The ViewHD 2 Port 1x2 Powered HDMI Mini Splitter does, in fact, break that irritating HDCP protection, whether it's TV, streaming, or gaming.
I can run my Elgato HD60 Pro through my PC, to my cable box, and I can watch and record TV on my PC now, and I can record kids shows from Netflix for my 5-year-old and transfer video to her TV's USB. It keeps her occupied so I'm happy. It also makes watching TV better because now I can use the 10.2 Surround Sound that's hooked to my PC for cable. My HDTV is HDCP protected, as is my cable box, yet the splitter helps bypass both on its own to success.
ViewHD 2 Port 1x2 Powered HDMI Mini Splitter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004F9LVXC
Elgato HD60 Pro: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014MQIVPS
The Elgato software called "Game Capture HD" is very, very good. It can be a little confusing setting it up to your personal needs, but it works once you get the hang of it. For me, I only use this for TV, so all I need to do is record the .ts file without encoding or streaming. However, I do stream my TV to Facebook sometimes, and it does an incredible job at it. It's fun sharing what I'm watching with friends. There's a section on the program that allows you to choose multiple streaming platforms other than Facebook, such as Twitch, or straight RTMP links. You can easily choose your audio devices, and stream multiple audio and video in one feed, plus record it.
The installation of this device was extremely simple. You just place it in your normal PCI slot in your PC, lock it up, boot the PC, install the software, restart, and ta-da... all done. Works like a dream.
Video quality is phenomenal. It can go as high as 1080p @ 60fps @ 21Mbps bitrate. There are also simple visual effects such as brightness and contrast, and for the streamers out there, it comes with pre-rendered stream overlay layouts.
Here's my PC specs:
Windows 10 Pro x64
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Intel i7-2600K
12GB RAM
With my specs, I can run the Elgato, my baby monitor camera, and a video file all together, and still easily browse the internet or do some photo editing in Photoshop. No lag at all. It uses about 25% of my CPU and takes up 320MB of RAM, and clearly my CPU isn't the most powerful, but works fantastic with this card.
Looking for something to stream with or record with? Get this. It won't let you down. However, it does require you to have Windows 10 only. A bit of an issue if you ask me, but everyone should have Windows 10 by now. It's the most superior OS in the Microsoft line.
****** EDIT 05/14/2018: This card now has serious bugs on Windows 10 Spring Update 1803. It no longer reads the card, the driver doesn't recognize that the card is present, and the troubleshooting on the Elgato website for the 1803 update is only a chance, not an actual fix. Currently, many people buying this are unable to use their HD60 Pro. It seems Elgato needs to release a new driver once they figure out the problem. As of right now, I cannot use my card. It's collecting dust, and the return windows for the item is gone. I'm currently in talks with Elgato Support, trying any method that one of their employees is trying to give me to remedy the issue. It's been three days, and so far no luck.I attached a new photo showing the issue at hand.
****** EDIT 12/05/2019: I have figured out the problem, after a year of minor on-and-off attempts. One day I just sat down and did my best to figure it out. The answer? It's the PCI slot. You should have a few PCI slots on your motherboard, and one of those slots is like a 'master slot'. I've had mine in the third PCI slot, but there is one above my GPU, but below my CPU that I call 'PCI slot 1'. Once Windows 10 upgraded to 1803, it somehow stripped the ability to use any of your PCI slots that aren't your main PCI slot 1, and now it requires the use of only the master slot. There is some sort of hardware/software communication issue after the Windows 1803 update.
I have tested this card on 3 PCs. Here are my results:
- The first PC has an old copy of Windows 10 without any internet. I tried it in each slot (2 slots on this one), and it worked every time.
- The second PC has the 1803 Windows 10 update. I tried it in each slot (2 slots in this one), and it did not work on PCI slot 2, but it did, however, work flawlessly in PCI slot 1.
- The third PC(my current main build) is the same as the second PC with every current update as of December 5th, 2019. I ended up with the same results as the second PC, except this one has three slots, not two. I tried all three, and only slot 1 works. The first slot on the top, closest to the CPU, seems to be like the 'master slot'. As long as you find the correct 'master slot', it works.
I have returned my rating back to 5 stars, but Elgato Support needs to understand this issue and give support for it. There are many people feeling abandoned and left out who can't figure out the answer.
| Brand | Elgato |
|---|---|
| Series | 207-00-0097 |
| Item model number | 1GC109901004 |
| Hardware Platform | PlayStation 4 |
| Operating System | Mac,Windows 10 |
| Item Weight | 3.73 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 4.41 x 2.95 x 0.75 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 4.41 x 2.95 x 0.75 inches |
| Processor Count | 1 |
| Voltage | 5 Volts |
| Manufacturer | Elgato Direct |
| ASIN | B01DRWCOGA |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | April 12, 2016 |
