Magewell

Magewell USB Capture SDI Gen 2

Q: What SDI formats does the USB Capture SDI Gen 2 support?

The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 supports SD-SDI (SMPTE 259M), HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M) and 3G-SDI (SMPTE 424M Level A/B). It captures up to 1080p60 via 3G-SDI. If you need 4K SDI capture, see the USB Capture SDI 4K Plus (6G-SDI) or SDI 4K Pro (12G-SDI).

Q: Does it work with professional broadcast cameras?

Yes. The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 works with any camera, encoder or equipment that outputs standard SD-SDI, HD-SDI or 3G-SDI video — including Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Grass Valley and other professional broadcast cameras. It simply connects via BNC to the SDI output.

Q: Can I use it on a locked enterprise workstation without IT permission?

Yes. Because it is fully driverless (UVC/UAC compliant), the operating system recognises it as a standard webcam and audio device without any driver installation. This is particularly valuable in broadcast studios, government facilities and universities where software installation requires IT approval.

Q: What is the difference between the SDI Gen 2 and the SDI Plus?

The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 (£233) captures 3G-SDI without loop-through output. The USB Capture SDI Plus (£287) adds a 3G-SDI loop-through output so the camera signal also reaches a monitoring device or downstream equipment simultaneously. If you need to maintain the SDI signal chain while capturing, choose the SDI Plus.

Single-channel 3G-SDI to USB 3.0 capture — driverless, bus powered, broadcast-grade.

Single-channel 3G-SDI to USB 3.0 — capture SD/HD/3G-SDI signals at up to 1080p60 from any broadcast camera or SDI source
Completely driverless — UVC and UAC compliant, recognised instantly by Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS
100% bus powered from USB — no external power required, making it ideal for ENG, field production and portable SDI workflows
Brings professional SDI cameras into Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and Webex immediately, with zero configuration required
Works with OBS Studio, vMix, Wirecast and all major live streaming platforms — your SDI camera becomes a software source
Magewell USB Capture SDK available for developers integrating SDI capture into custom broadcast or enterprise applications

£233.00

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Compatible Software ↗

Professional SDI Capture Over USB

The Magewell USB Capture SDI Gen 2 solves a fundamental challenge in modern video production — getting broadcast-quality SDI camera feeds into software-based workflows without expensive ingest infrastructure.

Professional broadcast cameras, studio cameras, remote camera heads and most installed camera systems output SDI video. Until recently, connecting these to a PC required dedicated PCIe ingest cards or complex infrastructure. The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 eliminates this complexity entirely — plug in the SDI cable, connect the device via USB, and your camera immediately appears as a webcam in any software on any operating system.

This makes it uniquely valuable in environments that already have SDI infrastructure — broadcast studios transitioning to IP workflows, news operations integrating studio cameras into remote production setups, and sports venues connecting existing camera systems to streaming and replay software.

SDI Broadcast Quality, Software Simplicity

Despite its compact form factor, the USB Capture SDI Gen 2 handles the full range of SDI signal types including standard definition (SD-SDI), high definition (HD-SDI), and 3G-SDI for 1080p60 capture. It maintains the signal integrity expected of broadcast-grade equipment throughout the conversion process.

The Gen 2 designation reflects improvements in compatibility and stability over the original USB Capture series. As a driverless UVC device, it works on locked enterprise workstations and IT-managed environments where driver installation is restricted — a significant operational advantage in large-scale deployments.

For systems requiring SDI loop-through to maintain camera monitoring while capturing, see the USB Capture SDI Plus. For SDI capture at 4K resolution, see the USB Capture SDI 4K Plus and SDI 4K Pro.

