters may not transmit sound to the Elgato Game Capture HD software unless the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is also attached to a TV set using HDMI. See this video for an example of this issue:
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has DVI output
Some older Mac models output video using the DVI standard.
You will need a DVI to HDMI adapter.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable
DVI doesn’t output sound, so sound will have to be recorded separately, using a 3.5mm mini jack to stereo audio (red and white RCA) adapter.
Here is an example of a male to male RCA cable. This could be a good choice if you're going to keep Elgato Game Capture HD very close to your Mac:
Here is an example of a male to female RCA cable. This could be a good choice if you're going to keep Elgato Game Capture HD far away from your Mac, and want to run extra RCA cable in between:
You can choose the one that best fits your situation.
1) Connect the 3.5 mm jack to the headphone output of your Mac.
2) Connect the red and white stereo audio outputs to Elgato Game Capture HD using the Component Adapter cable that came Elgato Game Capture HD.
You may need additional male-to-male RCA cables to complete the connection, depending on what kind of adapter cable you purchased.
3) Make sure you select HDMI Input from the Capture Settings section of the software.
4) Select "with Analog Audio" so the sound from the adapter cable will be included in your recording.
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Some Macs have built in HDMI Output, and thus will not need any adapter to connect to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD.
Other Macs have other types of video output, and they will need an adapter before they can connect to Elgato Game Capture HD.
Recording from one Mac to another Mac
Elgato Game Capture HD will accept the video input from a Mac that's attached to it.
Then, that signal can be sent to another Mac using an USB 2.0 cable.
The first Mac's display will appear in the Elgato Game Capture HD software on the second Mac.
There will be a few second delay between movements on the source Mac, and what appears one the Mac that's recording.
Recording from one Mac to the same Mac
Elgato Game Capture HD software can accept the video input from the same Mac that Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is attached to.
1) Output the signal from your Mac, and run it into the HDMI Input of the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware.
2) Attach the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware to your Mac using an USB 2.0 cable.
The video signal will exit the Mac, be processed by the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware, and then enter the same Mac again.
There will be a few second delay between movements on the Mac, and what appears in the Elgato Game Capture HD software window.
That Mac's display will appear in the Elgato Game Capture HD software, as an infinite series of smaller and smaller screens.
If you want to record something, hide the Elgato Game Capture HD software after you start recording (perhaps by minimizing it to the Dock), so all you will see is your Mac's normal screen.
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has HDMI output
Some Macs, like current Mac mini models, have a built in HDMI Output port.
In that case, no adapter is needed - just connect your Mac to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable.
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has Thunderbolt output
Many current Mac models have a general purpose Thunderbolt port. That port can be used to output video using the Mini DisplayPort standard.
You will need an adapter to convert the Thunderbolt port to HDMI. Many of these adapters are marketed as Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters. Some are called Thunderbolt to HDMI adapters.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable.
Here is one adapter that can work with some Macs:
Griffin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI with Audio + DVI
Other similar adapters exist from various manufacturers.
You will need to make sure that the adapter you choose can support sound output.
For this Griffin adapter, audio support is only available for 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBook Pro models released in mid-2010 or later; or for 21.5- and 27-inch iMac models released in early 2010 or later.
Make sure to read this Apple Support article about Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters and audio support:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
NOTE: Some Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters may not transmit sound to the Elgato Game Capture HD software unless the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is also attached to a TV set using HDMI. See this video for an example of this issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1jDv9QAEaY#t=392
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has Mini DisplayPort output
Some recent Mac models output video using the Mini DisplayPort standard.
You will need a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable
Here is one adapter that can work with some Macs:
Griffin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI with Audio + DVI
Other similar adapters exist from various manufacturers.
You will need to make sure that the adapter you choose can support sound output.
For this Griffin adapter, audio support is only available for 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBook Pro models released in mid-2010 or later; or for 21.5- and 27-inch iMac models released in early 2010 or later.
Make sure to read this Apple Support article about Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters and audio support:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
NOTE: Some Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters may not transmit sound to the Elgato Game Capture HD software unless the Elgato Game Capture HD hardware is also attached to a TV set using HDMI. See this video for an example of this issue:
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)
Setup: Recording from a Mac that has DVI output
Some older Mac models output video using the DVI standard.
You will need a DVI to HDMI adapter.
You will connect the adapter to the HDMI Input of Elgato Game Capture HD using a standard HDMI cable
DVI doesn’t output sound, so sound will have to be recorded separately, using a 3.5mm mini jack to stereo audio (red and white RCA) adapter.
Here is an example of a male to male RCA cable. This could be a good choice if you're going to keep Elgato Game Capture HD very close to your Mac:
Here is an example of a male to female RCA cable. This could be a good choice if you're going to keep Elgato Game Capture HD far away from your Mac, and want to run extra RCA cable in between:
You can choose the one that best fits your situation.
1) Connect the 3.5 mm jack to the headphone output of your Mac.
2) Connect the red and white stereo audio outputs to Elgato Game Capture HD using the Component Adapter cable that came Elgato Game Capture HD.
3) Make sure you select HDMI Input from the Capture Settings section of the software.
4) Select "with Analog Audio" so the sound from the adapter cable will be included in your recording.
Your Mac should automatically output in 720p or 1080p, but it if doesn't, make sure that it's outputting one of the following resolutions:
720p (1280 by 720)
1080p (1920 by 1080)