Latest news with #JulianFest
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Gizmodo
The Crappier Your Webcam, the More Likely It'll Work on Switch 2
Since Nintendo launched its Switch 2 three weeks ago (time flies when you're playing Mario Kart World), the one lingering question about its hardware is which webcams it supports. Multiple users found that a whole slew of modern webcams were simply incompatible with Nintendo's new handheld. We suspected that the Switch 2 was better at supporting worse-quality cameras compared to your expensive 4K streaming cam, and now multiple brands have effectively confirmed it. Cameras attached to the Switch 2 need to perform multiple functions. They allow for video in GameChat—Nintendo's Discord-like feature that lets users talk to friends, see each other's gameplay live, and stream their faces at the same time. The camera is also able to capture a room full of people sitting around the couch together. In games like Mario Kart World and an upcoming update to Super Mario Party Jamboree, you should be able to see your compatriots' expressions as you trounce them in local multiplayer. Julian Fest, the general manager of streamer equipment maker Elgato, wrote on Wednesday that several incompatible webcams, like the Facecam MK.2 and Facecam Neo would soon receive firmware updates to allow compatibility with Switch 2. Fest then speculated that Nintendo's system would only reliably allow for its multiple faces on screen at 'very low resolution.' The Mario maker sells its own $55 1080p Switch 2 Camera, but it also promotes licensed products from Hori for a $65 480p webcam that can attach like a barnacle to the Switch 2 in handheld mode. There's even a version shaped like a Piranha Plant. As Fest said, Nintendo, 'being Nintendo,' hasn't revealed what other specifications third-party cameras need to adjust for compatibility. On the resolution – I think this is just Nintendo being Nintendo. They've never cared about tech specs, only about creating very specific experiences. In this case it's putting multiple tiny facecams on screen and I can imagine that only works reliably at very low resolution. — Julian (@JFest) June 25, 2025 The majority of cameras that work with the Switch 2 are usually older, less capable cameras. A thread on Reddit shares a crowdsourced tally of which webcams are compatible, though I wouldn't trust it completely. While the DJI Action and Osmo 4K cameras aren't compatible, other devices like the Logitech Brio 4K have reportedly experienced issues. You can force some cameras to connect with Nintendo's handheld, but that doesn't mean you'll see a better-quality image higher than 1080p. Earlier this week, Chinese brand EMEET launched its PIXY PTZ 4K webcam with the promise that it was also compatible with Switch 2. It's not a cheap device by any standard at $160 for a dual-camera setup that supports both 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps. The Switch 2 has routinely proved it won't output 4K video, so most likely any such camera would default to 1080p. We reached out to EMEET for clarification on its device, and we'll update this post when we hear back. In a statement to The Verge, camera maker Ugreen laid out what it found in its own tests for Switch 2 camera compatibility. As it stands, it seems cameras can't use a HID protocol USB connection. The device must work with isochronous transfer mode, which provides a steady stream of data compared to batch transfer, and it can't support framerates below 30 fps. These aren't hard and fast rules. It seems some cameras that are confirmed to be compatible with Switch 2 break the third point about frame rates below 30. The Switch 2 is encoding your own video and decoding up to three other streams at once. The console can only support so much data and still play your own game. The point is, you're better off getting something cheap if you intend to only use it with Switch 2. At this point, we can definitely say that if you have an older, cheaper webcam available, the more likely it will play nice with Switch 2. A webcam outputting 480p will be better if it's closer to your face, while the 1080p sensors are more versatile and will be better off set up on your TV cabinet to capture from further away. However, the Switch 2 uses its own software to cut out backgrounds and center the image on a user's face. These background cutouts created a pixelated, wobbly effect that isn't very pleasant to look at up close. If you intend to use it with GameChat, you won't see too much of your friend's mugs anyway, especially if you play your own game at the same time. Your audio through the Switch 2's built-in mic isn't going to be that great, either. Switch 2 users will have to accept that the lower-quality cameras and mics will be standard going forward. At least we can get creative with it. The Verge's Sean Hollister previously proved the Switch 2 is compatible with a cheap endoscope. Other hardware hackers have shown you can get an old Game Boy Camera to connect with Switch 2, made easier if you have an Analogue Pocket, a dock, and a Genki Shadowcast to transform the HDMI signal to USB-C. The lower-quality, black and white image is somehow more appealing than the blurry, washed-out view of the official Switch 2 camera. Now I just need some device that will let me attach it directly to the top of my own handheld.
