I Love the Genki Shadowcast for Reasons Most People Don't Care About

[@nickfoght3181]

4:3 is an option.. If you input the Konami code (up,up,down,down,left,right,left,right,b,a) into the Genki Arcade app, you can choose from a selection of different resolutions and frame rate options. They even have a few resolution options that are in 4:3 format so no stretching on those games that output native 4:3. Not sure why they hid it behind an easter egg, but they did implement this in the app since its launch.

[@barbwatchesyt4084]

that's crazy 😳

[@GamingForKarma]

I want to offer my two cents on this product as well as a Kickstarter backer to anyone looking to get this. In my experience, the Genki Shadowcast is an alright product. I specifically asked for a USB-C to USB-A to be included with my order for $5 extra as my PC does not have a USB-C port and they failed to include one or any form of adapter. So out of the box the product is unusable for me. Luckily as a Switch owner, I already had a USB-C to USB-A cable so it isn't a big deal, but I'd like to get everything I paid for. I have reached out to their customer support system and received no follow up in over a month, and no receipt saying they received my message either. You have to go onto the website to grab the software and I found the website a touch difficult to navigate. Once the software is installed though, the device really is plug and play. Given the price and ease of use, this would be great for new streamers or Let's Players alike who may not want to spend a lot on capture devices. I wish the software had some "lock" mode or some way to make it so that if you move your mouse over the program, the menu doesn't overlap your game play. The overlay is part of the program itself, so OBS and SLOBS don't ignore it and will display their menu to whatever software you are using to record/stream. That pairs well with the fact that you need OBS, SLOBS or other software to record the captured visuals, and needs to be kept in mind for those who are new to these use cases. I also wish there were volume controls in the software, but there are none to be found. I personally could NOT get the Genki Shadowcast to display as a webcam on my system. I would reach out to Genki for assistance but as they have failed to reach out about the $5 USB-A to USB-C cable I ordered, I don't have hopes that they'd assist me. After setting it up, I tried to stream some Stardew Valley from my Switch and found the visuals tore quite a bit and the software just full on failed to recognize signal mid stream. I'm not sure if my system was being overworked (which I sincerely doubt given I have since swapped to streaming Stardew Valley from the same PC that was running SLOBS, unless the Genki software needs further optimization), if the Nintendo USB cable I was using wasn't perfect for the job or there was some other culprit. The colors do feel a bit different, but I don't notice it without a side by side. I love how small the device is, but I do wish it had HDMI pass-through as with every device adds some delay/lag and some games require frame perfect input, especially if you are playing fighting games or are speed running. I know this won't bug everybody and for things like Pokemon won't be any issue, so keep your use case in mind. My complaints are fairly minor individually, but add up to a point where I think anyone considering buying it may want to know these points before buying one. I fully agree with Alex that the best way to use it would be for other HDMI devices, such as cameras. Basically, don't think of this as an Elgato HD60S killer, think of it instead as an Elgato Cam Link killer for the price. It would be alright for game play for those just getting into streaming/LPs and don't want to drop $100+ on higher end devices, or you need something ultra portable for a convention/trade show you are going to and can't find room for a bigger device with better quality images. Ultimately I would rate it a 3 out of 5 star product. Good, and it works, but doesn't reach far beyond its intended use case.

[@PanicAcid]

Weird my kickstarter came with a USB C to A adaptor in the box...

[@jaypruett9503]

I clicked just because it was Alex. Don't care what he had to say.

[@USMCbrantley]

Honestly same here

[@zebbie09]

Me too.... I have forgiven him for giving the baby track on MK8D mad props...

