Page 2 - A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
Unlike other capture cards we have seen, the AVerMedia CamStream 4K BU113G2 stands out for its diminutive size. The photo may make it look big, but it easily fits inside your palm. With dimensions of 80.8mm in length, 40.8mm in width, and 14.5mm in thickness, this has a smaller footprint than a credit card. It also weighs nothing with a paltry, 26g mass. This is understandable given its full plastic body. Its light weight does not necessarily translate into poor build quality. Instead, it makes the CamStream 4K portable and easy to bring along without thinking much about it. It does seem to be an ABS plastic, as we have seen a bit of shining on the edges of the device during our use.
The front of the AVerMedia CamStream 4K BU113G2 has a company logo with a neat, engraved area and a circular LED light in the middle. This light glows in assorted colors for different statuses. Upon power up, it will flash blue until it is ready with a solid blue. While in use, it will flash red or blue for recording or streaming, respectively. A fast-flashing red indicates the location it is recording to is almost full, while a solid red means it is full and streaming or recording has stopped. Finally, flashing green indicates a slower USB connection. The rest of the top shell has an array of varying sized dashes going diagonally on the capture card.
Flipping to the back, you can see a few trivial things on the AVerMedia CamStream 4K BU113G2. For one, there are two parallel plastic protrusions on each side. This slightly holds the rest of the device up when resting on a table. In the middle, there is a label that shows all the information about the streaming device. This includes the model, power information, and serial number. It also has other certification stamps. This device was made in Taiwan. At the bottom edge of the CamStream 4K, there is a standard 1/4" tripod mount.
On the edges of the AVerMedia CamStream 4K BU113G2 are a couple of inputs and outputs of interest. On one side, there is one HDMI 2.0 port for input to the CamStream 4K. Unfortunately, we do not have an output HDMI for low latency passthrough. Instead, you will need to monitor the camera either through your own camera or the connected computer. On the opposite side is a USB Type-C port that supports 5Gbps transfer speeds to connect to your PC.
The AVerMedia CamStream 4K BU113G2 can record up to 240 frames per second at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second with HDR enabled. It also can capture full 4K resolution at 60fps and 1440p at 144fps. Notably, it is cut down compared to other capture cards we have seen, but this should not be much of a surprise. As for supported input resolutions, the CamStream 4K BU113G2 supports 4K60, 1440p144, and 1080p240. It supports video formats of YUY2, NV12, RGB24, P010, and MJPEG.
As with most of AVerMedia's streaming products, the CamStream 4K BU113G2 works with two separate pieces of software. Both are available from the manufacturer's website with direct links on the product page. The first is Assist Central Pro, and this is used to monitor and configure the connected device. It is straightforward, as it shows the device detected and its status. For the CamStream 4K, it is a bit more limited with only options to set HDCP. You can also update the firmware and software of other AVerMedia products, including Streaming Center.
To record or stream with the CamStream 4K BU113G2, you can use AVerMedia Streaming Center. It shows all the necessary settings immediately on the primary page, including a way to add video sources and balance the audio input and output. You can create multiple scenes at the bottom. At the top, you can change the orientation or mirroring of the output or pop out a preview window if you want to just see your console's output. On the top right, you can enable and disable HDR and toggle recording. In the far corner, you can quickly set up streaming connections to popular platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or SOOP. You can also stream with RTMP, which stands for real-time messaging protocol. This expands the platforms available with Streaming Center, as many popular platforms follow this protocol. The cogwheel in the bottom left corner lets you change other settings of Streaming Center.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
