With a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign behind it, the Genki Shadowcast has every right to be seen as a must-have accessory for Nintendo Switch owners. Indeed, its status as one of the world's smallest capture cards makes it eminently noteworthy, and it comes with some other cool tricks which might not be all that obvious at first glance. However, despite the impressive technical feats this tiny device is capable of, it's difficult to shake the feeling that it's a solution for a problem which never really existed in the first place.
Before we get to that, though, it's worth explaining exactly what the Shadowcast is. It's a dongle which plugs into the HDMI port of your Switch dock (or any HDMI port, actually) and allows you to display the resultant image on your PC or laptop's screen. You can also capture gameplay footage and screenshots at the same time, making this one of the smallest (and cheapest) capture cards available right now.
The Shadowcast has a HDMI connector on one end and a USB-C on the other. Using the bundled USB-C to USB-C cable (which is of impeccable quality, we must say), you connect the Shadowcast to your computer (if you don't have any USB-C ports on your machine, worry not, as a USB-C to USB-A adapter is included if you opt for the $50 bundle).
One of the most impressive aspects of the Shadowcast is that it doesn't require any drivers or software downloads – you really do just 'plug and play' with this thing. Because your computer treats the device like a webcam, you can use software like OBS to run it – but Genki recommends you download its 'Genki Arcade' app instead (available for Windows, Mac and Linux) as this, it says, offers a lower-latency connection that demands less CPU bandwidth. Genki Arcade displays the video image in a scalable window and allows you to toggle between 'Performance' and 'Resolution' modes (more on those in a second) as well as record footage or capture screenshots.
Genki's pitch is that the Shadowcast allows you to game when you don't have a TV handy. You can use your PC monitor or laptop screen as a display – which means you can have your Switch running in docked mode at your work desk, for example. Because it will accept any HDMI signal, you don't need to stop there – your computer can play host to your PS5, SNES Classic or Sega Astro City Mini, if you so wish.
The benefits might not be instantly obvious (especially with Switch, which has its own built-in screen), but it basically means that if you carry a laptop around with you, you've basically got a portable display for your games consoles – something which might prove to be very useful for people who don't have unfettered access to a large-format TV (university students living away from home or younger members of the family, for example). And if you're running a Mac, then you can even use the 'Sidecar' feature to stream the picture to your iPad for a wire-free experience which dwarfs the Switch's built-in screen.
However, while this all sounds great on paper, there are some caveats to mention. As we touched upon before, the Shadowcast offers two modes. 'Performance' focuses on giving the best experience with the lowest latency (around 6 frames / 100ms, based on our admittedly crude calculations) which means it runs smoothly but offers a slightly smeary, compressed look. The latency present isn't going to make things unplayable, but for games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it could be problematic. 60fps is the target frame rate in this mode, but we did notice some dips during gameplay. 'Resolution' mode, on the other hand, delivers a crisper (yet still not totally uncompressed) 1080p picture but drops the frame rate down to 30fps, with latency being even more pronounced. Needless to say, this is the mode you're going to want to use when capturing footage.
While 'Performance' is going to be perfect adequate for most people, it does rather beg the question – if you're having to make do with a low-quality signal, why not just use the Switch in portable form? Unless you can stomach the high level of latency seen in the 'Resolution' mode, you're simply not getting the same experience you would if you ran the docked Switch on a proper TV, or a portable 1080p monitor (obviously, those are items which cost a considerable amount of money and might not always been readily accessible, it should be noted).
Another problem relates to the image quality the Shadowcast gives you. The colour gamut is noticeably restricted when compared to lossless capture from the Switch, with shades mixing together in a way which compromises detail. Reds also appear to be quite harsh and saturated. All of these issues naturally have an impact on the quality of the capture this device is capable of, so don't expect the Shadowcast to outperform other popular capture cards on the market. Sure, it's fine if you're looking to snap a cool moment in-game to share on social media or your personal YouTube channel, but compared to what's expected from video game capture these days, the Shadowcast falls short – but then again, its big selling points are its tiny size, lack of software requirements and low price. There's a balancing act at play here, and whether you can live with the shortcomings is going to be down to personal preference.
Genki also makes it clear that the Shadowcast has other uses, however. You can, for example, use it to connect your DSLR camera to your computer and use it as a super-sharp webcam – something that will prove to be incredibly useful for some people, even if it's not related to video games. We've got a pretty terrible webcam in the Nintendo Life office which we'll be supplanting with the Shadowcast (and a Panasonic Lumix GH5) from hereon in.