The Verge
3 days ago
- The Verge
The Nintendo Switch 2 webcam compatibility mystery is solved and updates are on the way
If you plug the world's best-reviewed webcams into the Nintendo Switch 2 today, they won't work, while many comparatively ancient webcams do. Why? That's been a mystery for the nearly three weeks since the handheld launched. Now, two companies say they've figured it out and are pledging to update the firmware on their cameras. Here's a possibly oversimplified answer: today's more-powerful webcams advertise many different modes that they support to any device you connect via USB — but that's a problem because the Nintendo Switch 2 appears to be choosing modes it can't properly play. In the case of Elgato, which will update its non-working Facecam MK.2 and Facecam Neo, the solve was adding an additional low-resolution 480p mode, with Elgato general manager Julian Fest speculating that the Switch can only reliably support 'very low resolution' cameras in order to put multiple facecams on screen. But low resolution by itself isn't the answer — as you'd probably expect, given that Nintendo's own official Switch 2 camera is a 1080p camera which genuinely broadcasts a 1080p mode (we checked), and given it's far from the only 1080p or higher camera that works with Nintendo's new Switch. Accessory company Ugreen tells The Verge that the technical details of making a camera work with the console are far more nuanced than resolution, or framerate, or whether you have the enhanced bandwidth of USB 3 or the far slower USB 2. Nor is it enough for the camera to support a single compatible UVC (USB Video Class) mode. Instead, Ugreen spokesperson Gabrielle Wang explains by email, the camera needs to avoid advertising modes or protocols that the Switch might not recognize, or that it might attempt to use but fail, after you plug it into the console. Ugreen says three different conditions all simultaneously need to be met for a camera to work with the Switch 2: Unfortunately, you're not likely to find any of those 'specs' on a camera's box or in its marketing materials, but but they are things you can check with a connected PC and a tool like USBView — and in so doing, we can see the camera incompatibility situation is more nuanced than a single factor. Elgato's Facecam MK.2, for instance, already advertises isochronous modes to connected devices as far as I can tell, and it doesn't advertise an HID interface. In fact, it appears to already offer a 480p mode as well. But Elgato's camera may have broken Ugreen's third theoretical rule — it tells connected devices like the Switch 2 that it's capable of running as low as 5 fps at a variety of different resolutions, according to the USB Device Descriptors I've viewed. Ugreen says that the Switch 2 may prioritize lower settings, 'but if the camera hardware cannot actually output at such low frame rates, it will cause a failure.' It wouldn't be surprising if Ugreen had an easier time figuring this out: though none of Elgato's webcams worked with the Switch 2 at launch, Ugreen had the benefit of discovering that some of its models did, while others did not. Ugreen says its CM826 / 55512, CM797 / 45644, and CM825 / 75330 cameras will have updates by the end of June, while the CM678 / 15728, CM778 / 35626, CM717 / 25442, CM825 / 55721, and CM831 / 65381 already work. But I wonder if this should solely be the responsibility of camera companies — PCs, for example, don't generally have this same trouble picking from a webcam's list of supported video modes. Perhaps Nintendo will address the webcam compatibility situation, globally, with an update of its own. Nintendo didn't have a comment for our story.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Computex 2025: Elgato Stream Deck Integration for New Corsair SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE Announced
At Computex 2025, Corsair and Elgato have announced a new collaboration, integrating the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE mouse with the Stream Deck. Elgato was purchased by Corsair back in 2018, and today, we are seeing a collaboration between the two brands. The Elgato Stream Deck is an invaluable tool for streamers and creators, allowing users to access simple commands with a press of a button. The Corsair SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE is a wireless MMO gaming mouse that features 16 programmable buttons, with 12 on the side for thumb access. 'Collaboration can result in some truly great outcomes,' said Vice President and General Manager of Gaming Peripherals, Tobias Brinkmann. 'We realized that the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE and Elgato Stream Deck were a perfect fit. The integration with Elgato's Virtual Stream Deck provides users with the ability to map the 12 buttons on the Key Slider to a world of new functions.' He went on, 'They now have the freedom to think beyond MMO and streaming setups, expanding into crafting the ultimate setups for their daily workflows. When our brands work together like this, we can deliver unmatched products and functionality, and we will aim to leverage that advantage whenever possible.' With the SCIMiTAR ELITE WIRELESS SE's built-in Stream Deck functionality, those 12 side buttons can now be programmed to the Stream Deck's functions. They also unlock the Virtual Stream Deck, which allows for clickable shortcuts positioned anywhere on-screen or via hotkeys. The service is completely customizable via the Elgato Stream Deck software, and plugins and profiles can be found on the Elgato Marketplace. 'Combined with Stream Deck, SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE becomes so much more than a mouse,' said General Manager of Elgato, Julian Fest. 'It doesn't just control your games — it controls your entire setup, from audio and lighting to meetings and macros. With Virtual Stream Deck, you can summon even more control without lifting your hand. This kind of deep integration is built into the Elgato ecosystem, and it's a big reason why Stream Deck remains the benchmark for streamlining workflows.' Elgato and Corsair are working together to create ultimate tools for gamers and creators, and this is only the beginning. 'Starting in 2025, CORSAIR brands will be more actively pursuing natural synergies and collaborations that will take CORSAIR customers' user experiences, capabilities, and satisfaction to the next level.' Stay tuned to CGMagazine for more Computex 2025 coverage.
