GoPro cameras are widely used for action photography. It is a popular pocket-sized camera device used by adventurers, surfers, athletes, travelers, and bloggers as a daily camera and can be mounted anywhere. They are great for rugged use and are ideal for capturing videos when you are on a beach, mountain, or snow, diving into the water, or going sky diving.
Nowadays, GoPro usage is increased beyond just action photography. Bloggers and travelers use it as a production camera and film everything around them. The camera is versatile enough to capture everything when you are outside. Ever wondered how you can use a camera when you are off from adventure?
There is a lot of buzz on using a GoPro as a webcam for streaming. There is absolutely no dearth of things that you can try with GoPro. If you are thinking about whether to use GoPro as a webcam or not, then the possibility is yes. You can squeeze in to get extra usage from your GoPro when you are not using it for photography. Its wide-angle lens, Ultrawide settings, and HD camera make it suitable to use as webcam when you’re not using them for outdoor activities.
GoPro cameras can be replaced with your traditional webcams and used for video calling platforms like Skype, Google Meetings, and others. To get a professional appearance with a GoPro web camera, all one has to do is properly set up your GoPro to use it as a webcam. In this article, we will guide you through the process of using GoPro as a webcam for your Windows computer.
Use GoPro as a Webcam Without a Capture Card
To use GoPro as a webcam, you will need the following components:
- GoPro Camera
- Regular HDMI Cable or a micro HDMI cable
- HDMI Dongle USB device. This converts an HDMI signal to a webcam signal
Setup Connections
- Connect the HDMI Dongle USB device to your Windows computer.
- Connect your GoPro camera to the HDMI cable and connect the other open end into the USB dongle.
Setup GoPro and use it as a Webcam on PC
- Turn on your GoPro camera.
- Launch the video calling applications like Skype.
- Open the camera settings and choose your USB or HDMI output as a webcam. If you are using Skype, go to Tools. Navigate to video settings. Choose your camera to a suitable device that is displayed on the menu.
Now that everything is done, you can start recording using GoPro as a webcam on Windows 11/10.
Use GoPro as a Webcam with a Capture Card
To use GoPro as a webcam, you will need the following components:
- GoPro Camera
- Regular HDMI Cable or a micro HDMI cable
- Mini USB Cable
- Video Capture Card converts video signals from GoPro into a digital format that can be used for streaming from the camera to the computer.
- Open Broadcaster Software (Free)
How do I connect my GoPro to my laptop?
- Connect your GoPro’s USB cable to your computer
- Connect HDMI cable to GoPro. Connect the other open end to the HDMI port of the capture device.
- Connect the USB cable from the Capture device to the USB port of your computer.
Setup OBS Studio
Download and install OBS Studio.
Navigate to sources and add a Video Capture Device.
Setup GoPro and use it as a Webcam
- Turn on your GoPro camera.
- Launch the video calling applications like Skype.
Open the camera settings and choose your video capture card as a webcam.
In the case of Skype, go to Tools. Navigate to video settings. Choose your camera to a suitable device that is displayed on the menu.
Now that everything is done, you can Start recording using GoPro as a webcam.
Why won’t my GoPro videos play on my computer?
There can be two reasons why GoPro videos cannot play on Windows PC. First is either the files are corrupt, which happens because of unexpected shutdowns. Second, the player on your PC doesn’t have HEVC support. You can either install the HEVC codec on Windows PC or use other media players such as VLC or 5K Player or any video editor from Adobe to play the video.
How to Convert GoPro Videos?
Many video converters support GoPro Video format, but if you are looking for a free video converter, you can use the Handbreak. You can install the video optimizer and then convert all the videos to MP4, which a player and editor can use.
Read: How to connect GoPro to a laptop
How to fix or recover Corrupted GoPro Videos?
GoPro cameras offer SOS repair icons that highlight corrupted files. Ensure the SD card is inside the camera, and once it detects the corrupted videos, tap on the repair icon, and it will fix. If the header is corrupted, it can be easily fixed. You can then export and use it on your PC.
That’s all.
