The “Video Input” option allows you to connect any USB video input device to your Players to display a video feed on your screens. 

The typical use is an HDMI-in port; you connect a USB HDMI capture card and connect through HDMI to your set-top box receiver (satellite, cable, or terrestrial) to show live video along with your messaging in a cool layout. This also works with typical USB cameras (any webcam) if you want to relay a local live feed.

Recommended Hardware

You can find details on the USB HDMI capture cards we have tested below, which can be used on the player as an HDMI-in port.

Connecting the hardware

• The first thing you have to do is connect the USB HDMI capture card (or the webcam) directly to the player.
• You can use any of the four USB ports:

Configuring a Video Input

• To use the Video-Input, do the following:
• Go to the “Videos” section and click the “Add Video/YouTube/PowerPoint” button.
• From all the options that appear, select “Video Input”.
• In the form presented, type in a name and add any other details you need, like Description, Tags, and Default Duration.
• By default, the Capture Resolution and FPS are automatically set. Leave these at their default settings when setting this up for the first time.
• Click “Save” to save and exit the configuration.
• You can now assign this video Input Feed directly to your Player to make sure it works as expected.

Troubleshooting a Video Input

I am not getting any video

Some capture cards display a standard static feed if nothing is connected to their input, e.g., an error message or a colorful screen. Try unplugging your HDMI device (e.g., your set-top box) and see what happens. If nothing happens, then the USB HDMI Capture Card might not be connected properly or might not work at all.

I am not getting any audio

Check that your HDMI device (e.g., your set-top box) is not muted and the volume is set high enough.

There is a delay from input video to seeing it on screen

A slight delay of less than 1 second is expected. A higher delay may be due to the specific HDMI capture device you are using.

Recommended USB devices

The platform should work fine with all UVC (USB Video Class) devices. These include HDMI USB Capture Cards, USB webcams, other USB capture cards, and more. We have yet to find a USB Video Class device that does not work properly.

Recommended HDMI Capture Cards

• The following USB HDMI Capture Card is very popular and can be found on Amazon, eBay, and local retailers worldwide.  These are OEM and can be found under several brands and in different colors. It supports up to 4K input and up to 30 FPS at 1080p/4K. The capture resolution displayed on the Player’s screen is up to 1080p, and the quality is quite good for general use.
• The device gets quite hot, so some sellers bundle the units with a small USB extension cable for connecting it to the Player. We recommend it too.
• These come at a very low cost, retailing at $15, and they seem to work fine. We have performed prolong testing; however, we cannot guarantee long-term reliability. Online reviews are positive.

• We have also tested high-quality HDMI Capture Cards from well-known vendors. We have tested several devices from AVerMedia, including AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra and AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable. These also work exceptionally well, but prices are higher.

• Overall, all similar devices should work fine. You can search eBay or Amazon for USB HDMI capture, and you will get hundreds of results!

USB webcams

We have tested a handful of USB Cameras. These are really straightforward to support, so almost all USB cameras should work.

Technical Requirements

• In case you want to get more technical and dive into the details, here is what we need to be able to use a USB video device:
  • Support of UVC (USB Video Class) profile.
  • Support for MJPG (Motion JPEG) capture codec.
• If these two basic requirements are fulfilled, then the device should work fine.