[@superfurryfox1]

You sad people.... So did I, wish I had a friend like Alex. Or a friend at all really

[@ArcadeStunfisk]

My favourite videos are ones where Alex just talks at me about things he feels strongly about

[@AnthonyDGreen]

Thanks for the tip, Alex! I clicked just to find out what the "weird" reasons were but it all seemed pretty normal to me. I guess that says more about me than the reasons. But I'm so glad I did. You just solved a HUGE problem I've been trying to brute force. A friend of mine just got a hold of a Switch and is getting into gaming and she's got several games including Breath of the Wild. I really want to watch her play and/or help answer her initial questions since I recommended the game and think it'll help with stress. Anyway, I've been trying to convince her to just turn her phone's camera on an point it at the TV so I can see what she's talking about but it would be SOOO much easier to have her run the Switch HDMI through a splitter and then into her laptop in a Skype session or something as the webcam. Then I can see what she's seeing live and be like "THERE's A KOROK!!!". It's affordable enough that I just bought one 5 minutes ago and will be shipping it to her as soon as it arrives and I've tested it out with my splitter. Now I can share great gameplay casually over distance with a friend. Thanks so much!

[@trixniisama]

I wish they'll make a genki shadowcast "pro" with USB 3.0 at least to make 1080p 60 fps with absolutely no latency or as little as possible.

[@ben-tendo]

I've had a Shadowcast for a while now and it's been brilliant for multiple reasons. It's worked as a second display for my Chromebook, it's allowed me to share my game over Discord chat and my partner and I game together long distance during Covid... it's a brilliant, and cheap, streaming/capture device. Especially when paired with the covert dock (which effectively allows you via both gadgets to bung any device into a screen or second display... chrome, windows, iOS, switch... you name it!)

[@MaggoSheesh]

The picture quality and colours and the 1080p/30 and 720p/60 make this looks A LOT like those $10 Amazon Capture Cards from China, could you take a look at those as well? They also get recognized as a webcam.

[@mistereagleman]

I use one of those, it has a strange problem where it lags behind the original capture exponentially, so after maybe an hour or two it'll be capturing footage from like 5 seconds prior to what's actually running. Paired with an HDMI splitter for output on my tv it's not so bad but if the Genki doesn't have that problem, it might be worth investing in

[@deek1670]

The latency on the genki is way lower, I spent the extra 40 dollars and I don't regret it. I'm now able to play wii on my PC screen and I honestly don't notice latency.

[@trixniisama]

@@deek1670 Same exact thing for me. Wii with the genki is perfect !

[@MaggoSheesh]

@@deek1670 Are you on Mac by chance? I did some research and on Windows the input lag situation seems to be so bad that people are using open source video players instead for low input lag

[@gatslydepaz8428]

uses the same chip as those

[@ShaniAce]

4:23 That's not specific to this capture card though. Any capture card is also recognized as a webcam (as you can see in Discord etc)!

[@SorcererLance]

I backed this on their kickstarter when they were aggressively advertising it on social media like Facebook... the clickbait worked as I got mine several weeks ago, along with the extra dongle that connects it via a USB to my PC as the only thing I don't need the USB dongle for my laptop. Super-handy if you're not extremely anal on image quality. I HAVE noticed while playing through my PC via the USB dongle, there's a SLIGHT bit of an input lag... like roughly a half-second. Really inconvenient for reflex-based games as you gotta plan ahead slightly to compensate... even worse still on games that already have some input lag like the Genesis/Mega Drive Classics, where the input lag is amplified to roughly an entire second. Playing it through my laptop without the need of the USB dongle seems to remove that input delay entirely, as the connection is more direct and therefore, things are more instantaneous. So... something to keep in mind for many. I also discovered not only does it work for the Switch, but I can also play most of my Mini consoles on my computer as well... NES, SNES, Genesis, PS1... but sadly the Neo Geo Mini can't connect to it

[@xiuxiu1108]

Why would you need a USB to plug it to your home PC... You do know that you can plug an hdmi cable straight to your monitor... right?

[@TheAmazingRaptor]

@@xiuxiu1108 the product May not work like that

[@bluedestiny88]

@@xiuxiu1108 Plugging it straight into a monitor via HDMI does not allow for capturing or streaming of footage.

[@Skyfighter070]

@@xiuxiu1108 A lot of laptops just have HDMI output, not HDMI input. This is great if I just want to play SNES Classic on my desk

[@vdfritzz]

half a second isn't SLIGHT, it's IMMENSE

[@tanthenotquiteman]

1:54 what is it with Alex and putting wires and stuff into his mouth? 😂

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Either he’s trying to strip the nonexistent insulation or he’s trying to smoke the Switch output like a bong. In either case, I approve!

