Upscale any console through a capture card

A capture card takes the HDMI picture a console sends to a TV and hands it to your PC. With PlayRoam's Capture card mode you get the console's own picture, with no stream compression and no network involved, plus upscaling and frame generation on your graphics card. And because the card doesn't care what's plugged into it, it works with any HDMI console.

Why use a capture card instead of streaming

• No compression. Remote Play re-encodes the game into a 1080p video stream. A capture card receives the original signal, up to the card's maximum resolution.
• Any console. Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5 all output HDMI.
• No network in the way. Wi-Fi congestion and router settings don't matter.

The catch: the console has to be next to your PC.

What you need

• A capture card that accepts the resolution and frame rate your console outputs. Check its spec sheet: many cards accept 4K at 60 Hz, some only 1080p.
• HDMI passthrough (optional) if you also want to play on a TV through the card.
• A free USB 3 port or PCIe slot, depending on the card.
• Two HDMI cables if you use passthrough.

Set it up

1. PS5 only: turn off HDCP. With the console connected directly to a TV, go to Settings → System → HDMI and turn off Enable HDCP. Capture cards can't record a protected signal. While HDCP is off, video apps such as Netflix won't play; turn it back on when you need them.
2. Connect the console to the card's HDMI In. If the card has passthrough, connect its HDMI Out to your TV or a second monitor.
3. Connect the card to your PC and install its drivers if the manufacturer requires them.
4. Set the console's video output to a format the card accepts, for example 4K at 60 Hz or 1440p at 60 Hz.
5. In PlayRoam choose Capture card, pick your device and press Start.

Latency and how to keep it low

Every capture card adds some delay while it receives and forwards frames. To keep it low:

• Use the card's native connection: USB 3 or PCIe, never a USB 2 port or hub.
• Avoid adapters and long HDMI chains between console and card.
• For competitive games, play on the passthrough display and use PlayRoam's picture for slower games where image quality matters more.

Picking the right output

If your card accepts 4K, set the console to 4K: the higher the source resolution, the less work upscaling has to do. If the card tops out at 1080p, PlayRoam upscales that clean 1080p signal, which still looks better than a compressed 1080p stream. For how this compares to streaming, see PS5 Remote Play in 1440p and beyond.