How to use an external hard drive as a GPU/graphics card for game streaming

772 Views 15 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Sonicstefan1991, 4 mo ago

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · 4 mo ago

I am not intending to use my 4TB external HDD to store games as I am only intending to use it to help make the games on the capture window on my Streamlabs OBS to run smoother. I game stream by connecting my gaming consoles to the computer via an Elgato HD60 S+ game capture card.
Is there a way to set my external hard drive as a GPU for game streaming? If there is, how do I do it?

Many thanks.

Stefan

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

NaderHussain

· #2 · 4 mo ago

A GPU is different than a data storage drive like an external HDD. Please see the following links on what a GPU is.

What Is a GPU? Graphics Processing Units Defined.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_processing_unit

You cannot use an external HDD as a GPU since an HDD is used for data storage and accessing data.

Reactions: 1

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #3 · 4 mo ago

NaderHussain said:
A GPU is different than a data storage drive like an external HDD. Please see the following links on what a GPU is.

What Is a GPU? Graphics Processing Units Defined.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_processing_unit

You cannot use an external HDD as a GPU since an HDD is used for data storage and accessing data.

No problem. Thank you.

plodr

· #4 · 4 mo ago

There are external graphics cards.

You might want to read this

https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/external-graphics-card/

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #5 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
There are external graphics cards.

You might want to read this

https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/external-graphics-card/

Are they also good for desktops?

plodr

· #6 · 4 mo ago

Look at the prices. Why would you buy something that costs hundreds of dollars when you can open a desktop computer and install a video card that costs a lot less?

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #7 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
Look at the prices. Why would you buy something that costs hundreds of dollars when you can open a desktop computer and install a video card that costs a lot less?

I am very confused. It is just really where I stream my gaming content, not to record it. Is a video card different to a graphics card, then?

plodr

· #8 · 4 mo ago

Video card and graphics card are the same.
Do you have a laptop or a desktop computer?

It sounds like the video card or chip in your computer is not up to the streaming demands you want to put on it with gaming.

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #9 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
Video card and graphics card are the same.
Do you have a laptop or a desktop computer?

It sounds like the video card or chip in your computer is not up to the streaming demands you want to put on it with gaming.

I have an all-in-one desktop.

plodr

· #10 · 4 mo ago

An all-in-one is similar to a laptop. It is hard to replace anything because the board sits behind the monitor and doesn't have room to install video cards.

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #11 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
An all-in-one is similar to a laptop. It is hard to replace anything because the board sits behind the monitor and doesn't have room to install video cards.

Okay, so will these different USB video cards you showed me will be suitable for someone using a desktop?

plodr

· #12 · 4 mo ago

You don't use a USB video card in a normal desktop computer.
You can use a USB external video card in a laptop or all-in-one computer.

I'm not sure it will help with game streaming. An all-in-one is not meant to be a computer for gaming. You may spend a lot of money and still be disappointed with the results.

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #13 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
You don't use a USB video card in a normal desktop computer.
You can use a USB external video card in a laptop or all-in-one computer.

I'm not sure it will help with game streaming. An all-in-one is not meant to be a computer for gaming. You may spend a lot of money and still be disappointed with the results.

Right, okay. I thought I was doing good by getting a PC without a separate tower, where it’s built inside the monitor.

lunarlander

· #14 · 4 mo ago

All-in-ones are non-movable laptops. They don't have any expansion capabilities. They are difficult to repair. I would never buy one.

Reactions: 1

plodr

· #15 · 4 mo ago

lunarlander, I agree 100% with you. My first computer, an IBM, was an all-in-one. When the video went bad, the computer was donated to a school so they could tear it apart for parts.

My second all in one was a computer I rescued from the trash. Fortunately it had a VGA connector attached to the monitor. (It was a very strange computer.) I simply removed the connection from the builtin screen and attached another monitor. The CD drive died but it had USB ports so I was able to connect an external drive.

Sonicstefan1991

Discussion Starter · #16 · 4 mo ago

plodr said:
lunarlander, I agree 100% with you. My first computer, an IBM, was an all-in-one. When the video went bad, the computer was donated to a school so they could tear it apart for parts.

My second all in one was a computer I rescued from the trash. Fortunately it had a VGA connector attached to the monitor. (It was a very strange computer.) I simply removed the connection from the builtin screen and attached another monitor. The CD drive died but it had USB ports so I was able to connect an external drive.

Okay, so are there no options, then?

1 - 16 of 16 Posts