[@HKT-4300]

Jon on screen for 5 seconds, Pulls out Panel De Pon. am not surprised

[@FoxBlocksHere]

Another potential use case is as a portable monitor for doing maintenance on servers.

[@requiem165]

I remember the MK8 stream you did where you talked about the time we met while racing on melody motorway

[@jaredwalton3135]

That silly thing, fits, inside the dock. That's kind of amazing.

[@AragonTigerseye]

Sooo... This is basically a Elgato Camlink (the non 4k model) just cheaper and with less features? I am somewhat intrigued.

[@johnbuscher]

Same. Seems to be the “Good Enough” solution for a relatively well-known brand. I have one of the no-name cards and the latency is appreciable but I had no other choice at the time. At least this would remove on dongle for me.

[@MAIcrosoft]

And now knowing so I wish videos on this channel would have been 4K lol

[@PanicAcid]

I use mine mainly for setting up raspberry pi's it's great to be able to throw the shadowcast into a pi and have the display feed onto my laptop etc. I also run a Xbox One X headless purely for remote play and every now and again it wont let me connect, so out comes the tablet with the shadow cast and I go into the cupboard and throw it into the Xbox, lets me run any updates or do whatever it's upset about and get back to using it headless without having to go grabbing a monitor or pulling the xbox out (which is wall mounted). It certainly serves a purpose.

[@johnostroski362]

Is the shadowcast capable of casting to an m1 iPad Pro I’ve been wanting a shadow cast but I wanted to make sure it be capable or would you need a dongle of some sort

[@PanicAcid]

@@johnostroski362 depends if there's an app / drivers for it. Best to check on their website.

[@johnostroski362]

@@PanicAcid thank you I’ll check that out

[@hellopokemon1]

I think you could also just use the OBS virtual cam and have your actual capture card input recognized as a webcam

[@blackhatfreak]

My first "capture card" was a TV tuner card for my old P4 XP machine.

[@lorddude]

Mine was an ATI Radeon card from 2003 or 2004. I was so hyped over being able to record footage of GTA San Andreas. I don't remember why, though, since KZbin didn't exist and video sharing was kind of a pain.

[@Big.Catto512]

As a laptop user, I'm definitely gonna try getting this when I could ! Playing Warframe on the Switch screen is hurting the eyes a little after a long session 😅

[@Katzelle3]

Try a generic capture device. They are cheaper.

[@johnbuscher]

On a laptop, I would prefer those no-name brands. One of those $5-$8 ones from Ebay are actually nice and on a laptop, you probably aren’t losing too many USB ports with how big they are.

[@DanTheGucciMan]

i know its great its definitely not the best but it works

[@mrkristopher]

I got in on the Kickstarter on a whim. Got it probably a month ago and haven't used it at all. However, you've helped me realize I could use my old high def video camera (Canon HF100) as a webcam, so thank you! Now I have a reason to own it after all.

[@OldGameboy-DMG01]

I use the Genki Shadowcast regularly and it's a great product. It's definitely not the best but it's great with Discord when sharing game play from any device with a hdmi out.

[@untitled4841]

Alex's blooper/outro/comments at the end are the best edit: tbh this is the only reason why I watch NL's vids til the end

[@danka1167]

I watch them to the end because I have a decent attention span

[@Musicmaddnes]

I got the yellow one during their kickstarter. I'm super happy with it. I can even use it on my 2008 imac and chromebook. Mine didn't come with usb-c to usb-a adapter.

[@ogami1972]

So, could a kid use this as a starter for streaming?

[@Mofaxx]

Yes! It works seamlessly with Streamlabs OBS!

[@emanueledelmonte803]

A kid shouldn't stream on internet.

[@MaggoSheesh]

Look into the ~$10 Amazon ones instead for streaming

[@TheAmazingRaptor]

Could I use this with an HDMI splitter so that I can have my gameplay also show up on the tv?

