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Troubleshooting — No Signal

Updated

This guide will walk you through steps to take if your capture card has a source plugged in but it not detecting the signal correctly and is displaying No Signal or there is no video on the pass-through TV or monitor.  These steps can also be used if the video signal is not appearing as expected. 

 

Ensure the Source is Turned On

 

Make sure the source you are trying to capture is turned on and outputting a signal. Connect the source or console directly to a monitor or TV to verify a video image is appearing.

 

Make Sure the Source is Plugged into the HDMI In Port on the Capture Card

 

Elgato capture cards have HDMI pass-through. This means the capture card has an HDMI input port, and a HDMI output port. The source needs to be connected to the HDMI in port, and the TV/Monitor needs to be connected to the HDMI Out port. 

 

Make Sure HDCP is Disabled

 

HDCP will block the capture and recording of a source. Learn more about HDCP and how to disable it:

 HDCP and Elgato Game Capture Devices

 

Re-Plug the HDMI Cables

 

Cables that are not properly connected to the source HDMI Output port or the capture card HDMI Input port could cause the capture card to not correctly acquire the signal. Disconnect the HDMI cables and reinsert them firmly. 

 

Use the Included HDMI Cables or the Correct Speed of HDMI Cable

 

HDMI cables vary in quality and speed. Make sure to use the HDMI cable that came with your Elgato Capture Device. 

Video signals such as 4K60 HDR, 1440p144Hz and 1080p240Hz require a Premium High Speed HDMI Cable capable of 18Gbps bandwidth. These are also referred to as HDMI 2.0 cables. Using slower speed HDMI cables may result in black video or video signal flickering. 

 

Supported Resolutions

 

If the capture device is receiving a resolution or frame rate it does not support the No Signal message may be shown. 

Ensure that the signal going to the capture card is supported by the capture card. 

 

HDMI Cable Length

 

HDMI cables come in various lengths. The generally accepted max length of a HDMI cable capable of 1080p60 is 25 feet before signal degradation can occur. 

HDMI 2.0 cables are much more susceptible to signal degradation due to the much higher data rate. HDMI 2.0 cables over 6 feet are not recommended. 

If the video signal is not detected or the signal is flickering, please try using a shorter HDMI cable or reduce the video resolution or frame rate. 

 

Reset the Capture Device

 

The Elgato Game Capture hardware may need to be reset.

1. Unplug the Elgato Game Capture device from the Mac or PC, and video source. 

2. Wait a minute, and then attach everything again.

 

For PCIe connected capture devices such as the HD60 Pro, 4K60 Pro MK.2 and 4K Pro follow the steps below. 

 

Cold Boot the PC to Complete PCIe Capture Card Firmware Update

 

For Elgato PCIe Capture devices, a full PC restart may be needed to finish a pending firmware update. If the update is not completed the capture card may not properly capture the incoming video signal.

These capture cards include: 

  • Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro 
  • Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro
  • Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2
  • Game Capture 4K Pro

Cold booting the PC means flushing the PC of all power, and then turning it on. This resets internal components. 

To cold boot your PC: 

  1. Shut down the PC
  2. Unplug the power cord from the PCs power supply or the wall power socket
  3. Press the power button on the PC three times and wait 30 seconds
  4. Plug the power cord back in
  5. Turn on the PC

 

Re-Plug HDMI Cable After Updating EDID

 

Some capture cards allow the EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) to be updated. This helps with compatibility when capturing from a source such as a PC and wanting to capture specific resolutions or refresh rates such as 144p144Hz, 1080p204Hz or ultrawide 3440x1440. Learn more about changing the EDID here.

The EDID is a block of metadata that every display and capture card has. This metadata tells the Source (In this case console or PC) what resolutions, refresh rates, audio format (Mono, Stereo, Surround, etc), color bit depth and much more the capture card can accept. 

When changing the EDID, it may be necessary to unplug the HDMI cable from the HDMI in port and plug it back in for the source to re-read the EDID. 

 

Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+ - YUV422 Needs To Be Disabled

 

Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+ does not support the YUV422 signal format. 

Learn how to disable YUV422 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - https://help.elgato.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034121551-Elgato-Game-Capture-HD60-S-YUV422-Must-Be-Disabled-

 

Contact Elgato Customer Support

 

 

If any assistance is needed, feel free to contact us through the widget at the right.

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