If you’re looking to purchase a screen capture device, sometimes it can be difficult to determine which may be the right fit for you. After all, screen capture cards and broadcasting live gaming has become immensely popular over the last 5 years. Whether you’re a gamer on Microsoft’s Xbox One, or Sony’s PS4, the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition is a high quality capture card that is budget friendly, and includes powerful features that allows you to easily increase the quality of your video productions. This, and many other reasons, is why the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 is the best capture card for Xbox One and Playstation 4.
In This Review
What is a capture card?
A capture card is a hardware device that allows gamers to capture their screen and stream video and audio from their gaming console, PC, or other devices to a laptop or computer. It connects to your Xbox via HDMI and acts as an middle-man to transfer high-quality video and audio signals to your PC, allowing for seamless recording or live streaming.
For Xbox gamers, a capture card is essential for anyone interested in sharing their gameplay online, creating content for platforms like YouTube or Twitch, or even just recording their gaming sessions for later editing.
For Xbox users, having a capture card opens up a world of possibilities.
Whether you’re a content creator looking to upload high-quality videos, a streamer engaging with viewers in real time, or simply someone who wants to save and share their best gaming moments with friends or family , a capture card is an invaluable tool. It ensures that the video and audio are captured in high-definition without compromising any type of performance…as long as you have the space for it.
Additionally, capture cards allow for many different setups. You can record from your Xbox and edit later on a PC. Or, if playing Xbox Games for Windows, you can record and directly edit on your PC. While there are many pieces of software that can act as a standalone screen capture software for your PC or MAC, there are still several advantages to a physical device.
This is where the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 accels. It combines great performance in an easy-to-use form factor. And in 2025, you can get the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 for a great price second hand or on some major retailers websites.
What’s In The Box
When opening the Hauppauge HD PVR 2, you can immediately tell that the product was created with quality in mind. This quality approach towards designing the best capture card for your Xbox or Playstation is why the HD PVR 2 continues to be the best capture card for gamers around the globe. The surface of the device is brushed brushed aluminum, with a glossy finish around the outside that hugs the lighted ring, which sits around the middle of the unit and displays the status of the HD PVR 2 unit – whether your recording, paused, or if the unit is not set up properly.
Aside from the HD PVR 2 unit, the box also includes:
- 6 ft. USB Cord
- HDMI Cord
- Power Cord
- Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Capture Software and Drivers [CD-ROM]
- Instruction Manual
- Warranty Manual
This is everything that you need to begin recording high definition gaming footage with your Hauppauge HD PVR 2.
Setting Up Your Capture Card
Setting up the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 can be a bit tricky at first. Fear not, between the instructions present below, and the video I posted up top you should be up and running in no time.
Tip: Cable management is important. Make sure you are using zip ties or sleeves to help keep your wires tangle free.
You also need to install the Hauppauge Capture Application in order to capture recorded game play on to your PC. If you’re a Mac user, there is an option. HDPVRCapture is software developed for Mac OS X that will help you record and capture game play so you can edit it on your Macbook or iMac.
Recording with the HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition
Once you have your Hauppauge HD PVR 2 out of the box, set up with software installed, capturing from the Hauppauge Capture application is extremely easy and hassle free. Either by utilizing the mapped hardware key on top of the Hauppauge unit, or by pressing record on the capture application, recording with the HD PVR 2 turns your on screen actions into an easy to edit .mpeg file. This file will fall into the directory that you’ve selected in the capture application settings window. It’s as simple as that. There are of course many options and settings you can tweak, such as the output resolution, FPS, aspect ratio, and many more.
There are even features that allow you to edit your capture videos, upload your video directly to YouTube, or stream live using the StreamEez tab (not available in the Mac version of the capture software). Both of these features offer a wealth of options to make media production and editing a breeze. Personally, I prefer to save my footage in a raw HD format (1080p) on my external hard drive, and edit the footage in Final Cut Pro or Sony Vegas 13. If you’re planning on creating a lot of content down the road, or any of that content in HD, this will leave with you tons of footage to use that can be edited into future or existing videos, without having to reshoot which can be time consuming on larger projects.
You can read more about How to Record Gameplay Footage on Your Xbox in our easy-to-follow Xbox tutorial.
The Verdict?: Two Thumbs Up For the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition
Overall Rating: 9/10
When it’s all said and done, using the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition to record, edit, and produce gaming related media is very easy to use that creates professional work at a budget friendly price. At roughly $140 USD, the HD PVR 2 is within reach for anyone who is serious about producing gaming media and publishing it on the web.
Video Quality: 10/10
There were zero problems with video quality, capturing exactly what the user was seeing on the screen with precise detail. The videos looked just a rich and vibrant on an external monitor when editing, and viewing videos later.
Set Up: 9/10
Set up was straight forward after referring to the Hauppauge diagram listed above. One downfall is that I was unable to get it to work on my Sharp Aquos 32” LCD-TV. This may or may not have been due to past problems with drivers, and specific to my TV. It worked wonderfully on a 22” Vizio LCD-TV that I use next to my laptop and other external monitor to capture, edit, and publish gaming related media.
Product Quality: 9/10
The Hauppauge HD PVR 2 is a well crafted unit that is durable, yet portable, and convenient to set up and use in multiple locations. All outlets and plugs are well made with no loose ends. The plastic on the top of the unit will get scratched, so if you’re worried about the appearance of the unit after use then you may want to look for an all brushed aluminum or rubber capture card, like Elgato Game Capture HD60.
Other Notes:
The Hauppauge HD PVR 2 is great for someone who is looking to get in to gaming related media production. However, if you’re looking for a more advanced unit, complete with a hard drive that records gameplay footage directly on to the unit [you must record on to an external PC or Mac with the HD PVR 2], then something along the lines of the Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Shuttle 2 SSD Video Recorder, 2.5″ SATA SSD Drives, HD-SDI Input & Output where you can record right to a SSD (Solid State Drive) instead of having to hook up your PC or Mac.
Hopefully this article has made your search for the best capture card for your Xbox One or PS4 a little bit easier. If you’re looking for more information, Amazon has a full selection of capture cards that are ready for you to purchase with Free 2 Day shipping when you sign up to be an Amazon Prime member. Don’t forget to include this review of the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition on your shopping list!
0 Comments