[@TheLegendryZelda]

I was thinking the same thing

[@TheAmazingRaptor]

@@TheLegendryZelda yeah. I actually just decided to go on Amazon and buy a $10 capture card that does literally the EXACT same thing for a fifth of the price

[@RG-Zeldaplayer]

I got one and bought the travel dock that they make too... It means I can take my switch on tour with me without the huge dock or a capture card. I didn't notice considerable lag... but I'm not a hardcore competitive gamer - preferring to use it for games like Hyrule Warriors and BoTW.

[@BandithThach]

you can type out the konami code while on the genki software and you'll be in advanced mode giving you option for 1080p 60fps

[@Explorer09_kc]

The 1080p 60fps mode just doesn't work due to hardware limitation. It will fake a 60fps output in 1080p while it's only 30fps. It's a cheap capture card after all.

[@jamesrose6302]

Feeling good about my early 2008 Mac Pro which is still my main computer right now.

[@chr1s415]

Alex looking fresh with that hair style!

[@craigandrews7009]

I've had a similar device that I got cheap from Amazon ages ago and I can't see what the difference is? The supported resolutions are no worse, the lag is no worse ... what am I missing with this Genki thing?

[@johnbuscher]

It can at least be hidden into the dock of the switch and directly plugged into a USB C port. That’s about it from what I can see. Can be useful if those cheaper ones would block too many USB ports on a desktop without feeding it through an additional dongle.

[@Peetah.]

no ones gonna talk about the monitors in the background

[@mechashadow]

What monitors?

[@tanthenotquiteman]

@@mechashadow the meme. On the monitors.

[@devcrom3]

No.

[@johnostroski362]

Can you connect it to a m1 iPad Pro since the input is type c or would that require another adapter

[@thesavepointdotnet]

Hello Alex! Of course you can open it while it's running, that's what it's for, LOL! (I've had a blue and white G3 and a Mirror Door Drive G4 so I know; currently on a 2012 quad-i7 Mac Mini) Curious, what's in your Mac? I see the AMD Sapphire (580? 4GB? 8GB?...3GB?) How much RAM? And is it 4 or 8 cores?

[@AnotherBrokeGeek]

So this is pretty much what I use but in a smaller form factor and probably a much higher cost. Got some generic thing with passthrough that also acts like a webcam. Might not be the best but works pretty well if you're on a tight budget

[@thecosmicbanana6858]

I have had only problems with the shadowcast finding it basically unplayable for almost any game on switch but I didn't think to use it for retro stuff. Might have to get it out of the bottom of the drawer.

[@juanpablohorn6642]

So, would you recommend this for casual gameplay on the go?

[@HeyItsRidi]

Did you know of the konami code to unlock all the recording options

[@cantreed6214]

*wait it comes with the USB-c to usb-a converter?* I've been using my pro controller cord forever because I never saw that in my package. I hope I have it around somewhere,,

[@rofl-rocket277]

You can use the elgato s60+ as a webcam. It's how I stream my HDMI consoles to my oculus quest 2 so I can use it as a portable monitor

[@scholardeville]

Hey Alex, is the Genki Arcade window resizable on mac (click and drag from corner) or can you only fullscreen it? Please respond i cant find this info anywhere!!!

[@Kintah]

I'm pretty sure this is a rebuilt version of the cheap generic HDMI to USB capture card you can buy from China for less than 10€ or on Amazon for a little more than 10. Same limitations same performance. This one looks cooler so there's that.

[@japzone]

Yeah, the biggest issue I have with those is that they use USB2(even when they claim USB3) and MJPEG compression which has noticable artifacting. Also there's some weird audio sync and frame dropping issues if you try to do 60fps.

[@shahryar]

Just started using this in the past week. I'm pretty sure I'm feeling the input lag on the two games I've played with it when connected to my MacBook pro: unravel 2 and Tetris connected. When I get home I'm going to try with my portable monitor and see how the lag compares

[@robertjackson6937]

Which one doesn’t have lag

[@levant5378]

Well, the best use case of the Genki Shadowcast is for the PS3. It is capable of getting around the PS3 HDCP copy protection on the HDMI output. But DO NOT BUY this if you do not have a full speed usb 3.1 type c port on your computer. If you don't, then the video capture is going to lag horribly. Also, don't use the included usb type c cable that comes with the Shadowcast, as it is crap, and will also cause lag.

