ShadowCast 2

Name: ShadowCast 2
Brand: Genki
SKU: HTGSC2-WT-NA
Price: 49.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (40 reviews)

A sequel to IGN’s “Best Capture Card of 2023” and our most crowdfunded favorite ShadowCast. Ditch the TV and plug this tiny adapter into your console’s HDMI port and you’ve discovered the tiniest, simplest most seamless way to play, record, and stream your console games to your laptop and iPad.

Rated 4.6 out of 5

Based on 40 reviews

$49.99 USD

Variant

Description

It’s hard to imagine that the tiny ShadowCast 2 is able to magically turn your laptop screen or iPad into an HDMI monitor for all your gaming (and videography) needs. Simply plug this into the HDMI port of your favorite console (it completely hides inside of the Nintendo Switch dock!) and it converts that signal to a USB-C port that you can directly connect to your laptop or iPad and play instantly. No more hauling a TV around for that game convention or dorm room, simply use the screen you always have with you - that shiny MacBook or other portable computing device.

The ShadowCast 2 is compatible with many apps, essentially turning your game console into a ‘webcam’ of sorts. You can play games in popular streaming apps like OBS if you want to share your gameplay to your Twitch and YouTube followers, or you can record your gameplay in apps like Quicktime. We even have a simple app called Genki Arcade (Win/Mac/Chrome) and Genki Studio (iPad) that lets you get you playing as instant as pushing the ‘input’ button on your TV remote.

Key Features

"Best Capture Card of 2023" by IGN.

High-Definition Recording: Capable of QHD 1440P30 and 1080P60 capture for high-quality video content.
Swift Data Transfer: Features USB-C 3.2 connectivity with a 5Gbps transfer rate for speedy data movement.
User-Friendly: Offers Plug and Play functionality, eliminating the need for driver installation.
Minimal Delay: Engineered for low latency to ensure smooth video transmission.
Software Compatibility: Supports various applications like OBS, Xsplit, Streamlabs, and more for versatile use.
Multi-Platform Streaming: Enables content streaming on popular platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and others.
Tablet Integration: Includes Genki Studio compatibility for iPad, enhancing mobile use.
Ultra-Light Design: Boasts a feather-light weight of 10 grams for portability.
Camera Flexibility: Allows for easy conversion of a camera to a high-quality webcam for streaming or video conferencing.

How to Use

To get your console video feed to your computer simply plug ShadowCast 2 into the HDMI port of your console and then plug the included USB-C 3.2 cable into the ShadowCast 2 to your computer’s USB-C 3.0+ port.
Important: You need a USB-C 3.2 port to capture 1440p30.
Open your favorite app - and all of these will have various different settings - but essentially you will need to select ‘ShadowCast 2’ as the video/camera input source and ‘ShadowCast 2’ as the audio/mic input source. You’ll also usually be able to set the resolution and framerate - we recommend 1080p60 generally as the best balance of smooth fast gameplay and quality.
From here you should already be able to play your game with video and sound. If you want to record a video of your game play you should have a record video button in your app or be able to record the full screen from your OS. Many apps like OBS, YouTube, and Twitch Studio will also let you livestream your footage.

What's Included

1 x ShadowCast 2
1 x USB-C 3.2 Cable

Genki Arcade

Maximize your experience with the Genki Arcade app for Mac, iPad, Windows, and your browser.

The Genki Arcade app ensures a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience by streaming video and audio from your console to your laptop or tablet device.

Mac (v.1.3): Download Link

iPad (v.1.3): Download Link

Windows (v.1.8.3 Beta): Download Link

Browser (v.1.1.2): Download Link

ShadowCast 2

$49.99 USD

ShadowCast Series in the Wild

Neil Genki Using ShadowCast 2 and Analogue Pocket to capture retro gameplay footage

Asia Filipiak @asiathegirl_ Question from TikTok: How do you set up your gaming streams?

Neil Genki Using ShadowCast 2 to capture gameplay footage from retro Nintendo

Christian De Ceglie @_pixelchris This is the Genki ShadowCast

Unbelievably small, deceptively powerful

Designed to be universally compatible

Stream and record at the same time with ultra low latency in all your favorite apps

ShadowCast 2

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t see the video feed on my app?

he most common solution is to ensure you’re using the included USB-C 3.2 cable and that you’re connecting it to a computer that has a USB-C 3.0+ port. Next things to check is that your console is on of course. If ShadowCast 2 isn’t selectable as a video/camera device this likely means there is something wrong with the USB-C connection or port. If you can select ShadowCast 2 in your app but you see a Genki screen with a QR code its likely the connection to the console. If you see a black screen the culprit is likely your console’s video settings, see the next question.

