Magewell USB Capture SDI Gen 2

About this product

SDI cameras and vision mixers are built for long cable runs and locking connectors, but a laptop has no SDI socket. The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 is the small SDI to USB capture device that joins the two. It takes one SDI signal and passes it to a computer over USB. SDI is the locking coaxial video connection used on professional cameras and vision mixers. The computer sees the picture and sound as a video source that streaming, recording or conferencing software can use.

What goes in

• SDI. One input for SD, HD or 3G-SDI, taking up to 2048×1080 at 60 frames per second, 4:2:2 10-bit. That covers 1080p60. For 4K over SDI, see the 4K Plus model below.
• Standards. SD (ST 259), HD (ST 292) and 3G-SDI (ST 425) in Level A and both Level B forms, so it takes either 3G level from the equipment you connect.
• Cable length. It can capture 3G-SDI signals sent over up to 150 m of cable, so the camera can be at the back of a hall or the far side of a pitch while the laptop stays with you.
• Audio. Sound embedded in the SDI signal arrives on the same cable as the picture. The input accepts up to eight embedded channels, and up to two channels at 48 kHz are passed to the computer.
• Need more connections? For an SDI loop-through or 3.5 mm audio sockets, see the USB Capture SDI Plus.

What comes out

• To the computer. Uncompressed video over USB in YUY2, UYVY, RGB24 or RGB32 format, in the size and frame rate your software asks for.
• Capture sizes. Up to 2048×1080, with frame rates up to 120 fps. The input takes up to 60 fps, and the device converts that when your software asks for a higher rate, up to 120 fps.

Why choose it

The device can crop, scale up or down, de-interlace (turn an interlaced picture into full frames), change aspect ratio, convert colour format, convert frame rate, and flip or mirror the picture. This is FPGA-based processing with zero CPU usage. In plain terms, the conversion work is done inside the device, which frees your computer for the software you are running. Scaling makes the picture fit the size you ask for, using the detail in the source.

• Power. It runs from the USB port with no additional power source, drawing about 2.5 W at most (0.5 A at 5 V). One cable to the laptop is all it needs.
• Size. 92.2 × 40.2 × 12.3 mm, small enough to keep in the camera bag.
• In the box. A 63 cm USB 3.0 cable and a 33 cm MCX to BNC cable, which gives you a standard BNC socket for the SDI lead, so your existing SDI cables plug straight in.
• Status light. An LED shows whether the input signal is locked.

Setting it up

• Driver-free. The USB Capture family installs without a driver and detects the input automatically. Connect the source, plug the USB cable into the computer, then pick the device in your software.
• USB port. The connection is USB 3.0. It is compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 as well.
• Operating systems. Windows 10 and 11 (and Windows Server 2016 to 2025), Linux with kernel 2.6.35 and above on x86, x64 and ARM, Mac OS X 10.9 and above, macOS 10.12 and above, and Chrome OS.
• Software. It works with Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, VLC, OBS Studio, XSplit and QuickTime Player, plus other DirectShow, V4L2 or AVCaptureSession software.
• Settings and firmware. Magewell’s free USB Capture Utility shows and changes the capture settings and upgrades the firmware.

Where it sits in the range

This is the compact, single-input SDI model, the one to choose when you only need the SDI source on the computer. The USB Capture SDI Plus adds an SDI loop-through, a 3.5 mm line input and an audio output. For HDMI sources there is the USB Capture HDMI Gen 2. For 4K over SDI, look at the USB Capture SDI 4K Plus. The whole family is on the USB Capture range page.