[@AidanRatnage]

Why would you use a capture card instead of a normal HDMI cable to output to a screen?

[@ElementalTJ]

To capture

[@desh206]

I wonder if this also stick on consoles?

[@ShaniAce]

Wait so it has no HDMI output?! How on earth do you play with the capture card connected? Obviously playing on the laptop monitor is a no-go due to latency. Pretty much defeats its own purpose if you can't properly play while streaming/recording.

[@ZipplyZane]

So, in summation: Genki Shadowcast: use it to make your regular camera into a decent webcam!

[@hexywesky]

I never thought Alex would invite me under his desk 😳

[@NeoCosmosSK]

Genii doesn’t support Twitch Studio. It causes ghosting and lag. On the same equipment I used Obs in the same equipment and I got perfect performance.

[@MayhemBR]

If you only use it to play and not stream is it good enough for let's say ssbu? or is the latency too much for online play?

[@deek1670]

You can get it off Amazon, I just got mine last week. It works really good. I can use a mayflash hdmi adapter on my wii, and mirror it to my PC using the shadowcast. My setup is the mayflash adapter plugged into the Wii, a 6 inch HDMI cord plugged into the mayflash. A HDMI female to female adapter plugged into the HDMI cord. The genki shadowcast plugged into the other end of the HDMI adapter. Then I plug in a 6ft anker USB c to USB a cable (the USB c into the genki and the USB a into my PC).

[@MigiLLy82]

Does this work with a chromebook? I tried to download the Genko Arcade app and it isnt there in the play store. Tryna use as a monitor for my switch.

[@UttRConcrete]

It’s a great capture card for beginners that don’t want to spend a whole lot of money. I do recommend you use a hdmi splitter so you can play it on the tv.

[@kos-mos611]

Could I possibly use an hdmi splitter so I can still watch on my tv?

[@SyntaxAero]

yep, that's what i do

[@kos-mos611]

@@SyntaxAero does it help with latency? Ideally I could use the TV to play but have the easy webcam functionality for my lower end computer so it's easier to stream with

[@Lazlopressplay]

Would this work if i use it for my ps5?

[@jasonmxx]

can i use this on an android tablet?

[@cantreed6214]

I've been able to play rhythm games like mad rat dead & cadence of hyrule with genki. I was shocked the delay wasn't that bad wasn't able to play project megamix with it though. I dont know why that specific game hits different.

[@doslover]

So it's bad at the one thing they advertised it for and not as good as alternatives in the price bracket but it is small. Well, if Alex is happy I'm happy.

[@jenerossitea9247]

Exactly lol

[@PabloTheDinamic]

"a daaan good one" I cried

[@Stella0700]

I'm having so many issues with my audio with this darn thing it drowns my voice out from my videos and I don't know what to do I use my mic and my Acer Chromebook laptop but for some stupid reason my voice get kinda drowned out while using the shadow cast anyone wanna help me fix this issue?

[@Ivyplaygamez]

huh a viewer of mine provided me this item, i was like "how do the hell do i use ir on my PS3?" found your video, eazy explanation and atreight to the point, thank you

[@csolisr]

Just 1080p30? Well, guess they didn't manage to dethrone the Hornettek HD Video Capture, it's about $50 and it does record 1080p60 with barely any lag

[@SailorChristian]

Can you do a quick video if this adapter would work with a Type C to normal USB adapter? I have a gaming laptop but I just noticed it doesn't have any Type C ports but it does have USB 3.0 💀 maybe with a adapter i could use this product?

[@aluula956]

They lied to us in our faces. It's USB 2. Use your Pro Controller cable.

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

Does it work on an iPad?

[@ReavoEnd]

It's pretty good! Buuut... The fact that the audio is mixed to monoraul, I just. So much disappoint. Really, they couldn't just push stereo audio through this thing? That was too much to ask?

[@ssjduelistDD]

Ooh i was interested in this when it was in kickstarter to help me stream. Glad you covered it

[@prizegotti]

Capture card with USB? Try doing video capture in the late 90s before USB lol.