All I see is a black video feed, what gives?

HDCP is likely the culprit and is a form of content protection. If you’re using a PlayStation 4 or 5 first connect your console to a TV and navigate to Settings -> System -> HDMI section of the PlayStation interface, and turn off Enable HDCP. Other devices generally have HDCP off until specific video apps are launched.

Will this work with my device?

ShadowCast 2 is meant to be as universally compatible as possible. As long as your console isn’t outputting more than a 4K60 video source, ShadowCast 2 should be able to take that video input. There are few consoles/cameras that have unique geometries that may make it complicated to connect ShadowCast 2 and an HDMI extender may be required. In terms of the computer, ShadowCast 2 works with all major computing platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iPadOS - however for optimal performance you’ll want to make sure you’re using a USB-C 3.0+ port on your computer and that your computer speed can comfortably process and record video smoothly at whatever you’ve set as your capture resolution.

Does this work with Covert Dock?

Yes, you can use all versions of Covert Dock with ShadowCast 2. Simply plug ShadowCast 2 into the Covert Dock as you would a typical HDMI console and you’ll capture the feed going into the Covert Dock’s USB-C port.

Does this really fit in the Nintendo Switch dock?

Yep it certainly does.

What Our Customers Say

average rating 4.6 out of 5

Based on 40 reviews

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Reviewed by Justin H.

Verified Reviewer

Rated 5 out of 5

Easy to use and versatile.

I originally got this so I could pair an iPad Pro to my MacBook Pro using the Orion app. It works great and it's rated very well for others uses such as a Switch or other gaming device. My goal was to side car one iPad Pro and HDMI out to a second iPad Pro for a triple display while traveling for work, Genki nailed it. I was able to do what I wanted. Higher output for frame rate would have been nice since my MacBook Pro offers output up to120fps through HDMI, but I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for that since I'm just working with it briefly in a. pinch during travels, not gaming.

Compact, tossed in with everything else in the Saya Carry bag. Genki's locking down travel tech!

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Reviewed by John H.

Verified Buyer

Rated 5 out of 5

Better than ShadowCast1

Had the original, loving the sequel

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Reviewed by Joshua O.

Verified Buyer

Rated 5 out of 5

Works great

I've only had the device for a few weeks, but so far it has worked perfectly to let me play Switch on my MacBook. It's more or less plug and play, video and audio seem good, and there's no lag. Really happy with the device so far.

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Reviewed by Sam W.

Verified Buyer

Rated 4 out of 5

Tremendous little capture card

This is great for recording gameplay footage to a laptop, or even for simply using the laptop as a monitor.

The setup, from my perspective, was completely fuss-free. I had it up and running in under a minute.

My only suggestion for improvement would be to offer a version with a Micro HDMI connection, or perhaps an adapter in the box. I needed to purchase an adapter in order to connect my Raspberry Pi 5 to my MacBook Air.

Overall, though, a really incredible device.

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Reviewed by DocJekl

Verified Reviewer

Rated 5 out of 5

Great for intermittent settings changes on my TrueNAS server BIOS

I've got a home-built HEXOS/TrueNAS server down in the basement network closet, with my cable modem, ASUS mesh network router, and 2.5 Gbps switches but no monitor. I have an extra wireless mouse/keyboard next to it for just in case. I had to make some BIOS changes after upgrading the DDR5 RAM to 64GB; and it was super easy to install the Genki Arcade app on my 14" MacBook Pro, connect to the HDMI out of the NAS with the adapter and included USB-C cable, view the BIOS screen, make the overclocking changes, and restart my server. I could watch the sever boot into HexOS/TrueNAS without errors, before unplugging the ShadowCast2.

I have no idea if one can VNC into a PC BIOS (I have used VNC to control a windows or Mac computer); so this was a good solution for me since it does more than a simple monitor. i.e. If I wanted I could record gameplay from my Steamdeck or PC as well. I was also was nice to have the trueNAS server BIOS in a 2560x1440p window, with the HexOS/TrueNAS interface pulled up in a different window via my browser, so I could do a test file transfer and monitor it in my browser before I was done.

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ShadowCast 2

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy to use and versatile.

Better than ShadowCast1

Works great

Tremendous little capture card

Great for intermittent settings changes on my TrueNAS server BIOS

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