Compatible Software Guide ↗

What is a capture card? How to capture HDMI to PC Stream to YouTube guide Compare all USB Capture cards

Video Input
Input Connector	1× 3G-SDI (BNC)
Supported Standards	SD-SDI (SMPTE 259M), HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M), 3G-SDI (SMPTE 424M)
Max Input Resolution	1920×1080 @ 60fps (1080p60 / 3G-SDI)
Supported Resolutions	480i, 576i (SD-SDI), 720p25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60, 1080i25/29.97/30, 1080p23.976/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60
Colour Space	YUV 4:2:2
Video Capture Output
USB Interface	USB 3.0 SuperSpeed (5Gbps)
Capture Standard	UVC (USB Video Class) — driverless
Uncompressed Formats	YUY2, UYVY, NV12, I420
Loop Output	None (see USB Capture SDI Plus for loop-through)
Audio
Audio Input	Embedded SDI audio (up to 8 channels, 2 captured)
Audio Capture Standard	UAC (USB Audio Class) — driverless
Power & Connectivity
Power Source	Bus powered via USB — no external power required
Max Power Consumption	< 4.5W
Compatibility
Operating Systems	Windows 7/8/10/11, macOS 10.9+, Linux (kernel 4.2+), ChromeOS
Video Conferencing	Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, GoTo, Skype
Video Software	OBS Studio, vMix, Wirecast, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Streamlabs and 300+ others
Developer SDK	Magewell USB Capture SDK (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Product Information
SKU	32070
Warranty	3 years
Price (ex-VAT)	£233.00
Availability	In stock — UK warehouse

Specifications sourced from Magewell product documentation. Contact us to confirm suitability for your specific application.

The Magewell USB Capture SDI Gen 2 serves any environment where professional SDI cameras need to integrate with PC-based software — from broadcast studios to field production rigs.

📺

Broadcast Studios & News Desks

Connect studio cameras, remote camera heads and existing SDI infrastructure directly to broadcast software. Provides a software-defined alternative to dedicated SDI ingest cards for single-channel workflows.

⚽

Sports Venue Production

Capture pitch-side and commentary box cameras with SDI outputs into replay software, live streaming platforms and highlight clip systems — all via a single USB connection, no PCIe slot needed.

🏛️

Government & Parliament

Official broadcast facilities using professional SDI camera infrastructure can integrate cameras into remote streaming, archival recording and public proceedings broadcast without altering existing cabling.

🎤

Conference & Events with Broadcast Cameras

Event productions using broadcast-grade SDI cameras can route feeds into vMix, Wirecast or OBS for live streaming and recording, alongside their existing SDI switching infrastructure.

🏥

Medical Simulation & Training

Simulation suite cameras with SDI outputs can be captured for remote observation, real-time training review and post-session analysis without requiring rack-mounted ingest equipment.

🎓

University Media Studios

Higher education media production facilities using SDI cameras for student broadcasts, in-house productions and journalism training can capture camera feeds into editing and streaming software.

📡

Remote & Field Production

ENG operators and field producers can capture SDI camera feeds into laptops for live contribution via SRT or RTMP. The bus-powered design eliminates the need for additional power supplies on location.

🔌

AV Integrators — SDI Environments

Systems integrators deploying in facilities with existing SDI infrastructure can specify the USB Capture SDI Gen 2 as a reliable, long-lifecycle USB ingest device. Magewell SDK available for custom control system integration.

⚙️

Broadcast Software Development

Developers building broadcast management systems, automated ingest platforms or custom monitoring applications can use the Magewell SDK to access SDI capture programmatically on Windows, macOS and Linux.

What SDI formats does the USB Capture SDI Gen 2 support?

The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 supports SD-SDI (SMPTE 259M), HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M) and 3G-SDI (SMPTE 424M Level A/B). It captures up to 1080p60 via 3G-SDI. If you need 4K SDI capture, see the USB Capture SDI 4K Plus (6G-SDI) or SDI 4K Pro (12G-SDI).

Does it work with professional broadcast cameras?

Yes. The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 works with any camera, encoder or equipment that outputs standard SD-SDI, HD-SDI or 3G-SDI video — including Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Grass Valley and other professional broadcast cameras. It simply connects via BNC to the SDI output.

Can I use it on a locked enterprise workstation without IT permission?

Yes. Because it is fully driverless (UVC/UAC compliant), the operating system recognises it as a standard webcam and audio device without any driver installation. This is particularly valuable in broadcast studios, government facilities and universities where software installation requires IT approval.

What is the difference between the SDI Gen 2 and the SDI Plus?

The USB Capture SDI Gen 2 (£233) captures 3G-SDI without loop-through output. The USB Capture SDI Plus (£287) adds a 3G-SDI loop-through output so the camera signal also reaches a monitoring device or downstream equipment simultaneously. If you need to maintain the SDI signal chain while capturing, choose the SDI Plus.