[@gamechep]

I'd be happy to watch 1440p ☺️

[@jnee]

I'm thinking of making my own Switch XXL by using this with a surface laptop in tablet mode, could be fun!

[@Kraken54321]

"slip it in, nice and slim"

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Woo, Macs are awesome! iPhones and iPads too! One of their best features is the hilarity of n00bz who think they’re knowledgeable tech gods questioning why competent tech users would use those devices over Linux/Android machines (if they think it about Windows machines that’s just too sad to be funny). It’s literally a perpetual motion device of humour. Don’t get me wrong, normal Linux is great and Android is also pretty good if you ignore the gaping holes in security/privacy, and get a decent hardware manufacturer, but even as someone who’s been a programmer since I was a little girl and can fix most computer problems given a reasonable amount of time to google error codes and other diagnostic information, I love the massive stress reduction of owning a _primary_ device (a main phone or a main computer) that for the most part, like the old Apple slogan, for the most part “just works”. Just because I’m good at fixing technical problems does not mean that I want to waste my time doing so on my main, workhorse devices. And that is why a proficient tech nerd would prefer Apple for those devices. Happy Pride Month! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[@GreyFoxNinjaFan]

I got the Shadowcast from crowdfunding and, while it is a great little bit of kit, I can't use it for playing online - especially Smash Bros.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

For a budget capture card thus was the only one to catch my interest

[@alexanderjames938]

BILLY. HATCHER. &. THE. GIANT. EGG

[@SyntaxAero]

oh yeah if you do the konami code in the app you can actually use 1080p60

[@Explorer09_kc]

The 1080p 60fps mode just doesn't work due to hardware limitation. It will fake a 60fps output in 1080p while it's only 30fps. It's a cheap capture card after all.

[@dlljs_yt]

You can buy a capture card that does exactly this for about £40 cheaper on eBay.

[@Shmorpicle]

Now we can play Odama the way god intended

[@BatataKarambas]

4:45 It just works huh....I dunno, last time I heard that, things didn't go very well to be honest

[@Reyn_the_Insane]

I honestly don't like it. The input lag is bad even on the lower setting. I wonder if it can be fixed with a firmware update

[@kipperkell]

Ooh Alex, we just love you

[@Prismabom]

with this we can make iCalry real

[@caatabatic]

maybe less frane drops with better usb?

[@Kritigri]

I made the subscribe button so much redder it turned grey

[@zelatoth]

I might consider this so i can stream my switch games on discord.

[@Qiqi10]

Yea, it works.

[@wasabidesu]

love that meme in your background lol

[@samuelturner6076]

Heck yeah Mac users unite!

[@holidayoreoreal]

Hell yeah!

[@kingofgeese4904]

Mine doesn’t work at all

[@Micbro]

The provided cable isn't that good as it's just USB 2.0 and has somewhat high latency. Using a USB C 3.0 and above is even better and I've heard some people used the USB C Fiber cable from the Oculus Quest to have even lower latency.

[@davidmiiversian3007]

Wow! That apple computer is a real relic! XD At the same time- if it aint broke don't replace it.

[@Peckingbird]

I've been using a very similar thing by Magewell for years. Plug & Play, no drivers, treated as a webcam. This sounds like a lot less expensive alternative. 😸

[@ThisJordo]

And you've sold me on this in a heartbeat

[@xam323]

I heard it didnt really like macs

[@omworlddanceandtrailermusic]

Great review! However I am concerned that on the last 2 videos I've watched with Alex in he has put the wire in his mouth! 😱 Don't do it Alex!.... we need you! 😂

[@deoranferguson5657]

Billy Hatcher and the giant eagggg!!!

[@GrinningWolfGames]

Mine arrived today

[@RMarr-uy9hf]

I’m considering starting doing some KZbin content so it’s nice to have that kind of tips 👌 (And this could be a good way to annoy my friends on discord 🤝😈)

[@crofmmv]

I love the Genki Shadowcast and have two of them :)

[@lukeyork5802]

I know I'm not getting 4K I have a cheap $40 phone only can output 720P

[@alolanjojo8153]

Works with chrome os too