Atomos CONNECT HDMI-To-USB Capture Adapter

Atomos CONNECT HDMI-to-USB Capture Adapter

The Atomos CONNECT is a thumb-sized capture adapter that turns a camera or other HDMI source into a high-quality USB video device for a computer. Instead of relying on a laptop’s built-in webcam, you connect the HDMI output of a mirrorless camera, DSLR, camcorder or an Atomos recorder to the CONNECT, and the computer sees a standard webcam-style feed.

The adapter follows the USB Video Class standard, so it works without installing drivers. It plugs straight into a Mac, Windows PC or Android host, draws its power from the USB connection, and is ready the moment your conferencing or capture application selects it as the camera source.

Key features

• HDMI input accepting resolutions up to 4K at 30p
• USB output up to 1080p60 in YUV JPEG format
• UVC compliant, so no drivers are needed
• USB Audio Class support with L-PCM audio
• Supports 8, 10 and 12-bit deep colour input
• No external power supply required
• Compact 64 x 28 x 13 mm body weighing 21.4 g
• Works with Windows, macOS and Android hosts

Input and output are different numbers, on purpose

The two headline figures describe different ends of the path. On the input side, the CONNECT accepts HDMI signals up to 4K at 30 frames per second, as well as HD up to 60p and 720p up to 60p. On the output side, it converts that signal and delivers up to 1080p60 over USB. Accepting a 4K source does not mean the USB feed is 4K; the conversion to a maximum of 1080p60 is what conferencing platforms, streaming software and recording applications actually receive.

Plug in and go live

Because the CONNECT conforms to the USB Video Class and USB Audio Class standards, the host treats it like a native camera and microphone. Popular acquisition and streaming applications on Windows, macOS and Android recognise it directly, and the embedded audio travels with the video in L-PCM format, so a separate audio interface is not required for the camera’s own sound. Maximum working current is just 0.4 A at 5 V DC, supplied by the USB port itself, and the operating temperature range of -10 to +55 degrees C suits both studio desks and location work.

Built for small, tidy setups

At 21.4 g and roughly the size of a USB stick, the adapter sits directly off the side of a laptop without adding a capture box, cables for power, or bulk to a camera bag. It supports certified AWG26 HDMI cables up to 15 metres, which gives flexibility when the camera sits across a room from the computer, for example on a tripod in a classroom, studio or place of worship.

Getting the best from it

Set your camera to a clean HDMI output at a supported resolution and frame rate, switch off on-screen displays you do not want in the feed, and select the CONNECT as both the video and, if you use the camera microphone path, the audio device in your application.

For anyone whose work is seen through a webcam window, the CONNECT is a small, driver-free bridge between a real camera and the computer: 4K-capable input, clean 1080p60 output, embedded audio and nothing else to carry or configure.