Your endoscope processor — the tower unit that processes the signal from the scope and displays it on a monitor — almost certainly has an HDMI output port on its back panel. This port was designed for connecting an additional monitor or recording unit, but it is equally useful for feeding live video to a Windows PC running documentation software.
The connection does not go directly from the processor to the PC's HDMI port. PC HDMI ports are outputs only — they send signal out, not in. To bring HDMI video into a PC, you need a USB HDMI capture card. This small device sits between the processor and the PC, converting the HDMI signal into a USB video stream that Windows can process.
The entire chain is: endoscope scope → processor → HDMI cable → USB capture card → USB 3.0 port on PC → ScopeDesk. Once connected, ScopeDesk auto-detects the capture device and shows the live feed instantly.
Some endoscope processors with newer firmware enable HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) on their HDMI output, which blocks capture devices from recording the signal. If your processor has a menu option to disable HDCP or enable "record mode" on the HDMI output, enable it. Contact your endoscope manufacturer's service team if you cannot locate this setting.
Look at the back panel of your processor unit. The HDMI-out port is a small trapezoidal connector, typically labelled "HDMI OUT", "Monitor", or "Video Out". On Olympus CV-180 and CV-190 processors, it is on the lower right of the rear panel. On Pentax EPK-i7010 and similar units, it is in the video output cluster near the centre. Fujifilm VP-7000 series processors have the HDMI port on the right side panel.
If your processor has only a DVI-D output, use a passive DVI-D to HDMI adapter (available for under ₹300 online). If it has only composite or S-Video outputs, you will need an upscaling capture device — contact us to check compatibility before purchasing hardware.
Select a USB capture card compatible with Windows 10 or later. For reliable 1080p capture in a clinical setting, we recommend the Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2 — it has the lowest latency and most stable drivers of any USB capture device. The AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable and Elgato HD60 X are good mid-range alternatives and are plug-and-play on Windows.
Avoid generic "4K" USB 2.0 capture dongles priced under ₹800 — they claim 1080p capability but typically max out at 720p with significant frame drops. For a busy endoscopy department capturing 15–20 cases per day, the Magewell Gen 2 (approximately ₹18,000–₹22,000) is the reliable choice. See the compatibility table below for a full comparison.
Run a standard HDMI-A cable (male to male) from the HDMI-out port on the endoscope processor to the HDMI-in port on the capture card. Ensure the cable is seated firmly at both ends — a loose connection causes flickering or a black screen. Use a cable under 3 metres for reliable signal; longer runs require an HDMI signal booster.
The processor's main monitor display is unaffected — the HDMI-out port mirrors the feed to the capture card without disrupting the primary display connection. Your existing monitor setup does not need to change.
Connect the capture card to a USB 3.0 port on your Windows PC. USB 3.0 ports are identified by the blue plastic insert inside the connector. For 1080p capture at 50/60Hz, USB 3.0 bandwidth is essential — a USB 2.0 port will cause dropped frames and stuttering. Avoid connecting through a USB hub; the capture card should connect directly to a motherboard USB port for guaranteed bandwidth.
If the PC is positioned away from the endoscopy station, use a USB 3.0 active extension cable (up to 5 metres) or a USB 3.0 hub with its own power supply (not bus-powered) to maintain reliable bandwidth over longer cable runs.
Most USB HDMI capture cards use the UVC (USB Video Class) standard, which means Windows 10 and Windows 11 recognise them automatically without any additional driver installation. When you plug in the capture card, Windows will show a brief "Device is ready" notification in the system tray.
For Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2, download the Magewell USB Capture driver package from magewell.com for access to advanced settings (frame rate control, colour space adjustment, signal status display). The basic UVC driver built into Windows is sufficient for ScopeDesk capture, but the Magewell driver enables the full feature set. AVerMedia and Elgato cards require no additional drivers on Windows 10 and later.
Launch ScopeDesk. On the Capture tab, ScopeDesk scans for connected video input devices and populates a dropdown list with all recognised capture cards. Select your device (it will show the manufacturer name and model), choose the input resolution to match your processor's HDMI output (typically 1920×1080 at 50Hz for PAL-region India or 60Hz for NTSC-standard equipment), and click "Start Capture."
The live endoscope feed will appear in the main capture window. Press SPACE to capture still frames, or use a foot pedal configured to the SPACE key for hands-free capture during the procedure. ScopeDesk links each captured frame to the active patient session automatically.
ScopeDesk is brand-agnostic — it works with any UVC-class USB capture device. These three are the most widely used in Indian endoscopy setups.
| Capture Card | Max Resolution | USB Standard | Windows Driver | Best For | ScopeDesk Compatible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2 | 1080p 60Hz | USB 3.0 | UVC + proprietary (optional) | High-volume departments, professional setup | Fully compatible |
| AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable | 1080p 60Hz | USB 3.0 | Plug-and-play UVC | Mid-range setup, value for money | Fully compatible |
| Elgato HD60 X | 1080p 60Hz | USB 3.0 | Plug-and-play UVC | Easy setup, compact form factor | Fully compatible |
| Generic UVC HDMI capture dongle | 1080p (claimed) 720p (real-world) |
USB 2.0 | Plug-and-play UVC | Budget testing only | Compatible (limited at 1080p) |
Not sure which card suits your setup? Ask us on WhatsApp →
The capture card is detected but showing no video. Most commonly caused by HDCP protection enabled on the processor's HDMI output, a loose HDMI cable connection, or the processor not being in a live-signal state (must be powered on with a scope connected).
Fix: Check processor HDMI output settings for HDCP — disable it or enable "record output" mode. Reseat both ends of the HDMI cable. Confirm the processor is displaying a live or standby image on its primary monitor.
The live feed is visible but choppy, with frames dropping regularly. This is almost always a USB bandwidth issue — either the capture card is on a USB 2.0 port, connected through a bus-powered hub, or sharing bandwidth with other USB devices on the same controller.
Fix: Move the capture card to a USB 3.0 port (blue insert) connected directly to the PC motherboard. If using a laptop, use the Thunderbolt or USB 3.1 port for best results. Disconnect other high-bandwidth USB devices (external drives, webcams) from the same USB controller.
The capture card is connected but does not appear in ScopeDesk's device list. Possible causes: the device is not being recognised by Windows (driver issue), another application has exclusive access to the capture device, or the card requires a proprietary driver that is not yet installed.
Fix: Open Device Manager (Win+X → Device Manager) and check for "Sound, video and game controllers" — the capture card should appear here. If showing a yellow warning icon, reinstall the driver. Close any other video software (OBS, Teams, streaming apps) that might hold exclusive capture device access.
The HDMI connection is just the starting point. Once ScopeDesk has the live feed, it turns a raw video stream into a complete, structured clinical documentation workflow.
Every frame captured via SPACE key or foot pedal is automatically tagged to the active patient session — no manual file naming, no disconnected folders. Images are linked to the patient record at the moment of capture.
Draw arrows, circles, and text labels on any captured frame to highlight clinical findings — stones, lesions, bleeding sites, polyps. Annotated images appear directly in the final PDF report.
When findings are documented, click Generate Report. A branded PDF on your hospital letterhead — with embedded procedure images, findings, doctor details, and patient information — is ready in seconds.
Every completed case is automatically added to a searchable procedure register — NABH-ready, exportable to CSV or PDF at any time. No parallel data entry required.
Want to see the full ScopeDesk feature set? Read our complete product overview or compare us against traditional documentation methods.
We will walk you through the full setup — hardware check, installation, and first report — in under an hour.