Help with streaming setup

[GM Rod]

Hello!

 

So, I'm figuring out how I'm gonna setup my two machines for streaming on twitch.

 

I have a gaming PC and a Mac Pro (new trashcan model)

 

The PC has a GTX 970 ACX2.0 REF model (1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort)

Here's what I'm thinking:

For video (and the game audio):

 

PC -> HDMI Out -> Magewell HDMI to USB 3.0 capture card -> USB 3.0 Out -> Mac

 

For my microphone:

 

AT4040 mic -> XLR -> Presonus FireWire Studio Interface -> FireWire to Thunderbolt adapter -> Mac

 

All other audio sources, like background music and whatnot, will be coming from the mac.

 

Now the question is, if I use the one HDMI out from the PC to the magewell, I need some other way to get the PC signal back to my TV (I'm using a TV, not a monitor)

The Magewell doesn't have a passthrough (and I picked it because it's the only one in its category that can do 1080p60 at 30Mbit+, and way smaller than the others, although more expensive)

So, I could either:

- Use an HDMI splitter before the Magewell and send the second signal to the TV

- Use the splitter AFTER the Magewell and send that to the TV

- Use a DVI to HDMI adapter and send straight from the GTX to the TV that way
- Use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and send straight from the GTX to the TV that way

- Use two DP to HDMI adapters, run one to the TV and one to the capture card, and run audio separate from the PC to the interface on the mac

 

This raises a few questions:

 

- DP and DVI don't carry audio, right, so doing it that way means the TV doesn't get sound. Which for streaming might not be an issue since I'd have headphones plugged into the interface that's on the Mac anyway...
- If I use the splitter, will there be a loss of quality anywhere in the signal chain?

- Still in the splitter case, is there a difference in using it before or after the capture card? And does it keep audio in all the signals?

- Will having two different things hooked up to my GTX 970 hurt my FPS? Even in Duplicate Display mode? (This is the reason why I'm thinking about a splitter) And, is there a difference in this case, between running two DP outs vs. DP + HDMI, or HDMI + DVI, or DP + DVI?

- Should I just get an even more expensive capture card, with a passthrough?

[jared404]

Is your tv's resolution the same as what you want to stream 1920x1080 i'm assuming? If so I would try a hdmi splitter.

[GM Rod]

It sure is.