But we're getting off-topic. The Shadowcast is certainly a neat piece of kit considering its price and dinky size, and it's an absolute breeze to get up and running – but the fact is that for capture it lags behind the rest of the market, and for gaming, it always feels like something of a compromise when compared to running stuff on a proper, dedicated display. If you've only got access to a PC or laptop in your room, then this might be an acceptable solution – and for $50, you could argue that you've got nothing to lose. It's just difficult to overcome the impression that, while the Shadowcast is a clever bit of kit, it's trying to scratch an itch which simply doesn't exist.
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Thanks to Genki for sending the Shadowcast used in this review.
Comments 29
I can't see any difference in those side by side pictures
Been using mine to stream Switch games on Twitch for the first time and I have little to complain about really, have never been particularly sensitive to graphical quality. Down the line I might shoot for something better if the streaming goes well, but to start with I just wanted "cheap and adequate" - which this is!
the price and size are exactly what makes it interesting as a first capture device for beginning streamers.
I've been using it for just over a month to stream switch games to twitch, and for that it works just fine.
@FlashmanHarry the definition is a bit better on the left image. It's easier to notice if you open the image on a big enough screen. But I agree that for us common mortal it's not night and day, a trained eye will be able to detect more differences. I don't see any differences in color.
If I want to play Switch games on my PC then I already got an emulator just for that, I don't need no Shadowcast to do it. The thing is Switch games runs terrible on PC whether through emulation or Shadowcast so it's not worth playing on either thus keeping it native on Switch is the only way to fully enjoy it.
I've got a PC but why wouldn't I just directly hook up my Switch to the monitor in the first place? Especially as it needs the HDMI port in the first place I really don't see a purpose for this
I kickstarted this and I'm mostly happy with it.
I think the pitch was completely wrong. They sold it as a way to use your computer as a display for playing games.
For me, the lag is too much for that - I tried Sonic Mania and could not do the springy conveyer-belts in Press Garden at all (without deliberately pressing buttons early). Online, I've read that different cables might reduce lag (I think they said that a high-end cable designed for VR headsets worked well) so there might be hope there.
Purely as a display, it's fine for turn-based games or other games that require less-precise timing but not something I really need.
I want to experiment with in-home (and out of home) streaming - with Moonlight or Steam Link. Lag would be ridiculous but in theory, if there was a way to also send bluetooth inputs, you could play switch (and other less-portable consoles) from other rooms/locations. That's just something I want to try for fun though; it's not really practical.
But like I said I am happy with it - for the size and price. I will probably use it for capture more than viewing. I'm thinking about using it with a retrotink to digitize old tapes.
As a capture device, which was my main interest, I haven't had much success with it.
Plugging it into my Switch dock's HDMI port to output to three different devices over USB, I've only been able to get the Genki Shadowcast Windows desktop software to detect an output on one of them.
From what I've seen, you buy this product for its simplicity and its small size and its lower price tag.
If you want top tier video quality, you're not buying this product, you're buying a top tier device.
I use it to twitch stream Fortnite, but it is laggy with input at times. Apex is impossible to play. Overall I'm satisfied, wish the input lag was non existent but I wouldn't be able to stream otherwise. I will day one other drawback. There's no way to voice chat without removing audio from the PC and losing all sound in the twitch stream.
Why would you need this to connect your Switch to your monitor when you could just, you know, plug your Switch into your monitor?
I bought this because I don't have wifi in my apartment, I use my phone's wireless hotspot. A large PS4 download would use up a lot of my high speed limit, so I can bring it to the library instead and download it there.
I received this back in late March after I helped crowdfund it. It's certainly a nifty little device, and I liked the idea of recording some things. The problem is that the recording ability went to hell literally two weeks after I got it. Overall the thing still works, but I can't record video or take screenshots, and that's disappointing.
I had to stare at the side by side pics for a couple mins to even notice there was a difference. I would never notice while playing. Seems odd to me that's the sort of thing some people and sites lose their mind over.
I was going to buy this because I like to play on small monitors and 15" is perfect.
But 1080p 30fps....no thanks.
@magnumc500 If you get a hdmi splitter and a second display you won't need to worry about input lag - so gameplay would go to both the pc (for streaming) and a second monitor (for viewing and playing on). That might be a lot to invest in though.
@AndrewR not your computer's monitor, your laptop's screen. I've never used a laptop that let's me display arbitrary video on its screen from any device. It could be useful in niche situations.