The Verge
19-05-2025
- The Verge
Elgato is letting you stick a Stream Deck on anything
Elgato announced a new 'Stream Deck Everywhere' strategy at Computex, which includes a software-based virtual Stream Deck for PCs, an ethernet dock accessory, unbranded Stream Deck modules that can bring its keys into other products, and even new scissor-switch keys for a more precise, keyboard-like feel. 'With these launches, we're opening up Stream Deck to a world of new users, from developers and DIY builders to manufacturers seeking a field-proven interface for their products,' said Elgato general manager Julian Fest. 'Because Stream Deck isn't just a device—it's a platform. Stream Deck Modules are designed for hobbyists and manufacturers to easily integrate into hardware projects instead of ripping apart the consumer version or developing their own custom macropad solutions. The modules are available in 6-, 15-, and 32-key variants and are housed in an aluminum chassis that can be built into custom bases, machines, and furniture, making it possible to actually create Elgato's ridiculous 1,262-key April Fools' desk. The Stream Deck Modules are available now starting at $49.99 for the six-key version, $129.99 for the 15-key, and $199.99 for the 32-key. Elgato technical marketing manager Philipp Eggebrecht told The Verge that discounts will be offered for bulk purchases. A new variant of the MK.2 Stream Deck has been introduced that replaces the membrane keys with scissor-style switches that provide 'enhanced speed and precision,' according to Elgato. Eggebrecht says the scissor keys variant costs $149.99 and will be available in 'around two weeks.' Stream Deck buttons that feel more like keyboard keys would make it easier for users to tell they've clicked something without having to look at the device. Elgato describes the scissor switch variant as something that 'lends itself to typing-style interactions, paving the way for new use cases that benefit from rapid, multi-layered input and control,' which could be testing the waters for a Stream Deck keyboard or any other application requiring precise controls. 'The idea of a full LCD-key based keyboard is interesting. We've explored it in the past and so far, what we've found is that the experience hasn't been great, and there's the cost question,' Eggebrecht told The Verge. 'We're getting closer to a keyboard feeling with Stream Deck Scissor Keys, and always looking at the technology and what is becoming possible. Stream Deck and keyboards are a natural fit.' Elgato is also rolling out a software-only Stream Deck for desktop devices, akin to the existing Stream Deck mobile app. The Virtual Stream Deck (VSD) can provide a permanent macro menu on computer screens or be summoned at will when users hit allocated hotkeys and mouse buttons. The VSD software will initially be available for people who own a Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless SE mouse, Xenon Edge touchscreen, or any Stream Deck model, before later rolling out to 'more devices.' Custom layouts, virtual faceplates, and support for beyond six buttons require iPhone and Android Stream Deck users to pay for Pro access, which starts at $2.99 monthly or $49.99 as a one-time purchase. Eggebrecht says Elgato's desktop VSD isn't locked behind a subscription, but does require users to install the Stream Deck 7.0 beta. A new $79.99 Stream Deck network dock accessory was also announced that includes support for power over Ethernet (PoE), which lets you place its buttons anywhere there's a network jack, and with more flexibility than USB-C affords by itself. Eggebrecht says the Stream Deck network dock will start shipping in August.
