Capture · Record · Stream · Encode · DecodeCapture · Record · Stream · Encode · DecodeMagewell's Linux driver for Pro Capture cards such as the Pro Capture HDMI supports Linux kernel 2.6.35 and above, on x86, x64 and ARM. That range covers very old systems as well as current ones, and Magewell continues to update the driver for new kernels: recent releases have added fixes for the latest Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions. Use the newest driver package if you run a recent distribution.
Magewell lists Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux as supported, along with any other Linux distribution that has kernel 2.6.35 or above, so Debian and its relatives are covered by the kernel rule. The driver is built on your machine for the kernel you are running. You need the kernel headers and the usual build tools installed before you run the installer, and it is worth checking the release notes before a major kernel upgrade.
The driver supports ARM as well as x86 and x64, so Pro Capture cards can be used in ARM-based embedded systems that have a suitable PCIe slot. Magewell has supported NVIDIA's TK1 and TX1 ARM boards. If you are designing around a different board, tell us which one and we will check driver support before you buy.
A Pro Capture card needs Magewell's driver on Linux. Once the driver is installed, the card appears as a standard V4L2 video device and an ALSA audio device, so existing V4L2 software works with it without changes. For deeper control, such as building capture into your own application, Magewell provides the Capture SDK. If you would prefer a device with no driver to install, Magewell's USB Capture devices are driver-free on Linux.
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Magewell USB Capture devices are supported on Linux kernel 2.6.35 and above, on x86, x64 and ARM. Installation is driver-free: plug the device in and it appears as a video source, so there is nothing to compile or keep in step with kernel updates.
Yes. Magewell provides a Linux driver for Pro Capture cards that supports kernel 2.6.35 and above on x86, x64 and ARM. With the driver installed, the card appears as a V4L2 video device and an ALSA audio device, so V4L2 software such as OBS Studio and VLC can use it.
Yes. Ubuntu is on Magewell's list of supported distributions, and any distribution with kernel 2.6.35 or above, which includes Debian, is supported. For a Pro Capture or Eco Capture card, download the Linux driver package and install it. USB Capture devices need no driver on Ubuntu or Debian.
Magewell names Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, on x86 and x64, and adds any other Linux with kernel 2.6.35 or above. Recent driver releases have kept pace with new Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions. That applies to Pro Capture and Eco Capture cards. USB Capture devices work driver-free on the same kernel range.
Yes. USB Capture devices install without a driver on Linux and are used through the standard V4L2 video and ALSA audio interfaces, so they work with software such as OBS Studio and VLC. Settings such as custom EDID and firmware updates are handled by Magewell's USB Capture Utility. Ask us which platforms the current utility runs on if you only have Linux machines.
Download the Pro Capture Linux driver from Magewell's download centre at magewell.com/downloads (our Updates & Firmware page links straight to the Pro Capture section) and extract it. The driver is built for the kernel you are running, so install the kernel headers and build tools first, for example with sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r). Then run the installer script in the package as root and follow its prompts. Install again, or check the release notes, after a major kernel upgrade.
Yes. A Pro Capture or Eco Capture card with the driver installed, or a USB Capture device, is available through V4L2 and can be opened in ffmpeg with -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0. The device number depends on what else is connected, so check which /dev/video entry belongs to the capture device. Audio is available through ALSA.
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