Using higher refresh monitors for PC gaming and streaming is becoming ever more popular, yet most capture cards do support native inputs of 120Hz or 144Hz.
This guide is for streaming when using a dual PC setup and a high refresh rate monitor. Fret not, there is a solution. This guide assumes you:
- Are using a Nvidia GPU
- Have DisplayPort Cable
- Have a HDMI cable
- Have a 1080p 120/144Hz monitor
- Use a Elgato HD60 Pro (or HD60)
Setup:
- Right click somewhere on your desktop
- Click on Nvidia Control Panel
- This will open the Nvidia Control Panel.
- On the left sidebar, click on Set up multiple displays
- In the select displays you want to use box, you should see your main monitor, and one called Elgato.
- In the second box below, right click on the primary display, marked with a big 1.
- Hover over clone with, and select display 2.
- Now click apply at the bottom. Your screen may go black and flash, and a box will come up asking to keep the changes. Choose yes.
- Now, on the right hand sidebar, click on Adjust desktop size and position.
- Click on the main monitor at the top, and under scaling, choose no scaling, and set the scaling to GPU.
- At the bottom, make sure the resolution is set to 1080p, and the refresh rate is set to 144Hz/120Hz
- Now click on the Elgato monitor, and set it to No scaling, perform scaling on GPU.
- Below, set the resolution to 1080p and the refresh rate to 60Hz.
- On the right sidebar, click on Change resolution.
- Click on your main monitor at the top.
- In the resolution scroll box, scroll down and under PC, select 1080p.
- You will also see a refresh rate box. Click on it, and select the appropriate refresh rate for your monitor(Either 144Hz or 120Hz).
- At the top, click on the Elgato monitor. The resolution and refresh rate options should be grayed out.
- Now click on Apply. Your screen may flash. Make sure to choose yes to Apply these settings.
- Close the Nvidia control panel, and open Streamlabs Desktop on the streaming PC (add a Video Capture Device for your Elgato Capture Card if you haven't already).
- After a few moments, you should see your monitor, in the Streamlabs Desktop preview.
You’re done. You can now play at 144Hz/120Hz and stream (or even record) at 60fps with your Game Capture HD60 Pro and HD60.
To set up audio:
- Install the Elgato Sound Capture Software on the Gaming PC
- Configure it under the Advanced settings to Output your audio to your headphones and your Elgato
Note: it will not output your microphone to your stream PC. You will have to make other arrangements for that