@FaroreAbhorsen Yeah but why would you want to play this on your laptop? Your laptop is portable and the Switch is already portable. AndreaR has a point, why buy this to make it work on a PC monitor when you basically could already just plug the Switch in dock mode itself onto the HDMI on the monitor instead? Unless you're buying this as a capture device, you really don't need this for your Switch or PC.
I have this and I love it. Coupled with Genki's Covert Dock, it makes a great way to get Switch games on a bigger screen when traveling. Makes playing Fitness Boxing in a hotel room much easier.
There are use cases for this, but they're uncommon and very specific. I was looking into a solution like this at different point in the past because I was dealing with some physical issues that made sitting in a normal place and looking at a TV uncomfortable. I was interested in a way to hook up a console to my laptop so it could be more comfortable. This situation lasted for quite a few years, but I've recently seen some improvement. During that time, this would have proven useful to me. It's a strange use case. I didn't want to spend the money typical capture devices required or have to get a secondary monitor. The Genki seemed worth waiting on for reviews. I'm not as concerned with input lag as some others are, but six frames is more than I'd like, so I'll likely pass. I may not have as much need for it as it seemed I did for a while.
@Ghost_of_Hasashi It's not that everybody would do it and it's also not that nobody would do it. The switch is portable. It has a decent screen but not as big as my 17" laptop. So anywhere where I'd rather watch YouTube on my laptop than on my phone or Switch, is a place where I'd do that.
Most hotels do let you access the HDMI port so you can hook your switch up to the TV but some don't. In those situations I'd rather use my laptop. When I'm staying at a friend's house or my grandma's house where there's not an extra TV in the bedroom I'm staying it, I could use my laptop. I like handheld but I'm really a sit and play guy.
Having said all that. I LITERALLY just got this item in the mail because I ordered it when Alex put up the video a few days back. I got the Shadowcast and an HDMI splitter from Amazon and I just tried out the actual scenario I have right now.
I enjoy watching people play Breath of the Wild. Or other single player games. But not everyone I want to spend time with lives nearby and can just hang out in my living room or vice versa. I ran my Switch dock into the splitter and sent one output to my monitor and the other to the Genki Shadowcast, which since it detects as a webcam to my computer, can now join my Skype call. So it's a private Twitch scenario. I get no latency on the monitor but I could share that with friends at a distance.
I'm actually going to ship it to a friend who I'm trying to get into Breath of the Wild so that I can watch her play and help her if she gets stuck of frustrated. She's stressed and I think it might help her relax but she's intimidated by video games so I'm suggesting this. Then I can just call her up on her cell, and join a Skype call from her laptop, next to her TV, and watch the Koroks come in! This was coincidentally precisely the thing I needed right now.
The main thing I'm using mine for is streaming with my friends. A normal capture card would be way too expensive, but with this we can actually play single player games together across the country. (Especially RPGs, where people can help make group decisions).
But yeah, I don't really see me using this for laptop streaming or anything.
Despite having its own screen, I actually do personally see value in hooking the Switch up to my laptop for a bigger screen. I can use a Pro/8Bitdo controller, and a 15" laptop screen is a nice medium between the Switch's small 6"~ and a full TV that you have to set up.
Unfortunately, any latency is a hard pass for me. I'd rather play in tabletop mode than deal with any extra latency.
@FlashmanHarry to top it off, they are comparing a $200 device at FHD vs a $50 device at 720p even though the device is capable of broadcasting 1080p. It's preposterous.
The whole article feels like a review to a device they had already written off. After all the reviewer doesn't feel there is a market niché...
Interesting to read but I am not interested to try this.
Though I have occassionally considered hooking up the Switch to a larger screen (not a full sized tv screen)
I bought a 16$ device when i wanted to help my son stream (and use my gopro as extra webcam) , just before this was so heavily kickstarted.. for that price it's nice start... but it's not excactly knew
Where can I buy it in the UK?
I bought this with the intention of doing Twitch streaming. Sure, I will need to invest on a PC and an Internet connection. And that's just the start. Setting a streaming space is another step.
Either way, further research will be needed to successfully start this. I plan for multiple subject channel. It will be gaming first, but would like to chat on the struggles of life of a neurodiverse person living in Puerto Rico, among other stuff. I don't have the physique (nor am I of the proper gender) to even consider a pool or hot tub chat.
@AndrewR For laptops.
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